| Airport Luggage from Why does so much
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| | are all those suitcases? Obviously, the
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| luggage get lost at airports? And how can
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| | airlines buy suitcases just to fill up
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| you prevent it?
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| | the carrousels -- by dazzling you with an
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| Since the beginning of time, man has been
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| | array of colorful (empty) suitcases, they
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| dreaming of flying. On December 17, 1903,
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| | figure it'll never dawn on you that your
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| Orville Wright turned that dream into a
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| | suitcase is in a holding pattern
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| reality when he flew a plane 120 feet in
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| | somewhere over Singapore.
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| 12 seconds. Today, with jets cruising at
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| | Another serious problem plaguing the
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| speeds of Mach 0.8 (Mach 1 is the speed
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| | airline industry is the long delays.
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| of sound), man sits in airport terminal
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| | Sitting in an airport terminal building
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| buildings -- "canceled" and "delayed" --
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| | for what seems like an eternity, waiting
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| still dreaming of flying. Why is that?
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| | to board a flight, sort of makes you
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| This being the vacation season, it is
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| | wonder whether supersonic jets were
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| important to be aware of some of the
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| | invented just to make up for time lost at
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| shortcomings of air travel. Good flying
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| | airports. Surely something more can be
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| means never having to say "I've been
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| | done to alleviate this frustrating
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| bumped" or "Where's my luggage?" (Not
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| | situation. Perhaps they should have a
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| that these two mishaps are the worst
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| | flight attendant on the ground instead of
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| things -- Amelia Earhart never got bumped
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| | on planes -- would you rather be
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| and her luggage was never lost.)
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| | comfortable on a two-hour flight to
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| Probably half the people reading this
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| | Florida, or a two-day wait at the
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| article have had luggage lost by an
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| | airport? And it wouldn't hurt to have a
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| airline at one point or another. Yet,
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| | post office at every airport -- just in
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| most people don't seem to take any
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| | case your passport expires.
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| precautions to avert such problems. The
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| | The key to survival in the airline jungle
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| trick is to outsmart the airlines.
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| | is good planning. If your vacation
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| One method of reducing the odds of losing
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| | begins, let's say, the morning of January
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| luggage is a tactic developed by nuclear
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| | 15th, be at the airport no later than
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| war strategists. For every suitcase you
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| | July 23rd. This should give you enough
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| take on a trip, bring along four empty
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| | time to get cancelled, bumped, delayed,
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| decoys. The chances of losing the "right"
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| | held over, rerouted, and inconvenienced,
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| one is thereby reduced to 20 percent. If,
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| | and still get to your destination on
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| with these kinds of odds in your favor,
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| | time. Of course, this should also give
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| you lose the "right" one anyway, whatever
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| | you enough time to get from New York to
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| you do, don't spend your vacation in Las
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| | Florida on a rubber raft. But setting up
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| Vegas.
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| | a projector and screen on a rubber raft
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| If the airline loses all five suitcases,
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| | could interfere with air currents and you
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| it's not an accident -- they're out to
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| | could wind up in Singapore along with
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| get you! I would strongly suggest
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| | other people's luggage. So this is not
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| traveling by boat. If a submarine is
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| | recommended.
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| available, all the better. (On a
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| | I think the whole mess could be
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| submarine, instead of movies and snacks,
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| | straightened out with a few simple
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| they allow the passengers to look through
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| | changes. They should put airline traffic
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| the periscope and watch dolphins fly
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| | controllers in charge of luggage -- this
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| through burning bagels.)
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| | may cause some suitcases to collide every
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| The worst part about losing a suitcase is
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| | once in a while, but at least we'll know
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| when they find it three months later and
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| | where they are at all times. To eliminate
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| you no longer fit into the clothes you
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| | delays, every cockpit should have a
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| bought for your vacation.
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| | pilot, a copilot, and a New York City
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| There's one method which can totally
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| | cabbie -- a few sharp turns, a couple of
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| eliminate the possibility of losing
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| | loops, a nose dive here and there, and
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| luggage. Instead of telling an airline
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| | every plane would be on schedule.
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| you want to go to, let's say, Florida or
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| | Finally, the baggage handlers should be
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| Bermuda, tell them you want to go
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| | put in charge of nuclear waste -- the
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| wherever your luggage goes. How can they
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| | United States government has been trying
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| possibly mess up?
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| | for a long time now to find a way to get
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| What bothers me more than the
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| | rid of nuclear waste so that it never
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| lost-luggage problem, though, is the
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| | resurfaces. Are there any people better
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| cover-up. Ever notice that no matter how
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| | suited for this job than baggage
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| many suitcases are lost on a flight the
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| | handlers?by Josh Greenberger from
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| luggage carousel is always full? Who's
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| | shopndrop.
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