I’d just landed back home in Boston and was waiting for my luggage – which I’d free-checked at the gate – to slide down the conveyor. It came, with a surprise: One entire wheel was not only broken off, but a huge piece of the hard shell suitcase was gone as well.
When I got home, packed inside the bag itself I found that wheel covered in duct tape. Clearly someone had tried to make it right. My favorite carry on – ruined.
Luckily, I knew what to do: By law, airlines must replace (at a value relative to the years you’ve had the bag) any luggage they destroy. I filed a report with Delta and await my replacement check.
Being a frequent traveler cues me into little details like this. From time to time, I share some of my travel tips. Here’s hoping they help you on whatever adventure awaits you. And here’s hoping your luggage survives.
Secret luggage tips: That’s right, should an airline damage your luggage, they’re legally required to reimburse you. If you have the time, pop into the luggage office of the airline you’ve flown and show them the damage. You can also file on line once you get home. But do be sure to take a good photo of the damage – they’ll ask for that.
On a happier tip note, with flights super full so often, it’s relatively easy to get a bag checked for free. Since I tend to travel with golf clubs or ski gear, I often check that and bring a roller for carry on. For me (particularly if I have a layover), checking that carry on makes things easier.
I find that even on not-so-full flights, if I ask at the gate, they’ll check it. I’ve also taken to asking when I drop off my checked bag and have had them take the other bag for free a few times. Ask! If you’re not in a rush or — like me — checking a larger bag already, it’s a nice little bonus.
Global Entry/TSA Pre-check and MPC loopholes: If you travel more than twice a year, you’re going to want to sign up for TSA Precheck. And if you sign up for precheck, you may as well pay $20 more and opt for the Global Entry add-on.
Sure, pre-check lines have gotten longer, but it’s still easier and still often saves you time. Global Entry is just the best when you’re arriving home exhausted from overseas. A Global Entry usually takes no more than a few minutes – all while the long line of other passport holders snakes on for what looks like forever, you’re done and out the door.
Just be aware: you will need to do an interview for Global Entry the first time you reenter the United States with it. But it only takes a moment – easy and worth it.
But what if you don’t have Global Entry and you’re traveling overseas and back soon? A little-known tip: the US Customs and Border Patrol Mobile Passport Control App (MPC; available where you get your apps), allows you to file paperwork, documentation and anything else required ahead of time and then skip the big lines as well. It requires no pre-approval.
Attire itinerary: It took me a long time to pack smart, but I’m an astute packer now. I cannot say enough about packing cubes; those magical little nylon cubes that somehow make more fit and make transitions at hotels easier. (And for goodness sake, roll – don’t fold – those clothes!)
Here’s another tip: Build an attire itinerary. I write out what I’ll be doing and where I’m going each day and then I write next to each entry what I’ll wear. This allows me to plan repeats and blended outfits, be sure I have what I need and still keep things minimal. Just do it. It’s cut down on what I bring and helped me be prepared for what’s ahead.
Long drive trip with the kids tip: I owe this one to the nanny who helped this full-time working mom raise two kids. For a long ride, in an effort to avoid whining/arguing/hand-to-hand child-to-child combat) give each child in the car a roll of quarters at the start of the journey. Tell them every time they do one of those things, you’ll take a quarter away. Whatever is still there upon arrival is theirs to keep. It’s like a magic trick. Try it.
