Complimentary bag taping
Jun 15, 2019, 12:58 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: Thailand
Programs: BA Silver (OWS), OZ Diamond (*G), TK Elite (*G), HH Diamond, Marriott Gold
Posts: 361
Complimentary bag taping
I and the Mrs. flew HEL-LHR-HKG in CE/CW last night and when collecting our bag in Hong Kong we noticed someone had placed plain white tape over all the bar code stickers and the First bag tag.
This is a first for us and I'm not all that bothered as the bag arrived unharmed. But as all, including the bar code attached in HEL and the other side of the F bag tag, were taped over I cannot help but wonder what it was all about.
I admit we hadn't cleared the stickers on the bag for a few months and there were about dozen of them attached but still feel taping over everything isn't standard procedure. Maybe it's a new GGL perk?
This is a first for us and I'm not all that bothered as the bag arrived unharmed. But as all, including the bar code attached in HEL and the other side of the F bag tag, were taped over I cannot help but wonder what it was all about.
I admit we hadn't cleared the stickers on the bag for a few months and there were about dozen of them attached but still feel taping over everything isn't standard procedure. Maybe it's a new GGL perk?
Jun 15, 2019, 1:36 pm
#2
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: UK
Programs: MUCCI, British Airways Executive Club Gold
Posts: 1,795
How very bizarre! I know unrelated barcodes can cause problems...however I’ve never seen this before. I do proactively remove all the old barcodes before the next flight though.
Jun 15, 2019, 1:52 pm
#4
Join Date: May 2014
Location: BRU
Programs: BA GGL, TK E (*G), ITA exec
Posts: 4,072
I had the same once, but they used plain white stickers to cover all the old, forgotten barcodes. Unfortunately I can't recall where or with who that happened...
Jun 15, 2019, 2:15 pm
#5
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jan 2009
Programs: Battleaxe Alliance
Posts: 22,127
I strongly recommend removing them after each flight. The longer they stay on, the more difficult they get to remove the stickiness. You end up having to use harsh sticker remover which might damage the bag.
I religiously remove all bag tags and stickers as soon as I get landside, to reduce the difficulties of removing them.
I religiously remove all bag tags and stickers as soon as I get landside, to reduce the difficulties of removing them.
Jun 15, 2019, 4:25 pm
#9
Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 143
At some point in your journey, the computer said no.
Your bag must have been rejected by some automated system because the computers couldn’t detect a valid barcode. Then a person was forced to cover over anything old that the computer might detect. They then correctly sent it on its way.
I bet the person was rolling their eyes as they did it.
Maybe take the old barcodes off next time.
Your bag must have been rejected by some automated system because the computers couldn’t detect a valid barcode. Then a person was forced to cover over anything old that the computer might detect. They then correctly sent it on its way.
I bet the person was rolling their eyes as they did it.
Maybe take the old barcodes off next time.
Jun 15, 2019, 5:16 pm
#10
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Balham - Gateway to The South
Programs: BA Bronze
Posts: 2,020
Being a little obsessive with details when travelling I always remove previous tags (and the sub stickers that sometimes find their way onto the bags - AA are particularly fond of this).
Perhaps as LTN Phobia suggests these could not be easily removed so taping over them was the best option.
Perhaps as LTN Phobia suggests these could not be easily removed so taping over them was the best option.
Jun 15, 2019, 9:56 pm
#11
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jan 2009
Programs: Battleaxe Alliance
Posts: 22,127
Removing them would have taken them ages, and there is a potential to be accused of doing the bag harm by the passenger by leaving sticky residues as well.
Taping them over would have been the quickest solution for the baggage handlers.
Jun 15, 2019, 10:40 pm
#12
Join Date: Aug 2017
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 90
It will be related to the LHR T3 baggage sortation system. Ever since they upgraded it (2017?) the airlines there have been obsessed with removing old tags to avoid confusion.
I once had an AA agent use a black marker to colour in over 80 old tags on a suitcase.
I once had an AA agent use a black marker to colour in over 80 old tags on a suitcase.
Jun 15, 2019, 11:30 pm
#13
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 7,212
I worked on Baggage projects for two years, dealing closely with HAL. That's a method to reduce "multi-reads".
Basically, over the years HAL and Vanderlande (in T5/T3) have invested a lot on improving their barcode reading tech, to the point that now there are multi-read issues. In a nutshell the system reads two, or more, barcodes, gets confused, spits the bag out to be checked by a human and the bag is at risk of missing a connection. You might think this is something that happens once in a blue moon (and indeed it does, success rate for bags are, in LHR, around 99% on a good day), but there are thousands of multi-reads every day.
A partial fit on the system has been introduced in T5, but not yet in T3 (at least that was the state of play a few months ago before I left), so that an extra layer of intelligence had been introduced; this is helping the Baggage Reconciliation System think "Mmmh, this bag has two potential destinations. I recognise one and it's for today, the other I can't quite see, so I'll stick with the one I know", but it's a partial fit. If the system sees two bag tag stubs on your bag, and both bag tag numbers are in use (bag tags recycle every 4-7 days depending on the airline and "live" for 2-3 days, again depending on the airline), then the system will be well and truly confused and will dump the bag for someone will look at it. The problem is that if there's less than an hour to go, it really runs a risk of missing.
The OP's bag has likely been 'dumped' in such a way, or has gone in an area where 'problematic' bags are looked at and the old tags have been taped over.
The bottom line is: cover those tags.
Basically, over the years HAL and Vanderlande (in T5/T3) have invested a lot on improving their barcode reading tech, to the point that now there are multi-read issues. In a nutshell the system reads two, or more, barcodes, gets confused, spits the bag out to be checked by a human and the bag is at risk of missing a connection. You might think this is something that happens once in a blue moon (and indeed it does, success rate for bags are, in LHR, around 99% on a good day), but there are thousands of multi-reads every day.
A partial fit on the system has been introduced in T5, but not yet in T3 (at least that was the state of play a few months ago before I left), so that an extra layer of intelligence had been introduced; this is helping the Baggage Reconciliation System think "Mmmh, this bag has two potential destinations. I recognise one and it's for today, the other I can't quite see, so I'll stick with the one I know", but it's a partial fit. If the system sees two bag tag stubs on your bag, and both bag tag numbers are in use (bag tags recycle every 4-7 days depending on the airline and "live" for 2-3 days, again depending on the airline), then the system will be well and truly confused and will dump the bag for someone will look at it. The problem is that if there's less than an hour to go, it really runs a risk of missing.
The OP's bag has likely been 'dumped' in such a way, or has gone in an area where 'problematic' bags are looked at and the old tags have been taped over.
The bottom line is: cover those tags.
Jun 16, 2019, 12:12 am
#15
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: DXB
Programs: TK Elite Plus
Posts: 413
Copenhagen Airport (CPH) has repeatedly informed the public through its social media pages that you should make sure to remove old bingo tags in order to avoid issues with your luggage not arriving with you. So it seems there is some truth to it.
Most likely, someone just did you a favour.
Most likely, someone just did you a favour.