Why do people wrap their suitcases up in a half ton of cling film?

[editor]

I'm at an airport now and almost every single bag is sealed up in cling film. I'm used to seeing the odd bag wrapped up but there's hundreds here.

What's that all about then?

 

[Santino]

For freshness.

 

[FridgeMagnet]

When it’s happened to me it’s been because my bag has been ripped open and searched by the TSA, but that seems a lot even for them.

 

[andysays]

It's for those air passengers who aren't content with simply burning huge amounts of fossil fuels unnecessarily to allow them to get somewhere else on the planet quickly, they want to use even more hydrocarbons and generate even more pollution by unnecessarily wrapping their stuff up in plastic while doing it.

 

[Geri]

Is it to stop things being put in them without their knowledge? Maybe they are all paranoid.

 

[killer b]

It's probably to prevent your bag being used to smuggle drugs without your knowledge.

 

[killer b]

here: Is it worth getting your suitcase wrapped in plastic?

 

[editor]

It's probably to prevent your bag being used to smuggle drugs without your knowledge.

But what would stop these drug dealers with open access to passenger's bags just rewrapping the bags when they've finished?

 

[editor]

I'd say about 80 per cent of the bags on the carousel were wrapped up like this. Some had vast layers of plastic all over them.

 

[rekil]

It's to discourage elves from trying out their magic.

VIDEO: 29 baggage handlers arrested after being caught raiding luggage

 

[tim]

It's for those air passengers who aren't content with simply burning huge amounts of fossil fuels unnecessarily to allow them to get somewhere else on the planet quickly, they want to use even more hydrocarbons and generate even more pollution by unnecessarily wrapping their stuff up in plastic while doing it.

Turning oil into plastic means that it won't get burnt and lead to an increase in the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere, so it's really quite a green thing to do.

 

[weltweit]

Just added security for the time that the bags are not in their possession.

Nothing more dubious I think than that.

 

[Yossarian]

Wrapping is sold as an anti-theft measure - I haven't seen it much, but it's been a while since I passed through any airports notorious for theft, which airport is it where you're seeing almost every bag wrapped in plastic?

 

[Idaho]

I've usually only seen it in developing world airports.

 

[Badgers]

I'd say about 80 per cent of the bags on the carousel were wrapped up like this. Some had vast layers of plastic all over them.

I have been flying a fair bit of late. Don't bother with the plastic wrap myself but through Europe and the UAE I saw only roughly 5-10% of the bags wrapped in plastic.

Was this a USA flight?

 

[Wookey]

I have never seen the like in all my born days.

If those humans have a thing, they'll try and plastic shrink-wrap it, the dozy cunts.

 

[andysays]

Turning oil into plastic means that it won't get burnt and lead to an increase in the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere, so it's really quite a green thing to do.

How is it disposed of then?

 

[pinkmonkey]

Wrapping is sold as an anti-theft measure - I haven't seen it much, but it's been a while since I passed through any airports notorious for theft, which airport is it where you're seeing almost every bag wrapped in plastic?

View attachment 166309

theres several machines doing this in Malpensa in Milan, waste of money and waste of plastic imo

 

[LDC]

Just to make opportunistic theft harder, no great mystery. But slightly paranoid I think.

 

[scifisam]

I'd say about 80 per cent of the bags on the carousel were wrapped up like this. Some had vast layers of plastic all over them.

Maybe a tour group (like pensioners or schoolchildren) that had this wrapping as a policy

 

[editor]

I have been flying a fair bit of late. Don't bother with the plastic wrap myself but through Europe and the UAE I saw only roughly 5-10% of the bags wrapped in plastic.

Was this a USA flight?

No, I was at Rome airport. I was in the US last month and I hardly saw any bags wrapped up like this - I always assumed that they were bags that had broken up until today!

 

[skyscraper101]

Just to make opportunistic theft harder, no great mystery. But slightly paranoid I think.

This, plus also keeps your bags cleaner and more protected from scuffing etc. I don't do it myself, but I can see why there's a market for it.

 

[Pickman's model]

saw lots of bags wrapped like this in russia

 

[joustmaster]

All the bags I saw in Madagascar were like this. But then all airports are just a pick and mix free for all for the workers there.

A friend always does this with his case, but for a different reason. He once arrived in Paris, and his case came round on the carousel completely soaked in orange cordial. Completely dripping. Everything inside was sticky and saturated. There was no explanation or apology. No one else's wet. He was livid.

 

[Riklet]

So the bizzies dont find the 3 key of raw in the side pocket

 

[Yossarian]

No, I was at Rome airport. I was in the US last month and I hardly saw any bags wrapped up like this - I always assumed that they were bags that had broken up until today!

Rome airport seems to have an especially bad record for baggage theft - 49 arrests in 2013.

Italian police arrest dozens over Alitalia baggage theft - CNN

 

[cybershot]

After recently seeing a suitcase pretty much fall apart around the wheels after luggage crews flung it around, it could also be to ensure stuff doesn't fall all over the place after airport lakeys chuck your shit about.

 

[salem]

I've seen it more in Europe, but seems to be something older people get done to stop theft.


It's a mad price though, especially in the UK. I did see a bloke outside Rome airport a few years ago with his own roll of cling film though. Seemed a smarter way of doing it!

 

[editor]

Most modern suitcase come with locks that are supposedly approved by airports. I guess dodgy baggage handlers know the code that too.

 

[skyscraper101]

TSA approved locks are a flawed concept tbh. It's probably better to just use any old cheap padlock now and rick them breaking it open.