The luggage that you will select for your cruise will also be suitable for other travel purposes. Baggage handlers at the airport and the pier can be rough when it comes to handling your luggage so it is important that you choose a luggage that is durable and sturdy. Your luggage doesn’t have to be expensive and top of the line. What is important is that it is strong enough to withstand what it has to go through from the sorting machines and conveyors not to mention being stacked with other luggages on top of each other.

Buying luggage is considered an investment for we want to be able to maximize its use over a long number of years. You have to make the right decision when it comes to the durability, functionality and style of the luggage. It is desirable to purchase brand name luggage with a warranty but bear in mind that through time you can always expect some wear and tear.

The longest wearing luggage would have to be hard-side luggage. Their being equipped with built-in locks assures you that they are very secure and water-tight. Although many luggage manufacturers have exerted efforts to make them as light-weight as possible, the luggages can still be heavy even when empty. Popular though among the travelers are the soft-sided luggage that are lighter in weight, with zippers that could be secured, with wheels and with some styles that are expandable.

Hard side luggage should have solid hardware. While built-in combination locks are convenient, still look for those types that provide key locks. Check the wheels if they run smoothly and the luggage should be stable. The luggage’s retractable handle should be strong and adjustable for easy maneuvering. If you frequently travel, hard-side luggage would be an ideal choice for your luggage needs.

If you are considering soft-sided luggage choose those made of woven ballistic nylon for this provides the greatest durability. Another important consideration would be the luggage’s frame construction. When the luggage will be fully packed, it should be strong enough not to flex out of shape. When it comes to the wheels and retractable handle look for those that have similar qualities as that of the hard-side luggage.

Whether it is hard-side or soft-side luggage, it should be stable and well-balanced so that they don’t keep on falling while you may be standing up waiting in line.



Thanks to Jim Brown for contributing this article to our Luggage blog:

Airline Baggage Allowance

One of the most under appreciated positions in the airline industry today is in baggage handling. People are travelling by the millions each year through airports in the United Kingdom and Europe. With the exception of business travellers who only bring a small bag or brief case with them, most baggage needs to be checked and store aboard the airplane. Baggage handlers need to deal with baggage of every size and shape, properly storing it in the cargo area of a passenger liner without error. Young baggage handlers need to learn a few secrets in order to succeed over the long term in the airline industry.

One of the secrets to career long success in the baggage handling profession is to develop empathy for every traveller’s bag that they encounter. Baggage handlers in the United Kingdom handle millions of pieces of luggage on a yearly basis, which means that they hold in their hands billions of pounds worth of merchandise and treasured possessions. These hard working professionals need to be able to put themselves in the position of every traveller heading through their particular airline. The best way a baggage handler can do this is to think about their own travel experiences and handle baggage with care.

Another secret to long term success in the baggage handling world is to become familiar with every aspect of the airline industry. Baggage handlers often focus on their specific job responsibilities, narrowing in on perfecting their own performance in the workplace. However, baggage handlers are part of a larger process whereby luggage is brought to them from the customer service centre and ends up aboard the airline. As such, baggage handlers are not the beginning and end of the baggage storage process at major UK airlines. Handlers should consider the tasks of the front line workers like ticket agents and security guards in determining which baggage can be brought aboard, stored away, or rejected for travel.

A final secret for the success of baggage handlers in the United Kingdom is that teamwork is the best path toward job advancement. Baggage handlers work in an assembly line environment, where handlers work to organise baggage into classes, load it onto conveyer belts, and determine the best way to get the job done. Individually, baggage handlers can work hard to get their job done and may be successful over the short term. However, baggage handlers interested in long term success build strong relationships in order to ensure the smooth operation of the loading process.



Thanks to Wynnwith for contributing this article to our Luggage blog:

Luggage Replacement Wheels

Can you answer Patrick’s question about Luggage?:

Also what other qualifications do you need? Does anyone know if they are hiring baggage handlers at MacArthur airport?

Heavy Duty Luggage Cart

Standing at the carousel at Manchester Airport after a long or short haul flight hoping and praying that your luggage will appear. After what seems to be an eternity of waiting, you finally decide that your luggage has not arrived back with you and wonder what you are supposed to do next. This article describes what you can do to get your luggage back as quickly as possible.

First of all we need to understand why luggage goes missing in the first place. Missing luggage can usually be put down to human error. There are many different people who will interact with your luggage during its long journey and you are dependent such people as baggage handlers, check in personnel and security staff all getting their individual jobs absolutely right. Unfortunately we do not live in an ideal world and things will go wrong and unfortunately it could be your bag that gets lost.

Once you have realised that your bag is missing the first thing you need to do is report it missing at the lost baggage desk. At Manchester Airport these desks can usually be found in the baggage return areas but. Any member of staff will be able to direct you to the nearest desk should you have difficulty in locating them.

When reporting your lost luggage be sure to give as detailed a description as you can as it is much easier to locate a bag if they know what they are looking for. You may also be asked for a description of your luggage contents, again as much detail as possible but not totally necessary as nobody will expect you to know everything you have packed in your luggage.

Unfortunately there is no set time limit for finding lost luggage and airlines will more than likely not declare your luggage as officially lost until approximately 21 days so with any luck it will turn up naturally before then. There are various agencies that can help with lost luggage and are not difficult to find. they are off airport companies and more than likely a member of staff will give out their details. After the twenty one day period if your luggage still has not turned up you are entitled in most cases to claim compensation from your airline for your losses. I realise that this really is not what you would like but at least if you are aware of this fact you may get something back, then its not a total loss. In some cases airlines may be obliged to pay up to eight hundred pounds per person for lost luggage.

A very important note that everybody should know and not many people do, is that most airlines will try and persuade their customers to claim for any lost luggage through their own personal travel insurance. You are well within your rights to push the airline for direct compensation as under the Montreal Convention if an airline accepts any item as checked baggage it must accept liability for it. Most travel policies do not cover lost luggage but if they do they will no doubt be claiming the money back directly off the airline anyway.

The long and short of lost luggage is, that there really is no hard or fast or even guaranteed way to get your luggage back. Only ways and means to try. Armed with this information you will stand more than a fighting chance of getting your luggage back or at least some money to help ease the pain.



Thanks to Mark Farrell for contributing this article to our Luggage blog:

17 Inch Laptop Bags