luggage tags
 

Here is a little detail I thought I could wrap up before the big trip, but then I figured I better ask the experts.

What should I put on the luggage tags? (non-stop U.S. to London, non-stop return, as well)

Different tags coming and going? Not my first name? Not my home address?

Going, I put my first hotel name and address.

Returning, my business card from the office.

Thanks, Suze - I like that idea. I also read that some people put an email address on/in luggage, too. Do you put a full itinerary in your suitcase (saw that suggestion, too)?

We're staying at the same hotel the entire duration so I don't believe I will include an itinerary. However, I don't have an office. I wonder if my father's employer would be upset if I used theirs?

Name, flight number, date.

They should be able to find my "missing luggage" report from that

I would feel OK using my own home address too, but only put it in the tag for your return trip.

I guess the reason people say not to publicize your home address would be possible theft, someone knowing your home was empty and break in. This seems like a real long shot to me, but I am less cautious then some.

Maire, No I don't include an itinerary. Other than the flights over and back my suitcase is always in my possession (for train travel). I do carry "in case of emergency" contact information card I make up and laminate, in several place, since often I am traveling solo, in case anything horrible happened, they'd know who to call!

Thanks, Suze. That's another good idea - adding it to my list.

I think you definitely should put some sort of ID inside your suitcase.

In our case we include our cellphone numbers on the outside and inside because they work in Europe and those words "works in Europe" are included, too.

I have these great little plastic luggage tags I got years ago from either Magellan's or Travelsmith, don't remember which. On the outside, they say "itinerary enclosed" or something like that, in about 8 different languages.

Then I do put my entire itinerary inside with dates, hotel address and phone numbers. Thank goodness I haven't had to use it yet to have my luggage catch up to me, but I've always liked the idea.

I don't include a home address.

I like the idea of itinerary tags, because they give the airlines the best chance of catching your luggage up to you.

Whatever you choose to put on your tags, always put your complete name, address, and phone number INSIDE each piece, along with your itinerary. Tags can and do get separated from luggage, and if you don't leave the airline baggage people a few clues, your stuff will be sold for dirt from a big warehouse in Scottsboro, Alabama:

http://www.unclaimedbaggage.com

Going, I put my name, hotel's name and phone number.

Coming home, I put my name, business address and my home phone number.

Would they deliver lost luggage without calling you first? This is when I can inform them of the home address I guess.

My father, who traveled extensively internationally during his career, I noticed when we vacationed together, merely had his full name on the luggage tag.

We routinely put copies of our itinerary inside our suitcases. So far that seems to work like carrying an umbrella so it doesn't rain.

We keep a copy of our itinerary in our suitcase as well as carryons. Once we left a backpack sit at a restaurant. There wasn't much in it, but when we discovered we left it, we went back to the restaurant and no one knew anything about it. So we were surprised to get back to our hotel and find the backpack. Somebody looked at the itinerary and returned it to our hotel.

This is what I do, on my outside luggage tag I show my name and "Contact ___ at _____ phone number _____", which is the information for my daughter and SIL. I also tape the same information inside my luggage (I learned about taping the information inside my luggage when I did marketing for a US airline).

Consequently contact infomation is available, my family always knows where I will be and if in that rare situation some "slimebag" was looking for residential addresses that were unoccuppied due to the residents travelling..they won't have mine.

Great idea LI!

Thanks for all the help. I would have never thought about the flight number and date, or to put phone only.

ttt