Diamond Tag Theft?
Aug 28, 2015, 8:32 pm
#61
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: SLC
Programs: DL FO, KM, & 1.7MM; UA nothing; HH♦; National EE
Posts: 6,344
A quick search on eBay will tell you these things go for ~60 bucks a pop. Not a bad supplemental income for ramp workers. http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from...llion&_sacat=0
Aug 29, 2015, 2:01 pm
#62
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, MM, NR; HH Diamond, Bonvoy LT Gold, Hyatt Explorist, IHG Diamond, others
Posts: 12,159
I walk into the guarded Sky Priority lanes without being stopped and asked. Saves about 2.5 seconds each time.
Aug 29, 2015, 3:32 pm
#63
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: PBI/FLL/MIA
Programs: DL DM/2MM, MR Ambassador, National EE
Posts: 1,614
This makes me laugh... I have a rather large collection of bag tags and elite cards going back to the mid-90s... wish I'd have taken better care of them now as some of the printing on a lot of them has rubbed off... who knew they would be worth $$$ some day! I have several NW Gold tags back from when Gold was the top tier... you were "Preferred" at 25k and Gold at 60k and Gold was it, nothing higher...
Aug 29, 2015, 7:26 pm
#64
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: NYC
Programs: AADULtArer
Posts: 5,868
Aug 30, 2015, 8:08 pm
#65
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: DL DM 2MM, Marriott LT Titanium, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 15,320
Had my 1MM diamond tag stolen from a plane-side check on a CRJ900. Tag was there when I handed over the bag in JFK and was gone in BOS when they brought it up to the jetway. Not like its going to get ripped off or fall off from just doing a gate check for one of these planes as the bags are manually handled.
Aug 30, 2015, 10:57 pm
#66
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Twin Cities
Programs: Delta DM MM, IHG Plat, Hilton DM, Marriott SE, Emerald EE, Oakdale Gun Club, NRA & GOA Life Member
Posts: 3,870
Had my 1MM diamond tag stolen from a plane-side check on a CRJ900. Tag was there when I handed over the bag in JFK and was gone in BOS when they brought it up to the jetway. Not like its going to get ripped off or fall off from just doing a gate check for one of these planes as the bags are manually handled.
Aug 30, 2015, 11:50 pm
#68
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 367
TL;DR: I think a bag handler is stealing DM luggage tags.
Traveling from OAK-LAX I noticed that the Diamond Medallion luggage tag on my gate-checked bag was missing. I figured it had somehow fallen off, which seemed unlikely given that it attached with a metal cable. I had a second tag that was sitting in one of the bag's zip pockets so I just replaced the tag and dismissed the incident.
However on the return flight the same thing happened. This time I actually saw the LAX baggage agent pick up my bag from the jet bridge and I was one of the first people off the plane and I saw the OAK agent put my bag on the jet bridge. This means that the tag had to have vanished while the bag was in the control of the bag handlers.
I think the possibility that two steel cables broke off by chance and did so without damaging the bag's handle is about zero. So I have to conclude that one of the bag handlers is removing the tags. I checked e-bay and it seems the tags are selling for $30-$50 so I'm guessing someone is supplementing his/her income by swiping them and selling them. (They are easy to see on the outside of the bags and easy to remove by unscrewing the cable, so I guess they make nice theft targets.)
I don't much care about the tags, but if someone is stealing those then I'm going to guess the only reason s/he is not stealing other things is because s/he has not had a good opportunity.
Has anyone else had the same thing happen?
Traveling from OAK-LAX I noticed that the Diamond Medallion luggage tag on my gate-checked bag was missing. I figured it had somehow fallen off, which seemed unlikely given that it attached with a metal cable. I had a second tag that was sitting in one of the bag's zip pockets so I just replaced the tag and dismissed the incident.
However on the return flight the same thing happened. This time I actually saw the LAX baggage agent pick up my bag from the jet bridge and I was one of the first people off the plane and I saw the OAK agent put my bag on the jet bridge. This means that the tag had to have vanished while the bag was in the control of the bag handlers.
I think the possibility that two steel cables broke off by chance and did so without damaging the bag's handle is about zero. So I have to conclude that one of the bag handlers is removing the tags. I checked e-bay and it seems the tags are selling for $30-$50 so I'm guessing someone is supplementing his/her income by swiping them and selling them. (They are easy to see on the outside of the bags and easy to remove by unscrewing the cable, so I guess they make nice theft targets.)
