Missing or Damaged Luggage

Whenever we travel, we always have the fear that in the journey, our luggage can be misplaced, lost, or even damaged, ruining a much-needed vacation before they start.

Yes, it is a reality that Airlines mishandled luggage through their process, as it manages 100s and thousands of suitcases daily, making your belongings end up in a different state or country, damaged goods, that can represent lost clothing or other valuables.

We can take certain steps to reduce the possibility of this, and we are going to debunk some myths about the best luggage.

What is the best luggage, does brand matter?

There are two options on the type of luggage you could purchase or have, hardshell cases, or the fabric one, both serve the same purpose, but one of them is more fragile than the other, even though is the one that seems more resistant the hard one, cannot withstand the pressure of more things put above it and can break after a few trips, while on the other hand the nylon ones can adapt better, so our suggestion will be the soft cases, with 2 tires are more durable.

No Brand doesn't matter, yes you can stroll through the airport with your Louis Vuitton or Guess suitcases, but at the end of the day, they are going to go to the baggage band, and no one else will see it, having a brand name does not guarantee durability. Also, you are more exposed to be targeted and subject to theft, since expensive bags, mean expensive things inside.

Remember to purchase suitcases that fit, the standard travel measurements 62 cubic inches, anything outside of this will be overcharged.

Wrap it or not?

A good way to protect your belongings and your luggage on the same trip, is to wrap it all in plaster cling film roll, all major airports worldwide offer this service for a reasonable amount, this way if your suitcase, gets open by tearing or breaking, the saran wrap will still enclose your clothes and other things inside.

Now TSA and other airport security details can open up the bags whether they are wrapped or not, and yes as you guessed it, they won't rewrap it.

Bag protectors are the reusable way of the wrapping, as they are custom fit for most of the sizes of suitcases, and are closed by velcro, they basically do the same function, just remember , they ain't waterproof, come in clear color or with patterns.and when not in use, the plastic will keep the dust away.

Things to take in consideration and avoid damages

Name tags, always put double name tags on your luggage, one visible outside, ad another in one of the inside pockets, in case your suitcase gets lost, and name tag ripped, you can easily claim identity on it. Things to fill out our name, mobile phone, and city, never your full address or home phone number, and when traveling with family, don't write your kids' names on them.

Straps - shoulder straps or additional straps, have to be hooked tightly, or else they could be caught onto something and forgotten inside a terminal. The independent straps can also help to secure your luggage in case one of the zippers burst and opens up your bag.

In case luggage does get lost.

A photo of it, before your trip, can help identify it, surely you don't think yours is the only one missing in the whole airport or world right?

Also, personalizing your luggage can utilize the process of sending you the right one.

A common mistake on why bags are shipped to another airport is because we leave the tags from our previous flight, the baggage claim in every airport work with laser barcode scanners, if by any chance they read the previous strip instead of the new one, it will be put on a different flight.

Follow your luggage everywhere.

Technology has made major breakthroughs through the years, and several airlines are employing these, but not without an additional cost, you can track it from your phone, as its special barcode tag, will have to be scanned at 4 different stages: check-in, when it's loaded to the plane, if there is a connecting flight, and at arrival, hopefully, this can be available form all airlines at no extra cost in the near future.

Now, there is also smart luggage, that includes GPS, although it is not TSA approved, because of the risk of the lithium battery exploding.

There is also a Device you can purchase at electronics stores or online, that can track your belongings, I personally have TILE, and it does work wonders, the app is easy to use, and can give you its last location when lost. I got a set of 4 for less than 20 USD, and have one in each of my travel bags, suitcases, laptop bag and carry on, that way I always know where my things are.

Insurance

Airlines, can cover up to $3300 USD in liability if your luggage gets stranded and not return in the next 72 hours, and I've seen some cases where they do offer brand new set of luggage because of the damage ( another reason why you should take a picture of your suitcase before departing ) If you think that the price of your belongings is more than that, you can purchase excess valuation from the airline, that way the amount will be incremented. This is less known liability protection that carriers don't offer on a regular basis.

You can also purchase travel insurance, that supports lost or damaged baggage from Car rental companies, or even travel agencies, and I particularly purchase my insurance online with a company called Assist card, is customizable to the things I need most, and also has overseas medical expenses.

We do hope, all the information given comes in handy in your future trip to Club Solaris resorts, remember this advice will reduce the risk of damage or lost luggage, we don't want your vacations to start on the wrong foot, because of an external reason, the whole point of coming is to relax and enjoy yourself.