JJ5

They check your bar code regardless of what flight/airlines you arrive from at Midway. And they have for years. I don't know why it is different from most other airports. But I do know that when we skiied often- and had the skis to pick up & it sure was a pain to keep all those bar code tags handy as you needed them at check outs between the regular carosels and the ski pick up area- as oftentimes (depending on how many skis they had) they were different. And you needed them as well to get beween the two pick up areas if you had one batch and not the other and had to return again. And then once again as you exited with your entire luggage. And in winter with coats etc. you just didn't seem to have enough hands. But in 20 years of flying out of Midway, I have never been a victim of lost luggage upon pickup.

Marilyn

Surely it was not that long ago that most airlines had personnel at baggage claim to check your tags against your bags? It was up to the individual airlines to provide this service, but it was more common than not. I suppose this security measure has been abandoned for other concerns (some of them financial).

spongebob advertisingpants!

nytraveler

Yes - they do sometimes try to steal your luggage - though I can;t imagne why. Mine has a large multi-colored striped elastic band around it - no one else could mistake if for theirs.

Coming into Paris we were delayed in immigration by a couple of planes from Africa coming in ahead of us and when we got to the baggage area all of the bags for our flight had been pulled and lined up on the floor.

I didn;t see mine but luckily noticed a woman carrying it out towards the taxis and my beau srpinted after her to grab it away. She really resisted giving it up - until he said he would call the police - and a nearby security guard came over. (Luckily I keep a copy of my itinerary on the top of the clothes - so it was easy to prove it was mine. The guard said there are frequently such "confused" people - but this was before 9/11.)

Marilyn

nytraveler, putting your itinerary and contact info on top of your clothes is SUCH a good idea. I've never done it, but I think I'll start.

Vittrad

I wish they would have checked mine when I went to Toronto otherwise I wouldn't have grabbed the wrong bag, that looked identical to mine. I didn't realize this until I get to the hotel, I was horrified, immediately called the airport, brought the back back to the airport within the hour, and sheepishly claimed my own.

bamakelly

Spongebob, your advertising is showing. Put that up! And by the way, since when does it take THREE HOURS to wait for luggage?

My husband and I love to observe people at the airport baggage claim. We have noticed that people in Huntsville stand waaay back from the baggage claim and step up when they see their bag coming around the bend, not a moment before. In Fort Myers, we noticed that everyone stands rightontopofeachother, ascloseaspossible to the conveyor belt, and then fight for first dibs on who can grab their own luggage faster. A generalization, maybe, but it's our own independent study, if you will. We've hypothesized that it's because many eldery people come into Ft Myers and might be a little more apprehensive about having their luggage swiped or lost. It really is funny to sit back and watch everyone there stare at the wall opening, just more and more frantic with every bag that pops out that is NOT theirs.

This game became not-so-funny when our luggage WAS actually lifted by someone in Ft Myers. It was an accident, but the person grabbed our bag right off the belt and took it home! Thankfully it was located a couple of days later when they realized it wasn't their luggage after all. (Maybe my bikini was too large...) Now I find myself hawking my own bag as it comes around the bend, DARING anyone to touch it before it gets to me!!

schmerl

"And by the way, since when does it take THREE HOURS to wait for luggage?"
Apparently you've never been at the Philadelphia airport during one of USAirways "slowdowns". On a good day it can take an hour and a half for the first piece of luggage to come off a plane there.

pjsparlor

We were in Munich/Bavaria/Austria in jan. 2005. And yes people sometimes do accidently grab other peoples luggage.

Because it happened on our trip!! It was our friend who grabbed someones elses luggage. We were already in Austria. It was a huge hassle. So check your tags please!!!!!

FainaAgain

I tie an old bright scarf to my luggage. Easy and free of charge.

My father once took somebody's black suitcase off the belt, it look exactly like his. That man screamed like insane while my dad was checking the tag!

Luvs2snorkl

I would NEVER put an itinerary or ANYthing that could let someone know my whereabouts or anything else personal like that in my suitcase! They say not to even put your street address or phone number on your luggage tag. How about putting your e-mail addy in there instead? THAT seems like it would be best. How many thieves or innocent 'luggage takers' knows your e-mail addy???
Also, I am glad the poster posted the website of the luggage identifier things. I am sure he was just trying to be helpful. Not everybody has an ulterior motive. I have posted websites of stuff on here in hopes of helping someone get a better deal on things. If people didn't do that, how would we know these sites exist?
Also, one poster stated that there are some travelers that let their luggage hit others in the legs when removing their bags from the carousel. Have you not tried to remove your bags from a moving carousel??? Kinda hard NOT to bang someone. Especially when they are packed around that thing like sardines not wanting to let you in! I am sure most travelers do not do this on purpose. If I ever do that, let me apologize in advance. A little advice-when you are standing next to someone trying to remove a suitcase-move aside a bit. Problem solved.
Aloha!

alvira

In addition to having a big, bright but ugly, tag hanging from my bag I also used the wide packing tape to secure my business card to my bag. So far I haven't had anyone walk away from the carosel with it; only had the airline send it on a different trip from me.

pjsparlor

please put your name and return address on your luggage! that is how the poor soul got his luugage back on our trip!

Marilyn

I can't see the harm in having an itinerary in your suitcase. I can see why you wouldn't want your home address, since it's obvious that the house is empty, but what can anyone do knowing you're at a particular hotel in Paris, for example?

pspercy

I picked up someone else's briefcase once exiting an airport rent car shuttle, luckily I realised my mistake before it was too far away !

For checked baggage I tag it on the outside with a new tag showing destination address & phone number and that day's date (maybe even flight number). Inside has tag with home address etc. Outside has tufts of vivid surveyors' tape on handle :0

Have had "lost" baggage once since 1970, and it showed up in the end.