The Importance of that Little Bag Tag!!!

[bealine]

.....Ever wonder why the check in agent gives you that little end piece from your luggage tag? It's in case (a) your bag goes astray or (b) for security issues when changing aircraft.

Of course you realised the importance of it..........didn't you?

........So, why do so many people not know where their baggage receipts are when making a connecting flight???

When you make a connecting flight, your baggage will automatically be taken from your arriving aircraft and (in the case of the UK only) will be taken to the Transfer Bag X-Ray facility for scanning. From there, your baggage goes out to your departing aircraft and sits on a trolley waiting for it to be "Cleared to Load". (Security Requirements dictate that your baggage can only travel on the aircraft if you travelling are on it or if you have already arrived at your destination and filed a "Lost Baggage" report)

If the check-in person hasn't entered your Tag Number into the computer (because you don't know where your receipt is or you omitted to mention that you had transfer baggage), your baggage will NOT be loaded. Result customer loses and airline loses!!!

Of course, it goes without saying that we need to see that receipt if you end up making a "Lost Baggage Claim"!

Please, please, please take a special note of where that little, magic Bag Tag goes!!! Thanks

[Boss Raptor]

True...but I've had check-in put the little stub baggage receipt;

On my travelling partners ticket...no wonder I couldn't find it

On the IATA ticket sleeve from my travel agent...took some spotting that one

On the back/front of my ticket which is where I assume it should go

[bealine]

Thanks B.R. - I must say, I always place great emphasis on where I stick the tag (so much so, my customer's eyes start to water!) but I am sad to say that many of my colleagues don't!

If your customer knows something's important, he'll look after it. If he thinks it's trivial, he'll disregard it - maybe even throwing it away!

[AtlPax]

Thanks for the reminder. I've aways knew it was important - but other pax -

For a while here in ATL - security was checking the bag tag with your receipt while leaving baggage claim after your flight. I suppose there was a baggage theft problem at the time right there at the carrousel.

[Bluejay]

Do you think at the same time as having bag receipts out pax could also have Ticket and ID/Passport ready BEFORE they get to the chek in desk, it would make everybodys lives so much easier!!

Sorry I know this is about Bag tags but it had to be said, I am sure Bealine would agree.

[pzu]

Bag Tag

Yes I know what it is & where it is - but do Lufthansa know where the other half (really about 7/8ths) is???

They normally do!!! STILL IN FRANKFURT with my bag - at least that's the way it's been for the last five trips KRT - FRA - CDG/BRU/LHR - LBA/MME



PZU

[Globaliser]

What I would like to know is why check-in agents sometimes have grave difficulty with the idea that I prefer to have my bag tag receipt stuck onto the back cover of my passport. The adhesive is good enough that it will stay firmly stuck for the duration of the journey, yet it is easy to peel off. It is also somewhere useful and easy to get at and to read. I understand that not everyone will want to do this, but the number of times I have had looks which suggest that I have gone stark raving mad ...

[The Ticketor]

Couldn't you just move it from the back of the tkt to the back of the pspt? I think the adhesive would still be good enough.

[knobbygb]

I've never had an agent stick it anywhere but in the ticket receipt, so everyone SHOULD know where to look, but I have been stuck in queues behind people who don't realise the significance of these bits of paper. I guess they (wishfully) think it won't happen to them. Just a thought, where do the receipts get stuck these days, with E-tickets and thus no ticket folder? I think the idea of sticking it on the passport/ID is ideal.

Bealine, mind if I hijak the thread to ask a related question? I'm travelling MAN-LHR (BA) and LHR-LAX (AA) in a few weeks. The domestic legs are on a seperate ticket than the transatlantic. I know I won't be able to be checked in for the onward flights (BA cutomer services told me that when I booked the domestic flights), but they weren't sure if I'd be able to send the bags straight through. Any ideas? Will the same apply on return? After all One-World and all that?

[Globaliser]

The Ticketor: Couldn't you just move it from the back of the tkt to the back of the pspt? I think the adhesive would still be good enough.

Exactly what I do. It's the being thought crazy that I find odd.

