Do we really need luggage tags on our luggage these days? Well, unless you are one of the estimated 1% of travelers whose luggage seems to get misplaced or lost on the way to their destination, then you might not need them. If the contents of your luggage is something disposable that you can easily do without, then no, you really do not need them at all. If you treat your personal possessions like butterflies, here today, and gone tomorrow, then you have no use for them. Do you know anyone that fits that description? I do not.
If, however, you are concerned about the contents of your luggage, then maybe, yes, you still need luggage tags on all your luggage. If you are like most people, you want to protect the contents of your luggage from loss, then they might become a priority for you, and your fellow travelers.
Let's say you are going to Orlando, FL to catch a few rays. For some unknown reason, your luggage ends up at JFK in New York. What is the first thing the airline is going to do? They will try to contact you. And what is the easiest way for them to contact you? Well, if you have your cell phone and e-mail address on a luggage tag, they will immediately try to call you, and may send you an e-mail as well. Why would anyone not want to make it easy for the airline to contact you, in the event your luggage is lost? Make sure the e-mail address you use is one that can be accessed from any internet connection. Google Gmail is a perfect solution, but the benefits of Gmail are the subject of another article unrelated to the one here.
If you are concerned about security, you do not even need to put your home address and home phone number on the luggage tag. Do you really want your luggage to be sent to your home, if you are away on vacation? Of course not. Do not use your business card in one of those plastic throwaway tags. This is just common sense. Essential information must be simple, and easy to read. It just makes life easier for everyone concerned.
Now, what kind of luggage tags would you like to use? Let me ask a related question. Do you buy luggage that only lasts a few trips, or do you try to buy luggage that will last a long time. Of course you buy it to last. If that is true, why would anyone buy a flimsy luggage tag that can break, or tear off on the baggage conveyor? Unfortunately, these kinds of disposable tags are seen by the thousands at every major airport.
The very best luggage tags cost no more than the cheap variety, but you have to be careful of materials. Some are made of plastic no thicker or stronger than credit cards. Unfortunately we know very well that baggage handlers at major airports are under a great deal of stress to process baggage as quickly as possible. We know that our baggage is routinely tossed around. This is the unfortunate reality of what happens to our baggage when we drop it off at the check-in counter. Luggage tags should be very tough to withstand the harsh conditions of baggage life.
You could have your luggage tags made of metal, but that might pose a safety hazard to the baggage handlers. Who would want a heavy luggage tag swinging on a luggage handle? You might get injured yourself, loading your baggage into your car, before you've even left the driveway. No, we need our luggage tags to be lightweight and strong. Hmmm.... what about plastic? If you are talking about at least 1/8 inch thick super tough plastic, such as butyrate plastic, then you are a genius, you have come up with the perfect solution!
A great deal of plastic these days is cheap, bendable, breakable polyethylene. If you want quality luggage tags, then they should be made of a material that is tough enough to take abuse. You will also be helping the environment by not purchasing luggage tags that will be easily broken and thrown away. In addition, luggage tags should have printed material embossed in such a way that the information cannot be easily rubbed off. It is also recommended to make a written copy of your contact information, and put it inside your luggage. You can even inlude the name and address of the location where you will be staying during your trip. This will make it easy for the airline to contact you in case your luggage is lost, and the outside luggage tag is removed.
Well now, in this short article we have determined that tough luggage tags are as important as the durable luggage into which we invest our hard earned dollars, and the only information we really need on our luggagge tags is a cell phone number and an easy to access e-mail address. I really wish all aspects of modern life were as simple to manage as luggage tags.
Bon voyage!
By John Lombaerde, web site promotion specialist.
For information on web site promotion, see: Web Site Promotion [http://www.websitepromotionblog.net].
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