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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To Wonder if you spread your packing out across all the cases?

85 replies

girlfriend44 · 06/01/2023 17:41

Having been watching Rip Off Britain about holiday problems and also hearing it more and more recently I was wondering this.

Do you worry about your cases getting lost if going abroad?
Nightmare thought being left with no luggage.

Do you spread the packing out and pack something from everyone in each case rather than having your own case?
This would give some reassurance if cases or case got lost.
Will definitely be thinking of this more now.
Some people have been left without luggage for the whole duration of their holiday.
How do you Pack?

OP posts:

TheChosenTwo · 07/01/2023 12:08

Nope, never. I tend to just think positively I suppose! I was a bit worried the last time dh and I went abroad in November as my case had to be scanned and weighed at a different area in the airport. But it arrived fine.
We’ve only ever had one case go missing and that was on the way home - dirty washing.

ginforall · 07/01/2023 12:13

Yes, after an airline lost one of our suitcases for a whole month. The case had mine and DH stuff in (the case we got had kids stuff in) we were without it for our whole holiday and was only returned to us 3 weeks after we returned. Was a nightmare. I now spread everything around and make sure I have my pill in my hand luggage after not having it with me last time.

TokenGinger · 07/01/2023 12:16

Yep we do, and on our hand luggage cabin case, I put a day time outfit, night time outfit, clean underwear and swimwear for the three of us into one packing cube so we have a set of clean clothes if the cases do go amiss. This has also come in handy when DS puked on us mid-flight 😂

ThalhavaraGoter · 07/01/2023 12:17

Yes but we use packing cubes which I label and each person has their own colour and knows what is in it without unzipping it. You don't even need to unpack from the cube, just put that into the drawers when you arrive. I unpack a few dresses to hang up but I am the only female in the family.

mondaytosunday · 07/01/2023 12:35

Yes I do this. My case got waylaid on my honeymoon - had to wear the same outfit I travelled in for two days, and having gone from cold November in England to hot South America it was not nice (no shops either).
I also pack an extra outfit in my carry on in case it all goes missing.

PhantomErik · 07/01/2023 14:17

Yes we do that.

I bought 4 cheap drawstring bags for each member if the family in particular colours. Then split everything into them. When we arrived each person picked out their 4 bags - easy!

Also everyone has a set of essentials & swimwear in their hand luggage.

w0rkschmurk · 07/01/2023 14:20

We avoid this stress by never putting anything in the hold. Packing light to have carry-on bags only.

RaininginDarling · 07/01/2023 14:32

We made the mistake of not packing some essentials in hand luggage on a trip to Berlin. Our luggage, along with every other flight that day, never left Berlin airport.

The moral of the story? Always have some essentials and meds in hand luggage.

Avoid putting anything in the hold if you're visiting Berlin - turns out there are pages and pages of similar missing luggage stories for that particular airport.

limitedperiodonly · 07/01/2023 14:52

We do now after my husband's case went astray and on our honeymoon too. It would have been worse if it was mine but I didn't say that. I moaned because he had one top of mine which I'd washed and packed in his bag at the last minute. That top became the most important thing in the world to me even though I had loads of other things.

Our luggage has gone missing eight times over 30 years but it's always been in August when it's really busy and always when we've used connecting flights. Often the timing is too tight.

It's always turned up, usually on the next flight, but even though I know that it is so miserable when it happens because i always think this will be the time I don't get it back.

I watched a really sweet TV programme about BA and the efforts they go to to reunite you with your lost luggage. I think all the major airlines did it but maybe not so much any more.

Sometimes your sticky security tags get torn off even though they are quite tough and people forget to put address labels on. Stubborn lost luggage ended up in their depot in Belfast where they had a squad of lost luggage detectives. They broke open the cases and went through everything for clues. Someone had left a postcard as a bookmark in their beach read and they were traced through that. They found someone else by checking with the hotel she'd pinched shampoo and shower gel from! It was really touching when you saw the grateful people. I hope they still do it.

They said the best thing to do was put your name and a phone number with the country dialling code inside the case so they can find you without you having to leave your home address which you might not want to.
.

They auction off any cases that defeat them sight unseen. The sales are popular but I don't understand why people want a bag probably containing dirty laundry and smelly trainers. Perhaps its the thrill of finding treasure.

anyolddinosaur · 07/01/2023 15:07

Always back one change of clothes in each suitcase and extra underwear in hand luggage, protects the valuables anyway. Also try to remember to leave a phone number in each case so they can find us.

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