# What prevents people from taking somebody else's luggage off airport carousels? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 23, 2005, 10:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-prevents-people-from-taking-somebody-elses-luggage-off-airport-carousels/305067 "2005-05-23T10:56:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![muttrox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a8b319/32.png) [@muttrox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muttrox)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-prevents-people-from-taking-somebody-elses-luggage-off-airport-carousels/305067/21 "2005-05-23T14:44:19Z")
> [@Balthisar](#): > > Wow, I didn’t think of that. I’ve been wanting some new luggage. For some reason, this reminds of a Dunesbury back during Gulf War I. No one was allowed to bring back spoils, so the MP’s were searching one of the guy’s tanks. AFter the MP’s let him go, he’s all proud that he got through with his spoil – an Iraqi tank. > > Perfect segue into how I mark _my_ luggage: I always spray-paint the allied chevron onto our luggage for quick and easy identification. Got a cite on that? That’s a rework of a classic joke about smuggling wheelbarrows. And generally, Doonesbury is a lot smarter than that. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-prevents-people-from-taking-somebody-elses-luggage-off-airport-carousels/305067/22 "2005-05-23T14:47:31Z")
Check out [Snowblind](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0802135897/103-6638893-9265409?v=glance) and you will see it isn’t that uncommon. ---
**Author:** ![Padeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-prevents-people-from-taking-somebody-elses-luggage-off-airport-carousels/305067/23 "2005-05-23T14:55:26Z")
It’s been years since I had someone check my luggage tags. I try to avoid putting expensive stuff in my checked luggage but sometimes there is no way around it. I mark my luggage with florescent yellow duct tape on the handles and a stripe on every face. So far I’ve never lost luggage but my job requires frequent air travel so it’s just a matter of time. I look at it the same way I look at computers, make sure you can recover from the inevitable crash. ---
**Author:** ![ticker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@ticker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ticker)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-prevents-people-from-taking-somebody-elses-luggage-off-airport-carousels/305067/24 "2005-05-23T14:58:23Z")
Am I the only one here who has had to show their baggage check to claim their stuff? Happened to me once, and once only, at Sea-Tac in the early 90s. All the passengers were being checked when they left the reclaim area and the surly guy doing the checking was rather snotty with anybody who was not anticipating this and having to search through pokets for the stubs. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-prevents-people-from-taking-somebody-elses-luggage-off-airport-carousels/305067/25 "2005-05-23T15:02:54Z")
I’ve had to show baggage claim checks consistently in Las Vegas, and in Santo Domingo. Sporadically at La Guardia… never anywhere else. ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-prevents-people-from-taking-somebody-elses-luggage-off-airport-carousels/305067/26 "2005-05-23T15:15:03Z")
I cut up a brightly colored plastic grocery bag into a colorful sash and tie it around the handle of my suitcase. Easier to spot on the carrousel (plastic makes a stiffer bow-tie then fabric) and when I remove it my suitcase looks all chic and respectable again. As for the OP; like **ethelbert** suggested, maybe even thieves feel a bit icky about going through someone’s elses luggage. Who knows what they might find: smelly socks, dirty underwear, supplies of Tampax and heady French cheese? ---
**Author:** ![JerH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bb73d2/32.png) [@JerH](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JerH)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-prevents-people-from-taking-somebody-elses-luggage-off-airport-carousels/305067/27 "2005-05-23T15:24:22Z")
I’ve had to show claim tags maybe twice - once at BWI, and one other time (I forget where). ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-prevents-people-from-taking-somebody-elses-luggage-off-airport-carousels/305067/28 "2005-05-23T15:39:55Z")
I’ve had to show my tags several times at LaGuardia and St. Louis. ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-prevents-people-from-taking-somebody-elses-luggage-off-airport-carousels/305067/29 "2005-05-23T15:50:23Z")
> [@](#): > > I have fluorescent green luggage tags zip tied to my bags. Wow, what a great idea. They should put those on every bag! [/Homer] ---
**Author:** ![redtail23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/3e96dc/32.png) [@redtail23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/redtail23)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-prevents-people-from-taking-somebody-elses-luggage-off-airport-carousels/305067/30 "2005-05-23T16:17:40Z")
The Burbank, CA airport checks luggage tags. Freaked me out the first time I went through; I was very glad I hadn’t lost/tossed 'em. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-prevents-people-from-taking-somebody-elses-luggage-off-airport-carousels/305067/31 "2005-05-23T16:28:27Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > I’ve had to show baggage claim checks consistently in Las Vegas, and in **Santo Domingo**. Sporadically at La Guardia… never anywhere else. And there is one reason for that dear Bricker: there is no such thing as “cheap” luggage here. You know how we Dominicans are, specially the ones that live stateside, we bring a year worth of gifts to the family, and it is not rare seeing someone bringing small (and even middle-sized) appliances and somebody dragging a dozen large suitcases with gifts. Getting away with one of those is like early Xmas. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tastes_of_chocolate/32/3232_2.png) [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tastes_of_Chocolate)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-prevents-people-from-taking-somebody-elses-luggage-off-airport-carousels/305067/32 "2005-05-23T16:29:08Z")
