Airlines these days seem to do less and less for passengers. At the same time they seem to put the passengers in to work. The latest travel news is that passengers will soon be asked to tag their own bags. At the moment American Airlines, Air Canada and Delta Airlines are encouraging passengers to use kiosks to print their own luggage tags. If you decide not to tag it yourself, there are talks that airlines will soon start charging a $10 tagging fee. The chips on the plane costs almost the same.
Airlines To Make You Tag Your Luggage
How Does It Works?
- You will be asked to print your boarding pass and luggage tags at a kiosk that is at the airport
- Then you will go to a counter agent who will check your ID, scan the tag and confirm it is legitimate, and put the bag on the conveyor for it to be screened and boarded on plane
It could probably save some money for Airlines because they can reduce the number of counter agents due to reduced tasks. It could also shorten the line for checking in as the bags are already tagged. This could however be an inconvenience for senior citizens. Imagine how a 70 year old couple wanting to check-in their bags for their Hawaii trip is going to manage with no help. What about non-English speaking nationals and how this could affect them? And generally it will be more work for the passenger.
Travelers, do you think tagging your own bag is a good initiative? Or do you prefer the current service where the counter agent doing that for you? Share your thoughts.