Luggage tags on or off

[serendipity1499]

I've worked for Holland America for 8 years at the airport. I can't tell you how many bags my staff and I have "discovered" that have been misdirected and wound up on a carousel unclaimed.

The only clue that is available to direct our attention to those bag is the cruise tag.

There have been occasions in the past where luggage has arrived early, or late, or from a different airline......consider that there are alliances between airlines, especially from overseas.

We've found bags that were left at the airport because guest have falsely assumed that the cruise line would automatically forward them.

There is NO good reason not to put your cruise tag on the bag.

If your bag is mistakenly sent to San Antonio (SAT) or Santa Ana (SNA) instead of San Diego (SAN) it will be immediately apparent to the airline. There are no cruises from SAT or SNA so they will call SAN and say that they are forwarding.... and that info gets to me.

Imagine for a minute that you are looking at a Southwest Airlines luggage carousel at 4pm and the ship is departing at 5pm. There are 300+ pieces of luggage going around. How would I find your bag and get it to the ship before the deadline? The answer is your colored HAL tag.

David

 

 

Hmmm...I'm rethinking my position..:eek::eek:

David you present another scenerio, which I never thought of since we only had one daily flight coming into JFK or another U.S. destination & going back to Europe..

We use the HAL Mariners Name tag with pictures on them & a copy of our itinerary is inside it as well as inside our luggage..If we fly to the port we put our HAL luggage tags, on our bags when we get them..However, maybe I should reconsider ,if we have to fly to our port..Does HAL have a person such as you, meet every flight coming into all their departure cities such as FTL, JFK, YVR & BOS..?

Betty

[DAllenTCY]

HAL airport staff receive advanced notice of every arriving (and departing) flight where guests have purchased airport transfers....either the day of the cruise or prior. Staff will meet you, unless your flight is delayed more than a few hours or you choose to arrive more than 24-36 hours prior to sailing. It depends on your arrival airport.

It isn't always the least expensive alternative, and we admit that readily.

What we do provide is peace of mind, and that is priceless in my opinion....whether you purchased a transfer or not we look for HAL tags.

David

[Krazy Kruizers]

I've worked for Holland America for 8 years at the airport. I can't tell you how many bags my staff and I have "discovered" that have been misdirected and wound up on a carousel unclaimed.

The only clue that is available to direct our attention to those bag is the cruise tag.

There have been occasions in the past where luggage has arrived early, or late, or from a different airline......consider that there are alliances between airlines, especially from overseas.

We've found bags that were left at the airport because guest have falsely assumed that the cruise line would automatically forward them.

There is NO good reason not to put your cruise tag on the bag.

If your bag is mistakenly sent to San Antonio (SAT) or Santa Ana (SNA) instead of San Diego (SAN) it will be immediately apparent to the airline. There are no cruises from SAT or SNA so they will call SAN and say that they are forwarding.... and that info gets to me.

Imagine for a minute that you are looking at a Southwest Airlines luggage carousel at 4pm and the ship is departing at 5pm. There are 300+ pieces of luggage going around. How would I find your bag and get it to the ship before the deadline? The answer is your colored HAL tag.

David

 

All the more reason to fly in a day or two early.

Start off the cruise relaxed and refreshed.

[cruz chic]

Why confuse things with unneccessary luggage tags and increase the chances for it going thevwrong way. Do you thing the luggage handlers have loads of time to look for the right tag?

 

The Op asked for opinions. I simply gave mine. I didn't realize that not putting them on was the only opinion that is considered "right". If you don't want to do it then don't. It's very simple.

[cruz chic]

I've worked for Holland America for 8 years at the airport. I can't tell you how many bags my staff and I have "discovered" that have been misdirected and wound up on a carousel unclaimed.

The only clue that is available to direct our attention to those bag is the cruise tag.

There have been occasions in the past where luggage has arrived early, or late, or from a different airline......consider that there are alliances between airlines, especially from overseas.

We've found bags that were left at the airport because guest have falsely assumed that the cruise line would automatically forward them.

There is NO good reason not to put your cruise tag on the bag.

If your bag is mistakenly sent to San Antonio (SAT) or Santa Ana (SNA) instead of San Diego (SAN) it will be immediately apparent to the airline. There are no cruises from SAT or SNA so they will call SAN and say that they are forwarding.... and that info gets to me.

Imagine for a minute that you are looking at a Southwest Airlines luggage carousel at 4pm and the ship is departing at 5pm. There are 300+ pieces of luggage going around. How would I find your bag and get it to the ship before the deadline? The answer is your colored HAL tag.

