Medallion Tags - Boobish or not?
 

I have been various levels (Silver to Diamond) of Medallion over the years with periods of no status in between (past 20 years)... I don't think I have ever put any bag tags on my bags Delta has sent me (even back when they sent you the Medallion Tags embossed with your name and FF number)...

But I have always wondered why some people have to go out of their way to try and advertise their status when flying (or even when not flying).. The funniest instance I ever saw was earlier this year while I was in a smaller European City (Bologna Italy - DL doesn't even fly there!) and I got in a hotel elevator with some man and his wife and the guy is wearing one of those name tag holders like you would wear at a trade show with his Diamond Medallion card in it, around his neck! And he wasn't even in an airport.. I looked at it and said "Boy, I guess you want EVERYONE to know you are a diamond medallion, don't you? in a slightly sarcastic tone and he responded something like "Well it really saved us in CDG today..." and something about almost missing his connection if the airport personnel had not seen he was a Diamond and whisked him to the gate or something like that.. He just kind of gave off a bit of a nerdy, geeky vibe and sort of made me a bit embarrassed to be associated with this type of heavy traveler who seemed so dorky about traveling..

My thought is that anyone who believes the airline employees think you are special just because you are a Diamond,Platinum, Gold or Silver and want to flaunt it to them or other travelers is silly. Why does one need the tags or to publicly advertise it? Whenever they pull up any res of yours in the computer, they will see if you are status or when you scan your boarding pass to get on, they see it too on the machine, And the Flight Attendants probably could care less anyway. you are just another body in a seat to them, and I doubt they bother checking out everyones luggage tags. Maybe its just me, but I prefer being as nondescript as possible when traveling and these tags seem a bit silly

What do others think about these tags?

I don't have a problem with the luggage tags. Since I almost always check my bag and you need to have a tag on checked bags, why not use the free ones from Delta?

I will say that I only replace a tag if it gets broken. I don't put new tags on every year because I don't care if anyone else knows my actual status. As long as I know it and Delta knows it, I'm good. Currently none of my bags has a diamond tag and I don't see any reason to change that unless I need to replace a broken tag.

No issue with the tags at all. Bags need a name tag anyway. Now, wearing a status name tag, that's a bit over the top.

I don't use the bag tags currently (waiting until I hit PM in a couple of weeks). But, I've heard they can help get your bag prioritized for return when gate checking for a CRJ flight, which would be of value to me.

Perhaps this isn't the message board for you.

Sometimes they make flying a little bit more easy. Searching for a fastrack/SP line on some airports where you did arrive for the first time and some proactive agents will automatically wave you through/point you to the right direction.
Flash the card and some agents guarding the entrance those fastrack/SP lines let you through instead of having to grab the physicall card out of you wallet.

And they are a method to distinguish my bag from your identical bag and to facilitate locating my bag when it goes astray.
As far as what other people think about the tags on my pieces, I really don’t care. I'm just trying to get to my destination as smoothly as possible.

Lol!

Same reason that a 4 year wears a crown from Burger King

Not the DYKWIA type, but I use them for one reason... Once my inbound was severely delayed and I was the last to board my connection. Of course, nowhere to put my bag in the overheads (rarely check my bag). The FA, kind of rudely, told me they would have to check it and asked for my BP. She looked at my BP, confirmed my destination, then I guess saw I was Diamond. All of the sudden her attitude changed, "Mr Bartmas777, I'll just put this in the closet up front. Please don't forget it when you get off the plane."

I have kept one on my bag ever since and have always had the FA very willing to help find a place for my bag if needed.

I've had similar experiences with my DM tags.

Must be a dozen threads on this same topic.

I use my DM tags really only for one reason. I still use the old ones with the barcode in case the bag ever gets misplaced. Probably should sell the newer ones on eBay since DL doesn’t seem to care.

But it’s funny about these threads. There is so much angst from some here about Medallion tags but if you flash a KM tag or a FT tag on your bag, somehow that is :cool:.

I have no issue with the tags. If the tag is attached to a bag that is being carried by an individual who acts "boobish" then that's a different story. But it has nothing to do with the tag and everything to do with the person.

Depends. Wearing one around your neck like a badge is absurd. Didn't a poster say they saw a Delta Diamond ball cap in an Atlanta sky club one time though? One time I was on a rental car shuttle back to the airport at either LAX or DTW and when exiting the bus someone noticed their tag was turned around and they made sure to flip it over so everyone knew they were a Gold or make sure the tag is flipped over with their status showing when it gets thrown in the bin which I find excessive.

I have used the tags for years. I use to like them when the FF number was on them and wish Delta would still do that. It served as a bag tag and if something happened to my luggage Delta could track me down and I didn't have ot have any personal info revealed on outside of my bag. Also is nice to just nod my head towards the tag to the skypriority dragon if I have a lot of stuff with me and don't want to pull out my phone until I get to the podium (not as big of a plus anymore though with precheck but nice when precheck is closed).

There have been a couple times where I got to the gate late or had was in the top three for an upgrade and was told by the agent I had to wait by the gate and if I boarded I lost the upgrade if a seat was available, and by the time I boarded they were gate checking bags and the FA would see my diamond tag and make the space for my bag or store it in the closet up front, maybe it is being DYKWIA, but the FA offered in those cases, I didn't ask, and it saved me time waiting at baggage claim.

I may just add my elite tag to my bag now. This is the best reason I've ever heard for having them. Especially now that they don't have any personal information on them (for tracking checked bags).

As for the OP, it sounds like wearing the tags worked out well for the person in your story. You prefer not to display them. Sounds like everyone wins here.

I have an FO tag on my rollaboard primarily because if I have to pink tag my bag, it is much easier for me to spot (not alot of FO tagged bags)

Recently, while checking my rollaboard, the SP agent noticed my FO tag and asked me why I didn't have my PM status tag on it. I explained the above. She then took a SP sticker and plastered it on my bag saying that now I'd have another unique way to identify my bag. So apparently for whatever reason, she felt it important that my bag in some way at least reflect that I was SP. I have since removed the sticker and spent about an hour getting all the glue residue off.

I have never been big on the idea of displaying my status, but wonder if I'm missing out on some good customer service treatment at times because of it.