About 95 percent of suitcases come in black, navy, or gray. Black alone is 45 percent of all luggage. That creates two problems at the airport:
- Mistaken pickup. At a busy carousel, dozens of nearly identical black bags cycle past. Stressed travelers grab the wrong one, and the owner is left waiting for a bag that has already left.
- Easier theft. A security expert noted black bags are the easiest to steal without drawing attention because they blend in with almost every other bag.
The fix does not require new luggage. A bright ribbon, a colored luggage strap, or a distinctive tag makes any suitcase unmistakable without replacing it.