Shandelle Battersby: Your bag won't leave without you

The hassles of the baggage carousel are a good advertisement for travelling with carry-on whenever possible. Photo / Getty Images

Airport baggage carousels bring out the worst in travellers, says Shandelle Battersby.

All around the world, more than three billion people fly every year - which means we spend a lot of time in airports. It bewilders me that we're not better at the do's and don'ts.

What infuriates me the most - to the point of demonic rage - is the oblivious behaviour that goes on around the baggage carousel. After extensive - and admittedly unscientific - study, I reckon this has definitely worsened over the past couple of years.

At an international airport last week, I noticed there was a line marked around the carousel indicating where people should stand so everyone can see the bags as they come around on the conveyer belt.

Were people respecting the line? Like hell they were. They were all crowded together, looming directly over the belt, like their lives depended on it.

A group of four, who planted themselves right in front of me, collected their baggage and then stayed put for another few minutes and had a blather.

When my bag eventually sailed by, I missed grabbing it because there were too many people in the way, and had to chase the thing.

The hassles of the baggage carousel are a good advertisement for travelling with just carry-on baggage whenever possible.

There are other, equally obvious, rules of airport etiquette that if not followed can prove frustrating when you're tired at the end of a trip or stressed at the start of one.

Surely by now people know to take belts and jewellery off before going through the x-ray machines, and to wear slip-on shoes if you're travelling through the United States.

If you have a laptop or tablet, get it out of its case before you get to the security line to expedite the process.

We've all been flying long enough and often enough to know this stuff by now.

And if the departure gate is busy and crowded, please don't spread yourself and your belongings across empty seats.

When you're at the departure gate and it's time to board, there's no need rush or surge forward. Listen to the announcements - they have them for a reason.

The plane won't leave without you and you'll just annoy the staff if you hustle to get on the plane ahead of your allocated time.

It's not hard - it's about common sense, taking your time and respecting others. A few simple steps can make the airport a much happier place.

Shandelle Battersby is the Herald's Deputy Travel Editor.