Bags Launches Valet Parking, Curbside Check-In at Orlando International Airport

Bags®, the world leader in multi-airline remote check-in and luggage delivery services, is pleased to announce the launch of valet parking and multi-airline curbside check-in at Orlando International Airport. The service is available in two locations: Level Three Departures of Terminal A and Level Three Departures of Terminal B. Passengers can valet park their car and check in with participating airlines for their flight right at the terminal in one convenient spot. Bags agents will print boarding passes, provide luggage tags and ensure that passengers’ luggage goes directly to the plane.
Returning flyers can also text valet agents upon landing and the return of their car
will be expedited.

“This is an exciting partnership for Bags and the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority,” says Bags Senior Vice President Steve Antonio. “We are excited to launch this much-needed service for airport passengers. Orlando International Airport has 35 million annual passengers and we want to make travel easier for as many of them
as possible.”

+ Valet parking is $25/day and includes complimentary curbside check-in.
+ Curbside check-in is available for participating airlines.
+ Additional concierge services will also be offered as part of this program.
+ Services will be available daily from 6:00 a.m. until the last arriving passenger
   has been serviced.

About Bags: For more than 25 years, Bags has been on a mission to Make Travel Easier. From convenient luggage delivery and remote airline check-in to premier parking and guest services for the travel and hospitality industries, Bags combines innovative offerings with unparalleled customer service to make travel less of a hassle for individuals and companies alike. With operations in more than 250 U.S. cities, Bags handles over five million checked bags, greets millions of guests and parks thousands of cars each year. Bags proudly provides services for all major airlines, cruise lines, renowned resorts and casinos, hotel chains, convention centers and rental car facilities across the country. See how Bags simplifies travel at Bagsinc.com.

Bags and Dreamflight 2014

Every year, the U.K. based charity Dreamflight sends 192 very deserving children with a serious illness or disability on the holiday of a lifetime to Orlando, Florida. Accompanied by health care professionals and other volunteers, these courageous children ages 8-14 board a chartered Boeing 747 aircraft to begin a once-in-a-lifetime trip to the sunshine state for 10 magical days of fun and excitement.

Upon arrival in Orlando, the children are treated to a water salute aboard the aircraft followed by an Orange County Police escort from the airport to the hotel. The next 10 days are filled with adventures at Walt Disney World®, Universal Orlando®, SeaWorld® Orlando, and Discovery Cove. The entire experience is a wonderful and indispensable escape from the reality — with activities ranging from meeting Disney characters to swimming with dolphins at Discovery Cove.

Since 2009, Bags® has volunteered its luggage delivery service to this extraordinary cause. Each year, we retrieve and deliver all baggage between the airport and hotels at arrival and departure. It’s our small way of contributing to a valuable occasion where children can develop confidence, independence, and a new outlook on life as they develop relationships with other children experiencing similar challenges.

For more information about the event, visit Dreamflight.org.

Bags Valet at the Grand Bohemian

Bags is pleased to announce our new partnership with the illustrious and sophisticated Grand Bohemian Hotel located in the middle of Orlando’s thriving downtown district. As of September 2014, Bags Parking & Guest Services is managing the valet staff and operations for one of Condé Nast Traveler‘s Top 20 Hotels in Florida.

Bags started more than 20 years ago as a valet parking company. The Parking and Guest Services arm of our company continues to be a leading service provider in more than 250 U.S. cities. From the moment they arrive, guests of the Grand Bohemian will receive first-rate customer service from Bags valet agents. Our highly trained team members—trusted to provide services for world-class hotels and resorts across the country—provide unparalleled valet services while utilizing leading-edge technology with capabilities such as text-request vehicle retrieval and options for mobile payments.

Looking to the future, Bags will soon provide our airline check-in service to the already amazing list of offers from the Grand Bohemian Hotel. Bags cross-trains guest service agents in all of the services we provide, creating a seamless travel experience for guests of the hotel from the moment they arrive at the Grand Bohemian until they return home.

Interested in visiting Orlando? Check out the Grand Bohemian Hotel for your stay, and look for Bags agents in the valet loop. For more information, click here. Guests can also book Bags VIP luggage delivery service before or after their trip and we’ll deliver your luggage from the airport to the Grand Bohemian so you can start your vacation the moment you land.

Bags is Honored at the Orlando Business Journal’s Golden 100 Awards Luncheon

Bags was proud to be recognized at the Orlando Business Journal’s Golden 100 Awards Luncheon held on Friday. This award ceremony gives Central Florida execs the opportunity to shine their shoes and put on their best suits in honor of the region’s top privately held companies. The companies on the Golden 100 list are the top privately held firms in Central Florida, ranked on total gross revenue for their most recent year-end. This year, Bags ranked 19th out of 100 area companies.

