Baggage handler urgent warning to avoid tying a ribbon to suitcases

Baggage handler urgent warning to avoid tying a ribbon to suitcases

• Suitcase handler warns travellers against using ribbons to identify luggage
• READ MORE: We paid £80 for an unclaimed suitcase from Heathrow Airport hoping to find some gems - but what was inside came as a surprise

Countless travellers thing they're being savvy by marking their bags so they're easy to spot on the baggage carousel in the arrivals hall.

Whether it's vibrant ribbons, colourful tags, key chains or stickers, many of us love to embellish our belongings to make them noticeable on the other side.

Although most think they are making a smart choice to secure their valuables, a worker at Dublin airport has told RSVP Liveto avoid this common mistake.

Dublin Airport baggage handler John, told RSVP Live that having an attachment on the suitcase can lead to issues with scanning which can result in longer delays.

'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'.

John also advised travellers to place their suitcase wheels up for less damage.

Surprisingly, it's not just pretty decorations that you land you in a sticky situation in an airport. John advised that certain food can also come up as suspicious on scanners.

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'.

The suitcase handler also warned against using stickers to decorate or identify luggage because they can confuse scanners, again leading to delays.

Earlier this week, FEMAIL, indulged in the mystery suitcase trend which sees social media users and influencers buying random lost luggage and retrieving it's best contents.

We spent £80 to replicate the excitement drummed up by TikToker Becky Chorlton when she purchased luggage abandoned at London Heathrow Airport earlier this month.

The lucky thrifter found a Guess bag, 'stunning' sundresses - with tags on - and a Tommy Hilfiger jacket all wrapped up inside a shiny blue Delsy suitcase, which retails for around £275 at Selfridges.

Sadly, our retrieval only found crotch-stained shorts, sand-beaten budget t-shirts and a load of used male and female underwear.

London Heathrow Airport holds onto lost property for three months from the date it was found or handed in and can charge you up to £25 to retrieve misplaced items.

However, cases left unclaimed are sometimes given to auction houses which then sell off the bags (and all their contents) to the highest bidder.

We purchased ours from Undelivrd for £80. The company states that personal details and digital devices are removed from the luggage before they're sent out, but apart from that everything is left as is. The size and brand of the suitcase you receive is decided at random.