American Airlines has introduced new customer baggage notifications that went live officially yesterday. This service is designed to notify people flying of any irregular baggage operations, for example that their bag will arrive late. This service will be in addition to the baggage tracking which is already available in the AA mobile app.

American Airlines New Baggage Notifications

The three types of alerts our customers will receive: three types of alerts our customers will receive:

Early Baggage Arrival – This message alerts customers that their bag arrived before them and directs them to pick up their bag at the Baggage Service Office (BSO).

Late Baggage Arrival – Go to the Baggage Service Office. This message directs customers, for example those with an international segment in their reservation, to see an agent at the BSO.

Late Baggage Arrival – Mobile Baggage Order (MBO). This message advises customers to fill out a Mobile Baggage Order, or MBO, on their mobile device. The automated MBO asks for the customer’s delivery details and a bag description to help expedite reuniting the customer with their items. By using the MBO, customers no longer need to stop at the BSO to file a claim.

To receive alerts, customers can use the American Airlines app, sign up for an AAdvantage® account or provide contact information during booking or check-in.

Bottom Line

This is a pretty cool benefit that American has proactively put out for customers. Not knowing where your bag is and having to wait at a baggage carousel only to find out that your bag came earlier or not at all is frustrating. I think that this new notification approach has the potential to save AA travelers from that frustration. What do you think?