The luncheon honored many small businesses and their CEOs for their business excellence and contributions to the Central Florida business community. Bags could not be more excited to be the only luggage delivery service in attendance. Easing travelers’ burdens the past 20-plus years has fueled the growth of Bags, an innovative, nationwide provider of travel, hospitality and baggage delivery services, with operations in more than 250 U.S. cities. We’ve been helping to Make Travel Easier since 1990, and the recognition from the Orlando Business Journal means a great deal to our company.

This year the prestigious event was held at Orlando’s Rosen Shingle Creek. Visit the Orlando Business Journal’s website for a complete list of this year’s honorees. For more information on Bags and how we can help to Make Travel Easier visit bagsinc.com.

Bags Exhibiting at the GBTA 2014 Convention

Bags is proud to announce that we will be featured exhibitors at this year’s Global Business Travelers Association Convention in Los Angeles, California. The GBTA Convention is where travel professionals converge to learn about the latest ways to keep pace with the delightfully dizzying speed of industry advancement. 360 days of the year, they all push forward as individuals, but July 26-30th, the dynamic members of our world’s business travel community will swap ideas and forge connections to accelerate as one.

Bags is once again attending the convention to present group travel services, including Remote Baggage Check-In and Bags VIP Luggage Delivery, to the gathering of business travel and meetings managers, meeting planners and travel coordinators from every facet of the travel industry.

The 2014 convention theme, Business in Motion, aptly describes how the event will unfold, and Bags will be in booth #2242 throughout the event, where we will be showing business travel professionals how our services can help any organization Make Travel Easier.

Bags is the world leader in airline luggage delivery, a premier provider of valet and hospitality services, and the only company that can offer a complete airline and baggage check-in experience at off-airport locations like hotels and convention centers.

Onboard Airline Check-In Services Come to Copenhagen

After five years of hard work, Bags Inc. is proud to announce that its popular Onboard Airline Check-In services will be available for cruises out of the Port of Copenhagen in Denmark. Onboard Airline Check-In allows passengers to check-in for their flight, receive their boarding passes, and check their luggage – all from onboard the ship. This means no hassling with excess baggage on the last day of the cruise, so guests can make the most of the final day of their voyage – all without the burden of luggage.

Two cruise lines now sailing will offer the service – Holland America Line and Princess Cruises.

Princess Cruises will offer their onboard airline check-in service, Easy Check, aboard the Royal Princess. Ports of call include Oslo, Norway; Tallinn, Estonia; and Gothenburg, Sweden. Holland America’s Luggage Direct will be offered aboard the ms Eurodam, with round trip cruises from Copenhagen to destinations throughout Norway, including up-close views of Scandinavian fjords.

Bags Inc. will test the service for the remainder of the 2014 cruise season, offering it to passengers flying directly to the United States on Scandinavian Air. Cruise season in Copenhagen is from May to the beginning of September. A full-scale launch of the service across multiple cruise lines will be available starting Spring 2015, when passengers will be able to forget their excess baggage and enjoy Copenhagen on debarkation day.

Remote Airline Check-In Makes Flying Home From Vegas Easier

We all know that “what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas”, but why should your bags? Instead of lugging around your suitcases on the last day of your trip, Bags Remote Airline Check-In service can handle your bags and have you ready for your flight, all without even leaving the hotel.

With Bags Remote Airline Check-In, people visiting and working at hotels and the downtown area can use our remote check-in service by dropping their bags at the RAC counter at any of the hotels using Bags Inc. services. You don’t even need to be staying at the hotel to use Bags Remote Airline Check-In. You can then spend the rest of the day working or sightseeing and can go straight to the airport for your flight without worrying about checking your bags or shipping luggage ahead.

Simply hand us your excess baggage at one of the Bags locations below and we’ll hand you your boarding passes. Your bags will be securely transported to the airport, screened and loaded onto your flight. At the airport you proceed directly to security, then straight to your gate.

Your bags will be waiting for you on the baggage carousel at your final destination. Or upgrade to Bags VIP and have your luggage delivered to your doorstep.

Bags Remote Airline Check-In is available at some of the most popular hotels on the strip, including:
Harrah’s Las Vegas
Mandalay Bay
Luxor
MGM Grand Hotel & Casino
Riviera Casino & Hotel
Plaza Hotel & Casino
Las Vegas Convention Center

For more information on Bags Remote Airline Check-In, or to book Bags VIP luggage delivery services, please visit www.maketraveleasier.com/bagsvip.

Bags Badgers Give Their All at Charity Challenge XXIX

Bags employees love a challenge. From managing technology systems for operations nationwide, to promoting the range of services we offer, to delivering luggage to customers coast to coast as a smart alternative to shipping luggage, our workforce of 4000 works hard to make travel easierevery day. And when it comes to giving for others, employees turned out in kind to lend a helping hand at Orlando’s Charity Challenge XXIX.

