We’ve all had to stand around waiting for luggage to come off the carousel after a long flight – and it is never a pleasant experience.
Not only does it add a delay to your total journey time, but you are also left to wonder if your suitcase or other valuables have gone missing.
Some frequent flyer programmes, or premium airline tickets, allow you to skip the queue, ensuring your cases are first out on the carousel, or even come out from a different location in the airport to other passengers.
However, you do not have to pay more, or stay loyal to a single airline, in order to get your luggage prioritised before other people’s when travelling.
Quora user Raqhav Kabra recommended this brilliant trick for getting your luggage back more quickly.
It’s all to do with the distinct way that “fragile” luggage is treated compared to regular luggage.
It is usually labelled with a sticker or tag reading “fragile” that airport staff place on the bag.
“A fragile tag is meant to be put on luggage which are to be handled carefully: items made of glass, pottery, ceramic or any other easily breakable item.
“The guys transporting your luggage will take extra care so as to not break your item. Most often the fragile tagged luggage come on to the belt first.”
However, at no point do you have to prove you have fragile items in your luggage – meaning you can simply just request the “fragile” sticker anyway.
“While checking in your luggage, ask the person on the counter to put a fragile tag on your luggage.”
“You just have to ask the the person to put a fragile tag, even if you don’t have anything fragile in your bag. If they ask what is it that you’re carrying just say some old artefact or a glass piece.
“No extra money, and your luggage comes first,” she added with regards to the thrifty trick.
Thomas Lo Sciuto, a former ramp and gate agent, also gave another piece of invaluable advice.
‘Your best option is to be one of the last passengers to check your bags.
‘Bags will always be loaded front to back on the bag carts so if you check in last your bags will be in the last bag cart, which will make them the last on the aircraft, and the first off the aircraft at your destination.
“However, while it could save time at the end of your journey, this strategy won’t suit those who like being on time.”
