--- title: "Thursday Buzz: Digitizing Bag Tags in Airports and Beyond" id: "29222" type: "post" slug: "thursday-buzz-digitizing-bag-tags-in-airports-and-beyond" published_at: "2015-07-09T19:25:14+00:00" modified_at: "2026-03-16T14:17:23+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2015/07/09/thursday-buzz-digitizing-bag-tags-in-airports-and-beyond/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2015/07/09/thursday-buzz-digitizing-bag-tags-in-airports-and-beyond.md" excerpt: "Digital bag tags could help ensure that your baggage doesn't get lost. Plus: A free book to help event managers make their events even more engaging." taxonomy_category: - "Meetings / Events" taxonomy_post_tag: - "AI" - "AssociationsNow" - "Baggage" - "Meetings" - "Technology" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_persona: - "Association Professionals" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » Thursday Buzz: Digitizing Bag Tags in Airports and Beyond Imagine a bag tag that knows it’s on the right—or wrong—flight. It’s not science fiction: New tracking tech is coming to baggage, and it could reduce the amount of lost luggage. Airline Air France-KLM announced it will be adopting digital baggage-tag technology, releasing their own permanent tags later this year, [the Wall Street Journal reports (opens in a new tab)](http://www.wsj.com/articles/bag-tags-1435340070) . [The small attachable device latches onto luggage (opens in a new tab)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFUHACwp8VA) and displays electronic labeling of flight information. Owners [can see where their stuff is going (opens in a new tab)](http://roadwarriorvoices.com/2015/07/04/airlines-opt-for-state-of-the-art-digital-bag-tags-so-your-lost-luggage-wont-end-up-in-alabama/) through smartphone updates. The tags will also automatically update as travelers’ itineraries change. “Home-printed and electronic bag tags are the low-hanging fruit for U.S. airlines,” Stephanie Taylor of [Airlines for America (opens in a new tab)](http://airlines.org/) told the *Journal*. “We’re expecting multiple carriers to adopt these solutions by the end of the year,” said Taylor, who specializes in passenger services issues. Air France-KLM is joining Qantas Airways, which has already introduced digital bag tags. The *Journal* reports that Brussels Airlines is also getting in on the action, along with companies eyeing partnerships with airlines. This effort aims to meet a [June 2018 deadline (opens in a new tab)](http://www.futuretravelexperience.com/2015/01/airlines-airports-prepare-for-baggage-tracking-resolution/) set by the International Air Transport Association, which is pushing airlines to improve baggage tracking. Admittedly, there are some worries: The advocacy group [Travelers United (opens in a new tab)](http://www.travelersunited.org) suggested to the *Journal* that the tags could negatively affect airport and airline workers’ jobs and could stop working during power outages or other disruptions. On the other hand, the group acknowledged that the tags could streamline and shorten travelers’ time in airport lines. Although it may take a while for the service to reach the United States, Air France-KLM says it is working with Delta Air Lines, a partner. Hang in there, America. ### A New Resource for Event Pros https://twitter.com/_BethanyNSmith/status/618892732183003136 **Need ideas and inspiration as an event manager?** The *Event Manager Blog* just [published a book (opens in a new tab)](http://engagingeventsbook.com/) , written by the site’s editor and downloadable for free. Julius Solaris complied research and experience into a 107-page book on how to use event strategy to best engage organizations and attendees. [Download it here (opens in a new tab)](http://engagingeventsbook.com/) . ### Other Links for Your Day **It’s Thursday.** You’ve been putting off that dull, tedious assignment. It may be best to do it when you’re in a slump, Davis & Company CEO Alison Davis [explains over at Inc (opens in a new tab)](http://www.inc.com/alison-davis/5-surprising-ways-to-tackle-boring-tasks.html) . **Want people to read your email?** Make the subject line weird. [Lifehacker‘s Eric Ravenscraft (opens in a new tab)](http://lifehacker.com/try-a-weird-subject-line-to-get-your-emails-read-1716460575) cites a [Copyblogger piece (opens in a new tab)](http://www.copyblogger.com/rd-email-subject-lines/) on how an odd or crazy subject line may get the reader’s attention. **Your organization just snagged some success.** But how do you share it? [Association Executive Management’s David M. Patt (opens in a new tab)](http://aem-patt.com/aem-blog/index.php?itemid=1985) discusses how to do that in a classy way, by focusing on services. (Handout photo) [Patrick deHahn](https://associationsnow.com/author/patrick-dehahn/) Patrick deHahn is a contributor to Associations Now. [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/patrick-dehahn/) Tags: [#AI](https://associationsnow.com/tag/ai/) [#Baggage](https://associationsnow.com/tag/baggage/) [#Meetings](https://associationsnow.com/tag/meetings/) [#Technology](https://associationsnow.com/tag/technology/) **Stay Informed** [Subscribe to our free newsletter](https://associationsnow.com/newsletter/) , *Associations Now Daily News*, to find out what’s happening in the association world every business day. ## You Might Like - [PodcastAssociations Now Presents: Beyond the Tech Stack: How AI Is Changing the Association PlaybookOctober 29, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/10/29/associations-now-presents-beyond-the-tech-stack-how-ai-is-changing-the-association-playbook/) - [PodcastAssociations Now Presents: Beyond the Contract: Building Stronger Destination PartnershipsSeptember 24, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/09/24/associations-now-presents-beyond-the-contract-building-stronger-destination-partnerships/) - [VideoMelvin Tennant, CAE, President & CEO of Meet Minneapolis, Welcomes You to Great Ideas 2026September 2, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/09/02/melvin-tennant-cae-president-ceo-of-meet-minneapolis-welcomes-you-to-great-ideas-2026/) - [VideoASAE TV Daily Recap: Final Day at the 2026 ASAE Annual Meeting & ExpositionAugust 24, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/08/24/asae-tv-daily-recap-final-day-at-the-2026-asae-annual-meeting-exposition/) ## Comments **Comments are for ASAE members.** [Learn more about comments on this site.](https://associationsnow.com/comments/) [Log in](https://associationsnow.com/login?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fassociationsnow.com%2F2015%2F07%2F09%2Fthursday-buzz-digitizing-bag-tags-in-airports-and-beyond%2F%23comments) to your member account or [join ASAE](https://my.asaecenter.org/select-a-membership-type/) !