The baggage carousel is a little experiment in human creativity. You see all kinds of variations on the “suitcase,” from hard shell to soft shell; the sleek ridges of an Away to the luxe branding of a Louis Vuitton; the accoutrements that do their best to stand out from the monochromatic pack, from vibrant stickers to monogrammed tags. And then there are the odd suitcases that appear to be shrink wrapped in plastic, bound within an inch of their lives like an industrial-sized pack of cucumbers in the produce aisle.
You might have spotted one of those specimens circling the conveyor belt, scratched your head, and wondered, “Why in the world would anyone do that?” But in reality, going the extra mile to protect your bag against all kinds of transit-related misfortune could be especially important now considering the post-COVID air travel surge.
“Most airports have surpassed their 2019 passenger statistics and these record-breaking numbers have airports operating at a capacity never experienced beforehand,” says Nicholas Valdespino, vice president of operations at Secure Wrap, a baggage protection service with kiosks in over 50 airports around the world. “The number of bags being processed today leads to flight delays or even bags being left behind and arriving at times several days later—if they even arrive at all.”
Why wrap your luggage?
In short, wrapping your luggage at the airport protects against theft, pilferage, and rough handling. “It’s also an excellent way of preventing baggage from accidentally opening during transit, as it’s common for baggage handlers to not treat luggage with the best care,” Valdespino says. In this scenario, your luggage could burst open, spilling your belongings across the tarmac for all to see. Imagine.
Many bag wrap services like similar airport operations Safe Bag and True Star offer compensation packages in the case of lost or damaged luggage. Secure Wrap in particular matches the airline’s compensation up to $5,000 for total loss and up to $2,000 for damage. The company also assigns a unique QR code to each wrapped item for tracking purposes, so that in the event an airline worker finds a bag with a missing airline-supplied sticker tag, they can scan the Secure Wrap barcode and report the item as found. For their part, Safe Bag and True Star offer real-time tracking services via Swiss air transport tech company SITA’s WorldTracer system. Other companies like Seal & Go offer additional perks, like free baggage weighing.
According to Valdespino, the most important reason to wrap a checked suitcase is to prevent the introduction of unauthorized goods (i.e. drugs, weapons, or cash) into unsuspecting travelers’ luggage, a crime that occurred just a few years ago at DFW International Airport.
“There have been cases where airport employees, having security clearance and access, place illegal items into passengers’ baggage, turning the passenger into a mule unknowingly,” he says. “This ‘insider threat’ is a reality at all airports in the US and abroad, and some countries have very strict anti-smuggling laws. If you arrive at your final destination and get selected for inspection by customs and a kilo of cocaine is found inside your luggage, ‘That’s not mine’ typically doesn’t get you out of trouble.”
According to a 2023 SITA report, the global baggage mishandling rate—that is, the number of bags that have either been lost, stolen, damaged, pilfered, or delayed while flying the friendly skies—has risen to to 7.6 bags per 1,000 passengers in 2022, up 74.7% compared to 2021. “From the security personnel to ground handlers, many hands will touch a bag before being loaded onto an aircraft. Many more will touch it once unloaded, as well,” Valdespino says. “Most people believe the airline will take care of their baggage (especially if they have status with the airline) but in reality, a contracted ground handling company, not the airline, moves your baggage.”
He adds that theft and pilferage are more common in large international airports that move millions of people each year, such as New York’s John F. Kennedy International or Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. But statistics for these crimes in particular are not as readily available. “Pilferage and theft would most likely be handled on a case-by-case basis by the airline only if the passenger files a report with the airline,” he says. “Most passengers don’t realize they’re missing an item until they arrive at their home or hotel, typically too late to file a claim since they already left the baggage claim area of the airport. I believe a large percentage of pilferage goes unreported for this reason.”
So why not just use a luggage lock to protect your bag?
“Locks are not as effective, because a simple ballpoint pen can puncture your zipper and allow access,” Valdespino says. “Then the lock can be run right back over the opening and the luggage will be closed.” Very sneaky.
What’s the process for getting your suitcase wrapped at the airport?
Most bag wrap kiosks are located near the departure check-in area to assist passengers with their luggage before they even approach the ticketing line. In just about a minute, they’ll wrap your suitcase in front of you, leaving only the wheels and handles exposed, and leave you to check it with the desk agent. Prices range from $15 to $30, depending on the company, as well as the size and shape of your luggage.
What happens if TSA needs to open your suitcase?
While not all plastic wrap services offer this guarantee, Secure Wrap promises to rewrap suitcases if they’re unwrapped for additional security inspection by TSA, or an equivalent security agency. “In the US, Secure Wrap has employees and machinery inside all TSA baggage screening locations to ensure our customers’ items are rewrapped if opened for inspection,” assures Valdespino.
What’s the environmental impact of wrapping a bag in plastic?
Most baggage protection companies—including Seal & Go and True Star—utilize 100% recyclable plastic and encourage arriving travelers to toss used plastic in a recycling bin at the airport. What’s more, Secure Wrap and Safe Bag claim their film can be stretched up to 300% of its original size, allowing them to use less material on each item wrapped.
So the next time you entrust your precious cargo to the hands of an airline, consider the plastic treatment.
