- Pack your bag personally.
- We recommend that you always take your official documents, passports, and tickets in your carry-on bag.
- Place identification tags with your full name, address and permanent home telephone number both on the inside and outside of your bags so they do not get confused with someone else's bags.
- Be sure to only check luggage that is sufficiently sturdy to stand up to the airlines' baggage handling equipment. Do not overfill your bags and never check a bag that is not completely closed. By doing so, zippers, seams, frames and hinges may break or rip open.
- Keep in mind that if you need a strap to keep the bag closed, the bag is unlikely to survive the trip.
- Never check a bag that is considered carry-on luggage. Most briefcases, purses, bags that come with purchases, plastic cases, etc. are not designed to be used as checked luggage.
- Before checking your bag, remove all straps, hooks and anything else that sticks out from your bag as these could get stuck in the baggage system, causing damage to your bag. Overloaded bags or luggage that is not strong enough to support the weight of the contents runs the risk of opening during travel or while passing through the baggage transport system.
- Your luggage should protect your belongings and, as a result, all checked bags should be packed properly. Proper packing will protect your luggage while it goes through the system of conveyor belts it will come into contact with during transport.
- If your luggage is very old or worn, consider replacing it. Older luggage may not be sturdy enough to withstand the automatic baggage handling systems.
- Be sure to inspect your luggage in the baggage claim area before leaving the airport.
Keep in mind that luggage is usually put in the cargo hold using conveyor belts. Depending on how much space is available in the hold, it is possible that bags may fall over and be stacked one on top of the other. Although luggage in the cargo hold is held down with straps and nets, it is possible that it may shift during flight due to the angle at which the airplane takes off.
For these reasons, it is sometimes inevitable that fragile items are broken or ruined during flight. As a result, we do not recommend that you pack fragile items inside your checked luggage.