The author shows an alarming lack of operational knowledge. FAs don't identify elites by looking for tags; everything is on the manifest, and they certainly aren't going to be able to recognize all the different types of tags and status levels from all the other airlines, nor should they be expected to.
I don't know how he expects airlines where he used to have status to keep half-decade old information and disseminate it to front line employees, if and when he decides to come back for a single trip.
If I see someone scrambling to repack their bags because they were ignorant of the policy of the airline they were flying on, I would assume they are a Kettle. Elite tag?
Har, har, har. 