I don't much care about the tags, but if someone is stealing those then I'm going to guess the only reason s/he is not stealing other things is because s/he has not had a good opportunity.
Has anyone else had the same thing happen?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Delta-Diamon...item2a56fb0dda
Aug 31, 2015, 12:04 am
#69
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 367
TL;DR: I think a bag handler is stealing DM luggage tags.
Traveling from OAK-LAX I noticed that the Diamond Medallion luggage tag on my gate-checked bag was missing. I figured it had somehow fallen off, which seemed unlikely given that it attached with a metal cable. I had a second tag that was sitting in one of the bag's zip pockets so I just replaced the tag and dismissed the incident.
However on the return flight the same thing happened. This time I actually saw the LAX baggage agent pick up my bag from the jet bridge and I was one of the first people off the plane and I saw the OAK agent put my bag on the jet bridge. This means that the tag had to have vanished while the bag was in the control of the bag handlers.
I think the possibility that two steel cables broke off by chance and did so without damaging the bag's handle is about zero. So I have to conclude that one of the bag handlers is removing the tags. I checked e-bay and it seems the tags are selling for $30-$50 so I'm guessing someone is supplementing his/her income by swiping them and selling them. (They are easy to see on the outside of the bags and easy to remove by unscrewing the cable, so I guess they make nice theft targets.)
I don't much care about the tags, but if someone is stealing those then I'm going to guess the only reason s/he is not stealing other things is because s/he has not had a good opportunity.
Has anyone else had the same thing happen?
Traveling from OAK-LAX I noticed that the Diamond Medallion luggage tag on my gate-checked bag was missing. I figured it had somehow fallen off, which seemed unlikely given that it attached with a metal cable. I had a second tag that was sitting in one of the bag's zip pockets so I just replaced the tag and dismissed the incident.
However on the return flight the same thing happened. This time I actually saw the LAX baggage agent pick up my bag from the jet bridge and I was one of the first people off the plane and I saw the OAK agent put my bag on the jet bridge. This means that the tag had to have vanished while the bag was in the control of the bag handlers.
I think the possibility that two steel cables broke off by chance and did so without damaging the bag's handle is about zero. So I have to conclude that one of the bag handlers is removing the tags. I checked e-bay and it seems the tags are selling for $30-$50 so I'm guessing someone is supplementing his/her income by swiping them and selling them. (They are easy to see on the outside of the bags and easy to remove by unscrewing the cable, so I guess they make nice theft targets.)
I don't much care about the tags, but if someone is stealing those then I'm going to guess the only reason s/he is not stealing other things is because s/he has not had a good opportunity.
Has anyone else had the same thing happen?
Aug 31, 2015, 6:29 am
#70
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: DL DM 2MM, Marriott LT Titanium, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 15,320
I just watched one fall of a guy's backpack walking down the jetway. The owner had no clue. I can see it easily happening getting thrown into the hold or even while being removed from the hold. I also wouldn't doubt an enterprising baggage handler or mechanic selling them on Ebay after discovering them in the hold.
Aug 31, 2015, 7:29 am
#71
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: DTW, LAX, MBJ
Programs: AA, Delta Kryptonium (DM) Hyatt Diamond IHG Fake Plat (Ambassador), HH Gold
Posts: 832
FWIW
I had both my DM Tag AND my KM tag (with my name on it) "disappear"
on a rare occasion when I needed to check
My DM tag was attached with a thicker gauge "wire rope" than the one provided by Delta.
My KM tag was on a second bag attached with a green zip tie.
What are the odds that two different tags on two bags would -detach, fall off, become caught in conveyors or abducted by aliens on the same trip?
Oh well. Keep climbing...
I had both my DM Tag AND my KM tag (with my name on it) "disappear"
on a rare occasion when I needed to check
My DM tag was attached with a thicker gauge "wire rope" than the one provided by Delta.
My KM tag was on a second bag attached with a green zip tie.
What are the odds that two different tags on two bags would -detach, fall off, become caught in conveyors or abducted by aliens on the same trip?
Oh well. Keep climbing...
Aug 31, 2015, 9:18 am
#72
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 385
dl tAGS
TL;DR: I think a bag handler is stealing DM luggage tags.
