Welcome to FT posting!

In these situations I usually check bags. Baggage can be loaded onto your departing flight even after the boarding door is closed - they have a much better chance at making a short connection than you do if you have to wait for pink tags.

All things that can (and have) impacted pink tag delivery:

• elevator is broken
• too many bags for the cart so they need two (and your bag will be on the second cart)
• confusion by gate and ground staff as to where the bags will appear