Your moving castle: how to protect the fort against travel germs

We’ve all been there. In a new destination where the wind caresses your skin and adventure yells, “come find me,” the last thing we want is to be stuck in front of a carousel. Standing, waiting, pleading with our bags to finally arrive so we can begin the next leg of our journey together.

No one wants to be last in front of the carousel. Luckily, we may not have to be. 

One trick that can come in handy is attaching a fragile sticker to your luggage, surprisingly. Fragile luggage is often loaded onto the plane last to prevent it being crushed under the weight of the rest of the cargo, meaning that when you arrive they’ll be the first to be offloaded. This means that coming around the bend at your carousel, your bags are more likely to be first. This isn’t foolproof, though, sometimes even with really fragile cargo staff can miss the sticker. 

Another, slightly riskier option, can be to check in last. I personally prefer to check in as early as possible to avoid surprises but if you’re in a hurry this can also work. It operates on the same principle of last on, first off, meaning that you’ll likely have to wait a little less. If you’re feeling bold you can ask to gate check your bag, though you’ll have to do a little more careful packing and heavy lifting to make sure it goes over smoothly. Remember, anything you couldn’t bring in a carry-on in this case is off-limits. 

Depending on the airline the rule of last on, first off may not apply, so be watchful. Airline practices vary based on brand and staff on-ground, so they may have a different way of sorting luggage that’s a little less conducive to the idea. If you want to guarantee an early bag off the carousel, though, there is a way. Flying first class (or business class as well), or joining the frequent flier club on an airline you travel with often can allow you to receive a priority tag. This tag, like the name implies, makes your luggage priority for loading, ensuring you’ll always finish first.