A PILOT has revealed the suitcase that never gets damaged and has served him for over 15 years.
Captain Alexander York, who flies A380s for Emirates, shared his go-to bag that has yet to let him down.
The 40-year-old has been using the exact same suitcase for over a decade and knows which cases are more likely to end up being duds.
He told 9Travel: “I’ve been using a large hard case Samsonite for over 15 years and it’s served me well.”
Hard-shell luggage is rigid and usually made of plastic or metal, while soft-shell cases are typically made of fabric and are more flexible.
While he did not name a specific one, Samsonite says its hard-shell suitcases are typically made from “high-quality materials like polycarbonate or aluminium”.
The suitcase giant says these “lightweight” materials offer “exceptional durability and impact resistance”.
Alexander recommended hard cases over soft ones, despite their higher weight, as he believes softer ones are at a greater risk of damage.
He said: “I think bags with exposed wheels, or soft pouches are bound to be damaged, so I’d stick with the hard case.”
The pilot also gave tips on how to pack efficiently as he often has to pack and unpack his bags while travelling.
One of his tried and tested rules includes the popular trend of rolling clothes when packing a suitcase.
He also recommended putting socks inside shoes within your suitcase and to always carry a sweater.
[bc_video account_id=”5067014667001″ application_id=”” aspect_ratio=”16:9″ autoplay=”” caption=”One in three travellers admit they have no idea how to pack a suitcase efficiently ” embed=”in-page” experience_id=”” height=”100%” language_detection=”” max_height=”360px” max_width=”640px” min_width=”0px” mute=”” padding_top=”56%” picture_in_picture=”” player_id=”default” playlist_id=”” playsinline=”” sizing=”responsive” video_id=”6359083746112″ video_ids=”” width=”640px”]Alexander also revealed the top travel items he can’t leave home without.
He said he always brings charging cables to ensure his devices have a power source.
The captain added that he also brings ear plugs in case his hotel room is noisy, and always brings a comfortable pair of walking shoes with him.
[authenticated-scripts src=”%3Cscript%20class%3D%22palin-poll%22%20src%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thesun.co.uk%2Fpollingwidgets%2Fv3%2Fwidget.js%3Fquestion_id%3D106789%26game%3Dpolling%22%3E%3C%2Fscript%3E” type=”embedded” width=”100″ /]This comes as a travel expert revealed a clever packing hack to stop your clean clothes from getting dirty on holiday.
One of the biggest annoyances for those heading abroad is keeping dirty clothes separate from clean ones while on holiday.
But there is a correct way to pack your dirty laundry when travelling, according to Samantha Hamilton, an expert traveller who runs the New England Wanderlust blog.
Samantha, who has been travelling for over 10 years, told holidaymakers: “Keep your dirty laundry in a separate packing cube.”
The travel whizz says that packing cubes have been the most effective way to contain the smell.
[boxout headline=”I used to be a flight attendant – my tricks to getting better plane meals, more luggage onboard and cheap upgrades” intro=”A FORMER flight attendant has revealed her tips for getting better plane meals, more luggage onboard and cheaper upgrades.”]Jeenie Weenie, who has more than ten million followers on TikTok, said elevating your on-board experience is easier than you might think.
There’s nothing more annoying than being denied your first choice of meal during a long flight.
But Jeenie said this could avoided by simply booking a seat at the front of the plane – as this is where the food trolley will start.
Also, passengers often have the option of ordering in advance.
She said: “You can also preorder a special meal, so that you guarantee your meal choice.
“Sometimes airlines also send you an email to choose your meal weeks in advance.”
Jeenie also said that falling asleep in the first hour of the flight can be detrimental – as you might miss the meal service altogether.
And, as a “special hack”, she added: “If you are still hungry after your meal, you can come to the galley and ask the flight attendant for any leftover meals, they will give it to you as it’ll be trash anyways.”
Moving on to how she maximises space in her luggage, Jeenie introduced an intriguing “pillowcase hack”.
She explained: “I stuff a pillowcase with clothes or even a jacket, to save space in my luggage and to create the perfect in-flight pillow.
“It means not only can you pack more clothes, but you can sleep more comfortably onboard.”
However, she advised travellers to do their research first – as airlines have different rules on what you can bring on-board and you don’t want to be lumped with an extra charge last-minute.
She also says they are especially handy as they maintain an element of the compression to save space.
A specific compression packing cube will help you save space and keep the smells away from clean clothes.
Compression packing cubes are great at creating more space in your suitcase as they reduce the room taken up by clothes and other items.
Samantha also advised travellersto “throw a dryer sheet into your dirty laundry cube” to help with bad smells.
You might not use a lot of dryer sheets in your normal laundry routine, but pack a few to keep your suitcase from permanently absorbing the scent of every adventure.
There is no harm in putting them in your suitcase and also in the packing cube with your dirty laundry.
Samantha said they are her “last line of defence” to stop odours from seeping into the rest of her suitcase.
And for longer trips they come in handy even more thanks to taking up no room at all.
