TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - For travelers who often find themselves frustrated waiting for their luggage to appear on the airport baggage carousel, a simple trick using 'Fragile' stickers is now seen as a solution. Popular travel guides claim that these stickers make the luggage come out faster with a logical explanation from the aircraft baggage handling process. However, experts emphasize that although it often works, this trick is not an absolute guarantee amidst the varying procedures at global airports.
As reported by Express.co.uk on Friday, November 21, 2025, the 'Fragile' sticker is placed on luggage to mark delicate contents, such as glass or ceramic equipment. As a result, these bags are intentionally loaded last into the aircraft's baggage space, so they can be unloaded earlier upon landing.
Hadleigh Diamond, the commercial director of SCS Chauffeurs, a private travel company, supports this claim based on observations from airport staff and experienced travelers. "But this fragile item sticker trick is very effective - and often successful. We have heard this tip from airport ground staff and loyal passengers. You don't need to lie or explain - just politely ask the check-in staff to put a 'fragile item' sticker on your luggage," he said.
Indeed, this trick is not guaranteed, but often, the luggage with this sticker is among the first to be retrieved. "We have proven it many times," said Diamond, as quoted from Express.co.uk.
According to him, this trick is very useful during holiday seasons, when baggage claim delays can exceed 30 minutes. Excessive luggage wait times can cause stress for passengers who are in a rush.
Requesting the Fragile Sticker
To apply this trick, simply ask for a 'Fragile' sticker for free at the check-in counter without having to explain the contents of the bag. Staff usually provide it without many questions, as long as it is requested politely. However, its effectiveness depends on the policies of each airport, and some airlines may disregard it if there is no evidence of fragile items.
Furthermore, avoid tying ribbons to the luggage, as loose items can get caught in the carousel machine and actually slow down the process for everyone.
An additional trick to expedite baggage handling, based on an interview with baggage experts at Sky Assist, a baggage handling service company at airports, there are other strategies that passengers can make to ensure faster luggage retrieval or efficiently handle delays. Using technology and standard procedures to address early, late, or unsorted baggage.
Some international airports provide applications such as BagAutorush, scan luggage tags at the counter or sorter room to receive instant green status for on-time baggage directly to the carousel, yellow for urgent (less than 30 minutes), or red for special cases. This application checks the DCS system in 10 seconds, not 2-3 minutes manually, so baggage can be processed faster.
These tricks highlight the common challenges at international airports, where overtourism and an influx of passengers often worsen baggage delays. For travelers, these tricks can be a secret weapon to save time. Nevertheless, travelers are advised to keep track of the airline's baggage tracking applications.
PUTRI AZ ZAHRA SUHERMAN
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