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Are the letters SSSS on your boarding pass a reason to worry? What is much more dangerous than turbulence? Should you really try to be the first to board the plane? Can airplanes operate with one engine? Find out the coolest facts about planes you've always wanted to know.
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00:00Are the letters SSSS on your boarding pass a reason to worry?
00:05What's much more dangerous than turbulence?
00:08Should you really be the first to board the plane?
00:11You're about to figure it out.
00:16You might have noticed that most planes have blue seats.
00:20There's no mystery here.
00:21Airlines opt for this color because it's considered to have a calming effect.
00:26This color supposedly puts passengers at ease and helps even the most nervous flyers to relax.
00:32But there's also another, more practical reason.
00:36Stains, dirt and scrapes are less visible on dark blue fabric.
00:42Never throw your boarding pass away in a public place.
00:45It contains tons of your sensitive information, including your name and frequent flyer number.
00:51This, in turn, may allow someone else to check your future bookings,
00:54change your seat, or even cancel your flights.
00:59So the best way to deal with the boarding pass for a flight you've already boarded
01:03is to take it home and feed it through a paper shredder.
01:07By the way, if you ever see the letters SSSS or S on your boarding pass,
01:13get ready for additional security checks.
01:16Instead of these letters, there may be a checkerboard pattern.
01:19Anyway, if you have any of these marks,
01:22your carry-on luggage can also undergo a thorough inspection.
01:26Why might they choose you for secondary screening?
01:29Some of the criteria are making a one-way reservation or paying cash for your ticket.
01:34In some cases, the selection is absolutely random.
01:39Look, your gate is open and the boarding is started.
01:42Wait, where are you running?
01:44There's no need to hurry.
01:46The trick experienced globetrotters use is always board last.
01:50For one thing, you don't have to waste time standing in line.
01:54Then, there are fewer people on the jetway and in the aisle,
01:57and you spend less time on the plane.
01:59No one is going to take your seat anyway.
02:03There's one exception, though.
02:04If you have a bulky carry-on bag, it may make more sense not to board last.
02:09Otherwise, the chances are high that all the overhead bin space
02:12will be occupied by the time you reach your seat.
02:15And then, your bag may end up in another part of the plane,
02:19and you'll have to wait till the other passengers disembark
02:21before you get to your luggage.
02:23Duh!
02:25Before takeoff and landing,
02:27flight attendants usually flip a small switch on the bathroom door.
02:30This prevents it from flying open when it's not supposed to.
02:33With the same ease,
02:35a flight attendant can open the door when someone is inside.
02:38Look, they only need to lift the lavatory sign
02:41and move the knob into the unlocked position.
02:45Pilots don't worry about turbulence.
02:47That's because they know that there is a thing way more dangerous
02:50than any turbulence.
02:52It's an updraft.
02:54In most cases,
02:55turbulence only drops you a couple of feet down,
02:57even though it might feel as if you're falling from the top of the Empire State Building.
03:02If the turbulence is strong enough for the pilots to ask flight attendants to sit down,
03:07the plane can go 10 to 20 feet down.
03:10The most extreme white-knuckle turbulence is super rare.
03:14But an updraft is a big air mass,
03:17part of a storm or some other weather phenomenon moving upwards.
03:21Pilots don't see updrafts on their radars at night,
03:24and when a plane hits one,
03:26it feels like driving over a huge speed bump at 500 miles per hour.
03:31An updraft is also extremely treacherous
03:33because it can push an aircraft upward to dangerous altitudes.
03:40Modern planes have a special system that detects other aircraft,
03:44mountains, and different solid objects in their path.
03:48Ten miles away from another plane,
03:50and a voice in the cockpit starts chanting,
03:52Traffic! Traffic!
03:54Five miles closer,
03:56and the same voice begins to give pilots the directions.
04:00Airplanes can operate with one engine,
04:03even during takeoff and landing.
04:04Both engines failing simultaneously is almost unheard of.
04:09But even then,
04:10a plane wouldn't drop from the sky like a rock.
04:13Pilots would have up to 20 minutes to find a suitable place to land.
04:18The way the cabin is pressurized has a great effect on your taste buds.
04:22You lose up to 30% of your ability to taste sweet and salty things.