[pax2908]

Is it possible to be denied boarding on a connecting flight, if for some reason it is known that the checked luggage will not make the same flight?

[Bluejay]

I would advise against sticking the bag tag on the back of the ticket as once you pass through the gate chances are you won't see it again due to the fact that the ticket is retained by the airline.

The rule of thumb that I always use is this:

E-tickets - if pax has an e-tkt receipt then it is stuck to that (and I make them aware where it is and not to lose it), if not then it is stuck to the rear of the passport, if however pax are on domestic flights (do not necessarily have passport to stick it to as there is no requirement) then it is stuck on the reverse side of the tear of stub, the reason for this is that you know where it is and most people for some strange reason seem to retain the stubs.

Paper Tickets - I will usually stick the tags on the tkt folder, again most people seem to retain these at least for the duration of the complete journey.

In all cases I advise the pax of where they are and of there importance.

knobbygb - I can answer this on Bealines behalf - your bags can and should be tagged through to the states, 2 reasons here one both airlines are part of one world and 2 you are not changing airports between flights. This however will only be the case if the on carriage edit has been put in on your reservation, if it hasn't and the agent who checks you in isn't on the ball then they will miss it and your bag will only get tagged to LHR. I can check this and enter it if you like, you will need to PM me the details and I can ensure that it is in place.

pax2908 - generally not the only time this will occur is if you are late at the gate, reason being that the bags are deemed to be OK to travel as they are in transit, in this case you will normally travel and your bag will be loaded on the next flight

[GwynM]

sometimes you need the tag to claim you luggage at all, especially in airports without electricity, check-ins, luggage systems etc and it's on a hop to somewhere else. They need to know it's your bag as thay pass it to you from the back of the luggage hold.

[The Ticketor]

It's the being thought crazy that I find odd.

Aha. See what you mean.

[PAXboy]

Bealine - good point. I often try to grab this before it gets stuck on the back of my passport. I normally place it on the back of the last ATB card (the receipt) which means that I will have it even when I get home, should I need it for insurance or other purpose.

The story about trying to collect luggage at ORY for my mother, as well as myself - without the tags or speaking any French - takes a long time to tell.

[BEST L/CONTROLLER]

knobbygb

If your'e going MAN-LHR then LHR-LAX with BA for the first leg and AA for the second leg, you and your baggage will be checked through all the way and it will be the same on the return, BA handle, you can check most people in for onward flts with most airlines, especially BA-AA no probs!!

Cheers!!!!!

[knobbygb]

Ta BEST - I'll give it a try, but they said they can't because we bought the international and domestic tickets seperately - so as far as everyone's concerned it's two distinct journeys, NOT a connecting journey.

[pzu]

To continue sideways move!!!

Re throughbooking of luggage, on checking in at LBA last week for my return to KRT, bmi(Aviance?) refused to throughbook my luggage saying I must collect in FRA as I was nightstopping there,

I questioned this as I am a regular on route - surprise surprise they did not quote 'SECURITY', but mumbled something about 'storage' in FRA and it had always been procedure!!!

Produced previous tags (back on thread) as proof of no earlier problems - but no avail - at LHR, just happenned to mention problem to LH person & for once German efficiency took over - they retagged my bag and it arrived in KRT with me;

Note: the FRA nightstop is covered by LH due their post 9/11 rescheduling - I used to be able to make trip straight through given an early start ftom MME or LBA

If bmi(Aviance?) repeat this exercise then Airline change (KLM) will be an option;

[radeng]

I've had the tag stuck on the portion of ticket that the airline keep a few times, which doesn't seem a very bright move on the part of the check in people. Last week, because it was on the ticket wallet that America West gave me rather than the IATA one with all the tickets in, I damn near threw it away at San Diego!

Good job I looked, even though this time I had a US round trip involving 5 flights and they never lost my bags once!

I like the 'back of passport' myself.

[PAXboy]

radeng says: "I like the 'back of passport' myself."
PAXboy says: "Don't ever, EVER put it on the back of my passort."
Which just goes to prove that check-in agents should have ESP to ensure that they get it right.