Exactly the kind of suitcase you should travel with, according to a baggage handler
Baggage handlers deal with hundreds, if not thousands, of suitcases on a daily basis, so they know a thing or two about what bags work, and which ones to avoid.
Sharing some advice on a lengthy Reddit thread, a ramp agent for American Airlines has revealed the exact kind of luggage passengers should use when travelling.
And it could mean a few of the most popular styles aren't actually the right choice.
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Baggage handlers deal with plenty of luggage. Getty Images/iStockphoto
"Avoid plastic hard shell suitcases," the airline worker revealed. "These are incredibly slick and prone to sliding off the bag cart while turning - taking everything on top of it with it."
Instead, cloth suitcases have more friction and are "more likely to stay where we put them."
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He also said these days, four wheels on a suitcase is an absolute must.
"If your bag has four wheels, it can simply be rolled along the floor. If it does not, it will be thrown. We don't try to slam it into anything, but it's still going to drop about 2ft (6m) over the course of its 'flight'," the crew member shared.
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Having handles on the side is another plus as it gives baggage handlers "far more control" over the luggage.
"It's easier to get a grip with an actual handle than by grabbing a wheel," he added.
The worker also said using a big bag for no reason is only going mean the bag is more likely to collapse once it is stacked and cause a "baggage avalanche".
The same goes for bags that are not "normally shaped" suitcases.
"A reusable shopping bag stuffed to the bursting point with 50+ Lbs of stuff and held shut/together with duct tape does not [protect your belongings]."
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Plastic hard-shell cases aren't ideal for being stacked. Getty Images/iStockphoto
It comes after a flight attendant revealed the suitcase-style you should avoid using for carry-on baggage.
Speaking to 9Travel recently, Emirates crew member Brittany James said a soft shell option is much better to use.
"The hard suitcases, they're so much harder to fit in the overhead locker," she told us.
"The softer ones are easier, because when you close them, they've got bit more room to move, whereas the harder ones if they are too big, it's not closing."