Traveling from OAK-LAX I noticed that the Diamond Medallion luggage tag on my gate-checked bag was missing. I figured it had somehow fallen off, which seemed unlikely given that it attached with a metal cable. I had a second tag that was sitting in one of the bag's zip pockets so I just replaced the tag and dismissed the incident.
However on the return flight the same thing happened. This time I actually saw the LAX baggage agent pick up my bag from the jet bridge and I was one of the first people off the plane and I saw the OAK agent put my bag on the jet bridge. This means that the tag had to have vanished while the bag was in the control of the bag handlers.
I think the possibility that two steel cables broke off by chance and did so without damaging the bag's handle is about zero. So I have to conclude that one of the bag handlers is removing the tags. I checked e-bay and it seems the tags are selling for $30-$50 so I'm guessing someone is supplementing his/her income by swiping them and selling them. (They are easy to see on the outside of the bags and easy to remove by unscrewing the cable, so I guess they make nice theft targets.)
I don't much care about the tags, but if someone is stealing those then I'm going to guess the only reason s/he is not stealing other things is because s/he has not had a good opportunity.
Has anyone else had the same thing happen?
Traveling from OAK-LAX I noticed that the Diamond Medallion luggage tag on my gate-checked bag was missing. I figured it had somehow fallen off, which seemed unlikely given that it attached with a metal cable. I had a second tag that was sitting in one of the bag's zip pockets so I just replaced the tag and dismissed the incident.
However on the return flight the same thing happened. This time I actually saw the LAX baggage agent pick up my bag from the jet bridge and I was one of the first people off the plane and I saw the OAK agent put my bag on the jet bridge. This means that the tag had to have vanished while the bag was in the control of the bag handlers.
I think the possibility that two steel cables broke off by chance and did so without damaging the bag's handle is about zero. So I have to conclude that one of the bag handlers is removing the tags. I checked e-bay and it seems the tags are selling for $30-$50 so I'm guessing someone is supplementing his/her income by swiping them and selling them. (They are easy to see on the outside of the bags and easy to remove by unscrewing the cable, so I guess they make nice theft targets.)
I don't much care about the tags, but if someone is stealing those then I'm going to guess the only reason s/he is not stealing other things is because s/he has not had a good opportunity.
Has anyone else had the same thing happen?
Aug 31, 2015, 9:24 am
#73
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, MM, NR; HH Diamond, Bonvoy LT Gold, Hyatt Explorist, IHG Diamond, others
Posts: 12,159
FWIW
I had both my DM Tag AND my KM tag (with my name on it) "disappear"
on a rare occasion when I needed to check
My DM tag was attached with a thicker gauge "wire rope" than the one provided by Delta.
My KM tag was on a second bag attached with a green zip tie.
What are the odds that two different tags on two bags would -detach, fall off, become caught in conveyors or abducted by aliens on the same trip?
Oh well. Keep climbing...
I had both my DM Tag AND my KM tag (with my name on it) "disappear"
on a rare occasion when I needed to check
My DM tag was attached with a thicker gauge "wire rope" than the one provided by Delta.
My KM tag was on a second bag attached with a green zip tie.
What are the odds that two different tags on two bags would -detach, fall off, become caught in conveyors or abducted by aliens on the same trip?
Oh well. Keep climbing...
Sep 1, 2015, 5:32 am
#75
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: RDU
Programs: DL DM, HHonors Diamond, Marriott Platinum, etc etc etc
Posts: 2,341
Wow! You're right! I just went to eBay, did a search for Delta Medallion tag, clicked advanced search and looked for "sold".
Jeeeez. Probably explains my missing Plat tag from last year. I don't check a bag; however, I was on a CRJ and my carry on was left at the jetway and upon arriving to my destination, my Plat tag was gone. I just shrugged it off.
There's even a sale of a Delta "gag" tag.
link: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DELTA-SKYM...p2047675.l2557
Scratching my head.
Jeeeez. Probably explains my missing Plat tag from last year. I don't check a bag; however, I was on a CRJ and my carry on was left at the jetway and upon arriving to my destination, my Plat tag was gone. I just shrugged it off.
There's even a sale of a Delta "gag" tag.
link: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DELTA-SKYM...p2047675.l2557
Scratching my head.
No need for to pay for a "Gag Tag" the one I created is free....
