Luggage Lout
It feels like you have been waiting for your holiday forever and once you arrive at the airport you can already hear the sounds of the waves and feel the sand in between your toes. The eagerness to get to destination paradise means that many travellers are guilty of the ‘luggage lout’, someone with no spatial awareness who displays selfish, aggressive and clumsy behaviour when in charge of bags, suitcases or backpacks.
Despite many believing that they are considerate travellers, a new study has found that 75% of us are fed up with the ‘luggage lout’ with 40% admitting to having suffered a baggage related injury.
Rolling luggage who conducted the survey also found that mobile phone distraction was the main cause of luggage rage.
Brits are not impressed with loutish behaviour as ‘stopping with baggage in a crowded area without any warning’ came out on top. Taking pictures should start when you arrive at your destination as many get annoyed over people stopping to take ‘airport selfies’.
Running over someone’s feet with a wheeled bag, banging into someone with a backpack or not removing it when on a crowded train and pushing in front of others to get to the airport carousel first were also revealed as the top loutish behaviour in the UK.
Luggage rage is particularly bad when people are in a hurry with more than 10% admitting they couldn’t care less about their manners when in a rush and are more concerned about getting to their destination on time.
The research also showed that families with young children are seen as the biggest culprits of luggage loutishness with two thirds of respondents claiming that families are less than attentive to the needs of other travellers. Families were closely followed by groups of stag and hen parties with 25% of respondents frustrated by their ‘safety in numbers’ luggage loutism.
The Dos and Don’ts of travelling with luggage
DO
- Respect personal space by checking around you when walking onto a crowded train, tube or plane - especially when wearing a backpack or heavy/large shoulder bag
- If your suitcase has wheels, always be aware of people behind you so that you don’t accidentally trip them up or wheel your case over their toes
- Carefully plan your packing a few days in advance, not at the last minute. This will make sure you keep your luggage size and weight to a minimum
- Small children will understandably be excitable when travelling but this can lead to them running in to people. Reduce the impact your children have on other travellers by trying to keep them close to you and encouraging quiet time in travel transit hubs
- When walking the aisle to search for you seat, carry your bag in front of you and low to the ground. Holding it up or at your side will inevitably knock passengers on their arms, shoulders and heads
- Try and utilize the overhead space above your seat row – do not place bags in the overhead at the front of the plane for a quick exit unless you are sitting in that row
- At the airport baggage claim, be considerate of others. Stand back from the carousel until you see your bag approaching, then step forward to receive it and avoid knocking into others
DON’T
- If you need to stop to check directions, get something out of your bag or check your mobile phone, make sure you look behind you before stopping to avoid causing a collision with other passengers
- Only bring what you can carry. Don’t rely on other people to help with your bags up stairs or onto the train or plane
- Only pack what you can carry and lift. Try not to cram too much into your hand luggage, as it will become difficult to lift and take up too much space in the overhead locker. It will also be dangerous to other passengers when you take it down again
- If you have young children who want to carry their own suitcase, let them do this outside the terminal as much as possible to avoid them accidentally running into people. Some brands like Trunki now offer small suitcases designed for children that also double up as a ride on.
The research shows the international hotspots for passengers being inconsiderate whilst in charge of luggage are:
1. Spain
2. France
3. USA
4. Germany
5. Italy
6. Greece
7. Canada
8. Australia
9. Portugal
10. Croatia
Waseem Malik Khawar, Luggage Expert at Rolling Luggage said: “Travelling with heavy bags and suitcases through busy airports and train stations can be stressful and demanding, but even if you are in a rush it is important to be ‘luggage aware’ to manage both your own stress levels and those of your fellow travellers. We have devised a ‘luggage code’ of simple etiquette tips to help people be considerate of others and help them to have a stress free journey.”