Prior to the last 2 trips, I always printed at home, stapled and taped with no damage. But I spent a few dollars for plastic sleeves with cables to attach to suitcase handles and I feel more secure whether it made a difference or not. It’s a small price to pay to remove one of the variables from the equation that equals whether your bags will appear promptly in your cabin.

I’ve been less satisfied with labels for disembarkation. Actually, the whole process could have come with better communication. I really wasn’t sure how or where I was going to see my bags until the bus arrived at ANC afterwards. I was a little scared that my failing to add flight information to the tags meant the bags would remain at the ship terminal in Whittier, but it looks like the color coding of the tags meant they would deliver to the bag room at the airport.