Jet-setters are sure to flip over this hot tip.
Losing a bag while flying the friendly skies is an upset most travelers go above and beyond to avoid.
While some tech-savvy globetrotters pack mini locator devices in their suitcases, hoping to quickly recover any lost luggage with the gadgets, others still prefer the tried-and-true method of inking their personal info on bag tags.
But an airways expert warns that publicizing one’s name, number and address on the laminated labels can be an invitation for stranger danger.
“Always, always, always flip your information on your luggage card backwards,” American Airlines flight attendant Ally Case begged her 850,000 TikTok viewers in a viral advisory.
She plugged the pointer as one of her “top travel safety tips.” It’s advice she often shares with her nearly 160k followers online.
“I cannot tell you how many people I see, on a daily basis, with their information displayed for anyone to see,” continued the in-flight crew member.
“I don’t even like strangers to know my name,” she added in the caption of the post. “No chance I’m going to have my phone number and home address on display.”
And although her word-to-the-wise might seem a bit extreme, frequent flyers may be wise to take heed.
Air-commuters have recently gone viral detailing their cringe-worthy encounters with “creeps” while soaring through the clouds.
A blond bombshell took to X last month, claiming a co-passenger passed her a “weird” note, in which he complimented her long locks and slipped her a $100 bill.
Even more hair-raising, on August 2, a derelict followed a mom Lauren Benton and her young daughter into an airport bathroom in Washington, D.C., then onto a Delta flight. The man entered the aircraft without a valid boarding pass, but was subsequently given the boot by security.
“I have empathy toward the mental health crisis that we have in the United States,” said Benson in a statement following the incident. “But I will not allow mental health to be used as an excuse for the [compromising] of my family’s safety.”
And Case, alongside her followers, seem to echo those sentiments when it comes to protecting their identities on luggage tags.
In fact, her safety-conscious commenters weighed in with unique ways they’ve learned to conceal their IDs on the baggage cards.
“I use my work address not my home address,” on cautious vacationer wrote.
“I also don’t put my home address on that tag. I’ve set up a dedicated email address instead,” said another, prompting virtual praise from Case.
“My tag has a flap that covers [my personal information],” an equally careful tripper noted.
“I just slide my business card into the holder. That has enough info to get it back to me,” another viewer revealed — to which Case said, “love that idea.”
And when the skyway savant isn’t busy spreading suitcase safety awareness, she’s sharing tricks for minimizing mile-high anxieties.
Here are her top five for taming your nerves before takeoff.
- Arrive to the airport early to reduce any unnecessary stress
- Sir towards the front of the plane or over the wings to feel the effects of turbulence less
- Noise-cancelling headphones are really good for blocking out any unfamiliar airplane sounds
- Tell the crew you’re a nervous flyer
- Do breathing exercises or mediation before the flight
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