How not to lose your suitcase at the airport

Admit it, have you already planned everything for the New Year holidays? Maybe she’s even already started filling her suitcase? It's a good thing, just keep a few things in mind so you don't end up at your destination without a vacation wardrobe.

Choose a square suitcase

The squarer it is, the less the risk that it will roll somewhere - and this happens. Therefore, a round “bun” bag is not the best choice.

Attach a tag

It’s not just that they sell packs of them in any shop at the airport. The simplest measure, but the tag on your luggage will really help you to be found if evil fate separates you from your suitcase. Enter your name, email address and current phone number there.

Remove old stickers

At the airport, small stickers with barcodes are placed on luggage. They indicate the destination. A suitcase covered with such stickers on all sides is a sign not of an experienced traveler, but of a natural idiot. Airport workers may mistakenly scan the barcode from one of the old stickers and your bag will fly not to Krakow, but to Colombo, where no one will definitely find it.

Glue new ones

All suitcases are the same - or almost the same. If yours is not distinguished by originality and bold design ideas, make it stand out from the crowd of the same ones - stick on some large and bright sticker if it is plastic, or tie a wide ribbon to the handle if the suitcase is made of textiles. This is not so much for you, but for other distracted and jet-lag-wracked passengers who already have all the suitcases on the belt looking the same.

Take a photo of him

This picture will be useful if you suddenly do not find your suitcase on the belt - you can contact the airport employee with it. It is easier to identify the suitcase from the portrait than from the description, which is now and then interrupted by sorrowful sobs. Maybe the luggage arrived safely, but it had already been removed from the belt and placed in a corner.

Do not be late

Most of the lost bags arrived at the airport too late. If you check in at the last minute, security may take too long to check your suitcase and you might get on the plane, but your suitcase won't.

Text: Olga Lysenko

Do you know what happens to your suitcase at the airport behind the rubber window after you check it in? The press service of Moscow Domodedovo Airport invited me to their place and allowed me to photograph the work of all airport services. In particular, I photographed the entire journey of the suitcase from the check-in counter to loading it onto the plane.

Passengers part with their luggage upon check-in. Here a tag containing information about the owner and destination is affixed to the suitcase:

Oversized luggage, that is, large or unusually sized luggage, can be checked at a separate counter. Airlines also advise checking in fragile luggage here. Here they will label it “glass” and send it down not on a general conveyor belt, but on a special elevator:

The luggage compartment occupies a huge hall, which looks like a small underground city under the airport. Its space is intertwined with a network of baggage conveyors, the length of which, in general, is more than 3.5 km. All suitcases descend here along one of 6 sleeves:

First of all, the suitcase goes through the scanner. No matter what position the suitcase is in, the scanner reads the information from its tag. If you left a sticker with a barcode on your suitcase from a previous flight, the scanner may get confused, and your baggage will go for additional processing, where an airport employee will manually find the right tag on the suitcase and send it on your flight. Therefore, airport staff advised me to rip off any excess stickers from my suitcase after each flight.

The suitcase then goes into an introscope, where it is scanned for explosives, weapons and other prohibited items:

If the suitcase seems suspicious to the system, then such baggage will be sent for a more thorough check.

Suspicious baggage undergoes 4 additional checks, including a CT scanner and a diffraction machine:

Dogs are also used to search for explosives:

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Oversized luggage is scanned at a separate inspection point. By the way, if your bag has handles sticking out or the shoulder strap is not unfastened, then it will also be considered oversized:

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IN luggage compartment At Moscow Domodedovo Airport, a suitcase can enter one of six conveyors. After scanning, 6 sleeves are combined into 4:

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Suitcases fly through another scanner at high speed (the video of my “assistant” is at the end of the article). Here it is determined for which flight the suitcase is checked in and, depending on this, it is sent to the left or right sorter, also called the “circle”. If the “circle” is right, then the suitcase goes up:

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If the “circle” is left, then down. Moreover, the distribution element of the conveyor manages to rise or fall in a matter of seconds:

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Before entering the circle, the computer accelerates the suitcase and throws it exactly onto one of the platforms of the circle:

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From the circle, the suitcase tips over onto one of 70 “slips”:

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A slide is a slide for a suitcase. The system accurately calculates the time when the suitcase passes the desired slide and dumps the luggage onto it:

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Take a closer look. Do you see the pink stripe above the slimes? This pink suitcase is carried on one of the platforms of the “circle”:

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Depending on the number of passengers, one or more slips may be allocated for one flight. The suitcases are removed from them by the loader, and after scanning them with a hand-held scanner for control, they are transferred to carts:

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If the plane is very large and there are many passengers on the flight, then instead of slides, one of two moving conveyors (triplanars) is used:

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Please note that in the foreground is the crew's luggage:

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Trolleys with luggage are transported to the plane:

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Baggage can be loaded onto the plane either via a small conveyor ramp:

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Or lift it on a special lift:

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Now let's figure out what happens to our luggage upon arrival.