Minnesota’s main airport (MSP) used to (back in the 70s) check tags on every bag that left the carousels. The carousels were actually blocked off from the rest of the area, and you had to go past a security person who would match the tags. Today? Walk in off the street and take your pick of luggage. Including the oversized ones that are left in a special, unsecured, out of the way location. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-prevents-people-from-taking-somebody-elses-luggage-off-airport-carousels/305067/33 "2005-05-23T16:29:44Z")
In my experience you always have to show your tags at LAX, but on my recent vacation I don’t think we had to show them once…not when leaving the cruise ship, nor after either of the two subsequent trips by train. ---
**Author:** ![Opus1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/858c86/32.png) [@Opus1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Opus1)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-prevents-people-from-taking-somebody-elses-luggage-off-airport-carousels/305067/34 "2005-05-23T16:57:03Z")
> [@muttrox](#): > > Got a cite on that? That’s a rework of a classic joke about smuggling wheelbarrows. And generally, Doonesbury is a lot smarter than that. I didn’t read the OP as implying that this actually happened, just that it was a Doonesbury cartoon, which could very easily incorporate an old joke/ urban legend. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-prevents-people-from-taking-somebody-elses-luggage-off-airport-carousels/305067/35 "2005-05-23T17:02:12Z")
:smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: I forgot…Xmas. The Luggae Bandits always show up big time at Xmas. Grandparents with gifts, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-prevents-people-from-taking-somebody-elses-luggage-off-airport-carousels/305067/36 "2005-05-23T17:03:22Z")
> [@Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor](#): > > :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: > > I forgot…Xmas. > > The Luggae Bandits always show up big time at Xmas. > > Grandparents with gifts, etc. I meant “Luggage Bandits”. Carry on. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-prevents-people-from-taking-somebody-elses-luggage-off-airport-carousels/305067/37 "2005-05-23T17:09:22Z")
> [@redtail23](#): > > The Burbank, CA airport checks luggage tags. Freaked me out the first time I went through; I was very glad I hadn’t lost/tossed 'em. Curious; I flew in and out of Burbank twice a week for six weeks and no one ever checked my tags. It must be a sporadic thing. Considering the carrousels are right next to the sidewalk (it’s a really small airport) I’m not sure how you’d even keep someone from grabbing a bag and walking off. The only place I’ve ever had baggage tags checked was Sky Harbor International (Phoenix, AZ) and BWI. I’m always leary about flying through LAX with anything of value, as they’ve had a lot of problem with theft. The worst, bar none, in the continental US though, is the Miami and Orlando airports, stealing dive gear and golf clubs (which is instantly recognizable and quite salable on the street or online) from travelers passing through to foreign destinations. Yeah, that makes me feel really secure about keeping bombs off of aircraft when any slick-haired loser can walk into the handling area and make off with $4,000 of gear. :rolleyes: Stranger ---
**Author:** ![badbadrubberpiggy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/57b2e6/32.png) [@badbadrubberpiggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badbadrubberpiggy)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-prevents-people-from-taking-somebody-elses-luggage-off-airport-carousels/305067/38 "2005-05-23T17:17:00Z")
> [@TellMeI'mNotCrazy](#): > > I just went to Target and found these hideous hair elastics for little girls with long gossamer scarves hanging from them - 2 bucks for 2. Figured that would work for me. They might cut them off, depending on how far they are hanging. I tied curly gift ribbons to mine last time I flew, and they cut them shorter, so I didn’t see the bag right away. Now, I wrap bright pink tape around all of the handles, so I can see it no matter what side the luggage is sitting on. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-prevents-people-from-taking-somebody-elses-luggage-off-airport-carousels/305067/39 "2005-05-23T17:20:10Z")
> [@Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor](#): > > The Luggae Bandits always show up big time at Xmas. Recognizable by their huge dreadlocks. ---
**Author:** ![TygerDralion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e19adc/32.png) [@TygerDralion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TygerDralion)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-prevents-people-from-taking-somebody-elses-luggage-off-airport-carousels/305067/40 "2005-05-23T17:21:39Z")
Zip ties. Everywhere. Also, many colored electrical tape. Or some of the silver mirrory tape that I saw at Wal-Mart the other day. ~TygerD [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-prevents-people-from-taking-somebody-elses-luggage-off-airport-carousels/305067.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-prevents-people-from-taking-somebody-elses-luggage-off-airport-carousels/305067.md?page=3)