Before we knew that plastic was such an abomination to the planet, I used to view passengers who shrink-wrap their suitcases in airports with a passing sense of bafflement; in good company with the sort of people who have "baby on board" stickers on their car or whose favourite flavour of crisp is ready salted. Today, the practise horrifies me.
Being a frequent flyer, I am of course far from perfect when it comes to environmental matters. But we must all pick our battles. And if I could, I'd wage war on this, surely the most unnecessary cause of plastic waste.
Why does this service even exist? In looking for answers, I found several reasons, none of them compelling. Bag Wrap, just one company that will sheath your luggage in cling film, with locations in airports all around Europe, states five: that it protects your luggage from damage, deters thieves, weather-proofs it, makes it easily identifiable, and reduces the risk of someone slipping illicit goods into your bag.
Let's go through these one by one. First, protection. The very purpose of a suitcase is to function as a container that protects your belongings. It is itself a barrier between your items and the outside world. Generally, the material is tough. Cling film, on the other hand, is made to protect things like sandwiches.
"Industrial strength plastic wrap ensures new luggage remains in pristine condition," the website says. It's all very well to appreciate shiny new things, but a suitcase of all things is a workhorse, not a prop, and to keep it in mint condition would be to fight a losing battle.
Second, to deter thieves. Yes, a pilfering bag handler is less likely to pilfer a shrink-wrapped case, but in today's world, there just aren't many of them. Baggage mishandling rates have dropped by more than 70 per cent since 2007, according to SITA's latest report, and of the small proportion of bags that were either "delayed, damaged or lost" in 2017, less than five per cent were stolen. Also, why not just use a padlock?
Third, plastic wrapping "weather proofs" your luggage. Quite aside from the fact that the only point at which your suitcase is exposed to the elements at an airport is on its trolley ride from the carousel to the aircraft cargo container, I personally have never had a suitcase destroyed by a climate calamity. Have you?
Fourth, the plastic, often a garish colour, makes it easier to spot at arrivals. Not if others, like you, have also shrouded their belongings in a bright blue layer of skin. Then it become much, much harder. And anyway, why not just tie a ribbon to the handle?
Finally, it makes it tamper-proof to criminals who might want to plant illegal items in your suitcase. This is not really a thing that happens. In every case I could find of someone proclaiming at an airport "those aren't my drugs", they were indeed their drugs. I have heard (scarce) reports of corrupt security employees fiddling with bags behind the scenes, but airport officials are allowed to open any bag they like, shrink-wrapped, padlock-protected or otherwise, so that's a moot point.
I did ask around my fellow frequent travellers to see if I could find someone who partakes in luggage wrapping, but failed. "It's silly," says Gilbert Ott, who takes more than 100 flights a year, "and paying money for it is even sillier." Quite. That will be around £12-£15 each way for a cling-filmed suitcase at a UK airport.
The cost to the consumer is one thing. The price on the planet is another. More than 350 millions tonnes of plastic are produced each year: that's more weight than if every human on the planet stepped onto the scales. Half of it is single-use plastic, a lot of which ends up in the sea. Currently, there are more particles of microplastic in the ocean than there are stars in the Milky Way.
Let's hope, as is now the case with the cavalier use of plastic shopping bags, that wrapping one's luggage in a glorified condom becomes something of a taboo.
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FAQs
"Industrial strength plastic wrap ensures new luggage remains in pristine condition," the website says. It's all very well to appreciate shiny new things, but a suitcase of all things is a workhorse, not a prop, and to keep it in mint condition would be to fight a losing battle. Second, to deter thieves.
Why do people wrap their luggage at Miami airport? ›
To guard against damage and theft, passengers at Miami International Airport pay around $15 a bag just to get their luggage and other packages wrapped up in plastic.
Why do people put cling film round suitcases? ›
Some of the reasons that you might see your luggage wrapped in plastic are because people have not put locks on their bags, they have items inside that are easily accessible if opened, they have had to take off their shoes at the airport for security purposes, or they've had to take liquids out.
