Many travelers think that adding colorful ribbons, decorative straps or extra tags to their suitcases is a clever way to make them easier to spot at baggage claim. On the surface, it seems like a harmless even useful idea. But behind the scenes, airline staff and ground handlers often quietly dislike these accessories because they can create problems during the processing of checked luggage and unintentionally increase the risk of delays or misplaced bags.
Modern Baggage Systems Are Highly Automated
When you check a bag at the airport, it doesn’t simply sit on a conveyor belt until it reaches the aircraft. Instead, your suitcase enters a complex, high‑speed automated baggage handling system. This system uses conveyor belts, scanners and sorting machines that are finely tuned to read a single barcode on your bag’s official airline tag and then direct it toward the correct destination. These systems are designed to process large volumes of luggage quickly. When everything on a bag is streamlined and flat, the scanners can read its barcode without interruption, and the bag moves smoothly through multiple checkpoints.
Ribbons and Straps Can Interfere With Scanners
Loose items like ribbons, fabric straps or extra tags hanging off your luggage can cause unexpected trouble. Airport scanners and sorting machines often interpret these accessories as irregular shapes or obstacles. When the system can’t clearly read the barcode on your airline tag because something is blocking the view, your bag may be flagged for manual inspection instead of being automatically routed. Manual handling takes significantly more time than automated scanning. Bags set aside for human review often lag behind in the sorting process, and that’s exactly what airline staff want to avoid. During busy travel periods or when layovers are short, even a small delay at a sorting checkpoint could mean your bag doesn’t make it onto your flight.
Straps Can Loosen or Jam Machinery
It’s not just scanners that are affected. A strap wrapped around a suitcase can shift or loosen while the bag moves through the system. If it catches on a conveyor belt roller, safety sensor or another bag, it can cause jams or require staff to stop the equipment to clear the obstruction. These kinds of interruptions slow down the entire baggage operation and create extra work for handlers. For airline personnel, this usually means more time spent resolving preventable issues rather than keeping luggage moving efficiently. That’s why you’ll often hear staff quietly advising passengers against attachments that hang off the main body of the suitcase.
Extra Tags Can Confuse Sorting Systems
Another common issue comes from leaving unused travel tags or printed stickers from previous trips on your luggage. These old labels may still contain barcodes, and if a scanner accidentally reads the outdated tag instead of the new one, your bag could be misrouted to the wrong destination. Because automated systems are built to follow barcode data without human judgment, even an old sticker can lead to confusion and errors down the line. Removing outdated tags is a simple step that keeps scans accurate and reduces the chance of mishandled luggage.
Decorative Accessories May Not Stand Up to Handling
Most ribbons, straps and decorative tags are not made for the rough conditions of airport baggage processing. The constant friction, pressure and movement through conveyors and containers can cause them to tear off or break. When this happens, the detached pieces can litter machinery or even snag on other bags, creating small hazards that further delay processing.
Better Ways to Identify Your Luggage
Airline staff generally encourage travelers to make their bags distinctive in ways that don’t interfere with the baggage system. Good alternatives include:
- Choosing a suitcase in a unique color or pattern
- Using a sturdy, flat luggage tag with your contact info
- Adding built‑in features like colored wheels or patterned covers
- Placing a second copy of your info inside the suitcase
- These methods make your bag easy to spot without risking scanning issues or mechanical delays.
Final Thought
Most passengers add ribbons or straps with good intentions. But ironically, these accessories can increase the very problems they’re meant to prevent. By keeping your bag streamlined and scanner‑friendly, you’ll help airport systems work smoothly and give your luggage the best chance of arriving with you — and on time.
