Hey everyone, it’s Javi from the check-in terminal team here, and today I’m diving into one of the most common questions we get from airport ops managers, front-desk agents, and even confused travelers who’ve fumbled with a crumpled boarding pass and a missing bag tag: do check-in terminals actually let you print baggage tags? Spoiler: if you’ve ever walked up to a self-service kiosk and noticed that little slot next to the boarding pass printer, yeah—this is the feature we’re talking about. But let’s break this down beyond the “yes” that everyone expects, because there’s a lot that goes into making that feature work, and it’s not just a one-size-fits-all add-on we tossed in for fun. Check-in Terminal
First, let’s set the scene. A few months back, I was chatting with a ground operations lead at a mid-sized European airport, and they were complaining that their old legacy kiosks—from a vendor that’s been around since we all used flip phones—could barely print a boarding pass, let alone a bag tag. Agents were stuck printing tags at a separate counter, which created lines, slowed down peak travel times, and let’s be real, made everyone hate their job a little more when a dozen people were crowding the same spot. That’s exactly why our team built the baggage tag print feature into every check-in terminal we ship, no extra fees, no confusing add-ons. But it’s not just about slapping a printer on a kiosk and calling it done. There’s a whole process behind making that feature reliable, because if your bag tag is misprinted, you’re looking at delayed flights, lost luggage, and a very unhappy customer.
Let’s start with how the whole workflow works, because most travelers (and even some airport staff) don’t realize how tightly this is tied to airline systems. When a passenger checks in—whether via the kiosk at the airport, their phone, or a travel agent portal—their reservation info gets sent to the airline’s main system, which then syncs with the check-in terminal. When they select how many bags they’re checking, the terminal pulls that bag number, their flight details, their frequent flyer info (if they have it), and the unique barcode that airport operations teams use to track bags from check-in to baggage claim. The baggage tag printer then spits out a little sticky label—usually a 4×6 inch thermal sticker, no ink needed, which is way easier to replace for airport maintenance teams—with all that info, and the passenger sticks it on their bag. For us, we test that sync with every major airline’s API, because if that connection drops, the feature is useless. We’ve had clients test our terminals in a fake airport environment where we purposely cut the Wi-Fi, and the terminal alerts agents immediately, says “bag tag print failed due to system sync,” so no one’s left staring at a blank screen trying to figure out what’s wrong.
But wait—what about the people who still prefer to check in with an agent, not a self-service terminal? Oh, the baggage tag feature isn’t just for self-service kiosks. We have integrated baggage drop terminals too—those the ones next to the self-service lanes where you drop your bag after it’s tagged, or where agents can check in passengers and print tags right on the spot. Last year, a client in the Middle East told us that switching to our integrated terminals cut their check-in time by 30% during Hajj season, which is massive when you’re dealing with thousands of travelers in a single day. Agents no longer have to juggle a separate bag tag printer, a barcode scanner, and a laptop; everything’s in one terminal, so they can help passengers faster, and fewer bags go missing because of misread tags.
Now, let’s talk about the fine print, because this is where a lot of smaller vendors cut corners. Not all baggage tag printers are the same, and not all check-in terminals can handle them. We use industrial-grade thermal printers that are rated for 24/7 use—airports don’t close, right? So a printer that works 8 hours a day in an office is useless when you need it to run non-stop for 12 hour shifts, during holidays, when a flight’s delayed and 500 people show up at once. We also make sure the terminals can handle different tag sizes—some airlines use smaller tags for regional flights, some use larger ones for international, and some even require extra tags for connecting flights. Our system auto-adjusts, so the passenger doesn’t have to fumble with settings—they just select the number of bags, hit print, and it works. No waiting for an agent to adjust a dial, no jammed tags because the size was wrong.
Another thing we prioritize is accessibility, which I know is a buzzword, but it’s actually super important here. A lot of older terminals’ baggage tag printers are tucked away in a slot that’s too high for wheelchair users, or the print screen is too small for people with visual impairments. Our terminals have adjustable heights for the bag tag slot, plus large, high-contrast buttons for people who need them, and audio prompts for every step: “Please confirm number of bags,” “Baggage tag printing—please remove when finished.” We worked with a few disability advocacy groups when designing that part, because if a passenger can’t reach the slot or can’t see where the tag is, the feature is basically useless for them. And honestly, that’s just common sense—airports are for everyone, not just people who can reach a 5ft high slot.
