Pack smart to avoid baggage mishaps

Are you one of the many unlucky air travelers who’ve lost their luggage?

Most of those misplaced bags are eventually returned to their owners, on average 31 hours after being reported missing, according to Susan Foster, author of “Smart Packing for Today’s Traveler” (Smart Travel Press, $19.95).

But there are steps you can take to help prevent your luggage from getting lost – or at least enable you to survive the ordeal with less difficulty.

Here are some of Foster’s tips for smart packing (for more, see www.smartpacking.com):

“Use sturdy identification tags with a durable strap. The best tags have a cover hiding your name to protect your privacy; use business address and phone whenever possible.

“Include your identification information inside the bag, in case the outer tag is lost. Place a travel itinerary in an outside pocket or inside your bag so airlines can track you down.

“Tie a colored ribbon to your bag or mark your initials in big letters so no one else will mistake it for theirs. Take a photo to show to the baggage agent should it be misplaced.

“Remove old baggage tags to avoid confusion.

“Check your bags early. Airlines suggest 90 minutes in advance (two hours for international travel) but at daily high-traffic times, you should add 30 minutes. Last-minute checked bags may not make it onto your plane.

“Make sure your bags are ticketed correctly before you leave the luggage check-in area.

“Create a packing list that includes every item in each bag and leave a copy at home in case you need to claim compensation.