NgatesSEA

I flew MNL-GUM-HNL-SFO-DEN a couple years ago and they were unable to print the bag tag in Manila (contract employee, fairly confused, general chaos at check-in ...). They ended up using an old school hand-written tag which only had three lines, and used a "slash" to split up the third row to allow for two flights (like how calendars split up a single day in the fifth week of a month to avoid an entire line. You can imagine my surprise when my bag appeared on the belt in HNL for inspection.

mdbe

Just had this issue today. Agents had no clue and help desk advised them to write out manual tags. It took them 20+ minutes to find empty tags in the office. Barely made the flight. Was told the limit on the new system is 3 segments and the only option was manual tags.

lincolnjkc

Manual bag tag is definitely a valid 'break glass in emergency" work around, but there's no way 3 segments is the correct answer (nor is there a 'new system's unless I've been under a larger rock than I think). Jet is the newest system (3+ years now), followed by Aero (10+ years) both of which talk to SHARES (65+ years) behind the scenes for actual ABT generation and printing.

I would be very uncomfortable with manual tag as there are a lot more was for things to go sideways (on the other hand most rampers will pay a bit more attention)

mdbe

The solution today was to short check and add a separate manual tag which could not be registered in the system. For anyone with >4 segments, arrive early especially in non-hubs.

sinoflyer

4 segments maximum for baggage tags is the same as the 4 segment maximum for an airline ticket. this is a legacy of the old paper tickets, which came in booklets of 4 coupons. It should be routine (albeit rare) to generate 2 baggage tags for a 4+ segment on-line (same airline) itinerary, but it might be much more complicated if not impossible to interline, based on the different systems the airlines might be working with.

PTahCha

The ability for UA to generate a bag tag vs. whether the receiving airline has the data are two different issues. Hence why it is always a good idea to validate with the receiving airline whether they have the tag information in their system at the transfer desk/point.

mdbe

I mean I�m on a purely domestic single PNR itin. While checking in the comment from the agent shouldn�t be why are you flying like this nor should I have to rely on this forum to help guide them to check such bags in.

lincolnjkc

I get your frustration re "Why are you flying like this" -- but IMO a lot of it is in the tone.

There are very few purely domestic routings that can't be accomplished in 3 segments, let alone requiring four or more. Back when status was purely segment/mileage based I'd book all kinds of stupid routings to make sure I "did enough flying" without having to resort to runs at the end of the year -- one case I did something like SMF-IAH-ORD-CLE (and had the same FAs on the segment inbound to SMF and SMF-IAH/IAH-ORD -- the latter of which was on one of the last 3-cabin 767s) or MSP-DEN-ORD-CLE, or... On more than one occasion agents at check in make note of it and offer to put me on a more direct routing -- thinking perhaps that I had just booked that because it was a cheap fare (who in their right mind would do that voluntarily?) but after I explained my lack-of-logic they always cheerfully sent me on my round-about way.

So if the message is delivered from that perspective and respectful tone I wouldn't be offended by "why are you flying like that?" on the other hand if the agent is just judging you and your flying choices that's not appropriate, IMO.

(fn: I am probably one of the few people who appreciated the change to revenue-based status -- currently less than $600 away from having 1K for 2025 dealt with)

uanj

The first leg is MNL-GUM which is not purely domestic. I had the same situation before, checked the bag to GUM and at GUM rechecked with the correct tag for the remaining FIVE flights. At GUM they are very experienced at this.

No one at GUM batted an eye at my routing, they were very helpful. Since they knew they had to issue a manual bag tag they told me to go ahead to the United Club and they would bring my tag to me there.

dkc192

FWIW back in 2008 I had a four-segment itinerary (on pmUA) and two bag tags and/or some other manual intervention were required.

username

Found this: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/29431377-post4.html example of a CONJ tag.

SPN Lifer

Yes, that is a good example of a CONJCT tag.