Q bag tags

[seanthesheep]

How do the Q bag tags actually work?

My question is this: If I’m travelling somewhere with some empty suitcases which all have q bag tags, can I put them inside each other and only the outside bag tag will be recognised?

Or will the system recognise bag tags INSIDE the luggage and think that there are multiple suitcases, even though they are inside each other?

Anyone have any idea?

 

[Ade]

Should work ideally. The baggage scanner looks for any "visible" barcodes to scan, which is why when using QF baggage tags, it's recommended to remove any visible barcodes from earlier trips or those long white baggage tags that's attached when checking in the bag

if there are other QF tags inside the bag, then it shouldn't be an issue

 

[defurax]

You can't have 2 tags in a bag. Computer says no

 

[Ade]

You can't have 2 tags in a bag. Computer says no

But if one the tags is tied to a small bag, which is placed inside a larger bag with a QTag on ... that shouldn't be a problem right?

 

[defurax]

Should work ideally. The baggage scanner looks for any "visible" barcodes to scan, which is why when using QF baggage tags, it's recommended to remove any visible barcodes from earlier trips or those long white baggage tags that's attached when checking in the bag

if there are other QF tags inside the bag, then it shouldn't be an issue

Actually it's RFID, so the scanner detects the tag inside the suitcase.

 

[Ade]

Actually it's RFID, so the scanner detects the tag inside the suitcase.

Wow .. cool ... okie ... I stand corrected then ... I have always used the QTag and I remember once the agent asking me to remove any visible barcodes from my earlier trip .. and it worked .. so I assumed the issue was the "visible" barcode.

let me try the small bag-big bag check the next time I travel

 

[Pushka]

How do the Q bag tags actually work?

My question is this: If I’m travelling somewhere with some empty suitcases which all have q bag tags, can I put them inside each other and only the outside bag tag will be recognised?

Or will the system recognise bag tags INSIDE the luggage and think that there are multiple suitcases, even though they are inside each other?

Anyone have any idea?

I've lost a bag by accidentally having a spare Q tag inside the case. Don't do it.

 

[defurax]

Wow .. cool ... okie ...

let me try the small bag-big bag check the next time I travel

Have fun!
It happened to me once, I had left a Q-tag inside my suitcase (travelled with 2 bags, came home with one) and I had to open my suitcase and remove the other tag at the bag drop.

 

[Ade]

I've lost a bag by accidentally having a spare Q tag inside the case. Don't do it.

<Ade is wearing the curious cat hat>

So the tag on the bag was yours and when you checked in, the system linked the barcode on the QTag to your booking reference. However, the spare QTag you had did not have any booking reference linked to it and so the baggage sorting system did not know where it was headed and hence it was lost?

Is that the right way to understand why your bag was lost when you had a spare QTag inside it? ....

 

[Pushka]

<Ade is wearing the curious cat hat>

So the tag on the bag was yours and when you checked in, the system linked the barcode on the QTag to your booking reference. However, the spare QTag you had did not have any booking reference linked to it and so the baggage sorting system did not know where it was headed and hence it was lost?

Is that the right way to understand why your bag was lost when you had a spare QTag inside it? ....

I have no idea what the system did. It initially read the outside Q tag and went on the belt but it never left on the flight and stayed in the departure airport.

 

[Anna]

How do the Q bag tags actually work?

Trick question. They don't. Unless by 'work' you mean 'redirect your bag to the wrong baggage belt on arrival so you can't find it until you happen to spot it by complete fluke' or 'on departure, get your bag shunted to some side belt because the machine can't read the tag properly so the bag has to wait for manual handling and as a result it misses your flight'. Both of which have happened to me.

 

[Matt_01]

Have fun!
It happened to me once, I had left a Q-tag inside my suitcase (travelled with 2 bags, came home with one) and I had to open my suitcase and remove the other tag at the bag drop.

I was at the BNE bag drop a few years back and was held up by a CL rummaging through their bag trying to find their other tag that was in the bag. He was been assisted (and I do not been also rummaging through his bag) by a QF agent who was not letting others past until he was sorted. It was one of the few times I thought to myself if I had the white tag on my luggage, maybe she would have let me past.

 

[DC3]

… if I had the white tag on my luggage, maybe she would have let me past.

There’s always DYKWIA (preferably in a loud voice) if all else fails. But you already knew that.

 

[Matt_01]

There’s always DYKWIA (preferably in a loud voice) if all else fails. But you already knew that.

Note to self, replace PS bag tags with SG ones. Next time at airport push to the front of the line while calling (in a loud voice) elite, preferred, high status PAX coming through

 

[Matt_01]

I have always used the QTag and I remember once the agent asking me to remove any visible barcodes from my earlier trip .. and it worked .. so I assumed the issue was the "visible" barcode.

I rarely travel with luggage and assumed/ suspected that all the little stick on barcodes were single use. Personally I hate those little white stickers on my luggage and remove them ASAP, that been said I would suggest there are some who leave them in place as some type of "I've been everywhere badge". These types can be seen and often viewed at most check in areas, each to their own.

 

[Robert K]

Self check in usually fails when it can detect multiple tags. At least it does when I forget.

 

[TheInsider]

Wow .. cool ... okie ... I stand corrected then ... I have always used the QTag and I remember once the agent asking me to remove any visible barcodes from my earlier trip .. and it worked .. so I assumed the issue was the "visible" barcode.

let me try the small bag-big bag check the next time I travel

It scans for a barcode of a paper tag and any stubs, but it also scans for any RFID chips.

So if it detects an RFID and a barcode then it wont activate. Barcodes could be from literally any old flight too, get rid of those stupid stubs on your bags!

 

[TheInsider]

I rarely travel with luggage and assumed/ suspected that all the little stick on barcodes were single use. Personally I hate those little white stickers on my luggage and remove them ASAP, that been said I would suggest there are some who leave them in place as some type of "I've been everywhere badge". These types can be seen and often viewed at most check in areas, each to their own.

They are single use in terms of belonging to you, but when they travel down the sortation system and your bag has 100's of these 'bingo stubs', then it will be a case of manual intervention and possibly bags not making the flight. Bag tags are limited to 6 numbers with certain subset of numbers reserved for other reasons. So theoretically the numbers get reused all the time.

The sortation systems needs a BSM (baggage source message) from the checkin system as well, so if it scans old tags, then once again, manual intervention is needed and that takes time.

Also just as a side bit of info the sortation system in SYD and MEL QF, takes about 7 minutes from check-in to go to the baggage lateral (where the bag gets picked up from).

 

[Beano]

I once printed a bag tag and had the Qtag attached also. The bag drop machine wouldn't take my bag because it said two tags detected. I removed the Qtag and all was OK.

 

[AFF_SP]

My experience is that the scanner can read tags inside your bag, and it gets 'confused'. A few years ago I had a tagged bag inside a tagged bag and the scanner couldn't cope. The attendant came over and asked if I had another tag inside the bag and I had to remove it before the scanner would let my bag be processed.