lincolnjkc

Being one who tends to err on the paranoid side I've thought that the stations that *didn't* control distribution of the green tags, e.g. just having a big stack out on the counter, were potentially opening themselves up to a fraudulent "lost bag" claim -- passenger grabs an extra tag without putting it on a corresponding bag, shows up on the other end with the stub/receipt portion of the tag while their imaginary bag is "lost" and...

That said I can't really think of any way to completely avoid that, even with the GA attaching the bag unless the tag was only issued at the point where "custody" of the bag is exchanged so not sure this policy actually gains anything (except for making sure that someone who get a tag actually has a bag... but that bag could still be boarded on the aircraft, etc.

zombietooth

Half the time, they don't hand me the stub, so I can't imagine that there is tight control on these things anywhere.

ExplorerWannabe

Would that be why the GA frequently insists on putting a new tag even though there's a perfectly good one already on the bag? (For which I"ve scanned the tracking number into my phone so I don't worry about losing the little "receipt" tag)

drowelf

When I tried this for a UX flight out of IAD earlier this month, the agent said they had to attached them as you were boarding. I heard a bit of discussion between the agents as this was a new policy, as one of them made an announcement about picking up green tags and had that countermanded a few minutes later.

dmurphynj

... and if this gets the barcode attached to your PNR as you're boarding, I don't see that as a bad thing at all. Positive bag match + tracking, in case it gets left on the tarmac or in the jetbridge or something.

Those things can (and do) happen, as rare as they should be ...

COSPILOT

I reuse tags, and probably have an extra 20 or so laying around that have never been used, but I use them as needed. Often times I'm expecting full overhead bins, so I try for that first, and if its full I add the tag and bring it back in the jetway. Rarely does a GA of FA care if I at least try. My rollerboard is actually pretty small, so much so it fits under the seat in front of me when I'm doing 1 or 2 day trips. But it's only COS that gets silly about the tags, and only with a few agents. The rest leave a pile of them for self install.

bocastephen

Maybe they were getting some phony lost bag claims - people taking tags for bags that didn't exist and then filing a lost bag claim on arrival.

david_oz

Jimmie Jet

fastair

jsloan

timezone_trooper

IME this process has a lot of variability. Some agents will walk around the boarding area and affix the tags, some will wait until boarding and affix the tags, and some will just put a stack on the podium and request that people come up and get them. I can only recall a handful of times where I proactively asked for a green tag and the agent said they would affix it. Additionally, I'm not sure what the policy is for ground crew to scan the tags before loading; I've seen it about 50/50 (could be done at a different point in the process that I don't see). Like most things, YMMV with this.

AKC6

IME in DTW on DL code-shares with SkyWest, the GA says it's a "TSA regulation," because these tags (pink for DL) are "security documents."

docbert

Which is, in itself, a true statement. These tags indicate whether a bag in the hold has been through TSA security, and thus control whether it can be returned plane-side or not.

However controlling who attaches the tags has zero security benefit, especially when the tags are not removed at the destination.

The part that I'm sure TSA cares about is that no checked bags ever make it onto the plane with a green tag on them - but that would obviously be a function of the checkin/baggage staff, not the gate agents.

The only real reason I can see for forcing them to be attached by a gate agent is that it likely increases the chances they are put on properly (at least for those not familiar with the tags) which potentially reduces the chances of one coming off during loading/unloading, at which point you've got a problem as far as where the bag needs to be delivered.

StuckinITH

I can recall one time at my local airport when I proactively asked for a green tag and the agent was very unhappy. It was not the right time to ask for it. Fifteen minutes later, she did the rounds with the green tags and tagged all the luggage that needed to be tagged. My excuse: it was my first time flying out of that airport since I had just moved there. But it was also the only agent that ever reacted like that since three years later I can say that I have requested some green tags at the wrong time and the agents had no problem providing them. Usually, the agents just ask at the time of boarding if you need a green tag. If you say that you already have one, they are happy with it and don't force you to change the green tags. I have 4 different rollaboards that I use for my short trips depending on how many days I travel. When I come home, I just leave the receipt part on top of them. When I leave, I put that receipt part in my wallet. I change tags when they start getting broken.