Travel Weight

Why do they sell suitcases in the departures lounge's in airports?

Everytime I go abroad I come across a shop, in the departures lounge, selling suitcases. Who buys suitcases when they have already passed through customs and awaiting to board their flight?

Public Comments

1. excellent made me laugh out loud
2. Maybe they found a whole lot of souvenirs in the gift shop and need a bag to put it in.
3. Maybe they are a good deal for you next trip or maybe those shopping bags from your last minute in-airport purchase are starting to annoy you and you would like to stuff them into a carry-on suitcase..
4. What like full-sized suitcases? I see the problem. I can understandif they sell smaller sizes which you could use as carry-on luggage. Then you could buy stuff in the duty-free & put it in the carry-on. But Large bags? You got me!
5. someone who forgot to bring an extra bag for souvenirs?? someone whose bag broke and they fixed it kind of, but still will need a new bag.... or someone who just happens to see a cute one there at the shop and says "why not?" and buys one! does seem kind of silly, however, there's always a reason to buy something...even if you never experienced the reason, yourself! take care!
6. hy gay partners steevie annd- davey hons-- we do a enormous amount of travelling all over gods creations as leading male modeels etc, hmm you ever se the price on the luggage??(not that we couldent afford it) but its a real money maker for them!! the lugage there is so so marked up!!! its takes about 3 pensions too buy the junke!!
7. I bought a small one, years ago cause I wanted to put loads of duty free in it.
8. Good question - I guess maybe an impulse buy - upgrade suitcases - or lack of planning on the airport lounge's part!@
9. for profit?
10. I've packed duty-free purchases and souvenirs in luggage I bought in departure lounges several times. I also got a killer deal in a departure lounge on the luggage I'm currently dragging around the globe a few years ago. Obviously enough people do this to keep the shops in business! For the curious, if you buy something that's too large to bring on as hand-carried luggage, you can check it plane-side and they'll deliver it to you plane-side at your next stop. I do this all the time, since you get your bags in a couple of minutes plane-side instead of waiting for ages at the baggage claim area. There's also less chance of your bags being lost as there is very minimal handling.
11. My suitcase was damaged by the airline, so they gave me a voucher to use and buy one at the airport, so pretty good idea and not as daft as everyone thinks it is having shops there.
12. Best place to find one if your one breaks.
13. For those people who are really late and just grab a pile of crap and run out the door.
14. peoople find all sorts of junk to buy maybe the airport figured they needed something sturdy to put it in.
15. What if the airline loses your luggage? Then you need something new ?!? You can't show up at the hotel without luggage!
16. With all the stuff sold in airports these days people need a receptacle to pack it into.
17. This is an interesting question from a security point of view. Are people allowed to take these cases on board without going back to check them in? Providing the security is ok I can see a good reason for taking an empty suitcase with you. If you go to New York you will shop 'til you drop so need empty cases to take your stuff home in. My friends always take empty luggage with them.
18. hehehehe... made me smile... i dont know why as some of the suitcases are to big to be taken as hand luggage :)
19. I have always wondered that myself. And its usually really expensive, I guess for those with overweight luggage, that need to transfer the excess to a smaller bag. But once you go check in your bags and get to the terminal it doesn't seem to make sense to sell luggage at those areas.
20. bostonian above has a point
21. i imagine it for those people who buy big toberlones and flat screen tv's and coffee machines........... whats are they about.
22. In case you forgot yours at home!
23. Super question but sorry I simply can't answer this one, but thanx for makin me laugh my ass off.
24. Very good, next time I fly I'm going to inquire
25. hi, if they take too much stuff on-board the customs wont leave, so if they dont have another suitcase to put the excess stuff in!