04:27In other words,
04:28it's not that airplane food isn't tasty,
04:31you just don't feel its flavor.
04:32However, that's also the main reason why airline catering companies add extra salt
04:37and spices to the dishes they cook.
04:40But you know what may help you?
04:42Noise-canceling earphones.
04:44For some reason,
04:45that probably has a scientific explanation.
04:48Cutting off all that noise around can help your taste buds.
04:52Each of those dings you hear during the flight has its own meaning.
04:56In most airlines,
04:58a Boeing soon after takeoff indicates that the landing gear is getting retracted.
05:02Three dings in a row means more urgency than just one.
05:06A high-low ringtone informs crew members that their colleague needs them in another part of the plane.
05:13Three low chimes means some serious turbulence ahead.
05:17Crew members are supposed to put away meal cards,
05:19take their seats,
05:20and fasten their seatbelts.
05:23If you're a nervous flyer,
05:25pick a seat in the middle of the cabin.
05:27Turbulence mostly affects the front and rear parts of the cabin.
05:30The middle section,
05:32which is over the wings,
05:33doesn't shake so much.
05:36Pilots and co-pilots eat different meals.
05:39The reason for this precaution is very simple.
05:42Imagine both pilots having the same dish
05:44and getting food poisoning.
05:46In this case,
05:47neither of them will be able to control the plane.
05:50If they still want to have the same dish
05:52and won't agree to have anything else,
05:55there's a safety net.
05:56Pilots don't have their meals at the same time.
05:59If one pilot ate the dish
06:01and still feels okay several hours later,
06:03the other pilot can brave their meal as well.
06:06What would you say when asked
06:08about the filthiest place on a plane?
06:11Nope, that's not the toilet seat.
06:13It's not even in the bathroom.
06:15Flight attendants warn that you should be particularly careful
06:18with headrests, seat pockets,
06:20tray tables, and seatbelts.
06:24Experiments have shown that one-third of all seatbelts
06:27have yeast and mold on them.
06:28Most tray tables are covered with bacteria.
06:32Seat pockets are extremely filthy too,
06:35but headrests are the dirtiest of them all.
06:38In most cases,
06:39flight attendants don't have enough time to change
06:41or disinfect them in between flights.
06:47If your captain announces
06:48they're finishing some paperwork,
06:50it means they're busy revising the flight itinerary
06:53or waiting for the ground staff
06:54to prepare the flight logbook.
06:57That's a journal that contains
06:58the official record of a journey.
07:01Some places,
07:02especially those flying long distances,
07:04have secret bedrooms for crew members
07:06to catch some shut-eye.
07:08These bedrooms,
07:09called crew rest compartments,
07:11are located either at the back of the plane
07:13or behind the cockpit.
07:15Such a compartment can have up to 10 comfortable beds
07:18where flight attendants can have a rest.
07:21Plane windows are made of super strong plexiglass
07:24that can easily cope with high speeds.
07:27And the window panes are shaped in a special way
07:29so that the high pressure inside the cabin
07:31pushes them against the aircraft body.
07:35In other words,
07:36plane windows are very unlikely to get broken.
07:40Once upon a time,
07:42plane windows were square,
07:43but the pressure built up in the corners of such windows,
07:46making them ultimate weak spots.
07:49This means that each square window
07:51had four weak spots.
07:52This made them likely to crash
07:55under the enormous stress of high altitudes.
07:58Luckily,
07:59making airplane windows curved
08:00solved this problem once and forever.
08:03Such a shape distributes the pressure
08:05and reduces the likelihood of cracks
08:07or any other damage.
08:09Planes regularly get struck by lightning
08:11at least once a year
08:13or once per 1,000 hours of flight time.
08:16These days,
08:17it's totally safe.
08:18The electric charge
08:20simply runs through
08:21the aircraft's aluminum shell.
08:22It doesn't cause the plane
08:24any damage.
08:26But did you know
08:27that airplanes not only get hit by lightning,
08:29but they also trigger it?
08:32When an aircraft
08:33is flying through a cloud,
08:35the friction between its fuselage
08:37and the air
08:38creates static electricity.
08:40Sometimes,
08:40it can cause lightning.
