Are Red Bags Really Loaded First On An Airplane?
TikTok is a complex multiverse that is home to both amazing advice and absolute nonsense. Travel influencers have helped tourists learn how to make planes more comfortable and even avoid pickpockets. But the platform is also plagued by information that is inaccurate or misunderstood. Travelers sometimes can't tell between the two, and end up believing things that simply aren't true.
One recent example of this comes from a viral TikTok posted by @airportlife_ that shows a baggage handler loading bags into an airplane's cargo hold. The text in the video asks, "Do you know why red bags are loaded first?" as it shows the handler stacking only red bags before handling other bags. Millions of people have seen the video and, at the time of writing, about 5 million have liked it.
@airportlife_ Boeing 737 loading! 💪🏻✈️ #airport #aviation #aircraft #plane #flight
The theory many have offered to explain this strange practice is that red bags are less likely to be left behind because of their bright color, while others have argued that in the event of a crash where the plane splits in half, the red bags will be easy for aerial rescue teams to spot. Some commenters have taken the video at face value, even asking which color is loaded last so they can buy a new bag. The idea is that this will help them get their luggage back faster after landing.
But is this video accurate? The answer from industry experts has been an unequivocal no.
What industry experts say about the red bag theory
After this TikTok went viral, many in the travel industry have spoken up to deny its accuracy. Some users have commented to say the red bag procedure doesn't exist, claiming to be or to have been baggage handlers themselves. KLM, the flagship carrier of the Netherlands, responded with its own TikTok video in which a baggage handler calls the idea that color matters for loading order "such nonsense." Even other @airportlife_ videos show bags of all colors being stacked in the back. One TikTok has a group of blue bags coming in before others with a similar question: "Do you know why blue bags are loaded first here?" In neither video does the user actually answer the question, seemingly contributing to people's confusion on purpose.
The viral video has gained so much attention that the International Air Transport Association (IATA) responded to it, telling Simple Flying that they had no knowledge of any airline using a procedure that calls for putting red bags first. It just wouldn't make sense for airlines to spend time and effort color-sorting luggage. Since handlers have to unload the bags by hand, they would probably notice any left behind regardless of the color. Besides, airlines try to load and unload as fast as possible (which is one of the reasons they charge for checked bags in the first place), so why would they take up useless practices that would only cause delays?
How are bags loaded onto planes?
How baggage is handled and loaded depends largely on each airport, airplane, and airline. There is no one set answer that encompasses every circumstance. Some airlines, for instance, add a tag for their elite status members to ensure that they get their bags first after landing. Some planes require that bags be distributed to meet the weight restrictions of each compartment. And in other circumstances, luggage is simply organized depending on the order in which it arrives at the loading area. Many airlines do prioritize loading certain items like wheelchairs and strollers last so that they can be unloaded and taken to passengers quickly. Separating the luggage for people with connections and people staying at a destination is also a commonplace practice. No airline or airport, however, loads bags depending on their color.
So, how can we explain the viral red bag video? It's possible that there was a large family with red bags who checked in their bags together. This would also explain the TikTok in which a group of blue bags are coming first or a third video where pink and purple bags are seemingly prioritized. Of course, it could all simply have been a lucky coincidence that allowed this user to go viral. Next time you have to buy new luggage, just get the color you like the most. It won't make a difference when flying.