David

 

I remember you posting on my lost luggage thread and how many people decided that you were "wrong". I appreciated when you posted on that thread and I appreciate it now. It's great to get info from someone that works for the line.

[cruz chic]

No it has nothing to do with being dumb..When they have to get a flight turned around & baggage unloaded & put on a connection flight or sent to baggage claim within a certain amount of time, they don't have the time to look at tags..Some baggage can get lost..Our Friends luggage was lost on our return flight from Frankfurt..It took several days for them to get their luggage..

Even when I worked in the airline field, I would put our itinerary in & on our bags the same way..Would never put a cruise tag on luggage until we were ready to go to the port..

Take a look at the Unclaimed Baggage Center which is just like a Dept. Store in Scotsboro , Alabama.. More than a million people a year shop there.. Anything lost on a flight, bus or train is sent to Scotsboro, if they can't contact or find the owners within a reasonable time..

I've never been there but have talked to some people who claim it takes up a city block..

http://unclaimedbaggage.com/p/press/videos

 

Cheers...:)Betty

 

With all due respect hasn't it been several decades since you worked in the airline industry? From the sounds of some posters here you think that the luggage was sorted by hand. Calgary has a very large airport and the majority of sorting would be done by machine from my understanding. If the Hal luggage tag doesn't have a bar code I don't know how it would get confused. I'm just presenting a different opinion for the OP.

[Boytjie]

<deleted>

[serendipity1499]

With all due respect hasn't it been several decades since you worked in the airline industry? From the sounds of some posters here you think that the luggage was sorted by hand. Calgary has a very large airport and the majority of sorting would be done by machine from my understanding. If the Hal luggage tag doesn't have a bar code I don't know how it would get confused. I'm just presenting a different opinion for the OP.

 

You are correct it has been several Years since I retired from the airline industry but I've made it my business to keep up with a lot of procedures.. Many of my Friends still work in Travel including the airline industry..Machines do break down & machines do not unload luggage..Luggage handlers do..

LOST LUGGAGE in our airport is not looked for by machine, it is done by Luggage handlers..

And as David mentioned he actually used his eyes to see HAL bags going around the carousel..

cheers...Betty

[cruz chic]

<snip>And as David mentioned he actually used his eyes to see HAL bags going around the carousel..

 

cheers...Betty

Yes, and he has suggested to put the HAL tag on. The OP (and everyone else) needs to decide what's best for them. Whether that works or doesn't work for the person is their decision.

[Globaliser]

How would I find your bag and get it to the ship before the deadline? The answer is your colored HAL tag.David

But I have to ask: What coloured HAL tag?

 

All I've got is my very own (yes, I had to buy it) piece of A4 paper, folded over a couple of times. Stapled together with my very own staples, too, if I've had to do it before getting on the flight.

 

I've seen how airport baggage systems work. Airline bag tags are made of the specialist material that they are in order to survive the automated systems. I don't rate the chances for my DIY piece of photocopier paper.

[doubledobles]

We put our luggage tags from the ship on the suitcase before we're out the door.

 

In Copenhagen our bags got lost on the trip over. We reported it and because they had our ship's name on the tags, they were able to check the port we were supposed to leave out of and deliver our bags directly. The lost baggage dept. has a list of ships going out of their ports with the dates and the tags help them.

[NMLady]

With all due respect hasn't it been several decades since you worked in the airline industry? From the sounds of some posters here you think that the luggage was sorted by hand. Calgary has a very large airport and the majority of sorting would be done by machine from my understanding. If the Hal luggage tag doesn't have a bar code I don't know how it would get confused. I'm just presenting a different opinion for the OP.

 

I have the same opinion as you. We put our cruise luggage tags on before we leave home. I print them out on sturdy tag board and attach them with the wire wrapped ties from bread packages. I figure if the luggage goes astray we want the airline to know it goes to a cruise ship.

[cruz chic]

I have the same opinion as you. We put our cruise luggage tags on before we leave home. I print them out on sturdy tag board and attach them with the wire wrapped ties from bread packages. I figure if the luggage goes astray we want the airline to know it goes to a cruise ship.

I use pipe cleaners and staple mine onto mailing labels. I find it works well.

[spindrift]

We have always placed the cruise tags on our luggage prior to leaving home. Many times on the luggage there is more than one handle (one on top and one on side), so if you wish, you can use what you might think is the least used handle (but that, of course, is hard to determine) but put those tags on your luggage.

