Don’t let such a small thing cause unnecessary stress on your next holiday. Dublin Airport baggage handler John (surname not given) has issued a cautionary note to all travellers who adorn their suitcases with colourful ribbons and tags. While these identifiers can make your suitcase more personalised and easier to spot on the baggage carousel, the luggage handler says it causes more harm than good .
Read more: How to avoid losing check-in bags on a flight According to John, these ribbons and tags often interfere with the automatic scanning system at airports, forcing bags to undergo manual processing . This can result in the bags missing their intended flights, further inconveniencing passengers. John told RSVP Live: “Ribbons that people tie onto their suitcases to help identify them can cause issues with the bag being scanned in the baggage hall”.
“If the bag can’t be scanned automatically it can end up in manual processing, which could mean your bag doesn’t make it to the flight.” Furthermore, if you think these ribbons, tags, and old travel stickers make your baggage look cuter, you’re more vulnerable to delays and worse, lost bags. “Take old stickers off the bag, it can cause confusion with the scanning process,” he said.
Furthermore, John highlighted another surprising cause of baggage delays - marzipan. The sweet almond dough, when packed in luggage, can mimic the density of certain explosives, triggering security protocols that require thorough bag.
