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Lightening the load
9 tips that can take the lug out of luggage
Travel with just a carry-on. Never lose a bag. Skip the noisy carousel and go straight to your destination.
For the air traveler, these fantasies rank right up there with getting a free in-flight meal or fawning service from a friendly flight attendant. But are they just that — fantasies?
Not necessarily. Here are nine tips that can take the lug out of luggage and help you travel in style.
Carry good bags. If your luggage can’t handle the rigors of the road, you are just wasting your money. On a long flight a few months ago, my seatmate Chuck and I started talking about luggage (a sure sign of boredom). He told me that six months earlier he had gotten what he thought was a great deal: a brand-name, wheeled carry-on bag for $200. His good fortune was short-lived, however, because the bag was already falling apart. My Tumi bag, on the other hand, is 10 years old and can probably go another 2 million miles with me. Yes, I did pay $200 more for my bag, but 10 years sure beats six months. In luggage, good value really does start with quality.
Carry on if you can. Carry-ons make flying so much easier. Everything you need is always within reach, you never risk losing your bags, and you save all that time at the baggage carousel. Just remember: most airlines limit the number of carry-ons to one bag and one personal item, such as a purse, briefcase or laptop. (Generally, passengers may also carry a coat, umbrella or other routine item.) Remember, too, that overloading yourself can be a nuisance — and sometimes a danger — to others in the cabin. How many times have you been hit in the face with a shoulder bag when some overburdened bozo lumbered past you in the aisle? That’s just bad travel etiquette.
Size does matter. Carry-on bags must fit in the aircraft’s overhead compartment or underneath the seat in front of you. Usually, this means your bag should measure no more than 45 linear inches (e.g., 9 inches by 14 inches by 22 inches); moreover, it must weigh no more than 40 pounds. Some airlines are stricter about the rules than others, especially on full flights and around the busy holiday seasons. For that reason, many veteran travelers invest in luggage specifically designed to meet the Federal Aviation Administration’s carry-on size limit.
Pack right. Several books detail good packing techniques. Use them. But first understand the basics. Always put your contact information and your itinerary inside your bag. (Putting this information on the outside of your bags advertises your personal information to the world). Never pack hazardous goods, guns or knives in your carry-on. Sounds like common sense, but you would be surprised what Transportation Security Administration officials have confiscated. (If you have any doubts about what items are allowed, check out its Web site.) Finally, keep your glasses, medications, and emergency phone numbers handy, along with a bottle of water and healthy snacks for the ride.
Lose the lock. Unless you are carrying gold bullion in your bags, locking them provides little value. But it sure can impede your travels. While returning from a golf trip in Costa Rica, I had to change planes and recheck my luggage in Mexico City. When the federal officer asked me to open the case around my golf bag, I couldn’t find my keys. After fumbling haplessly for several minutes, I was escorted to an office and asked a series of questions while officers broke the locks on my case, ruining it for future use. I could have avoided the 45-minute ordeal — and the cost of a new case — if I had simply kept the case unlocked. Bear in mind that less than one-half of one percent of airline passengers ever experience a theft from their luggage. Of course, if you must travel with valuables, keep them in a carry-on bag in your line of sight.
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