Why You Shouldn't Pack Things In The Side Pockets Of Your Checked Bags

Sometimes I look through my pictures and I think, “What in the world can I talk about today on my blog?” and then I come to work and VOILA! I find something a passenger has done that I can share with you so you won’t make the same mistake.

I was delivering my bags this afternoon when I came across this duffle bag  in one of the luggage bins. Can you see the pocket? It is being kept together by Velcro which is fine but Velcro is not sufficient to keep your valuables safely inside.

Do you see how this pocket has come undone? When bags are loaded into a plane, no ramp agent is going to make sure every bag is right side up. In fact, many times we put bags on the belt loader upside down because the wheels on bags make it difficult for bags to stay on the belt loader. So when you check your bags, they are turned upside down and thrown around and if you keep anything that you want to use on the outside pocket, there is a good chance it won’t make it to your final destination.

I’m hoping this passenger will get his bag with the contents of his plastic baggy in tact when he gets to his final destination but there is a good chance he won’t. If the plastic baggy doesn’t make it I’m sure he will think someone stole his goods. Seriously, most agents don’t care about your stuff and wouldn’t dream of stealing anything. I’m not saying there aren’t those agents that do go through bags, I’m sure you have seen videos about people doing just that. However, that isn’t the norm. Most agents just go about their job and have no interest in stealing your things.

Many times when things are not in your bag when you get them from the carrousel in your final destination, it’s because you didn’t pack them securely in the first place and they have fallen out. This happens more often than you would believe. So what’s the takeaway? Don’t put anything in a side pocket on your checked bag that you will need when you get to your final destination. Ever. And don’t think that Velcro will stay shut on your checked bag because it won’t.

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