Baggage handler shares easy trick for making sure your suitcase isn't 'tossed around'

In the international airport, a conveyor belt is used to move luggage or cases.
-Credit: (Image: Getty)


Imagine this - you're embarking on the holiday of a lifetime. You've arrived at your dream destination and are eagerly awaiting your luggage at the airport carousel, only to see it's been mishandled.

It's dented, perhaps the zip is broken and you have a sinking feeling that any fragile items inside will be irreparably damaged. This scenario is a traveller's worst nightmare, but thankfully, there are measures you can take to prevent your luggage from being roughly handled by baggage workers.

A baggage handler took to Reddit to offer advice and answer questions about their profession. The solution is straightforward - it's all about the wheels.

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If your suitcase has at least two, ideally four functioning wheels, handlers can roll it into the hold, ensuring your belongings remain intact, reports the Express. Without wheels, your bag is likely to be thrown into the hold, increasing the risk of damage.

The baggage handler revealed that their "absolute least favourite" bags to load were those with jammed wheels. The airport employee added: "We try to roll it down, but it just falls over after moving six inches."

To protect your possessions from harm, they suggest investing in a high-quality bag with four operational wheels, a soft interior lining and a sturdy outer shell to cushion your items.

That isn't the only thing you need to consider, however. The baggage handler also confessed that fragile stickers often fail to safeguard luggage, and might even encourage rougher treatment by staff.

"Some of us are tempted to treat them worse, but we never do. Having a fragile tag doesn't really make a difference," they admitted. In terms of the trajectory bags without wheels may endure, the worker revealed: "about five metres or so" is the furthest they've seen luggage thrown.

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