New Next Gen Card and Bag Tags have arrived!

[anat0l]

The actualy Q tag numbers on the back are related to your FF account incase these tags get lost or stolen. But has not relation to the person checking in your bags and their status etc etc.

Which unfortunately is no more effective than those who note down their laptop serial numbers in hope that this is good evidence to use when their said equipment is lost or stolen.

You must be tired. May I suggest "A Cup Of Tea, A Bex and A Good Lie Down".

As for tags breaking, never under estimate the power of machinery. I have had a many tags disappear off checked luggage. One double Gold Tag was completely severed, leaving about two bits of plastic, about 2cm held together by the eyelet and this all still attached to the bag by the plastic cord. Another time there was simply the eyelet and plastic cord, many times they simply had disappeared.

I have no idea what a Bex is, and a good degree of this holiday has already been spent in my hotel room or lying down (unfortunately).

I'm not saying that the tags easily break. Any tag easily breaks, except one which is fairly flexible / non-rigid / can fold and crease easily. This is one reason I just use the "paper" address bag tags you find at airport counters on my bag tags. Another member of this forum has criticised me for this, in saying that I could very well just use my supplied QF bag tags and get free replacements if they are damaged/lost/stolen.

Probably what medhead has said about the bag tags themselves being a source of theft is legitimately concerning. But how does one address this concern? In a way, it is almost similar to the concerns we have now about bags being stolen on domestic routes, i.e. this is why you keep a keen lookout for your bag just in case someone has itchy hands. You would adopt a similar approach to make sure your Q Bag Tag doesn't get nicked. A similar problem exists to ensure people "behind the wall" (e.g. baggage handlers, other staff) do not steal Q Bag Tags. We can't very well actively stop those people from stealing bags now and we certainly can't stop them from stealing Q Bag Tags to the same degree. So what to do?

 

[JohnPhelan]

But isn't your individual FF number (and therefore, through the QF system, your name) recorded on the chip inside the tag? So that if John Smith (QFF number 123456) has his tag stolen, it's of no use to the thief, because the data on the chip inside the tag relates to the legitimate and original owner, not the thief??

 

[TheInsider]

But isn't your individual FF number (and therefore, through the QF system, your name) recorded on the chip inside the tag? So that if John Smith (QFF number 123456) has his tag stolen, it's of no use to the thief, because the data on the chip inside the tag relates to the legitimate and original owner, not the thief??

The barcode on the back can relate back to the original owner (even though the barcode numbers mean absolutly nothing to anyone besides QF), the information inside of the chip only stores the previous flight details that you flew on. When you travel again, that data is removed and new flight data is added on. But barcode still remains the same. But still even if it was stolen, there wouldn't be any way to follow it up as you'd have to check every single bag and the barcode AFAIK.

 

[oz_mark]

I have no idea what a Bex is, and a good degree of this holiday has already been spent in my hotel room or lying down (unfortunately).

The youth of today. Not knowing what Bex is . Or should I say serfty is showing his age using that phrase :mrgreen:

(Bex was a compound analgesic consisting of Aspirin, Phenacetin and Caffeine)

But isn't your individual FF number (and therefore, through the QF system, your name) recorded on the chip inside the tag? So that if John Smith (QFF number 123456) has his tag stolen, it's of no use to the thief, because the data on the chip inside the tag relates to the legitimate and original owner, not the thief??

No, there is no identifying data kept on the bag tag chip.

 

[JohnK]

Sorry but that just sounds stupid, would you really rather wait in the 'premium' service desk queue to be checked in by a person for up to 1 to 20min+ or more easily just drop off your bag at the bag drop taking on average 15sec to do.

'Premium' is the key word here. As long as I am not travelling a LCC but paying QF a premium for the airfares then I don't expect to be printing luggage tags and attaching them to my luggage. Service desk queue will do me fine for now.

Will assess the situation again if I feel extra time in the lounge is warranted.

Some people here are taking this argument to stupid levels.