How to wrap your luggage with plastic? ›
Use a plastic wrap made for luggage or an industrial wrap made for wrapping pallets so your luggage won't tear through it. Start wrapping your luggage at the center, wrap it around the sides of the bag, then wrap it around the top and bottom, pulling it tight.
Do I need to wrap my luggage in plastic? ›
However, if you've never wrapped your luggage and aren't sure if you should, you need to get yourself some good reasons for doing so. In fact, luggage wrapping is a must as it gives you an extra layer of protection and sometimes it can even protect “you” from some danger.
Why do people wrap their luggage in foil? ›
The transparent layer of foil will protect your baggage from scratches and dents, which may occur during traveling. It is also possible to get an extra layer of bubble foil underneath the shrink foil, so the suitcase or bag (or other piece of baggage) will be even better protected from damage.
Can I saran wrap my luggage? ›
One of the most obvious advantages of wrapping your luggage in plastic is that the plastic can, to some extent, protect it from being scuffed, scratched or torn, especially if it's fabric luggage, as a result of rough handling or harsh weather during loading, or from being stained with liquid spills leaked from other ...
How much is it to wrap your luggage at the airport? ›
IOL Travel found that the majority of the airports were wrapping travellers' bags while some did not offer the service. The cost varied from R80 to R90 per bag. With Covid-19, it may be a great idea to wrap your baggage as an added preventative while travelling.
Can I wrap my luggage at JFK? ›
Baggage wrapping stations are located on the departures level. Due to potential issues with the baggage screening system only the plastic wrap used by Secure Wrap has been tested and approved. Any baggage that has been wrapped by any other source will not be accepted and will be removed.
Why do people wrap their luggage in Saran? ›
These companies claim that covering your luggage in plastic will prevent theft and damage, as the thick tamper proof film protects everything, including bad weather conditions, general wear, and tear and the sticky fingers of thieves. Theft Deterrent.
"For example, if a passenger says he has lost his black case, then airport authorities can never trace it as there are thousands of black cases in the airport. "A photo gives a very clear description of the baggage and helps airport authorities narrow down their scope of searching.
Should I zip tie my luggage? ›
According to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), yes, you can zip-tie your luggage shut so no one would be able to simply unzip your luggage and go through it. You are allowed to zip-tie it because the TSA can snip it open if they need/want/desire to go through it for some reason.
How do I protect my luggage when flying? ›
7 Ways to Keep Your Luggage More Secure During Travel
- Invest in Locks. ...
- Keep Valuable Items Out of Sight. ...
- Use Plastic Wrapping. ...
- Avoid Keeping All Your Valuables in Your Bag. ...
- Divide Your Luggage. ...
- Tie a Ribbon around Your Luggage Zippers. ...
- Anticipate Any Potential Thefts.
This stretch wrapping system is used to wrap luggage and other related items in an airport or hotel setting.
What does luggage wrapping do? ›
Wrapping provides a layer of protection that not only shields the luggage from damage but also effectively wards off would-be thieves. Plus, service is delivered in much less than the time it takes to cue at the check-in counters! Discourages opportunist criminals from tampering with your luggage.
Are plastic suitcases better than fabric? ›
A hardside suitcase is typically better than a softside bag for protection (as long as your items are packed safely inside, too). However, all hardside materials are prone to getting scuffed, scratched, or possibly cracked more so than with fabric suitcases.
How much does it cost to cling wrap luggage at the airport? ›
To comply:
1. Passengers can visit a baggage-wrapping station at OR Tambo International Airport to wrap their bags at a standard cost of R90 per bag. 2. The cost of wrapping an irregular bag is no different from the normal cost of wrapping a regularly-shaped bag.
How much does it cost to get your suitcase wrapped at the airport? ›
Current prices of our services:
| Services | Details | Cost |
|---|
| Trolley rental fee | Bristol Int'l Airport | £2/€2 |
| Baggage Wrapping | Regular sized bags or suitcases Bulky items may have higher charges according to how much wrapping material is involved. | From £10.00 |
| Bicycle wrapping | Protection for your bicycle | £30.00 |
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