The event, now in its 29th year, was held May 17 at the Orlando Citrus Bowl. Charity Challenge began as a four-team backyard event and has grown into a multi-media extravaganza with nearly 100 teams raising nearly $5 million for local charities.

The event allowed Bags Inc. to be a part of the Central Florida community while raising much-needed funds for various charities. This year, Bags raised money for Nathaniel’s Hope, dedicated to sharing hope with kids with special needs and their families. We work with Nathaniel’s Hope throughout the year, and welcomed the opporutunity to once again bring awareness to this amazing organization.

The Bags Badgers came in 7th overall and can’t wait for next year’s competition! The real reward was gathering with friends, family, and coworkers to raise money for those in need. See you next year!

Bags Lends Support to Ending Pediatric Cancer

The Runway to Hope Spring Fashion Soiree was held at Rosen Shingle Creek last Saturday and Bags was both honored and excited to take part. Runway to Hope is a nonprofit organization that provides direct support and aid to Central Florida children and their families impacted by pediatric cancer. They partner with Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, Florida Hospital for Children, and Nemours Children’s Hospital, as well as corporations, local businesses and philanthropists. Their efforts help raise funds and awareness, and also bring new programs and initiatives to the pediatric cancer community.

Bags Inc. Founder & CEO Craig Mateer and his wife Dawn (center), who serves on Runway to Hope’s Board of Directors, were honored with the Corporate Hope Award at Saturday’s gala. The award was presented by Runway to Hope co-founders Mark and Josie NeJame. Image courtesy the Nielsens Photography & Design.

The Spring Fashion Soiree was emceed by actress, dancer, model, and television personality Brooke Burke-Charvet, and Ross Mathews, star of Hello Ross! on E! Entertainment Television. The event raised more than $800,000, putting Runway to Hope well on its way to meeting their $3 million goal. Donations are not limited to the event – generous patrons can give at any time.

Bags has been involved with Runway to Hope for several years and was honored with the Corporate Hope Award at the event. The award was accepted by Bags Founder & CEO Craig Mateer, along with his wife Dawn, who serves on the Runway to Hope Board of Directors. Craig and Dawn are passionate about their involvement with Runway to Hope because of its direct positive impact on the lives of children struggling with illness. Bags Senior Vice President Gene Muhart also sits on the organization’s Board of Directors. In addition to being a corporate sponsor, we also offered complimentary prize delivery to auction winners.

The highlight of the evening was a fashion show featuring more than one hundred brave children, ages 2 to 18, all of whom are battling or have overcome cancer. These courageous children, modeling much more than clothing, walked the runway arm-in-arm with national and local celebrity escorts. Their unwavering spirit was the star of the show and symbolizes the heart of Runway to Hope’s mission and is a testament to the organization’s success.

Bags Parking and Guest Services and Westin Atlanta Airport partner to Make Travel Easier and Help Guests Avoid Airport Baggage Check Lines

Bags Airline Check-in service now free to all guests of the hotel.

Nov. 25, 2013 – ATLANTA, GA — Bags Parking and Guest Services, a division of Bags Inc., the world leader in multi-airline remote check-in and luggage delivery services, announced a first of its kind partnership with The Westin Atlanta Airport. Starting today, guests of the Westin will now receive free Bags Airline Check-in from the hotel. The service allows flyers to check-in luggage for their flights and receive their boarding passes directly from the hotel lobby. *Airline baggage fees still apply. Bags Parking and Guest Services is the only valet and parking management company in the country that can provide this unique service as the exclusive provider of the Bags Airline Check-in and Bags VIP Luggage Delivery services. By cross training valet and bell services staff as airline agents, Bags is able to provide guests of the Westin with more time and a seamless travel experience from the hotel to the airport. Travelers can add on the Bags VIP service and have their checked luggage delivered directly to the doorstep of their next destination.

Dan Sherfield, senior vice president of Bags Parking and Guest services added, “Being in the valet
parking business for decades we are always looking for ways to take our customer service offerings to
the next level and exceed industry expectations. This service sets us apart from any other parking
company and we couldn’t have a better partner than the Westin Atlanta Airport to launch this new
model.”

To make the travel experience even easier, Bags and the Westin have installed kiosks at the front desk and equipped their airport shuttles with tablets for travelers to enroll in the service. Guests can also enroll online at www.MakeTravelEasier.com/Westin. Guests who pre-enroll through any of these methods will have their boarding passes delivered to their hotel room the night before their departure and only need to drop their checked luggage at the Service Express desk in the hotel lobby. Walk-up enrollments are also accepted the day of departure at the Service Express desk, baggage can be checked up to 2 hours prior to scheduled flight departure.

“We have enjoyed a long successful relationship with Bags Parking and Guest services managing our
valet and bell stand operations and are thrilled that, because of this relationship, we are able to offer their convenient baggage check-in services free to our guests.” said Bill Henderson, general manager of the Westin Atlanta Airport.

