It's always exciting to find travel hacks that make things easier on you when you head out on vacation. However, some of them, despite going viral, don't always work. In fact, there is one hack out there that went viral on TikTok that you may have tried, only to find out that it didn't help at all. You may have seen videos like the one from TikTok user @tyrrerr that says you can keep your luggage from getting damaged by putting a fragile sticker or tag on it. It makes sense to assume that these stickers
would mean that luggage handlers will treat your bag more gently. However, that isn't always the case. You can check out the TikTok video below.
@tyrrerr My friend taught me this tip, anyone tried it before? #travel #luggage #checkin
♬ Queen of Disaster - ella
While there are some people working in the baggage department who may use a softer touch on a bag with a fragile sticker, that's not always going to be the case. Plus, it may be out of their hands. One poster on Reddit's r/Flights page who said they were a baggage handler for two years explained, "The good ones of us will mind the fragile bags and treat them nicely. However, our kind treatment will be outweighed by the airport's automated baggage handling system, which will not differentiate between fragile and non-frangible bags — it will not be kind. Bags can get bumped around big time up there. For this reason, I would say no, [a fragile sticker] realistically doesn't mean anything." In fact, this video posted by @pubity on Instagram shows bags being unloaded via ramp in a way that isn't exactly gentle.
Read more: How To Pack Just One Carry-On For A Week-Long Vacation
Why The Fragile Sticker Hack Doesn't Work And What To Do Instead
Damage can also happen to your luggage during take-off and landing, as another person on the Reddit r/Flights page said, because other bags around yours may roll into it. Of course, your bag may also encounter handlers who do the opposite of what a fragile sticker tells them -- on purpose. One former flight attendant told 9Travel, "I used to see baggage handlers, this is mostly at airports in the U.S., sorting bags, and they'd see a fragile sticker and start joking around. They'd literally just throw them to each other and drop them on the pile."
That doesn't mean you can't get home that pretty hand-painted ceramic bowl you fell in love with in Tuscany. While you should avoid putting anything fragile in your checked baggage, stow breakable items in your carry-on or personal item instead, so they never leave your hands. In fact, it's a good idea to line your bag with bubble wrap so you have it on hand if you find a souvenir that could be easily damaged. In addition, wrap the item in something that will cushion it, like soft clothing, and put it in the middle of the carry-on bag. That way, something else leaning on it in the overhead bin won't smash it. You may also want to look into baggage insurance if you have to fly with something fragile. A hard-shell suitcase can be another layer of defense. If you do choose to put the item in your checked bag, always remove old luggage stickers, both airline stickers and fragile stickers, so the one you have is new. Finally, check out our guide about the best thing to do if your luggage does end up damaged.
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Read the original article on Islands.
