Alaska Airlines Will Use Electronic Bag Tags to Speed Up Check-In
The tags will work with smartphones to save you from printing a tag at the airport.
- Master's degree in environmental journalism
Alaska's new electronic bag tag could speed up check-in at the airport.
Alaska Airlines is trying to make the process of checking a bag a bit easier by launching reusable, electronic bag tags, the airline said Tuesday. Instead of printing and attaching paper tags to their checked bags at the airport, Alaska customers will be able to use the Alaska Airlines mobile app to load and display their destination on the electronic tag with a simple tap of their phone.
"This technology allows our guests to tag their own bags in just seconds and makes the entire check-in process almost all off-airport," Charu Jain, Alaska Airlines' senior vice-president of merchandising and innovation, said in a press release about the tags.
The tag devices don't rely on batteries, which means they could "potentially last a lifetime," Jain said. They'll be attached to bags with "industrial strength" zip ties.
About 2,500 Alaska frequent fliers will be given the tags at no cost and will be able to start using them later this year. Members of Alaska's Mileage Plan will be able to purchase them early in 2023. Alaska said it's still working on the cost of the bag tags but that they'll fall somewhere between $60 and $70.