 

Of the many trips we have taken, we have never had a lost piece of luggage until this last summer. I went to the airline desk, and the first question they asked is if I put on my cruise tags, which I had done. They said that is great. She was on the phone, and she said they had already identified this piece of luggage and it would be either at our hotel that night or at the ship the following day. We had it in our cabin within minutes of our boarding. e were from Houston to Venice via Paris, so I assume the bag missed the connection - even tho our other 3 did make it.)

 

If you want to strengthen the new style tags printed at home, run to the nearest office supply store and laminate them, then use a plastic fastener (w/ridges) to attach them. This works great.

 

We, too, put the itinerary in the bag.

[serendipity1499]

Yes, and he has suggested to put the HAL tag on. The OP (and everyone else) needs to decide what's best for them. Whether that works or doesn't work for the person is their decision.

 

I agree with you, but the OP asked for our opinion..And I believe that we are entitled to our opinions, just as you are..

Also if you had read my post above to David, I specifically said I was re-thinking my position..Last night I contacted two of my Airline Friends & they replied by advising me to keep doing what I've been doing..As I said, our full itinerary is readable & inside our Name tags..

So each of us must make our own decision..

cheers...Betty

[cruz chic]

Of the many trips we have taken, we have never had a lost piece of luggage until this last summer. I went to the airline desk, and the first question they asked is if I put on my cruise tags, which I had done. They said that is great. She was on the phone, and she said they had already identified this piece of luggage and it would be either at our hotel that night or at the ship the following day. We had it in our cabin within minutes of our boarding. e were from Houston to Venice via Paris, so I assume the bag missed the connection - even tho our other 3 did make it.)

 

.

This is the first question I got asked by the airlines when my luggage got lost. I did not have my cruise tags on it. It's funny how airlines are asking you this yet there are many posters they say this is a bad idea.

[iancal]

At the port. And more often than not we do not bother with printing our baggage tags, etc.

 

We just get a tag and fill it out when we arrive at the port. It takes all of about 60 seconds. We tip the porter, watch that the bag/bags are loaded into the bin, and then move on to the check in line.

[Boytjie]

Why would cruise tags be of more "value" than having a personal name tag on it? Perhaps they are just looking for another tag?

 

We have tags with our contact information - names, cell phone and email address as well as itinerary. If they can find the cruise tags they should be able to find the much sturdier name tags - they have been on out luggage for years!

 

We also have the contact and itinerary information in an outside pocket of the luggage as well as inside the luggage.

[cruz chic]

Why would cruise tags be of more "value" than having a personal name tag on it? Perhaps they are just looking for another tag?

 

We have tags with our contact information - names, cell phone and email address as well as itinerary. If they can find the cruise tags they should be able to find the much sturdier name tags - they have been on out luggage for years!

 

We also have the contact and itinerary information in an outside pocket of the luggage as well as inside the luggage.

I'm a person that has a cheapo cell phone because I don't care to be glued to a phone. Having a cell number on there would be useless to me. I'm only speaking for myself.

[Boytjie]

I'm a person that has a cheapo cell phone because I don't care to be glued to a phone. Having a cell number on there would be useless to me. I'm only speaking for myself.

 

I am not sure how an expensive cell phone relates to being glued to a cell phone.

 

The fastest way to contact someone when stray luggage is found would be phone or email.

 

And BTW I am not saying you should do it. ;)

[CruiseWhere]

We laminate our ship tags and attach with the plastic tags before we leave our home, with extras inside, just in case.....As for the airlines, non stop flights they are all but scanned electronically by their airline barcode so for the most part there is no reason for them to be lost. Flights with a stop or more are loaded by hand and are already in a different compartment of the aircraft to start with. As for the ramp agent/baggage agents that are loading them, they are reading the barcode some, where the airports use scanner and then others visually. Do what you feel most comfortable with. Chances are at sometime or another a piece may not end up where you are but for the most part they do. I don't think it's a question of right or wrong but an answer of what's best for you and you feel comfortable with. JMO

[cruz chic]

We laminate our ship tags and attach with the plastic tags before we leave our home, with extras inside, just in case.....As for the airlines, non stop flights they are all but scanned electronically by their airline barcode so for the most part there is no reason for them to be lost. Flights with a stop or more are loaded by hand and are already in a different compartment of the aircraft to start with. As for the ramp agent/baggage agents that are loading them, they are reading the barcode some, where the airports use scanner and then others visually. Do what you feel most comfortable with. Chances are at sometime or another a piece may not end up where you are but for the most part they do. I don't think it's a question of right or wrong but an answer of what's best for you and you feel comfortable with. JMO

Thanks for the info on bag handling and I agree doing what you feel comfortable with.