08:43Ah, yes,
08:45everyone loves a holiday.
08:46But figuring out
08:47what to pack in your luggage
08:48can be a daunting task,
08:50especially when you're limited
08:52on weight and baggage space.
08:53Not to mention,
08:54you're likely to do
08:55some holiday shopping
08:56on your adventure
08:57away from home.
08:58So,
08:59you're going to need
08:59extra space on your return
09:01for all those souvenirs
09:02you've collected.
09:04Accumulating too much weight
09:05or bulk
09:06can end up costing you
09:07a handsome fee
09:08with the airline
09:08if you're not properly prepared.
09:10But,
09:11you can now relax.
09:12You just focus
09:13on booking your vacation.
09:14We'll take care of your luggage
09:16with these handy traveling tips.
09:18No doubt,
09:18your clothes
09:19are going to take up
09:20the bulk of your luggage.
09:21Considering most airline standards
09:23permit one bag
09:24for most local trips
09:25and up to two bags
09:26for longer distances,
09:28that doesn't grant you
09:29a whole lot of space
09:30if you plan on being fashionable
09:31on your getaway,
09:32especially in the winter.
09:34However,
09:35this doesn't mean
09:36you have to turn
09:36your undergarments
09:37inside out
09:38for repeated use.
09:39The key here
09:40is to be clever
09:41with how you pack.
09:43Firstly,
09:44you might want to consider
09:45how you're folding
09:46your clothes.
09:47The most space-efficient method
09:48to store your wardrobe
09:49in a suitcase
09:50for travel
09:51is to roll up
09:52each item.
09:53Think of your clothes
09:54like those sleeping bags
09:55you used to take
09:56on your camping trips.
09:57They always seem too thick
09:59for their compacted covers,
10:00but with perseverance,
10:02you could roll it up
10:02tight enough
10:03to fit inside.
10:04Now,
10:05you don't need to wrestle
10:06with your clothes
10:07quite as much,
10:07but the same principle
10:09here applies.
10:10Start by folding
10:11your shirts,
10:12pants,
10:12and whatever else
10:13you plan on packing
10:14neatly,
10:16similar to how you might
10:17find them
10:17on a clothing store shelf.
10:19Then,
10:20when you have them
10:20in a relatively rectangular
10:22or squared-off shape,
10:23roll them up tightly.
10:25Now that you have
10:26your little clothes logs,
10:28start packing them
10:29into your bag.
10:30And,
10:31behold!
10:32Extra space!
10:34Now,
10:35here's something
10:36we've all experienced
10:37arriving at our
10:37holiday destination.
10:39We drop our suitcase
10:40on the hotel bed,
10:41open it up,
10:42only to find
10:43all our clothes
10:44unfurled and scattered
10:45like a tornado
10:46stormed through our bag.
10:48Your luggage
10:49has had a rough journey
10:50from your home
10:50to your holiday destination.
10:52It's been dragged
10:53through airport terminals,
10:55tossed around
10:55by baggage handlers,
10:56and rocked back and forth
10:58during in-flight turbulence.
11:00A simple stationary item,
11:02rubber bands,
11:03will help you
11:04keep your clothes neat.
11:05Now that you've
11:06got them rolled up,
11:07place a couple of
11:08rubber bands around them
11:09to keep them from unfurling.
11:10This is an especially
11:12neat trick if you want
11:13to roll an outfit
11:13together as one.
11:15Maybe you've got
11:15head-to-toe denim
11:16that you can't wait
11:18to rock on your getaway.
11:19Fold up your clothes
11:20as before,
11:21then layer the different
11:22items of your ideal outfit
11:24atop each other.
11:25Roll them up as one,
11:26then use the rubber bands
11:28to keep them together.
11:29You can preemptively
11:31decide your day-to-day
11:32outfits before you
11:33even board the plane.
11:34However,
11:35you may still prefer
11:36to fold your clothes,
11:37especially business
11:38or formal shirts and pants.
11:40Lucky for you,
11:41we have a handy trick
11:42for that, too.
11:44Instead of folding
11:45each item individually,
11:46we're going to lay it out
11:47all on top of each other.
11:49Start with your shirts
11:50and tops,
11:51alternating with one on top
11:53and one on the bottom,
11:54keeping the necks
11:55of your shirts
11:56at the center.
