Travel expert’s top tip for preventing lost luggage on your summer holiday

Travel experts have offered up tips for keeping track of your luggage as you embark on your summer holiday.

Melanie the Travel Girl, whose TikTok account has amassed more than 35,000 followers, says that like many travellers, she worries about her luggage getting lost during travel. 

The US-based influencer advised her followers to put trackers in their cases and said to try and avoid flight routes with layovers, as this can minimise the chance that your bag does not arrive to your final destination. 

Carl Broadbent, a former baggage handler at Heathrow Airport in London, added that ‘visibility is key’ for finding your suitcase and warned that it is ‘vital’ that travellers double-check their luggage tag information is up to date.

The travel enthusiasts are sharing their favourite tips and tricks as holidaymakers brace themselves for a summer of travel chaos that is expected to be riddled with flight disruptions.

Travel experts have offered up tips for keeping track of your luggage as you embark on your summer holiday

Melanie the Travel Girl, (left) whose TikTok account has amassed more than 35,000 followers, advised her followers to put trackers in their cases and said to try and avoid flight routes with layovers. Carl Broadbent, (pictured on right with a Stormtrooper) a former baggage handler at Heathrow Airport in London, added that ‘visibility is key’ for finding your suitcase and warned that it is ‘vital’ that travellers double-check their luggage tag information is up to date

Flight Tip! ✈️ If you worry about your luggage being lost while traveling, try these 4 tips to prevent/find lost luggage. #flightips #tipsforflying #lostluggage #flyingtips #lostluggageissues

READ MORE: Avoid airport chaos and meet kindred spirits on a great-value coach holiday, with half-board trips from just £160 

Windermere (above) is the base for a five-day coach tour of the Lake District with Shearings 

Melanie, who aims to help holidaymakers plan the perfect trip, acknowledged that having anxiety around lost luggage is normal.

She said to help alleviate worry, travellers should ‘put a tracker in your checked bag’. The influencer suggested a variety of brands including Apple Airtags, tile and LandAirSea GPS.

‘Whatever you choose, just put a tracker in that bag,’ she warned.

She also advised that holidaymakers should take a photograph of their luggage before dropping it off with the airline, adding you should snap pics of both the ‘contents of your luggage and the outside of the actual bag’.

Melanie claims the pictures will help staff identify the bag if it does get lost.

Carl, who is also the founder of Travel Spock, reiterated that having something ‘uniquely you’ on your luggage can help identify your bag quickly.

‘I’m not suggesting you buy a neon suitcase, although that could help!’ he told MailOnline. ‘What’s more effective is tying a brightly coloured ribbon or scarf to your bag – something uniquely you. It’s simple, but it helps your luggage stand out and less likely to be mistaken for someone else’s.’

Melanie echoed his claim, telling her followers: ‘Make your luggage stand out with bright coloured bags or covers that are bright or even luggage tags that are bright. Just do something to make your luggage standout from all the rest.’

Experts also say it’s ‘vital’ that travellers ensure their luggage tag information is correct. Carl warned that an errant digit in your phone number could complicate retrieving your bag if it gets misplaced. 

Lastly, holidaymakers are warned to ‘avoid layovers, especially tight ones’. Melanie says that with a connection there’s ‘just more opportunity for your bag to get lost.’ 

Sarah Adekola, a TikTok user who goes by @millennialwealthsarah on the social media site posted a video explaining to her followers how they can protect their items when they go on holiday

Travellers have also been warned against picking bags with zippers after an expert last month illustrated just how easy it is for a thief to get into a locked suitcase using just a pen that is forced in between the zipper.

After prodding a pen through, the zip of the suitcase easily comes apart, giving the thief easy access to all your belongings. 

The expert advised holidaymakers to purchase a suitcase with an aluminium frame and buckles on the side, over something with a zipper.

Carl, speaking to MailOnline this week, added that the best luggage, in his opinion, is a case that ‘prioritises durability, versatility, and portability’. 

He said: ‘Think robust materials, wheels that roll smoothly, and handles that can withstand the rigors of travel.’

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