As you begin your summer travels, packing and checking luggage may be a part of your plans. While I always advocate carry-on-only if possible, there are some instances where you need to — or prefer to — check luggage. You can roll the dice and hope for the best, or you can learn from our mistakes and minimize the annoyances that come with a lost bag.
Last year I planned a surprise trip to Budapest for Daddy AK. It was a celebration for a milestone birthday, and some friends were joining us. I decided to bring some fun extras for our guests, which forced me to break my cardinal carry-on-only rule. I hesitantly checked my bag but had taken the precaution of popping an Apple AirTag into my suitcase.
Unfortunately, that turned out to be a necessary addition. While Daddy AK and I had a lovely flight to Budapest via Warsaw, my bag was delayed in Poland. After spending more time than I would’ve liked at the Budapest Airport staring at an empty baggage claim, I tracked my bag via the app and saw it stranded in Warsaw. We then spent valuable vacation time filling out paperwork, running to H&M to find replacement clothing for the day, and staring at the Find My Phone app.
While it was a frustrating annoyance to lose my bag, the inclusion of the Apple AirTag gave me some measure of comfort. I was able to track its location as it moved from Warsaw to the Budapest Airport, and then once it was on the ground, we tracked it in the delivery van on its way to the hotel.
So if you feel you must check a bag, pop an AirTag into it and buy yourself some peace of mind.
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