Baggage handler warns passengers against tying ribbons to their suitcases

We're well into June now and that can only mean one thing... holiday season is well and truly upon us.

Whether you are jetting off somewhere in the US or heading further afield in Europe, there's a lot to be looking forward to.

Of course, vacations are meant to be fun, but there's no doubt that the airport can experience can be a stressful one.

One of the factors adding to worry is checked in bags, something a lot of folks try to avoid if possible.

But if travellers have no choice, they'll often add a personal marker on the suitcase so they know which case is there's when picking it up on the other side.

Many of us put ribbon on our baggage. (Getty Stock Photo)

However, this long-running travel hack is actually delaying your bags from arriving on the baggage carousel.

There's no questioning that a lot of cases look the same, so travellers have developed a habit over the years of attaching a colorful ribbon, luggage tag or other accessories to their bags to stand out.

But while adding these to baggage gives a lot of people peace of mind, an airport baggage handler has revealed it sets back passengers' suitcase arrival.

Speaking to RSPV Live, Dublin Airport baggage handler John said: "Ribbons that people tie onto their suitcases to help identify them can cause issues with the bag being scanned in the baggage hall."

Yes, such ribbons will make it a lot easier for you to spot your case, but it actually attracts negative attention from airport luggage scanners.

"If the bag can’t be scanned automatically it can end up in manual processing, which could mean your bag doesn’t make it to the flight," he added.

Avoiding ribbons can speed up the process of picking up cases. (Getty Stock Photo)

Old stickers from previous trips can also create problems, with John warning: "If the bag can’t be scanned automatically it can end up in manual processing, which could mean your bag doesn’t make it to the flight."

There are of course many other reasons as to why your bag may be stopped at the airport, some more obvious than others.

In fact, another reason as to why people have their bags pulled is because they have Marzipan packed inside their suitcases.

The Dublin Airport employee added: "Don’t ever pack Marzipan in your luggage. It has the same density as some explosives so your bag will be removed and you’ll be called from the plane for a bag search."

Another tip provided by the travel expert is to put your suitcase wheels up to avoid damage before you check them in.

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