Pilot reveals the 'best kind' of suitcase to travel with - and one kind to avoid
New year, new suitcase? If you're in the market for an upgrade but confused by all the luggage advice out there, we thought we'd ask a pilot exactly what kind of case he uses.
Speaking to 9Travel, Virgin Australia Captain Adam Barr says he has one kind of suitcase he prefers above the rest.
But as another travel expert warns, there is one choice you make that is still important.
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There is one important choice to make when choosing luggage. Getty Images/iStockphoto
"I have an excellent July carry-on hard suitcase I use mainly for work," Sunshine Coast local Adam Barr tells us.
"Hard cases are the best, especially if you carry more fragile things."
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Now a Senior Training Captain who has worked with the airline for over 23 years, Adam also swears by packing cubes
"The best packing tip I ever received was to use packing cubes. I found some excellent ones via the Velocity e-Store from the brand, Lapoche. These have become my go-to packing essentials."
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Captain Adam Barr works for Virgin Australia, alongside his two sons. Supplied
If hard case is your preferred choice as well, travel experts are warning holidaymakers to avoid using black suitcases when flying this year, as they are the easiest to lose and the most difficult to identify.
Black is the most popular luggage colour worldwide, according to an Eminent survey, accounting for 40 per cent of all luggage purchases.
Jamie Fraser, expert for US summer camp Wild Packs, has explained why passengers should ditch black luggage if they want to make sure they have the correct suitcase at the end of their flight.
"This style of suitcase, which also includes wheels, is the default choice for travellers, but if your bag is misplaced, you don't want it to be hard to distinguish from other luggage," Jamie said.
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Black is the most popular colour worldwide accounting for 40 per cent of all luggage purchases. Getty Images/iStockphoto
If you do have this style suitcase he did have some suggestions to reduce the risk of it going missing.
"If you are travelling with a black hard-sided suitcase, it is best to arrive at the airport early and check your luggage well ahead of your flight. This allows airline staff extra time to properly tag and load your bag, reducing the chance of it being mishandled or misplaced," he said.
Otherwise choose a bright colourful piece of luggage like yellow, pink, orange, green or bright blue.
"These vibrant colours are far easier to spot on the baggage carousel than the typical black hard-sided suitcase," he advised. "If you still want to use a black suitcase, include colourful luggage tags, stickers or patterned straps so that it still stands out in a crowd."