Usually, when a plane stops at a parking lot, a baggage train immediately pulls up to it:

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The bags are transferred to trolleys, and the train travels to the arrival luggage compartment, in our case it was the internal lines department:

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The locomotive drives up to one of the conveyors, and the loaders transfer the luggage onto the belt, from where it immediately leaves, upstairs for delivery:

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Oversized luggage is taken out separately:

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Transit luggage is marked with a bright yellow tag. Airport staff know in advance whether there is transit luggage on the flight. It is caught and placed on a separate cart:

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I spent 4 days at Moscow Domodedovo Airport. Took 500 photos. They showed me absolutely everything that is at the airport. They drove around the territory in a SAB car (Service Aviation Security). We drove around the entire perimeter of the airport more than once, which is 28 kilometers! Together with the S7 pilot, I went through a pre-flight medical examination, briefing, introduction to the flight attendants, inspection and launch of the aircraft. I was even allowed to go up to the controllers' tower, from where I took a couple of unique spotter photos.

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One of the most important procedures when traveling by plane is packing your suitcase at the airport. Despite the fact that this task, at first glance, seems quite simple, it is quite difficult to cope with packing on your own, which is why many travelers order a paid luggage packing service, which is provided at each airport. A properly packed bag or suitcase is a unique opportunity to simplify the process of inspecting items or transportation, as well as prevent theft, because unprotected luggage is so easy to open and take out all the most valuable things.

Each airport has its own rules for packing luggage. For example, durable suitcases with a solid frame and a combination lock do not need to be wrapped, because they are almost impossible to damage or break into. Soft bags must be packed properly, and open bags with things should not be taken into luggage at all.

Why do you need to pack your luggage?

At the check-in counter at the airport, luggage is accepted only if its wrapping is strong and there is no suspicion that the suitcase may be damaged during transportation or loading. Even if the suitcase has a solid frame and meets all the requirements, it still makes sense to securely pack such a luggage bag for several reasons:

A packed bag can easily withstand the careless attitude of baggage handlers at the airport, withstand various mechanical damage, fabric tears, scratches on plastic and shocks;
High-quality packaging is a guarantee of reliable protection against unauthorized break-ins: the contents in the bag under a thick layer of film are difficult to reach, so even the smallest external pockets will be safe from thieves;
Protection from dirt, plastic packaging of luggage allows you to keep the suitcase in its original condition without any scuffs or stains. That is why it is necessary to carefully wrap even the strongest bag with a special elastic polyethylene film to limit the risk of contamination during falls from the transport belt.

Important! The bag should not be filled to the brim with things, because a suitcase at the airport travels a long way, and baggage handlers do not stand on ceremony with other people's suitcases, so a strong load or impact can lead to the clasp unfastening or breaking, and all the contents ending up on the floor.

Cost of paid baggage packing

Many busy travelers who do not have time to pack their luggage themselves are interested in the question of where they can order a paid service for packing suitcases at the airport. Each air port has special packaging machines located near the entrance or passages to the check-in counters.

Also nearby are check scales for checking the weight of luggage; weighing on them will allow you to avoid further unpacking of the suitcase if it is overweight. At some airports this service is provided free of charge, at others it is paid and often costs 50 rubles (in this case, automated scales work for approximately 30 seconds; with systematic weighing, you can find out the weight of 3-4 bags at a time).

Helpful advice. Luggage can also be weighed before packing at unstaffed check-in counters.

Packing luggage at any airport can be done either independently or with the help of experienced employees who will give the necessary recommendations. The packing racks have all the necessary materials and instructions for proper wrapping.

How much does paid baggage packaging cost at the main Moscow airports:

Sheremetyevo and Vnukovo - the price of wrapping one suitcase varies between 350-500 rubles for luggage weighing up to 32 kg and 700 rubles for luggage weighing more than 32 kilograms;
As for the question of how much it costs to wrap a suitcase at Domodedovo, much depends on the airline the passenger is flying with. For example, people who travel frequently with Aeroflot can pay bonus miles, such a service will cost 2200 bonuses if you contact PACK&FLY. At the same time, for each piece of luggage, Aeroflot passengers can receive an additional 50 miles to their bonus account. For travelers flying with other airlines, baggage wrapping will cost 500-600 rubles for each item, and the wrapping procedure itself will take only 1-2 minutes.

At Domodedovo Airport, packaging counters are located on the ground floor of the passenger terminal and they operate 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. This service is provided by several companies: PACK&FLY, Truestar, VEX UPAK. The PACK&FLY company is especially popular among passengers, offering discounts on club cards, as well as for clients of UTAIR and S7 airlines, free packing of suitcases for WWII veterans, the opportunity to purchase special burglary protection, and many other advantageous offers.

