LOST LUGGAGE DIARIES

Ever stood at the luggage belt worrying if your bag has made it? As the luggage starts to appear you run scenarios in your head, starting to imagine the worst. Priority baggage? What priority?! As bags get collected your stress levels increase…..then suddenly your bag appears and instant relief takes over. In this blog we look at what the world of lost luggage actually looks like.

It turns out that being the last person at the airport conveyor belt is something many of us have experienced. On average airlines loose 3,000 bags per hour or three bags per flight. Some 26 million pieces of luggage were lost, delayed or damaged in 2022 - nearly eight bags in every 1,000. The most common cause of lost luggage is last minute check-in!

Does it end up on saturn or the luggage capital of the world?

If you live in the UK and your luggage is never returned it will likely have ended up in certain auction houses. If you live in Australia it may be in the annual auction for charity and if you live in Germany after three months of it not reappearing it gets destroyed!

But if you live in the US, head to Scottsboro Arizona for the state’s biggest tourist attraction - Unclaimed Baggage, the US' only retailer of lost luggage and the unofficial luggage capital of the world. Selling this weekend you can buy a 44inch steering wheel, a white gold diamond ring, figure skates or why not try the ‘mystery bag’ options! The unopened suitcase is an enigma especially one of mysterious provenance which has undergone a globe-trotting adventure.

What’s in my checked leather travel case that i forgot about?

The film “The Terminal” by Steven Spielberg starring Tom Hanks is said to have been inspired by a true story of a man who lived in Terminal One of the Charles de Gaulle airport, Paris, from 1988 until 2006. The man was Mehran Karimi Nasseri. He was marooned in the airport for 18 years after he lost his luggage containing his refugee papers. How often have we forgotten to put in our carry-on leather trolley case those important things we need – medication, toiletries, money and jewellery……but it appears some prefer to travel with more exotic things that have turned up lost!

Examples of items which have turned up in lost luggage:
Ancient artifacts, a rattlesnake, a suit of armour, a violin form 1770, a 5.8 carat diamond ring, a naval guidance system, a Samurai sword, prosthetic arm, a coffin, WW2 gas masks, a home vasectomy kit and a pair of breast implants!

Elevate your journey with a leather travel case right by your side

We're pretty sure you're all seasoned travellers so you know the drill: label the bag with your name, flight and destination address. While you’re at it, tear off any stickers from previous flights. It's also worth personalising. Some luggage 4ets lost not because of airline error, but because someone grabs the wrong bag – so buy luggage that’s distinctive and preferably not black!

I was flying into Boston last week and when I went to find my luggage, it seemed to be missing. So I went to the airline’s customer service centre - the clerk asks me “Sir, can you describe your suitcase?” So I tell her, “it’s a hot pink suitcase shaped like a star”. She looks up and asks “Okay, and is there anything distinctive about your bag?”

Or elevate your journey with a leather travel case that’s the perfect travel companion right by your side. Choose a cabin-sized luxury trolley case that opens into two shells to maximise space. A generous zipped front leather pocket is perfect for your laptop and travel essentials. A two stage extendable handle will allow another bag to sit on top. And four wheels is a must to glide effortlessly to your destination. With packing space maximised and in the company of another bag sitting on top you might just make it carry on rather than checked!