A suggestion to make Aeroplan luggage tags more useful: unique identification numbers
Feb 19, 2021, 12:04 pm
#16
Moderator, Air Canada; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: YYC
Programs: AC SE MM, FB Plat, WS Plat, BA Silver, DL GM, Marriott Plat, Hilton Gold, Accor Silver
Posts: 16,722
I don't understand why there is a need for another number. The AP is unique to each customer is not?
When I travel with AC, my itinerary is linked to my AP number. Call up my AP number and look at activity, and any trip booked or in progress should show. Therefore, if AC had my bag with its AP number, it could contact me either by phone, sms or email and advise that it had my bag.
When I travel with AC, my itinerary is linked to my AP number. Call up my AP number and look at activity, and any trip booked or in progress should show. Therefore, if AC had my bag with its AP number, it could contact me either by phone, sms or email and advise that it had my bag.
Feb 20, 2021, 11:02 am
#17
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: YYT
Programs: M-Bonvoy Platinum Elite, Aeroplan 50K, DragonPass, AMEX MR, NEXUS
Posts: 1,715
I didn't like it one bit when AC removed your address and full name from the bag tags. Initially, I assumed they were just being cheap and trying to cut costs.
This sounds like a good idea as it could definitely work while still protecting your personal information at the same time. Though I don't see AC doing it at the same time...
This sounds like a good idea as it could definitely work while still protecting your personal information at the same time. Though I don't see AC doing it at the same time...
Feb 20, 2021, 10:54 pm
#18
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2009
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FWIW - there is a cost for providing personalized baggage tags. If the personalized tags do not yield any positivity, airlines will opt for a non-personalized one. As an example - years ago, my UA 1K tag was personalized. But it is no longer the case.
It is about cost to an airline, not just AC. If the tag can help AC paying less baggage compensation, then AC will definitely do that.
But if not, AC will tell you - why bother?
Feb 20, 2021, 10:57 pm
#19
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AC SE MM, BA Gold, SQ Silver, Bonvoy Tit LTG, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond
Posts: 44,284
That argument makes no sense, because the tags ARE customized. They say, in my case, "S Kennedy".
Assuming agents can query for 2020 SEs named "S Kennedy", it might be useful. But having some unique identifier that is safe to share (unlike one's Aeroplan number) would make it a lot easier.
And since they're already customizing the tags, I can't see the added cost being very significant.
Assuming agents can query for 2020 SEs named "S Kennedy", it might be useful. But having some unique identifier that is safe to share (unlike one's Aeroplan number) would make it a lot easier.
And since they're already customizing the tags, I can't see the added cost being very significant.
Feb 20, 2021, 11:51 pm
#20
Moderator, Air Canada; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: YYC
Programs: AC SE MM, FB Plat, WS Plat, BA Silver, DL GM, Marriott Plat, Hilton Gold, Accor Silver
Posts: 16,722
No one said there wasn't a cost. Of course it has a cost, just like the tags themselves, and every other FFP benefit.
It has nothing to do with baggage compensation. It's a service AC would provide to flyers with elite status. They can decide whether or not it's worth their while, but there certainly seem to be a number of people here who would like to have it.
It is about cost to an airline, not just AC. If the tag can help AC paying less baggage compensation, then AC will definitely do that.
But if not, AC will tell you - why bother?
But if not, AC will tell you - why bother?
Mar 4, 2021, 10:12 pm
#21
Join Date: Mar 2020
Programs: AC 75k
Posts: 703
There is still a cost to providing every Elite with 2 plastic luggage tags that right now only serve the purpose of saying "I'm important" and are otherwise near useless without an employee of AC taking a very special personal initiative. It would cost a few cents more to actually make them functional as a matter of corporate process in the current world to identify their owners.
This is something I have grumbled like an old man about more than once.
I would be happy to pay a small pittance, even giving AC a profit, for those luggage tags to be the least bit useful.
This is something I have grumbled like an old man about more than once.
I would be happy to pay a small pittance, even giving AC a profit, for those luggage tags to be the least bit useful.
Mar 6, 2021, 6:16 am
#22
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Canada
Posts: 1,875
You don't even need a special number. The FF's name and last 3 digits of their Aeroplan # should be enough info if the bag goes missing and also
keep a passenger's full information from being displayed.
eg
J Smith.
*** *** 024
keep a passenger's full information from being displayed.
eg
J Smith.
*** *** 024
