Digital tags replace paper luggage labels

There’s a poignancy about removing old dog-eared luggage tags that have accumulated on the handles of suitcases, but according to airlines they are outmoded way of tracking luggage that costs passengers time and should be replaced by reusable electronic tags.

British Airways is testing a new electronic luggage tag designed to do away with the need for a new paper tag for every new flight.

Once checked in, passengers hold their smartphone over the electronic tag, which then displays a unique barcode relating to their flight as well as the bag’s destination.
British Airways claims that the patent-pending electronic tag will save time for passengers.

Taking a bicycle by plane

There are all sorts of reasons why you would want to take your own bike by plane on holiday with you rather than hire one out there. Quite apart from the familiarity of using your own bicycle and avoiding the unnecessary expense, unless your bicycle is worth £500 or less, it’s unlikely it will be covered against theft by a standard travel insurance policy. When you check in your bike as an over-sized item, the airline will give you a receipt for it and assume responsibility for its safekeeping, but rather than have to go through the rigmarole of making a claim for damage from the airline an increasing number of cyclists choose to cover the bike with a specialist cycle insurance policy. The insurer pays out for the damage and then takes it up with the airline themselves.

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We do travel insurance, too

ETA travel insurance is rated by Which? as better than that offered by American Express, Barclays and Tesco. It covers medical expenses up to £5m (£10m for annual policies), baggage cover up to £3,500, cancellation cover up to £5,000, up to £750 cash and passport cover and low excess (£50 single trip / £25 annual)

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