Relax anat0l. Some people are entitled to have concerns regardless of whether other people think these concerns are stupid or not....

 

[TheInsider]

'Premium' is the key word here. As long as I am not travelling a LCC but paying QF a premium for the airfares then I don't expect to be printing luggage tags and attaching them to my luggage. Service desk queue will do me fine for now.

You don't have to attach your own baggage paper tags, this is what the Q tag is for.
Well bluntly, you'll be still waiting in a queue for a while then while a QF staff member actually tags a bag for you.

 

[samh004]

But still even if it was stolen, there wouldn't be any way to follow it up as you'd have to check every single bag and the barcode AFAIK.

So big brother Qantas hasn’t also imbedded a GPS chip in each one?

'Premium' is the key word here. As long as I am not travelling a LCC but paying QF a premium for the airfares then I don't expect to be printing luggage tags and attaching them to my luggage. Service desk queue will do me fine for now.

Luckily with the new tags you don’t need to print your own luggage tag and attach them to luggage, as you’ll have your permanent tag already attached

 

[NM]

I guess it would be very easy to detect if a baggage handler has souvenired Q tags by placing an RFDI reader near the exit staff clock-off location.

 

[opusman]

So big brother Qantas hasn’t also imbedded a GPS chip in each one?

For $50 / tag they could have afforded to!

 

[djfuzz]

The youth of today. Not knowing what Bex is . Or should I say serfty is showing his age using that phrase :mrgreen:

Not necessarily - can only speak as a Gen X/Y cusper, we discovered the catchphrase and what Bex was when reading Ray Lawler's Summer of the Seventeenth Doll in year 11 (in a footnote, mind).

Maybe it's been taken off the curriculum?

/OT

Surely the whole point of an RFID tag is that it can be kept inside an outer pocket, without requiring any visual cues for handlers to direct/treat the bags. Otherwise, what exactly is the value they're adding over paper tags?

 

[Fantic125]

The concern is not about having the bag stolen. The key difference is that paper routing tags have no secondary value. Whereas the new tags have a nominal $50 value. That could make the tag itself an attractive target. Stealing a bag has a high risk and low payoff - hard to conceal, could be full of dirty underwear. The new tag - small, quick to remove, easy to conceal, worth up to $50 if a secondary market develops for them. Someone at the destination could just take them off and pop the bag onto the correct baggage claim.

The back of the tag has a surface designed for handwritten contact details. IMHO writing your name & contact number on them in permanent marker would pretty well eliminate any secondary value (in most instances).

 

[blackhelicopter]

I've pinged Qantas PR to find a little more about these tags - to confirm cost, if we get two new tags each year with out new cards, what replacement policy is if a tag is damaged beyond working order, and if there is any technical or secuirty reason the tag can't be tucked into an external pocket of a bag rather than be left dangling naked at the mercy of the machines!

Will let you guys know what I hear when I hear it!

I can think of a big one.

There's a barcode on the back of the tag. If the RFID inside the tag quits with the tag remaining otherwise intact, that's plan B for QF to identify your bag. If the tag is inside a pocket, they can't scan the barcode.

 

[samh004]

I can think of a big one.

There's a barcode on the back of the tag. If the RFID inside the tag quits with the tag remaining otherwise intact, that's plan B for QF to identify your bag. If the tag is inside a pocket, they can't scan the barcode.

So just write on the outside of the bag to check in this "pointing arrow" pocket for the tag.

 

[medhead]

The actual Q tag numbers on the back are related to your FF account incase these tags get lost or stolen. But has not relation to the person checking in your bags and their status etc etc.

But still even if it was stolen, there wouldn't be any way to follow it up as you'd have to check every single bag and the barcode AFAIK.

I think you answered yourself here. Ever if the barcode is linked to a particular FF that is not going to impede theft. What would need to happen is that the FF reports it stolen (or is that lost) then when someone uses it a light flashes or something. Then the CSA is expected to confront the potential thief? :shock: What if the person with the tag then says "not stolen, he gave it to me". The CSA is then in a untenable situation and will most likely let it go (totally reasonable to do so IMO). As mentioned recording the barcode doesn't prevent theft.