11:57Work your way down
11:58to your pants
11:59and smaller items
12:00until they're all
12:01laid out flat.
12:02Try to keep your pants
12:03in the middle.
12:04Finally,
12:05start folding your items
12:06in on themselves,
12:07with the shirts
12:08creating the outer layer
12:10until you end up
12:11with a neat bundle,
12:12like a present.
12:13You should be able
12:14to sit your bundle
12:15squarely into your bag.
12:17Want to save
12:18even more luggage space?
12:19Instead of putting
12:20your undergarments
12:21and socks
12:22into their own section,
12:23try fitting them
12:24into available spaces
12:25and gaps
12:26within the rest
12:27of your luggage.
12:27If you plan on
12:29taking a cap with you,
12:30for instance,
12:30the inside of your headwear
12:32is a great space
12:33to store your socks.
12:34This applies to other
12:36small luggage items, too,
12:37such as phone chargers
12:38and ties.
12:40Though keep in mind
12:41that you can also
12:42lay your ties and belts
12:43out flat across the clothes
12:45in your luggage
12:45to conserve space.
12:47And if you're really
12:48limited on baggage size,
12:50say,
12:50all you have
12:51is a carry-on
12:52for a fortnight long trip,
12:54here's another method.
12:56Get yourself
12:56some compression bags
12:58to store your clothes in.
12:59These bags
13:00will compact
13:01multiple sets of clothes
13:02into the size
13:03of a small laptop bag.
13:05Fold up the clothes
13:06you intend to pack
13:07and store them
13:08into the compression bag.
13:09You should be able
13:10to fit 8 to 10
13:11standard clothes items
13:12or a few bulky ones.
13:14Once you've filled the bag,
13:16seal it
13:16and squeeze the air out
13:18through the built-in
13:18one-way pressure valve.
13:20The easiest way
13:21to do this
13:21is either by rolling it
13:23and you should be pretty good
13:24at rolling your clothes
13:25by now
13:25or by using your knees
13:27to apply pressure.
13:28You should be able
13:29to fit 2 to 4
13:31of these compression bags
13:32in your standard
13:32carry-on suitcase,
13:34which is especially helpful
13:35if you want to save money
13:36by avoiding
13:37checked-in luggage.
13:38And,
13:39you can take
13:40even more clothes
13:41on board with you
13:42if you stick them
13:43into a pillowcase.
13:44The best thing
13:45about this tip
13:45is that it also doubles
13:47as a comfy pillow
13:48for you to rest your head
13:49on during the flight.
13:51If you do have a bit
13:52more space to spare,
13:54another great way
13:54to keep your stuff organized
13:55is with packing cubes.
13:57It might not be
13:58as space-efficient
13:59as compression bags,
14:01but a lot of travelers
14:02prefer them
14:03for tidier
14:03and well-organized packing.
14:05You might like
14:06to divide them
14:07by outfits
14:08or clothes types,
14:09such as one for pants
14:10and one for tops.
14:12You can easily purchase
14:13packing cubes
14:14from most online
14:15retail services
14:16and travel
14:17and camping stores.
14:18There are also
14:19packing cubes
14:19specially designed
14:20for one or more
14:21pairs of shoes.
14:23This is a great way
14:24to compact the space
14:25your shoes would otherwise
14:26take up in your luggage
14:27and to keep your clean clothes
14:29from coming into contact
14:30with your footwear.
14:32Nobody wants their tops
14:33to smell like feet,
14:34right?
14:35If you're still struggling
14:36to bring all your items
14:38with you inside your suitcase,
14:39there are a couple more tricks
14:41that you can use
14:42for that extra bit of weight
14:43without the extra cost.
14:45The most obvious
14:46of which is to use
14:47your own body.
14:49That's right,
14:50time to layer up.
14:51Pick out all your bulky items
14:53and wear as many
14:54as you can manage.
14:55You can try wearing
14:56some shorts
14:57under your pants
14:58or several layers
14:59of your winter wear,
15:00such as your sweater,
15:01jacket,
15:01and coat
15:02all over the top
15:03of one another.
