Why luggage labelling matters
More than 26 million pieces of luggage are lost or delayed at airports around the world every year. Most of them are returned to their owners, but the time it takes and the chance of recovery depend greatly on whether the suitcase is properly labelled.
Luggage without a label or with outdated information goes into storage and waits to be identified by staff. The process can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. Luggage with a clear label and up-to-date contact details is sometimes returned to the owner the same day by courier to their hotel.
Labelling matters not only on flights. A suitcase lost on a train, left behind at a hotel or mixed up with a similar one on a ski slope has a much better chance of being returned when it has a clear contact label.
What to put on your luggage label
The basic information on a luggage label is your first name and last name plus at least one contact method: a phone number or email address. This is enough for an airport worker or finder to get in touch with the owner.
A phone number should ideally be in international format with the country code. If the finder is abroad, they will know how to call without looking up the country code.
An email address is a safe alternative to a phone number. It allows contact without international call costs and works regardless of the time zone.
If you want to include a physical address, consider giving the hotel address rather than your home address. During a trip the airline will want to deliver the bag to where you currently are.
What not to put on your luggage label
A full home address is the most common mistake when labelling luggage. The label is visible to everyone who touches the suitcase during handling, transport and storage. Writing your street and house number tells potential thieves where you live and when you are away.
Avoid including too many details at once. A first name or initials plus one contact method is enough. Too much information visible on the outside is unnecessary and potentially harmful.
Outdated data is just as problematic as no data at all. If you have changed your phone number or email address since your last trip, make sure to update the label before your next departure.
Labelling the inside of your suitcase
Airport staff handling lost luggage are allowed to open a suitcase to identify the owner when the external label is unreadable or missing. This is standard procedure.
It is worth placing contact details inside the suitcase as well. A simple card with your name and phone number slipped into an inner pocket is enough. If the external label falls off or is damaged during handling, staff can still identify the owner.
Instead of a loose card you can use a small envelope glued to the inside of the lid. Put a printed card with your contact details and a copy of your flight booking inside.
Labelling luggage for flights
During check-in at the airport, a suitcase checked as hold luggage receives an official baggage tag, which is a barcode sticker attached by airline staff. This tag is used to track the suitcase in the airport system.
Your own contact label is a complement to the official tag, not a replacement. Both should be on the suitcase at the same time. The official tag is removed when you collect your luggage, while your personal label stays on.
For cabin baggage your personal label is the only identification it has. This also applies to personal bags, backpacks and laptop cases. All of these items are worth labelling just as carefully as your checked suitcase.
QR tag as a modern luggage label
A QR tag is an electronic label that combines the advantages of a classic address card with the possibilities of the internet. When scanned with a phone it leads to a dynamic page with the owner's current contact details.
The key advantage of a QR tag over a classic label is the ability to change data without replacing the physical label. Before your flight, enter your hotel address in the panel and switch to travel mode. When you get home, change the data with one click.
For the finder, contact through a QR tag is simple and free. They scan the code, see your details or contact form, and can send a message without sharing their own data, without roaming costs and in their own language.
When and how to update your label
Updating your label should become part of your preparation routine for every trip. Before departure, check whether the phone number and email address on your label are current.
If you use a QR tag, updating your details takes minutes and can be done from your phone. Log in to the panel, change the address to your hotel address, switch to travel mode and you are done.
For longer trips with multiple stages it is worth updating your details before each flight. If you are in London today and flying to Bangkok tomorrow, update the address to the Bangkok hotel before you check in at the airport.