Have you ever wanted to know what happens to your bags after you check in at an airport? From how to ensure your case isn’t always last to the baggage belt (or worse, doesn’t show up at all) to which kind of luggage is best for avoiding the wrath of baggage handlers, we’ve scoured the web to discover some secrets from the professionals.

Click through this gallery for top tips from baggage handlers that will ensure your luggage has a safe trip...

Did you know that stacking luggage into the hold is like a huge game of Tetris? That’s how many handlers or 'rampies' describe packing bags into the hold. "I once worked ramp, bag Tetris is legit," writes one on Reddit. "It’s like regular Tetris, only with more violence."

Theories abound around how to get your suitcase on the carousel first. But what do the pros say? One baggage handler writes on Reddit that the key is being one of the last to check your luggage in. "Show up mostly late, but not at the last second. Your bag will be stacked on top of the cart, be the first loaded on the plane, be the last loaded off, and the first onto the carousel. It’s probably 70-80% effective." Another handler adds that weight and size play a part in determining when and where bags are loaded and unloaded. "Timing can help," he writes, "but size, shape and weight also come in. If your bag weighs 80lbs (36kg), it's going on the bottom if we can help it."

Travel business or first and a 'priority' bag tag will see your luggage fast tracked along the way. Your bag might also qualify for this VIP treatment if you’re a frequent flyer, even if you’re in economy. However, don’t try to be sneaky, warned one baggage handler speaking to The Globe and Mail. "Many passengers try to weasel their luggage into the first-class cart. Sometimes it works, most of the time it doesn't and it's a great satisfaction in the bag room to tear a false priority tag off of someone who's only paid regular fare."

Does your bag reappear at the other end of a flight battered or in tatters? One handler on Reddit advises: "Get something robust and something that rolls." He suggests a four-wheeled hard case as they are light and easy to manoeuvre and stack, as well as being far more likely to keep contents safe. His other top tip is to choose a suitcase with a reinforced handle so it doesn’t snap easily. 

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Handles are key, according to Zack who was interviewed by Conde Nast Traveler. He says choosing a case with a handle on the bottom as well as the top is a big help to baggage handlers. "I grab bottom and top handles and can easily place the bag on the bag loader or in the hold. It's not just nicer for your bag's treatment; the movement is easier on my back."

Backpacks can pose a multitude of problems for baggage handlers so be sure to tuck in those straps and do up all of those zips to avoid tears and snagging. "They get caught more often than normal luggage," writes a handler on Reddit. "Once an airport representative walked across the airport, picking up every zipper he found. There were thousands." Another says backpacks tend to be packed at the end because of their varying sizes, shapes and weights.

Meanwhile, Zack confides to Conde Nast Traveler that the straps on child car seats are the most annoying things as they get stuck on everything. He recommends they’re wrapped in plastic, along with any prams – and not just to avoid damage. "You'd be shocked at the nasty condition of some car seats and strollers as they come to us. We don't want to touch that more than we have to, but if it's bagged and all straps are inside, it's more likely to be handled nicely."

How much weight does a 'fragile' sticker actually hold with baggage handlers? Not much, according to one handler on Reddit. "Do your absolute best to make fragile items your carry-ons, [it's] as simple as that. In the rush of our work environment, not everyone is going to bother noticing the fragile tags. Basically, most people don't care about fragile items, and the airlines care even less," he writes. A handler speaking to The Globe and Mail agrees: "If I lifted each piece of luggage as if it were the [King's] tea set, nothing would get done."

According to one handler who spoke to Budget Travel: "Pristine new bags don't stay that way for long inside a cargo bin, so buy luggage that's durable, not fancy. But don't go the cheapskate route: an overstuffed duffel bag held together with duct tape is a mess waiting to happen." He adds: "Baggage handlers can cram a Boeing 737 with 150 bags in under 30 minutes. Factor in even higher loads for bigger planes, and multiply that by several incoming and outgoing flights a day. Do you really think anyone's bag is going to receive special treatment?"

Be sure to remove any old luggage tags before checking in your bags to avoid any confusion about your luggage's end destination. "If you have a bag tag from two years ago, as well as a load of other ones, it takes us infinitely longer to find the right date for where it's supposed to be going," writes a handler on Reddit. "This almost always happens because the tags are confusing and we only have an hour to sort 800 bags going to three places."

Another way you can keep baggage handlers sweet (and give their backs a break) is by packing light. One handler on Reddit recommends taking two medium bags rather than one heavy one. And the handler interviewed by The Globe and Mail explained: "Most of the bags I've broken have weighed well over 50lbs (23kg). If you have to travel with a heavy bag then use one of those special tags on your luggage. It's nice to have a warning!"

Ever wondered if they run out of space in the hold? "Very rarely but it happens," writes a handler on Reddit. "If you have a rookie stacking the pit he might run out of room. But if a load is that heavy we will get a more experienced employee to do it." Another reveals that baggage is sometimes bumped to conserve fuel. "[Airlines] can run out of weight for bags. Depending on the weather and flight distance, fuel might be a little more important. I worked in Alaska and in the summer, on some of our long hauls, we would bump all the bags. Only the passengers would go."

Always seal or lock your suitcases and bags, advises one handler speaking to Skyscanner. "At a lot of airports there are professionals that can steal from your bag/suitcase. Sealing your bag with a layer of film helps prevent damage and is also an extra security precaution against people who want to sneak something into your bag." However, another handler on Reddit dismisses the notion, saying he has never seen any colleagues take anything or be accused of stealing. "Sometimes locks break... but no one has ever opened one up."

After more than a decade of reduction in mishandled baggage, the airline information technology company SITA noticed a surge in global mishandling in 2022. As airline traffic rebounded to pre-pandemic levels, staff shortages saw the rate hit 7.6 bags per thousand passengers, up a staggering 74.7% compared to 2021. The proportion of bags delayed at transfer increased by 42% too, making the always-awkward process of airport transfers even more undesirable.

That sinking feeling when you’re the last person waiting at the conveyor belt is never a good way to start or end a holiday. So, when you finally realise your bag isn’t coming, what should you do? File your complaint at the service desk and the bag should be electronically located using the tracking number and if found they should arrange for it to be couriered to you. But any that aren't reunited with their rightful owner within 90 days are likely to be auctioned for charity.

"People that overpack their bags", reveals a Reddit user. "People jam so much in their bags that the zipper busts and all their stuff falls out. It’s no fun for either party." Zack tells Conde Nast Traveler that unzipped bags and spilt shampoo are his pet peeves. "I can’t tell you how many times luggage comes to me with open pockets, dumping out everything the moment I pick it up. The worst is when liquids are packed in on the outside, in those little pockets around the luggage. If they don't fall out, they're crushed during luggage stacking in the hold, and shampoo or whatever oozes everywhere."

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