by London Luton Airport is offering passengers free Teddy Tags to help travelers stay in touch with their soft toys during a flight.
More than 1 million passengers are expected to travel through the terminal this month, with 30 December likely to be its busiest day as Luton experiences its busiest Christmas period since 2019.
The tags will allow owners to include the teddy bear’s full name, flight number and contact details so any forgotten toy can be quickly reunited with the owner.
Clare Armstrong, airport guest experience manager, said: “We understand that traveling during the Christmas period can be a taxing time for parents and losing a child’s toy can cause a real upset.
“This year alone we have collected around 200 toys, quilts and teddy bears that have been left behind by families and while we have happily been able to reunite some of these toys with their owners, it is always a difficult process.
“To make the travel experience as simple and easy as possible for families this Christmas, we’ve launched our Teddy Tag program.”
Luton said Amsterdam, Budapest and Sofia were the most popular places for people looking to get away before the New Year.
The airport is likely to see a 170% increase from 2021 and is expected to handle more than 22,000 passengers on Christmas Day alone.
Ms Armstrong said 52% of families who lose a toy will say the accident derailed their holiday with a third (32%) saying their favorite toy was irreplaceable.
“The tag system means it’s now easier to reunite children with their favorite toys, taking the stress out of the process in case a teddy bear gets lost en route,” she added.
The scheme was launched on Monday.
One early adopter was Jo Christie, whose daughter Meilia lost and then found her favorite teddy bear, named Kaydog, on a previous flight.
Ms Christie said: ‘We will definitely get Kaydog a Teddy Tag next time we travel as he seems to have a habit of getting lost.’
