What the heck is "Lateral 46"?

[Fantic125]

Obviously I've now annoyed my luggage enough that it doesn't want to travel with me anymore.

I got a call from the airport letting me know my luggage had arrived 24 hours after me. My route was ADL-SYD-PVG-CAN, but my luggage decided to spend a bit more time in SYD, then go SYD-SIN-PVG-CAN.

What intrigues me is the "Lateral 46" tag. What the heck is that?

 

[richie9x]

What intrigues me is the "Lateral 46" tag. What the heck is that?

Not sure. But a latitude of 46 degrees North would be around the northern border of China. Certainly a lot further north than you travelled. Maybe it is the system airlines use for carrying other airlines bags.

 

[oz_mark]

The conveyor belts in baggage handling are oft referred to as Lateral's. At a guess, the bag had ended up in the worng place during baggage handling.

 

[TheInsider]

The conveyor belts in baggage handling are oft referred to as Lateral's.

That's correct, the baggage barcode has information stored in there as to which 'lateral' the bag has to go to. This just means the shute the bag goes down to get on to your flight.
With all the other 'bingo stubs' on your bag, it really doesn't surprise me the bag went missing. All the old barcodes will be read by the scanner on the way doen to the aircraft and will hold this 'lateral' information also.
Best tip to avoid lost luggage and delayed luggage is to remove all old barcodes off your bag, including the small stickers.

 

[markis10]

Best tip to avoid lost luggage and delayed luggage is to remove all old barcodes off your bag, including the small stickers.

A very good tip, along with removing the QF RFID drinks coaster when at a shared port

 

[MelUser]

I had a relative fly ADL-SYD-PVG on Friday and luggage didn't arrive either. It came 2 days later.

 

[ozmille]

Best tip to avoid lost luggage and delayed luggage is to remove all old barcodes off your bag, including the small stickers.

I have noticed that I can't get those little stickers off my hard shell. Check in lady tried as well as after years of travel a lot of stickers have accumulated and as she couldn't get them of either she just covered them all with big white stickers will post a pic tonight. This actually means that I can always spot my suitcase from the other side of the baggage hall.

 

[NM]

Best tip to avoid lost luggage and delayed luggage is to remove all old barcodes off your bag, including the small stickers.

Another tip is to follow Munitalp's example of how to pack for carry-on only!!

 

[munitalP]

I have noticed that I can't get those little stickers off my hard shell. Check in lady tried as well as after years of travel a lot of stickers have accumulated and as she couldn't get them of either she just covered them all with big white stickers will post a pic tonight. This actually means that I can always spot my suitcase from the other side of the baggage hall.

Citrus glue remover from bunnings fixes this problem. I thought for a while there it was only me

 

[Fantic125]

Citrus glue remover from bunnings fixes this problem. I thought for a while there it was only me

Bosito's Eucalyptus oil also works, and I do usually try to remove the stickers in between trips.

Unfortunately this one was basically a back-to-back from a week in the US, followed by a week in India, 4 days home then off to China. It wasn't helped by a delayed landing into SYD which only left a 50 min connection time from Dom to Int. I made it but my bag didn't.

I've done carry-on a number of times, but this trip I need both casual and formal for a week long conference and presentation dinner in China, as well as weekend travel and 3 days of meetings in Korea. Couldn't quite squeeze it all in...

 

[Fantic125]

A very good tip, along with removing the QF RFID drinks coaster when at a shared port

No problems with that, my WP drink coaster disappeared last Tuesday from my bag flying BOM-SIN-PER-ADL.

 

[Flying Fox]

Citrus glue remover from bunnings fixes this problem.

For a temporary on-the-road solution, would a black texta be good enough to black-out the barcode and hence sove the problem?

 

[TheInsider]

For a temporary on-the-road solution, would a black texta be good enough to black-out the barcode and hence sove the problem?

If it makes the barcode unreadable then yes it would be okay

 

[markis10]

If it makes the barcode unreadable then yes it would be okay

Which means it needs to be diagonal across the barcode to be 100% effective in most cases!

 

[ceieoc]

I have noticed that I can't get those little stickers off my hard shell. Check in lady tried as well as after years of travel a lot of stickers have accumulated and as she couldn't get them of either she just covered them all with big white stickers will post a pic tonight. This actually means that I can always spot my suitcase from the other side of the baggage hall.

I use this product called "Goo Gone" to remove those little stickers. I saw it in a store in Darwin (DRW) at Oz Fest #8 in May. I'm sorry that AFF will not permit me to post a link to the product website until I make at least 10 posts. You can however Google the product information. This is my post #1.

 

[ozmille]

Citrus glue remover from bunnings fixes this problem. I thought for a while there it was only me

I use this product called "Goo Gone" to remove those little stickers. I saw it in a store in Darwin (DRW) at Oz Fest #8 in May. I'm sorry that AFF will not permit me to post a link to the product website until I make at least 10 posts. You can however Google the product information. This is my post #1.

ventured out to Bunnings over the weekend and found a product (forgot the name already), will put it to the test tonight

 

[harvyk]

I've usually found that the stickers can be removed very easily and quickly provided that you do it as soon as you get to the destination airport. Failing that place any new stickers over old stickers just to be sure.

I've found that connections of less than an hour (due to a delayed arrival) when transferring from a flight using ULD's (so most widebodies) usually results in bags being left behind. Although of late I've being doing all I can to avoid checking luggage. Even if it gets through to your destination, you still need to stand at baggage claim and wait.

 

[futurism]

I am on ADL-SYD-PVG next Tuesday
I have seen many people who have baggage issues on this flight, at least 3 in the last month on this forum

Hopefully because I am taking the 6am ADL flight instead of 7am it leaves them an extra hour to take my bag from domestic to international in Sydney where I think the main issue is

 

[straitman]

I use this product called "Goo Gone" to remove those little stickers. I saw it in a store in Darwin (DRW) at Oz Fest #8 in May. I'm sorry that AFF will not permit me to post a link to the product website until I make at least 10 posts. You can however Google the product information. This is my post #1.

Hi ceieoc,

Welcome to AFF and good to hear from you again.

 

[wilco]

I have noticed that I can't get those little stickers off my hard shell. Check in lady tried as well as after years of travel a lot of stickers have accumulated and as she couldn't get them of either she just covered them all with big white stickers will post a pic tonight. This actually means that I can always spot my suitcase from the other side of the baggage hall.

All you need to do is get a black marker and draw some vertical black lines that cover the white spaces between the black bars. This way, the barcode is rendered unreadable.