“What we’re seeing right now, and why it’s such a massive problem at airports around the world, is a unique combination of airline/airport staffing shortages and cancelled flights (also due to staffing and pilot shortages). Adkins says all of these factors “reduce the ability for airlines to reunite misrouted bags with passengers.”
Sometimes the solution might include avoiding airport baggage altogether, said Casto, of Flight Centre. Companies including ShipGo, LugLess and Luggage Forward specialize in bag-delivery alternatives.
The benefits of using a luggage shipping service extend beyond being able to travel hands-free. They also come with added security compared with checking in luggage, not to mention allowing you to skip long lines at airports and other transport hubs, avoid irritating fees and negotiating public transport with heavy bags.
If you decide you want to travel with your skis, you have options on how to get them there, including sending them ahead of you so you don’t have to schlep them through the airport.
The benefits of using a luggage shipping service extend beyond being able to travel hands-free. They also come with added security compared with checking in luggage, not to mention allowing you to skip long lines at airports and other transport hubs, avoid irritating fees and negotiating public transport with heavy bags.
Andy Abramson, a frequent air traveler who runs a communication firm in Los Angeles, started downsizing his luggage long before airlines began charging for checked bags. "I always only check what's required," he says. "My rolling backpack has everything for a few days: medications, tech gear, change of clothes." Everything else gets shipped to his final destination through a luggage service like Luggage Forward.
Newer entrants are bringing prices down, notably Lugless, which is owned by Luggage Forward. It offers a budget version of its parent company’s service.
Luggage Forward lets you calculate that cost before committing. A 50-pound bag ordered at least five days in advance will set you back $99 — one way — for a U.S. flight.
This company, which has acquired a number of experienced competitors, has been shipping clothes and sports gear like skis for more than 10 years. It’s also one of the more far-reaching players, shipping among hundreds of countries and territories worldwide, as well as to and from cruise ships and golf courses.
Pack your clothes in bags the same way you would for air travel and then have Luggage Forward pick them up from you. And the company will complete and submit all customs documentation. Within the United States, you can generally choose from overnight to seven business days from pickup to delivery.