15:04You might be sweating
15:06a little,
15:06but most airports
15:07and planes
15:08are well air-conditioned.
15:09You can always shed
15:10some layers
15:11once you've boarded
15:12your flight.
15:12At least you'll have
15:13some warm wear
15:14to snuggle up in
15:15if you do get cold
15:16up there in the clouds.
15:18If you don't want
15:19to wear all those layers,
15:20there's actually
15:21another type of bag
15:22you can carry
15:23on the plane with you,
15:24free of charge.
15:25Get yourself
15:26a duty-free bag
15:27from any of the
15:28duty-free stores
15:29in the airport.
15:29You can even hang on
15:31to it for next time.
15:32Store all your extra items
15:34in your duty-free bag
15:35and carry it
15:36onto your flight
15:37at no additional cost.
15:38It's also worth
15:39considering
15:40what type of luggage
15:41you're using,
15:42more importantly,
15:43how much it weighs.
15:44A lot of people
15:45forget that the
15:46standard 15 pounds
15:47permitted by most airlines
15:49includes the actual
15:50weight of their suitcase.
15:52The bag itself
15:52can often weigh
15:53up to 4 to 6 pounds.
15:55That's a huge chunk
15:56of your weight
15:56in the bag alone.
15:57So,
15:58when you're shopping
15:59for your luggage,
16:00take into account
16:01how much it weighs.
16:02Choosing a lighter bag
16:03will give you more space
16:04for the items
16:05you want to take with you.
16:07Stick to some
16:07of these handy tips
16:08and you'll be on your way
16:10with no shortage of luggage
16:11and some extra money
16:12to spend on your vacation.
16:14Happy flying!
16:15You just booked
16:15a last-minute holiday
16:16and have three hours
16:17before the flight.
16:18You grab everything
16:19you can see,
16:20drop it into a suitcase,
16:21top it with your sunscreen,
16:22and rush to the airport.
16:24You run through security
16:25and make it one minute
16:26before check-in closes.
16:27A friendly airline agent
16:28asks you to put your suitcase
16:30onto the scale
16:30and enters it
16:31into the baggage handling system.
16:33Your suitcase gets a tag
16:34with a unique 10-digit barcode.
16:36It has your flight information on it.
16:38Many airports and airlines
16:39use a new technology
16:40with radio frequency
16:41identification chips
16:42to track your baggage
16:43in real time.
16:44This could help solve
16:45the problem of lost
16:46and delayed bags.
16:47So your suitcase disappears
16:48behind the rubber curtain.
16:49Now its epic journey
16:50on the conveyor belt begins.
16:52At larger airports,
16:53it goes on for miles.
16:54It's like a roller coaster
16:55with thousands of bags
16:56traveling at the same time.
16:58Don't miss the right turn.
16:59Once again,
17:00this time to the left.
17:01Oops,
17:02one of the bags
17:02just flipped over
17:03to another lane.
17:04Hopefully,
17:04it has all the right tags
17:06and will get on the right flight.
17:07Another turn.
17:08It's like a busy highway
17:09in rush hour.
17:10First stop,
17:11security checkpoint.
17:12The bags are scanned
17:13with an x-ray machine
17:14and often with chemical sniffers.
17:16If something seems suspicious
17:17about a certain bag,
17:18it will also be inspected by hand.
17:20All clear.
17:21Your bag makes it
17:22to a huge warehouse.
17:23In here,
17:24robots or staff
17:25go through your baggage
17:26to send it to the right plane.
17:27They can scan the tag
17:28your suitcase received
17:29at check-in.
17:30Some bags stay
17:31in the sorting point
17:32for a while.
17:32They must be off
17:33to later flights.
17:35Your suitcase gets
17:35on a bag cart together
17:37with plenty of others.
17:38Airport ramp agents
17:39control the process.
17:41The bag tug
17:41pulls the cart
17:42onto the tarmac.
17:43Baggage handlers
17:44load it onto the plane
17:45and it takes off.
17:46As the plane lands
17:47at your destination,
17:48another crew of baggage handlers
17:49welcomes it.
17:50They unload all the bags
17:51and take them
17:52to the terminal.
17:53This time,
17:54the journey is way shorter.
17:55Your suitcase
17:56goes straight onto
17:56the baggage carousel
17:57and you're happily reunited
17:59with it.
17:59This ideal scenario
18:01works around 99%
18:02of the time.
18:03When you have
18:03a connecting flight,
18:04your bag will be moved
18:05from plane to plane
18:06with you.
18:07If you miss
18:07the connecting flight
18:08through your fault,
18:09your bag will make it
18:10to the second plane
18:11without you
18:11and wait for you there.
18:12When your layover
18:13is less than 60 minutes,
18:15check-in agent mislabels
18:16your bag by accident
18:17or the tag gets detached
18:18on your way,
18:19your baggage
18:20might get lost.
18:21When the airline
18:22figures out
18:22what went wrong,
18:23they'll send it
18:24on the next flight
18:24to your destination.
18:26If they can't find
18:27and return it to the owner
18:28or you don't claim it
18:29within 90 days,
18:30the contents of your bag
18:31can go for charity.
18:32They also sell them
18:33as second-hand goods.
18:34The most unusual
18:36of those unclaimed things
18:37ends up at special museums,
18:39ancient Egyptian artifacts,
18:40a huge uncut emerald,
18:421770s violins,
18:44naval guidance system,
18:45and a replica
18:46of a suit of armor
18:47created in the 19th century
18:48are just a few examples
18:49of those unclaimed items.
18:51Travel security
18:52also confiscates
18:53hundreds of thousands
18:54of items each year.
18:55Some of them
18:56are thrown away,
18:57others are donated
18:57to non-profits
18:58or schools,
18:59and stuff like
19:00self-defense sprays
19:01is used for training purposes.
19:02To increase your odds
19:03of happily reuniting
19:05with your bag,
19:05check in as early as you can.
19:07This way,
19:08the airline will have
19:08enough time
19:09to get your belongings
19:10to the right place.
19:11Double-check that the agent
19:12has printed
19:13the right three-letter code
19:14of the airport
19:15you're flying to
19:15on your baggage tag.
19:17Before checking your bag,
19:18label it outside and inside.
19:20Don't write your home address
19:21on the outside label.
19:22Thieves can use that information
19:24to break into your home
19:25while you're on vacation.
19:26You can leave
19:27your office address
19:28or just mention
19:29your phone number
19:29or email address.
19:31Duct-tape a card
19:32with your name
19:32and address
19:33to the inside lid
19:34of your bag.
19:34If the outer tag falls off,
19:36airline agents
19:37will be able to identify
19:38the bag by the inside tag.
19:40Remove all the old tags
19:41from previous flights.
19:42Airport staff
19:43have to work
19:44with thousands of bags
19:45every day
19:46and have only a second
19:47for yours.
19:48They can easily make a mistake
19:49if they see more
19:50than one tag.
19:51Make sure all the pockets
19:52and compartments
19:52on your bag
19:53are zipped
19:53and fastened well.
19:54Don't leave any loose ends
19:56or tie things
19:57like lace shoes
19:58to the handle.
19:59Your backpack straps
20:00mustn't dangle
20:01in all directions.
20:02If any of those items
20:03hang on to something
20:04on the conveyor belt,
20:05they could be ruined
20:06or lost.
20:07Make a list of all the items
20:08or at least the most expensive
20:09ones in your phone.
20:10Take a picture of the outside
20:12and contents of your bag.
20:13If you have to file a claim
20:14for a lost bag
20:15or confirm a missing item,
20:17it will be super handy.
20:18You can also print out
20:19a copy of that picture
20:20and leave it at the airport
20:22to help them find
20:22your bag easier.
20:23Don't put any liquids
20:25in the front pocket
20:26or on top of your things.
20:27When baggage handlers
20:28toss the bag on the cart,
20:30that shampoo or lotion bottle
20:31can get damaged and leak.
20:33Cover liquid bottles
20:34with duct tape
20:35and put them
20:35in a separate
20:36sealable plastic bag.
20:37Keep that bag
20:38in the main compartment.
20:40Put the heaviest items
20:41on the bottom of your bag
20:42near the wheels.
20:43This way,
20:44it won't tip over.
20:45Pack super tightly
20:46and make it more stable.
20:48Mark your bag
20:48with a bright ribbon,
20:49an unusual tag,
20:50or sticker.
