Veteran airline travelers know all too well how the wait at the baggage claim carousel can become frustrating as bag after bag goes by before yours materializes. Recent Travel articles have honed in on some rather unique shortcuts that can offer shorter wait times at the airport and even on the tarmac. Yes, believe it or not, what passengers do while the plane is waiting to pull away from the gate can delay the departure without them even knowing this.

Back in the day

The baby boomers, out there, can remember the luxury era of airline travel, back when you just sauntered onto a plane with a ticket as easy as walking into a movie theater.

If you got to the airport early it wasn't because you had to wait in line, you probably wanted a leisurely cocktail before boarding the plane. Then history happened, airline safety became of paramount importance, and safeguards were put into place.

The safeguards are necessary but they are also time-consuming, making modern air travel frustrating at times. According to the Sun, one of the places you may find yourself spending extra time is in the baggage claim area once you've arrived at your destination. The baggage that goes onto the plane first, comes out last, so the earlier you are on arrival, the longer you will wait at your destination's baggage claim area.

Fast-tracking luggage

While this makes sense, it is not something many travelers think about when checking their baggage. There are two different strategies that you can use to up the odds of your luggage being one of the first coming off the plane at the baggage claim.

The first idea is simple, you can check your baggage in after the majority of the passengers have checked theirs, but this is basically a trade-off.

You will do your waiting with your luggage before the flight takes off instead of afterward when the flight lands and you are stuck hanging around the baggage area.

When things get fragile

There is also a trick that takes just a second and it could significantly cut the time that you wait, in the baggage claim area at your destination, even if you checked your bags in earlier than most.

Luggage marked "fragile" usually goes into the baggage department of a plane last, so it is first to come off when the plane lands at its destination.

Fragile stickers are readily available at the ticket counter where you check in for your flight. They are free and yours for the asking, according to the Sun.

That sticker should put your luggage at the head of the line coming off the plane because the fragile-marked luggage usually goes in last. If you want to keep things honest for your own conscience, you can always stick a tiny fragile trinket in your luggage so you really have something in your luggage to fall into that category.

To go or not to go, that is the question

One more little tidbit, that the Sun shared, has to do with the wait-time on the plane while it is still at the gate.

Have you ever wondered what is behind flight attendants discouraging the use of the bathroom before take off?

The passengers seated on the plane, waiting for the aircraft to pull away from the gate, usually don't have any idea this is going on, but the pilot is well aware if someone is in the bathroom. For safety and liability purposes, the plane will not move an inch until everyone is buckled in. There you have it, just a quick trip to the bathroom before the plane leaves the gate could actually delay the entire plane full of passengers.
© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED