Five essentials to put in your carry-on before jetting off on holiday

As the days get longer and the weather warmer, most people are dreaming of dusting off their bags and packing for that long-awaited holiday.

Imagine that you’ve just finished a busy week at work and are now finally ready to go. The only thing left to do is to organise your luggage – a small carry-on, and a bigger suitcase to check-in. Simple enough.

However, things may not always go as planned. Airports are busy places and no matter how hard-working and efficient the staff are, there is always a chance that your luggage will get misplaced.  

When this happens, instant recovery of your belongings may not be an option. You may need to wait a few days, depending on where your luggage is being redirected from.

To help minimise the inconvenience, we’ve put together a list of five essentials that you should always put in your carry-on bag just in case you find yourself in this situation.

1. Documents

A form of ID (such as your passport or an identification card) should always stay close to you, before and after your flight. If you are travelling internationally, you will not be allowed to board the plane without it. It seems obvious, but something as silly as leaving it in your main suitcase could cost you the entire holiday.

Other documents to remember are your boarding pass, copies of the travel itinerary, details of any transportation arrangements and a note of the address of your accommodation. This will be useful if you need to fill out the arrival card.

2. Valuables

Never risk more valuable items getting damaged or misplaced – make sure to keep them with you at all times when travelling. This includes jewellery, keys, purses and wallets, cameras, laptops, phones, and any other gadgets you may be bringing along.

3. Medicines

They may be more important for some travellers than for others, but if you do happen to take any prescribed medicine, ensure that you do not part with them. Medicine kept in their original boxes along with prescription notes guarantee that your health is not at risk if anything goes wrong.

4. Device chargers and adapters

Unless you’re going on a digital-detox, it is important to remember that your devices will be useless unless charged. Imagine finding yourself on a remote island and realising that your phone charger is inside the suitcase that made it to the wrong destination… Yes, you may be able to borrow or buy a new one, but what if you can’t find what you need? Don’t let yourself get cut off from the rest of the world!

5. Clothes

The clothes you need will depend on your destination, personal needs and the purpose of the journey. Regardless of the circumstances though, you definitely do not want to find yourself without any socks or underwear until your checked-in bag arrives. Ensure that you have a back-up supply in your handheld luggage.

If you’re travelling from a warm climate to somewhere cold or vice versa, having appropriate clothing with you is the key to keeping you comfortable in case your belongings get lost. In an ideal scenario, you will have some money and a few shops nearby to help with any urgent clothing needs. But, if you are going somewhere quiet and remote, you will thank yourself for bringing those few extra items.

A carry-on essentials list is going to ensure your safety and comfort while you wait for to reunite you with your precious belongings.

Luckily, secure courier companies such as THS Couriers, which we now operate, specialise in providing baggage recovery for major airlines throughout the UK, including Virgin Atlantic, British Airways, Emirates and Jet2.

We handle more than 100,000 bags each year across 16 airports, from London Heathrow in the south to Inverness in the north.