20:51Add yellow duct tape,
20:52put on a vibrant cover.
20:54Make it stand out.
20:55This way,
20:56no one will grab it
20:57before you
20:57on baggage claim
20:58by accident.
20:59Go for waterproof luggage.
21:01Don't buy the most
21:01expensive looking bag.
21:03It's a magnet for thieves.
21:04If you're a heavy packer,
21:06buy a luggage scale
21:07and use it
21:07before you leave
21:08for the airport.
21:09Don't get too close
21:10to the weight limit.
21:11Airport luggage scales
21:12may be a bit off
21:13and you'd have to pay
21:14for extra weight.
21:15Plan your outfits
21:15before you pack
21:16and wear the heaviest clothing
21:18during the trip.
21:19Roll your clothes
21:20to avoid wrinkles
21:20and lines
21:21and save packing space.
21:23Put your socks
21:23and underwear
21:24in a small reusable cloth bag.
21:26Pack your shoes
21:27inside a shower cap
21:28to keep the bag clean.
21:29Stuff those shoes
21:30and other hollow things
21:31with souvenirs
21:32or similar trinkets.
21:34Put a laundry dryer sheet
21:35in the bag
21:35to make your clothes
21:36smell great.
21:37Don't pack any food items
21:38that perish quickly.
21:40If your bag gets delayed,
21:41they'll make the rest
21:42of your things
21:42smell like disaster.
21:44Add a TSA-friendly lock
21:46to your bag.
21:46The agents will be able
21:47to open it safely
21:48with a master key
21:49if it's randomly selected
21:50for additional screening.
21:52If you secure it
21:52with a non-compatible lock,
21:54they'll have to break it
21:55to open your bag.
21:56It will continue the journey
21:57with no lock whatsoever.
21:59Choose combination locks
22:00over padlocks.
22:01You can easily lose
22:02tiny padlock keys
22:03while traveling
22:04and then you'd have to
22:05break that lock
22:06at your final destination.
22:07Three-digit locks
22:08are more common,
22:09but you can find
22:10four-digit models
22:11for extra security.
22:12Pick a metal lock
22:13in some bright color
22:14to make your bag safe
22:15and easier to recognize.
22:17If you don't want
22:17to buy a lock,
22:18use cable ties instead.
22:20If your luggage
22:20has lockable zips,
22:22pull the largest cable tie
22:23that fits through the loops.
22:24If your bag doesn't
22:25have the dedicated loops,
22:26thread the cable tie
22:27through a little notch
22:28in each of the zips instead.
22:30Pack some scissors,
22:31blades, a nail file,
22:32or some other tool
22:33to cut the cable ties
22:34in an unlocked pocket
22:35of your checked bag.
22:37Sign up for bag tracking.
22:38Some airlines let you do it
22:40through a mobile app.
22:41Your checked-in baggage
22:42will be scanned at check-in
22:43during loading onto the plane,
22:45on transfer from one flight
22:46to another,
22:47and when it arrives
22:48at the final destination.
22:49You can also buy
22:50a GPS tracker
22:51or luggage that comes with it.
22:53Never put cameras,
22:54laptops, cell phones,
22:55tablets,
22:56and even portable hard drives
22:57in your checked-in bags.
22:58If for some reason
22:59you have to check them in,
23:01make sure they're completely off,
23:02protected from accidental activation,
23:04and well-packed.
23:05Your makeup bag,
23:06jewelry,
23:07meds,
23:07especially prescription ones,
23:09don't belong
23:09in your checked-in bag either.
23:11If you have to bring
23:12lithium batteries with you,
23:13put them in your carry-on
23:14in manufacturer's packaging
23:16or covered with tape.
23:17Lithium batteries
23:18with unprotected electrodes
23:19can contact loose metal objects
23:21and ignite.
23:22If it happens inside the cargo hold,
23:24no one will be able to stop it.
23:26Check if your insurance
23:27would cover some of your losses
23:28if things go wrong.
23:29If you have expensive clothes
23:30and luggage itself,
23:32purchase excess valuation
23:33from the airline.
23:34Otherwise,
23:35your compensation
23:35for lost or damaged bags
23:37will be not so generous.