10 packing mistakes youll come to regret Caroline Costello, SmarterTravel Unexpected baggage fees and unfortunate run-ins with the TSA are just a few consequences of totally preventable packing mistakes. Avoid these 10 all-too-common slip ups to ensure packing perfection the next time you travel. 1. Assuming your hotel will have what you need Most upscale hotels provide hair dryers. But hair-dryer availability becomes spotty at mid-scale and budget properties—especially overseas. Same goes for other little extras like irons, toiletries, bathrobes, charging stations, blankets and adapters. So while its probably not essential to do a ton of research if youre staying at the Ritz, tourist-class properties necessitate a quick call or e-mail to see whats available for guest use. (Hotel websites are not always up to date, especially those of smaller, independent properties.) 2. Not reading up on your airlines baggage policy Airline fees are always changing. For that reason, its important to check your airlines extra fees, including baggage fees, booking fees, change fees and charges for meals, every time you fly. Airlines dont tend to release splashy announcements when they raise their ancillary charges, which leaves you at risk of paying more than you planned . 3. Checking your bag too late An 11th-hour check-in might cut your wait at the airport, but it also increases the odds that your bag will be lost by the airline. Airport baggage handlers need time to transport your luggage across the tarmac and get it onto your plane. Youre cutting it dangerously close when you check in with 30 minutes or less until departure. Simple solution: Get to the airport with time to spare. 4. Focusing on size, not weight I love compression bags, but these little space-savers can also make your bag impossibly heavy. Although you might manage to fit an extraordinary number of things in your suitcase, you run the risk of exceeding the standard weight limit. Your plan to travel the world with a single piece of luggage might fall to pieces the moment the desk agent weighs your bag. Most airlines levy fees when bags exceed 50 pounds, so if youve stuffed a ton of stuff into that suitcase, weigh it before you drag it to the airport. 5. Taking a chance on the TSA Most people have, by now, figured out that the TSA doesnt always catch oversized containers of liquids passing through airport security. Dont confuse this exception with a customary procedure. Yes, Ive gotten multiple zip-top bags of beauty products and large-sized gel deodorants through the X-ray scanner without a hitch—and so has everyone else, apparently. But theres been no official rule change. TSA agents continue to confiscate oversized liquids and gels whenever they happen to be paying attention. Dont chance it. If a security agent spots your $75 bottle of organic face oil, he just might seize it—no goop for you! 6. Not making a packing list Creating a packing list is a necessary ritual, your vacation-prep magnum opus. Yes, youve been on the road a thousand times, so maybe you think you can remember everything off the top of your head, no silly catalog needed. I promise, though, that you will forget some crucial item—be it underwear or floss or an umbrella—if you skip the checklist step. Make a packing list! Do it now. 7. Getting rid of your packing list Keep that packing list. Bring it with you on your trip. Fold it up and stick it in a suitcase pocket. When youre scooping your belongings into your bag in a hotel room at the end of your trip, scan the list again to make sure youve repacked everything you brought in the first place. Voila! No longer must you inspect every inch of your guest room to ensure youve left nothing behind before final checkout. 8. Not protecting containers of liquids Aircraft cabins are pressurized during flight, but not when theyre at sea level. When cabin pressure rises gradually, the air inside closed containers expands, leaving the containers more prone to leakage. Be prepared for anything liquid in your bag (such as foundation, wine or shampoo) to seep out of its container while in flight. That zip-top baggie provides a barrier between your clothes and the little bottles of liquids. (Thanks, TSA!) But remember to also protect liquids in checked luggage with bubble wrap, plastic bags or even a specially designed product like WineSkin. 9. Attempting to sneak your oversized bag on the plane Some airlines are stricter in policing carry-on-bag size than others. Although you might regularly sneak your jumbo roller onto the plane with one airline, you might not be so lucky with another carrier. United, for example, promised to be more exacting about enforcement of bag fees earlier this year and even went so far as to install new bag-size measurement stations in airports. Pay attention to bag-size limits, especially when flying with an unfamiliar airline. 10. Checking an anonymous bag Make sure your bag is carrying ID in multiple places, including on the inside. (An external bag tag can get ripped off in transit.) Its a huge mistake to check a piece of luggage that isnt labeled with identifying information, including your name and a phone number or email address via which you can be reached during your travels. If your bag gets lost or stolen, youll be kicking yourself for skipping this crucial step.
Posted on: Thu, 05 Jun 2014 20:14:29 +0000
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