Additional Information. TRUSTAR GROUP will be an excellent alternative to PACK&FLY. Their counters are located near the check-in point for the flight in the passenger terminal of Domodedovo Airport. Here you can pack a suitcase on a plane for 500 rubles, receive special protection against unauthorized opening, a small sticker that allows you to quickly find your luggage if it is lost, and have your bag weighed for free.

Rules for packing your own suitcase

For those who want to save on packing luggage at the airport, you can try doing it yourself. The main thing is to adhere to some basic rules and buy the necessary materials. When wrapping a suitcase yourself, you must use cling film, sold at any household chemicals store, and tape. The first thing to start with is to properly fold things inside the bag so that fragile things are not damaged and the suitcase is not stuffed to the limit. To do this, you need to put all heavy and large items on the bottom (books, shoes, clothes), the rest of the miniature items need to be distributed on the sides and additional pockets, if any. For convenience, you can put each item in a separate plastic bag, this will greatly simplify the inspection process at the airport.

The first thing to do is press the free edge of the cling film onto the bag;
Secondly, you need to make a full turn with your second hand so that the polyethylene adheres tightly to the surface of the bag or suitcase;
Then you need to make at least 5-10 full wraps along the entire length of the luggage;
Wrap not only one side; for the sake of reliability, it is recommended to do the same manipulations with the other side;
To provide better protection, it is necessary to wrap not only the body itself, but also the handle and leg, and then make small holes for accessible use of these parts;
The slots for the wheels and handles should be secured with adhesive tape to prevent damage to the packaging at the airport when transporting luggage.

If the passenger wrapped the suitcase himself with cling film, then such luggage will differ from others in the transparency of the packaging, because the polyethylene used at the airport is much denser and is not transparent. Despite this, it is worth marking your bag and placing a sticker with personal information and information under the last packing layer. contact number phone, this will help in finding your luggage if it is lost.

A little advice. If you fly often and are wondering how to pack your suitcase, then the best solution is to purchase a reusable, aesthetic and reliable luggage cover. An indispensable attribute can also be a fastener belt that protects the suitcase from burglary. If it is damaged, you can easily determine the fact of theft and file a complaint in a timely manner.

Damage to a suitcase during a flight

If a bag or suitcase was damaged during transportation due to the fault of airport employees, and the luggage itself shows visible signs of tampering, then each passenger can request compensation.

To do this, you need to do the following manipulations:

Record the fact of hacking immediately upon detection at the airport;
Provide information on checked baggage ( boarding passes, luggage tags, etc.);
Find a representative office located at the airport or employees of the airline with which the flight was made;
Fill out a form with a claim, indicating the amount of compensation and detailed personal data;
Apply stamps and make copies of documents that will remain with airline employees.

After this, you just have to wait for a call from the air carrier representatives. On average, compensation is paid in the amount of $10 per kilogram of luggage weight.

When wondering where to pack your luggage, at home or at the airport, you should rely on your own skills and financial capabilities. If the passenger is confident that he will be able to securely wrap the suitcase, then he will be able to save on this service. Special equipment at the airport and specialists involved in baggage packing can guarantee the safety of the bag and reliable protection of the packaging material, so professional packaging is more reliable, although expensive.

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Useful information for travelers from tochka.net

By following a few important rules, tourists can keep their luggage safe while traveling.

Do not unnecessarily carry expensive items in your luggage that are difficult or impossible to repair. It is better to keep any valuables: documents, cash and jewelry with you and not check them in as luggage.
Before packing your suitcase, check all the clasps and locks of your bag to see if they were broken on a previous trip. Even if the clasps and locks of the bag are good condition, a tightly packed suitcase can rupture during transportation from the terminal to the plane.
Be sure to make a list of the items packed in each bag.
A personal tag placed in a special transparent window of the suitcase (if there is one) can help identify your luggage. Or make a bright inscription on your suitcase.

Before checking in your luggage, be sure to pack it in transparent film. This can be done both at the airport and at home using cling film or tape. Everyone decides for themselves whether they need film packaging or not. Here are some convincing reviews from passengers regarding the advisability of using film.
Take your time when checking your luggage and make sure the airline tag affixed to your suitcase accurately identifies your trip's final destination. This will save your luggage from being unloaded early or stopped midway during transit flights and connecting flights.
Please ensure that you receive the UPC barcoded receipt stubs upon checking your baggage. Today from electronic tickets they are easy to forget.
Write your name, phone number, city and country on your suitcases. If your luggage is lost, this can speed up the search process.

The main rule- did not find your luggage upon arrival - do not leave the airport until you complete the documents! Fill out all the information about your luggage in special forms. Be attentive to details. Write down a phone number where you can call for information about search results.