Orlando International Airport becomes the second American Airlines location to offer customers the option to tag their own bags.

Boston and Austin were test cities for self-tagging, and for a while AAdvantage members with Elite status in Boston were being offered bonus miles as an inducement to give it a try.

During several months of feedback and tests, American observed that customers were able to speed up their check-in time (in Austin it improved by as much as 55 percent) and AUS become the first airport to offer self-tagging permanently.

It’s an easy enough process, here’s how American explains it:

Self-Tag is easy! Just follow the steps below.

Step 1: Print your bag tags at the self-service kiosk.

Step 2: Attach the bag tag to each checked bag.

Step 3: Bring your self-tagged baggage to the designated Self Tag drop-off location.

According to American’s website, self-tagging will be expanded soon to Chicago O’Hare and Reagan National.

Not sure why it’s didn’t work out in Boston….<insert Boston joke here>

Photo: American Airlines Check In Kiosks
Credit: Photo courtesy Grant Wickes on Flickr

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-YznwL_nQs

Qantas is testing a new “Next Generation” check-in service with premium members of their frequent flyer program in Sydney and Perth.   This new ground service will enable their premium customers to bypass the lines and to speed through the check-in process.

Late last year, some Silver, Gold and Platinum members of their Qantas Frequent Flyer program received a Next Generation Check-In Launch Kit which contained a “Q Card” which has a RFID smart chip embedded in it and a “Q Bag Tag” luggage tag which also contains an embedded smart chip.

When a passenger gets to the airport all they have to do is tap their Q Card against a scanning post to check-in for their flight, then they can use the same Q Card as a boarding pass.   Once they’ve checked in, all they have to do is drop off their Q Bag tagged suitcases at a self-service drop off point.  No more printed paper bag tags.

American Airlines has been testing a self service bag tag at their kiosks in Boston for a few months now.   Not sure that they’ll adopt the same process as Qantas, but I wouldn’t be surprised if at some point in the future they don’t start offering something similar.

You can view more videos of the Qantas Next Generation Check-In on their website.  Ron Hill has a fascinating first hand review of the experience on his City of Sound blog.