Packing my roll-a-board bag is artfully challenging. The bag itself is a bit smaller than average, so once I pack a pair of shoes in addition to those on my feet, space is at a premium. I call her Baby Blue (that’s opposed to “Big Red,” the name of my huge backpack I got when I was 17 and heading to Europe for the first time) because, well, she’s small, she’s blue and she goes everywhere with me.
Whether I’m heading home to see my parents, or making an overnight stop at one of Atlantic Southeast’s field locations to visit with a team, Baby Blue makes the trip … but usually by a fraction of time.
It never fails. I arrive at the gate with mere minutes of the door closing and find out that I’m one of the last passengers to board. So there I am, handing my boarding pass to the agent and wondering whether there will be any space for Baby Blue in the overhead bin; and if there is, is it anywhere near my seat?
Luckily, I’m flying to Toronto from Atlanta and it’s a Delta Connection flight operated by Atlantic Southeast Airlines. The overhead bins are big enough for my laptop case and purse, but Baby Blue doesn’t have a chance. Instead, I get a pink tag from the agent, wrap it around Baby Blue’s handle, and drop her off at the end of the jet bridge before boarding the plane. When I arrive in Toronto, she is sitting at the bottom of the stairs, ready to be retrieved and head to customs.
The valet bag tag service is something Atlantic Southeast is proud to be able to share with our passengers. If you’re flying with us in the Delta Connection network, the tag is bright pink; if you’re traveling with us in the United Express network, the tag is neon green. In either case, just ask the gate agent for a tag as you board. The service provides the convenience of plane-side drop off and skipping the wait at the baggage carousel so you can head straight to life’s moments waiting for you at your destination.
