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Baggage

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Baggage is the collection of bags and containers used to hold personal items during travel.

20180520 Away carryon (1)
20180520 Away carryon (1)

Most travelers carry clothes, toiletries, and small things they need for a trip. On a return journey, people often add souvenirs and gifts to their bags.

Some people even use the style of their baggage to show their wealth or status. To keep items safe, baggage is built with either a hard shell or a strong, soft material. Many bags also have sections inside to help keep things organized.

Suitcases-1
Suitcases-1

There are many different ways to pack and carry things. A trunk is a large wooden box used for storage or transport.

Carpetbag
Carpetbag

Some bags, called garment bags, fold over to keep long clothes like dresses flat. There are also small bags called totes that hang on your shoulder. For casual trips, people might use a barrel-shaped duffle bag. Some travelers even use packing cubes, which are small rectangular bags that keep a larger suitcase compact.

Luggage awaiting loading at airport IMG 3140
Luggage awaiting loading at airport IMG 3140

Luggage has changed a lot over many years. In the late 1600s, people in America made trunks from different woods.

Carpetbag
Carpetbag

These were often covered in animal hides from cows, horses, or deer. By the 1700s, these hide-covered trunks became more popular and fancy. They added things like leather trim, brass tacks, and iron locks to make them look better. For a long time, these heavy trunks had to be moved by professional movers. It was not until after the Second World War that small, lightweight suitcases became common.

Moving heavy bags used to be a very hard job.

Luggage awaiting loading at airport IMG 3140
Luggage awaiting loading at airport IMG 3140

A French engineer named Maurice Partiot patented a wheeled bag in 1949, but it was not a big success. Later, Bernard D. Sadow created the first successful commercial rolling suitcase in 1972. In 1987, a pilot named Robert Plath invented a suitcase with a long handle.

Luggage awaiting loading at airport IMG 3140
Luggage awaiting loading at airport IMG 3140

Travelers liked seeing flight crews use these, so he started the Travelpro company. Today, many people use "spinner" luggage, which has four wheels and can spin easily.

Modern travel has even led to the creation of "smart" luggage. These bags can have built-in batteries to charge your phone or GPS to track your items.

Luggage compartments Airbus
Luggage compartments Airbus

On airplanes, you can often bring small bags called carry-on luggage into the cabin. These are stored in overhead lockers or under your seat. If you are at an airport, you might find your checked bags on a moving belt called a carousel.

Luggage awaiting loading at airport IMG 3140
Luggage awaiting loading at airport IMG 3140

You can also find "left luggage" offices to store your bags temporarily while you explore.

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🖼️ Images & Media (8)
File:20180520 Away carryon (1).jpg
20180520 Away carryon (1).jpg
File:-073 - Bags (25669085731).jpg
-073 - Bags (25669085731).jpg
File:Suitcases-1.jpg
Suitcases-1.jpg
File:Carpetbag.jpg
Carpetbag.jpg
File:Luggage awaiting loading at airport IMG 3140.JPG
Luggage awaiting loading at airport IMG 3140.JPG
File:Carrets de la compra.jpg
Carrets de la compra.jpg
File:Luggage compartments Airbus.JPG
Luggage compartments Airbus.JPG
File:Mar2024. Left Luggage at Terminal Rodoviário de Fortaleza Engenheiro João Tomé aka Bus Station of Fortaleza, Brazil 02.jpg
Mar2024. Left Luggage at Terminal...
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