Airline trials self-tagging tech

Aviation News Today.

Craig Richey, American's GM for Austin, says American is testing this self-tag feature at nine check-in kiosks - speeding the check-in process by allowing customers to check bags simultaneously and tag them - "at Austin-Bergstrom.

According to Self-Service World, after printing their tags from kiosks, passengers may place the tags on their luggage without agent supervision. However, they must still see an agent, who checks IDs, scans the tags for validation and sets bags on a conveyor belt.

Agents scan the tags that each contains a barcode and the destination airport code as bags go through the screening process.

While self-tagging is common at airports in many countries, including Canada, only airline agents have been allowed to do it in the US.

The Transportation Security Administration has also approved a similar trial for Alaska Airlines and Air Canada, according to the International Air Transport Association, an airline trade group, writes USA Today. IATA says 35 airlines worldwide currently offer self-tagging, it says.

Last year, American Airlines said it planned to introduce the trial at Boston Logan. Richey says American picked Austin because of its "open layout and efficient passenger flow".