Comments on: Alaska Airlines New $89 Permanent Bag Tags: Future Of Flying Or Overpriced Gimmick?

By: Dave W.

Dave W. — Thu, 21 Nov 2024 21:29:13 +0000

@Gary I’ve never flown Alaska, but isn’t their move to get you to print boarding passes at home, and then, you can check a bag at the airport at self-operated bag drop stations?

By: Jim Baround

Jim Baround — Thu, 21 Nov 2024 20:08:24 +0000

Whether this is worth paying for who knows, I assume they are charging because they want it tried out by first adapters who understand the process.

That being said, I’m confused by the negative comments. Essentially you are skipping the step of having to get wait for a kiosk and person and have your bag tag printed out. Added plus if you are into the green sort of thing is less waste.

Obviously the tech has to work, but assuming if they are rolling it out wider, it should, so what is the negative of this?

By: Harry Huang

Harry Huang — Thu, 21 Nov 2024 17:50:58 +0000

I had one when they sent it for free for testing. I used it at Palm Spring Airport and my bag got lost…

By: E-lectric

E-lectric — Thu, 21 Nov 2024 11:56:56 +0000

Yawn. Why do bags need human readable tags?

By: Mensa58

Mensa58 — Thu, 21 Nov 2024 11:38:14 +0000

What about people like me who don’t have a printer at home?

By: Clayton

Clayton — Thu, 21 Nov 2024 05:08:44 +0000

Bag tag. com* – the manufacturers of the exact device shown sell them for $5 less than Alaska are selling them( before any black Friday deals turn up). there’s also another cheaper version that does the same just with a different clasp. So they’re either taking a cut themselves and/or overcharging for the product.

If they want to encourage uptake of it’s use then nothing will ruin that more than a company being seen to rip off customers & lining it’s own pockets. The profiteering also, imho, rubbishes any BS ‘green’ claims they might like to roll out.

I’d also question their “First US airline” claim. As this is a 3rd party product it’s usage data & criteria needs to be based on the manufacturers not anything Alaska claims. Said product is reasonably well ( multi year) established & has global application in real world usage data sets. I got one of these several years back as a gift & used it without issue on AA flights both connecting internationally BA-AA & on AA itineraries domestically back when they were pretty new to market & mostly unheard of by check-in agents. I simply mentioned I already had a tag attached to my case and aside from some fascination about what it was & them scanning the thing to be impressed that it worked 1st time/ didn’t create any system conflict its always been no different to the agent printing one off.

My honest, real world usage, view of them is kinda meh tbh. Where & who you can use them with does seem to be increasing at a much better rate but them not being usable is still an issue more often than you’d want so them being a gimmick to a degree is definitely a factor.

Whatever one’s feelings about potentially switching to using them clearly consumers should take the 5 seconds required to buy them for the market price not an inflated cost that simply lines Alaska Airlines own pockets
* Link obfuscated intentionally as not sure if fine with posting them

** Not affiliated with the folks who make them in any way for clarity’s sake

By: DunkinDFDubya

DunkinDFDubya — Thu, 21 Nov 2024 03:46:25 +0000

Tim Dunn already has Delta’s tattooed on several parts of his body

By: Steven Nelson

Steven Nelson — Thu, 21 Nov 2024 02:49:49 +0000

I’m one of v the premium passengers that beta tested the tags two year’s ago. Sounded cool, but in that a word, no. Activating the tag so that it actually reflected the current flight destination was a challenge. One of three gate agents figured out how to do that. Then it worked fine, until my next trip was on American, but t he tag still showed my previous destination. Tags were supposed to be removable, but only a set of diagonal cutters did the job. And the Smerican flight? I just used a different piece of luggage. BTW, I applaud Alaska’s commitment to innovation. This was just not one of them in their initial phase. Remember, Alaska innovated from-home baggage tags and premium class seating.

By: 2APlease

2APlease — Thu, 21 Nov 2024 00:14:41 +0000

Just great for travelers who are hotel based when check-in opens. Waste time at the hotel and possibly pay to get it printed.

By: tomri

tomri — Wed, 20 Nov 2024 22:40:33 +0000

This is like Self check out at the Market.
I tag my Luggage
I code my luggage
I pay for the tag
Airline does nothing and I save nothing.

Then when the baggage guy rips off the tag I have to pay $89 for a new one?

I have some land in the Everglades for sale 🙂