Air travellers will now be able to print luggage tags at home or attach electronic tags to their bags, a move designed to improve check-in times at the airport.
Transportation Minister Marc Garneau announced the change during a Facebook Live event on Thursday.
Print-at-home tags must be inserted into reusable tag holders and attached to bags.
There will also be an electronic tag option that relies on a reusable plastic tag with an electronic ink screen (like an e-reader) that is provided by the airline. The tag is wirelessly connected and updates its destination information via the airline鈥檚 app.
Garneau says the new tagging options demonstrate his ministry鈥檚 commitment to using technology.
鈥淲ith e-tagging, Canadians and their families can check-in faster so that they spend less time in line and more time enjoying the travel experience,鈥� he said in a statement.
Tony Tyler, chief executive officer of the International Air Transport Association, said other jurisdictions could take from Canada鈥檚 lead.
鈥淎ir travellers want the ability to do more things for themselves and to take more control over the travel process. By approving this baggage self-tagging initiative, Transport Canada is enabling airlines to respond to that need.鈥�
Ian Jack, a national spokesperson at the Canadian Automobile Association, says his group applauds any initiative designed to improve the flow of lines at the airport. Not all passengers will print luggage tags from home or get e-tags but any who do will mean shorter lines for everyone else, he said.
But much more needs to be done at security screening, the real point of backlog for passengers.
The Canadian Air Transport Security Authority, the agency responsible for security at all airports, collects $200 million more than its budget in fees applied to flights. That means, Jack says, there is plenty left to hire more staff to improve waiting times.
A government-commissioned report last year urged Ottawa to regulate standards and include customer service as a pillar of CATSA鈥檚 mandate
Airport security changed drastically after the 9/11 attacks, says Jack. But that was 15 years ago, and many jurisdictions have since proved that vigilant security and good customer service can go together.
For instance, Heathrow airport in London and airports in Israel must clear 95 per cent of passengers through security in five minutes or less.
CAA is also advocating for a middle line between the general security line and those with Nexus passes. The middle line would be for pre-screened passengers on a list of approved travellers, but that process would be less onerous and expensive than applying for Nexus, said Jack.
In his Facebook Live discussion, Garneau said his government is not considering a bill of rights for Canadian passengers, but he said his department is looking at all aspects of the passenger experience.
He said many of the complaints he hears are about airline overbooking.
鈥淚f you buy a ticket and you get it and you鈥檙e told there鈥檚 a seat for you, that seat should be there.鈥�
