My indestructable suitcase, just as I expected when I got it two years ago, was not as indestructable as the saleman claimed. I have lost so many suitcases before, and I know exactly why. I saw with my own eyes how suitcases and bags were thrown out of a plane at some airport in Africa. When they don't have the proper conveyer belt to remove the suitcases from the plane, nothing stops them from throwing it onto the ground. And don't think a sticker saying "fragile" means much at this point. So, yet again my suitcase has gone in for repairs, broken handle. Unfortunately this time I didn't stop at the luggage services of SAA when I returned, seeing that the suitcase was not damage on SAA, so I have to pay myself. This damage happened on the private charter on my way from Angola to Congo, and they definitely don't replace suitcases.
So, this is my requirements for a African-proof suitcase. First of all it needs to be able to handle rough handling. The majority of the airlines in Africa does not repair or replace suitcases like SAA does. And the facilities at airports to load and unload baggage is not as kind on your suitcases as you would like it to be. Secondly it has to be able to lock in such a way that you locks cannot be tampered with. Travel with a unlockable suitcase and be for sure that things will disappear. Make sure there are no side pockets and fancy stuff on the sides, eventually it will be ripped off. After seeing a program on TV where a woman was locked up because someone stashed drugs in her bags, I also make sure that I don't have side pockets that cannot be locked. I also prefer not to put too much contact details on my bags. It can be used for identity theft rather than to locate the rightful owner. The fact that my company's name is on the bag already had me in situations where I had to fend off over-eagerly baggage handlers that claimed they work the same company as I do. So not even that is advised. Like I have discovered just recently, it would be good if the parts could be replaced. Handles, locks, wheels, zips are all things that could brake off...and eventually they do. Unfortunalety the suitcase I have described above is usually very heavy. The suitcase can weight anything up to 7 kilograms, and when you are only allowed to take 20 kilograms on board, it means that a third of your weight is already taken up just by the suitcase itself. But it is worth leaving some items behind when you at least know that the rest of the items will arrive on the other side in one piece. (If you want to go over the top, install a satelite tracking device because nothing prevents your indestructable suitcase from disapearing somewhere along the way.) And for pink suitcases, they only stay pink until your first trip. After that you'd wish you bought a darker shade of black.
Heard a funny wise crack the other day. If they can make the black box with indestructable material, why can't they make the whole aircraft with the same material? I just wonder, can't they at least make suitcases with the same indestructable material...?
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