I get it, some people are skeptical—they’ve been burned before by a kiosk that prints a tag that’s unreadable, or jams mid-print, so they end up waiting longer than they would have at a counter. That’s why we do on-site testing for every client before they launch. We send our tech team out for a week to run stress tests: we have 200 people check in at the same time, simulate multiple flight delays, test different tag types, even pour a little water on the terminal (not on purpose, but we’ve had a few close calls) to make sure nothing breaks. Last quarter, a client in Canada told us that their old kiosks had a 12% bag tag jam rate; after switching to ours, that dropped to less than 1%, which is a game-changer for their operations. No more agents running around with a paper towel and a screwdriver fixing a jam at 6am when the first flight of the day is leaving.
Wait, but what about the future? Are baggage tag print features going to change? Absolutely. We’re already testing a feature that lets passengers pick up their bag tags on their phone, but the in-terminal print feature isn’t going away anytime soon. A lot of travelers still prefer having a physical tag—they’re worried about their phone dying, or forgetting to download the app, or the airline’s app glitching. Plus, for airports, physical tags are still the most reliable way to track bags, especially in areas with spotty cell service. The feature is evolving, though—we’re working on tags that have QR codes as well as barcodes, so baggage handling teams can scan them faster with their mobile devices, and tags that are more tear-resistant, because no one wants a tag that falls off a bag mid-flight.
Let’s circle back to the original question, because I know that’s why you’re here. The short answer is yes, every modern check-in terminal should have a baggage tag print feature, and it should be a standard part of the terminal, not an expensive add-on. But the real question is: how good is that feature? Does it sync with your airline’s system? Is it reliable during peak times? Is it accessible for all passengers? Those are the things that separate a good check-in terminal from one that’s going to give your team headaches and your customers bad experiences.
We’ve worked with airports of all sizes—from small regional ones with a few flights a day to huge hubs that handle millions of passengers a year—and every single one has told us that the baggage tag feature is a non-negotiable. It’s not just about convenience; it’s about reducing lost luggage, cutting wait times, and making the whole airport experience less stressful for everyone. If you’re an airport operations manager, or someone responsible for upgrading your check-in systems, and you’re wondering if your current terminal’s baggage tag feature is up to par, or if you want to upgrade to a terminal that works as hard as your team does, hit us up to chat. We don’t do pushy sales stuff—we just walk you through how the feature works, show you test results, and answer any weird questions you have (yes, we’ve had someone ask if the printer works with custom holiday-themed tags, and surprise, it does).
At the end of the day, check-in terminals aren’t just machines that print boarding passes and bag tags. They’re the first point of contact a passenger has with your airport, and if that first step is smooth—if they can print their own tag, drop their bag quickly, and get on their flight on time—they’re going to have a better experience all around. That’s why we put so much work into the baggage tag feature, because it’s not just a function—it’s part of making travel less of a hassle.
Wait, before I wrap this up, let me answer one more question I get all the time: do self-service check-in terminals print tags for international flights? Yeah, they do—we designed our system to handle all the extra info that international tags need: visa codes, customs declarations, multiple connecting flight numbers. A lot of people think self-service is only for domestic flights, but no—our terminals have been used for everything from cross-continental routes to inter-island hops in the Caribbean. We tested that a lot a few years back when a client in the Bahamas needed to handle hundreds of international travelers, and the baggage tag feature worked flawlessly, even when Wi-Fi was spotty over the ocean.
Oh, and one last fun fact: we recently updated our terminals to let passengers print a second baggage tag if their first one tears or gets lost mid-check-in. No need to go find an agent or re-do your whole check-in. That’s the kind of small feature that makes a big difference. I’ve heard from so many travelers who’ve had their tag catch on a suitcase handle mid-walk to the drop-off, and being able to print a second one right at the terminal saved them a huge headache.
If you’re curious about upgrading your check-in terminals, or want to learn more about how our baggage tag feature works, don’t hesitate to reach out for a procurement chat. We’re here to make your operations easier, not add more work.
POS System References:
- International Air Transport Association (IATA). (2023). Airport Self-Service Kiosk Standards: Baggage Tag Functionality Guidelines.
- Airport Terminal Operations Association. (2024). 2023 Global Airport Check-In Efficiency Report: Baggage Tag Printing Impact on Wait Times.
- Accessible Travel Infrastructure Project. (2022). ADA Compliance Guidelines for Airport Kiosks: Baggage Tag Accessibility Features.
- Global Baggage Tracking Consortium. (2023). Thermal Printer Durability Standards for 24/7 Airport Check-In Equipment.
- IATA. (2024). Future of Baggage Handling: Physical vs. Digital Tag Adoption Rates at Airports.
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