Bag tag

The Warsaw Convention of 1929, specifically Article Four, established the criteria for issuing a baggage check or luggage ticket.

This printed strip is then attached to the luggage at check-in, allowing automated sorting of the bags by bar code readers.

There are two ways that bar code baggage tags are read: hand held scanners, and in-line arrays.

In-line arrays are built into the baggage conveyor system and use a 360-degree array of lasers or cameras to read the bar code tags from multiple angles because baggage and the orientation of the bar code tag can shift as the bag travels through the conveyor belt system.

Camera systems are replacing lasers due to their greater ability to read damaged or folded tags.

For flights departing from an international airport within the European Union,[3] bag tags are issued with green edges.

Because of reading problems with poorly printed, obscured, crumpled, scored or otherwise damaged bar codes, some airlines have started using radio-frequency identification (RFID) chips embedded in the tags.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is working to standardize RFID bag tags.

[4] Fast Travel Global Ltd has developed a re-usable electronic luggage tag product called the eTag.

The passenger will check in using a supported airline's smartphone app and send the relevant flight information to the tag via Bluetooth Low Energy.

The tags were initially given free of charge to members of the Qantas Frequent Flyer program with Silver, Gold or Platinum status.

[7] Over the last years, there have been numerous of initiatives to develop electronic bag tags, by both independent technology companies as well as some airlines.

[10] BAGTAG[11] is the first fully secure operational electronic bag tag that can be attached to any suitcase and has integrated radio-frequency identification technology.

The first automated baggage sorting systems were developed in the 1980s by Eastern Air Lines at their Miami International Airport hub.

The Chairman of the BSWG, John Vermilye of Eastern Airlines, proposed that the industry adopt the already-proven license plate system.

The automated baggage handling system scans the barcodes on the carrier tags and sorts the bags accordingly.