'Injuries and delays': Travel experts warn against dangerous baggage claim mistakes
The baggage carousel is one of those places that can bring out the best or worst in a traveller.
As one of the final hurdles before arriving at your long-awaited holiday destination, or the last transit hoop to jump through before getting home after an exhausting trip, there's often a sense of urgency attached to locating your luggage ASAP.
According to the experts at Travel Republic, this mob mentality towards swiftly nabbing your suitcase can actually see some people getting injured.
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Crowded flights and similar-looking suitcases can often make baggage claim a nightmare. Getty
Here are their top tips to navigating baggage claim etiquette and ensuring you're out the airport door without any hassle.
Don't stand too close
It can be all too tempting to crowd the conveyor belt in the hopes of spotting your luggage easily, but this could actually result in you or someone standing close to you getting injured by a stray suitcase.
Indeed, a photo taken at Melbourne Airport of everyone lined up practically on top of the belt infuriated passengers.
"Airport staff recommend standing away from the luggage carousel," the experts reveal.
"Unsecured luggage and other hold items can fly off the revolving carousel as it travels through luggage claim, so standing too close could cause you to be hit."
"Many luggage areas will even have markings on the floor to show you where you should stand, but if you are in doubt, standing a metre away from the carousel will reduce crowding and allow you to see your luggage."
Experts recommend standing at least a metre away from the carousel. Getty Images/iStockphoto
One collector only
There's nothing worse than fighting your way through a throng of people, only to realise they're all waiting on the same set of suitcases - and taking up valuable carousel real estate in the process.
"Whether you are travelling as a couple or as a large party, it is recommended that only one member of your travelling group stand near the carousel," the experts advise.
"This will reduce crowding near the luggage and give you better visibility when waiting for your bag."
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Having less people crowding the carousel area makes it much easier to see bags coming out. Getty
Be patient
We're all guilty of it - surging forward as soon as we hear the tell-tale sound of the conveyor belt starting up and the steady thud of luggage as it slides down the ramp.
However, rather than push forward and be stuck waiting shoulder-to-shoulder with another tired and irritable passenger, it's best to sit back and wait until you actually see your suitcases appear.
"This will limit the chance of mistakenly delaying other passengers and reduce your chance of being injured by unsecured items," say the experts.
