Why is baggage (almost) always placed upside down on the carrosel?
 

Recently I had to put my checked baggage on the conveyor to be screened by the huge new x-ray machines. I placed it on the belt "right" side up - as one would position it to open it. The ever-alert screener immediately reached down and turned it over so that it was upside down. I then turned it onto its back again. She glared at me and returned it over. I said "why are you doing that?" The predictable answer - "government regulations".

I have since noticed that at least 90% of ALL luggage that emerges from the belts onto the pick-up carrosels is 'upside down'. Why is this? Does this make the baggage smashers more efficient or what? Is there REALLY a government regulation that requires this?

Can't say I'd ever noticed this. I find baggage is usually the right way up or, in the case of a suitcase, on its side.

Aaron

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On some carousels, the feed chute is positioned in a way that, if the baggage handlers put the bag right side up at the other end behind the wall, the carousel will flip it upside down as it comes down into view.

At check in, maybe the X-ray machine flips it in such a way that it has to start out upside down.

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[This message has been edited by AllanJ (edited 10-15-2003).]

My conclusion:

It's to put the wheels/sliding surfaces of the bag up so the bags travel on the conveyer more smoothly without shifting and clogging the system up. I caught on quickly to the "upside down" phenomenon when I started traveling with a Victorinox "Swiss Army" rolling carryon/backpack. It's red on the back and black on the front - but when you set it down on the black surface the wheels touch and it's easier to roll around. So it always comes down the chute on its (dirty) red face.

Probably "government regulations" in this case can be translated to "My boss yelled at me and told me this is the way I'm supposed to do it."

Can't speak for gov't regulations, but I asked one of the TSA folk when I noticed the same thing & he told me it makes it smoother/ie, nothing gets caughtjammed on the belt going through the big x-ray machine. Usually when it's coming up in baggage claim, it's the normal way.

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Sharon

I was wondering the same thing as I've watched them load the luggage from the carts onto the planes. Time after time. They pull them off the carts and flip them over, or pull them off in such a way that they end up upside down.

I've been packing differently ever since.