randomman

I flew with a companion a couple of weeks ago. We each checked bags - she checked two and I checked one. When we picked up our bags at baggage claim, she noticed that the tags on both of her bags had something written on them. One had a star, the other a sad face. Same thing on each side of each tag (one tag stars on each side, other tag sad face on each side). They were big and in bright red - took up the entire barcode.

I thought for a second that she was selected for special screening, but here's the interesting part - one tag actually had my name on it. Turns out my bag got her name on it. No difference in the end, but shows that her bags were somehow selected.

We did not notice any other bags with such marking coming out. Has anyone seen this before? Know what it means? Only thing I can think of is a bad barcode that was being blocked out manually. But we were on the same PNR and checked in together.

Thanks,

randomman

WineCountryUA

Did any of the bags have a TSA notice inside?

mherdeg

"Hey Tim, this bag has a lot of Nordstrom clothes in it!"

LilAbner

LaserSailor

...and this one doesn't....

FT is just a brutal place....

twtrvl

Baggage handlers playing silly games to try to alarm/annoy pax?

garykung

I would not worry too much - unless there is some truly offensive language or symbols, or articles were missing from the bags.

eng3

Whenever my bag was searched by TSA (that I know of), they left a card in there telling me that it was searched. I have noticed markings on my tag like a check mark or an "ok". never seen a star or sad face.

sfozrhfco

Did you retrieve the bag at SFO by chance?

Here in the Bay Area, the sad face obviously means there was nothing good in it to steal. The star means definitely some good stuff in there.

malgudi

Yeah!

Raov

Scorned ex-lovers.

Alternatively, were some of her bags particularly heavy? I believe heavy bags are supposed to be marked to give the handlers a better chance of lifting them safely.

But I'll stick with my first guess: "Marsha, my life has gone downhill since you broke up with me. I was once the CFO of Continental, and now look at what they've done to me! Left holding United's bag. [sadface]"

randomman

No TSA notes. Flew through SFO. Very suspicious that her two bags were marked.

And yeah, I totally get the sarcasm!

Any other thoughts?

kenn0223

Could just be bored staff. My local pizza joint often has boxes with fairly detailed artwork drawn on them by the late night crew.

Perhaps a bag handler got left in the hold and had to entertain themself during the flight?

Maybe you're lucky they decided to draw on the luggage tags rather than the actual bag.

djk7

Was it "bring your kid to work" day?

randomman

These look like they were drawn by adults. Intentionally, as some sort of flag. Same mark on each side of each tag.