Carry your bag as hand luggage: so that you can ensure it arrives with you and to avoid long waiting times for it to be unloaded. Some business people, including Paul Woolfenden, managing director of the company that produces online business information service, (www.thebusinessonline.com) prefer to check their bags in rather than lug them around slowing down other passengers, but generally the luggage of choice in the business community is a compact wheeled suitcase that fits in the overhead lockers.
Size matters:Airlines are now very strict about the size of carry on bags so you need to find out what your carriers' rules are.
Choose the right bag: one that contains a garment bag for suits, a small tote for toiletries and a compartment for your laptop.
Roll clothes inside your bag: for maximum space and to avoid wrinkles.
Group together all the things that set off metal detectors: put money, tweezers, your watch, necklaces into one bag that you can easily send through the x-ray machine.
Pack items within items: put socks in shoes; roll up your ties inside your shirts.
Get a bag with outside pockets: make it easy to pull out laptops, mobiles, boarding passes, passports etc. quickly when you need them at security checks.
Never check in anything that you absolutely cannot do without: if your luggage goes missing you need to have essentials with you in your hand luggage.
Mark your bag with something distinctive: you need to be able to distinguish your bag from all the other black business bags on the carousel.
Folding shirts: If you fold the shirt below the belt line, you'll be able to wear the shirt straight away without ironing.
Keep an extra toiletries bag to use just for travelling: Stock it with toothbrush and paste and all your essentials - it means less packing and thinking each time you travel. Keep it in your carry-on luggage in case your check-in bag doesn't arrive with you.
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