How often has this happened to us?  After landing at an airport, we make our way to the carousel to wait for our luggage, only to find that after an hour’s wait, we’re the last ones at the claim and there are no bags left on the track.

While it’s never happened to me (yet), it does happen to thousands of us every month.  Often times the airports are pretty good about getting our bags to us afterwards, but what if we’re on a trip that will take us to several locations over the course of a week?

Kelly Cho tells us about a service offered by GlobalBagTag.com, and it’s definately worth taking a look at if you plan to fly anytime soon.

Most of us tend to buy tags for our luggage to help us identify them as they make the way around the carousel.  I had done this for my trips to Japan as well as Ontario and, aside from the time I thought someone else had picked up my bag, they have served well enough.  GlobalBagTag also offers tags, but these are small stainless steel pieces that come with a high-security fastening.  According to their website we don’t need to write our personal information down on the tag (which is great for anyone concerned about privacy) because each tag has a serial number stamped right into the metal.

In order to use the service, we need to register on their site and then enter all the pertinent contact info we might have.  One absolutely wonderful feature is the ability to enter our intinerary for a trip right on the site.  Should our bags get lost, they can be sent to the hotel we’ll be at rather than the one we just left.  Security also seems pretty tight with this company as the only people with access to your contact information or intinerary are the airlines, handling agents and lost property agencies.  Heck, I can see people getting these for their everyday suitcases or notebook bags.  If you were to forget your bag on the train, a good samaritan would (hopefully) turn it in to the transit agency’s lost and found, who would then have GlobalBagTag get in touch with you.  Your personal information is never given away.

When GlobalBagTag has found your item, they will let you know through email, SMS, phone or fax.  Very nice.

The company is based out of the UK, but their services are offered worldwide.  A set of tags sell for $18.95 USD with first class shipping to North America for $4.50 USD.  There is an annual subscription fee, but it’s a mere $4.80 USD, regardless of how many tags you might own.  If you happen to have friends who travel quite often , these can be given away as a gift, or even sold in quantity discounts as part of a corporate package.

Kelly Cho is holding a contest to give away a set of these tags, and this is my entry.  However, after reading about GlobalBagTag’s services on their site, I think I’ll be buying some tags even if I don’t win.