A BAGGAGE handler has revealed how packing your suitcase a certain way could increase your chances of getting your items broken.
It's all to do with how suitcases are put onto the conveyor belt that loads them on and off the plane.
Suitcases with two wheels will often slide back down the conveyor, if they are laid on the belt with the wheel side, or backside, facing down.
Instead, they have to be placed with the front side, or soft side, on the belt, in order to stop them slipping back down the belt.
Therefore passengers have been warned against placing anything fragile or breakable in the front pockets of their bags, as this will increase their chances of those items getting damaged.
The advice comes from baggage handler Rachel Bacha, who made a video on Tiktok (@rachel.bacha) to advise travellers against making the mistake.
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In the video, she said: "If you've ever looked outside your window you'll have seen that some luggage handlers put the front of the suitcase down onto the belt to get them loaded and unloaded.
"There's a reason for this – it's because when you load a case and you put it the two-wheel side down, which is the back side, it slides, it won't get up the belt. The belt is too slippery.
"And then it just stays at the bottom while the belt is going. So if you put it front side down, it catches and it goes up with the belt.
"It provides better grip. So don't put anything fragile in the front side of your case. You shouldn't put anything fragile in your suitcase period, but this is the reason why we put it soft side down."
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Rachel isn't the only baggage handler to explain how people can keep their things safe when flying.
One took to Reddit to recommend which cases are the best for passengers to buy to prevent their stuff from getting damaged.
They said that buying four-wheeled suitcases are better as they are less likely to be thrown.
The handler also advised that hard, plastic suitcases are less durable than fabric ones.
Instead they recommend going for a durable, fabric case if possible.
They wrote: "If checking luggage, buy four-wheeled if you can – less likely baggage handler will 'toss' the bag and will roll whenever possible.
"Better quality fabric is better than hard plastics, for instance, those that have a canvas exterior, but a sturdy skeleton in the bag, will hold up well.
"Poor quality bags have a rigid skeleton that eventually breaks or is made of poor quality cloth that tears."
A baggage handler provided five tips for keeping luggage safe.
Another handler revealed how bags are stored on a plane.
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