The back of the tag has a surface designed for handwritten contact details. IMHO writing your name & contact number on them in permanent marker would pretty well eliminate any secondary value (in most instances).

Pretty easy to remove permanent marker in most cases. Or cover them over. :idea: Besides no one is going to be cross checking the hand written details. How many people when confronted with $50 from Qantas or $25 from Ebay, will pick ebay? A large number in my opinion.

 

[gbetox]

Hello all,

I've been flying Qantas since September 2009 (moved from the US), and in 9 months reached SG. I've just received my new card + tags. In the enclosed letter, Mr. Carter says: "In recognition of your loyalty, we are delighted to extend your Gold membership until June 2012."

Big deal! I have already flown enough to keep my SG status, going platinum after a couple of YUP flights in the US (SAN-ORD-MIA-ORD-SAN is around $1200 and 480 SC).

Qantas is trying to make it look like they are doing me a favor, when in fact I must thank AA for their cheap first class tickets!

BTW, thanks AFF! The -T80 tip rocks!

 

[anat0l]

You don't have to attach your own baggage paper tags, this is what the Q tag is for.
Well bluntly, you'll be still waiting in a queue for a while then while a QF staff member actually tags a bag for you.

Sounds good that the Service Desk will attach the tag for you (cf. handing you the tag and telling you to attach it to the bag). Will they inject bags for you as well, or do you need to take your tagged bag to the injector?

 

[samh004]

Hello all,

I've been flying Qantas since September 2009 (moved from the US), and in 9 months reached SG. I've just received my new card + tags. In the enclosed letter, Mr. Carter says: "In recognition of your loyalty, we are delighted to extend your Gold membership until June 2012."

Big deal! I have already flown enough to keep my SG status, going platinum after a couple of YUP flights in the US (SAN-ORD-MIA-ORD-SAN is around $1200 and 480 SC).

Qantas is trying to make it look like they are doing me a favor, when in fact I must thank AA for their cheap first class tickets!

No. If you'd read this thread and I admit it's long, you'll have noted they've said that to a number of members and the reality is they probably printed all that a while ago and have been waiting to send it.

If you believe they're that blind, you probably also believe everything nonews prints.

 

[Flying Fox]

My recent experience.

Used my new NGCI card at ADL yesterday with the older style (red) kiosks. Card couldn't be read. Anyone else had this problem?

Used my new NGCI card in PTH with the new check-in pole and it worked fine. At the air-bridge I also received my shopping docket and boarded my flight as per normal.

 

[flyinghightoday]

Mine arrived yesterday, a new silver card and a new qantas club card. The tags were silver colour too.

 

[equus]

I think you answered yourself here. Ever if the barcode is linked to a particular FF that is not going to impede theft. What would need to happen is that the FF reports it stolen (or is that lost) then when someone uses it a light flashes or something. Then the CSA is expected to confront the potential thief? :shock: What if the person with the tag then says "not stolen, he gave it to me". The CSA is then in a untenable situation and will most likely let it go (totally reasonable to do so IMO). As mentioned recording the barcode doesn't prevent theft.

I tend to disagree. In order for the system to work, the unique code needs to be linked within the system to the booking. When the tag is lost or stolen, and the owner wants a replacement (for no charge), they contact Qantas - who naturally asks which one has been lost (or both / all). When issuing a replacement, they deactivate the old tag so it cannot be used as the system will no longer acknowledge the number.


This would work well in two respects:

1. It enables free replacements by preventing abuse such as requesting a replacement and selling it on.
2. As soon as it is known (publicised) that lost/stolen tags will be deactivated, the motivation to steal them is removed, since they won't work after the owner requests a repalcement.

Depending on your perspective, either respect may be more important (free replacements of lost tags), but setting up a system which removes the incentive for them to be stolen would be a good thing - it just needs to be publicised so that most people know they are of no use or value once reported lost.