I think that the stations use the old materiel until they run out, and then they get the new ones (ever cost conscious - those guys @ UAL - we won't talk about the change in livery before some stations had stocks with the old one).

I had the old F class cabin bag tags in Hong Kong and Narita in May.

Why they still have them @ IAD, I couldn't tell you. You'd think they would have the volume of pax to clear them out.

Re: tearing off old tags - I have to admit that it always annoys me when UA, etc. tear off tags from other carriers like SQ, with the big orange PRIORITY tags that could NEVER be confused for UA tags, but help me pick my bag out from the other 793 black wheelie bags @ SFO. If it doesn't/didn't belong to you (the airline) and it can't confuse the baggage handler by sending it off to another city, or give me priority treatment on YOUR airline I'm not entitled to - LEAVE IT ALONE

Said my piece.

Greg