The Westin Atlanta Airport is the first property in the country owned and managed by Interstate Hotels to offer the free Bags Airline check-in to all of its guests.

-MakeTravelEasier.com-

About Bags Parking and Guest Services:

Headquartered in Orlando, Florida, Bags Parking & Guest Services, a division of Bags Inc., began in the parking industry more than 20 years ago and has grown to become one of the most innovative parking and guest experience providers operating in the country. Our world class staff is empowered to look beyond the standard parking process and into the entire guest experience to create the most
memorable arrival and departure services in the industry. Learn more about how we provide the greatest customer service ever at www.maketraveleasier.com/parking.

About Bags Inc.:

Bags Inc. is the world leader in luggage delivery and multi-airline remote check-in services as the premier provider of valet and guest services for the airline, airport, hotel, cruise, convention and hospitality industries. Bags Inc. continuously strives to Make Travel Easier with operations in more than 250 cities across the country, exceptional service and innovative technologies. Bags Inc. handles more than 5 million checked bags annually, greets millions of guests, and parks thousands of cars each year for its rapidly growing list of partners that includes nearly all major airlines and cruise lines, renowned resorts, national hotel chains, convention centers, and rental car facilities across the nation. Learn more about how we’re changing the way you travel by visiting MakeTravelEasier.com, following us on Twitter @bagsinc, or at Facebook.com/bagsinc.

About The Westin Atlanta Airport:

The Westin Atlanta Airport, which is managed by Interstate Hotels &Resorts, is conveniently located less than one mile from Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. The recently renovated hotel is adjacent to major interstates I-85 & I-285 and is just minutes away from the Georgia International Convention Center. The hotel is only eight miles from downtown Atlanta and area attractions, including Turner Field, home of the Atlanta Braves.

Enjoy a restful sleep and wake up feeling renewed in one of our 500 guest rooms featuring The Westin Heavenly Bed. Recharge in our Westin Fitness Center or sample contemporary American cuisine in the Palio restaurant located in the 10-story atrium lobby.

Bags Inc. Brings Airline Check-in Service to Its First Mall Location

Bags Inc innovative concierge service will provide airline check-in and luggage delivery in addition to guest services.

Chicago, Ill., July 12, 2013 – Orlando based Bags Inc., the world leader in luggage delivery and multi-airline remote check-in services, embarked into the mall services business by launching its innovative concierge service that includes Bags Airline Check-In and Bags VIP Luggage Delivery services. The Bags services will be offered when the Fashion Outlets of Chicago, the first fully-enclosed outlet mall built in Chicago in more than two decades, opens its doors today.

The brand new mall was designed to cater to travelers, shoppers and visitors far beyond Chicago to around the entire globe because of its close proximity to Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport. In addition to the traditional guest services, Bags Airline Check-In allows travelers to check their luggage and receive their boarding passes for their flights from the Fashion Outlets location. Travelers can also enroll in the Bags VIP service and have their checked luggage delivered to any address within 100 miles of their destination airport. This convenient service perfectly complements the regular shuttles to and from O’Hare International Airport, as well as downtown hotels the Fashion Outlets of Chicago will operate.

“We are thrilled to partner with Fashion Outlets of Chicago to be able to offer this state of the art service to locals and visitors alike in our first mall location,” said Dan Sherfield, Senior Vice President of Bags Parking and Guest Services division. “The goal is that travelers will come to the mall a few hours before their flight, check their baggage, receive their boarding pass and spend the last few hours of their time in Chicago eating, shopping and enjoying the unprecedented mall destination.”

Travelers can take advantage of the Bags Airline Check-In service at the Guest Services kiosk up to 2 and a half hours before their scheduled flight departure. The airline check-in service is currently available to passengers traveling on Alaska, American, JetBlue, United, and US Airways and will be offered daily from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Travelers can schedule and pay for Bags VIP luggage delivery up to one hour prior to their scheduled flight departure by visiting the Guest Services kiosk in the mall or online at MakeTravelEasier.com.

Once scheduled, customers check their bags at the Guest Services kiosk in the mall or as usual at the airport and pay any applicable baggage fees. For more information about Bags VIP delivery service visit MakeTravelEasier.com.

Bags Inc’s friendly Guest Services representatives will be available to answer questions or assist shoppers during mall hours with Fashion Outlets’ signature shopping services including: Complimentary Wheelchair, Stroller Rentals, Currency Exchange, Gift Wrapping, Shipping, Area Information and Restaurant Reservations among other offerings. To learn more and view a complete list of the services Bags will provide at the Fashion Outlets Guest Services kiosk visit www.fashionoutletsofchicago.com under “Guest Services” on the “Plan Your Visit” tab.

About Bags Inc.:

Bags Inc. is the world’s leader in luggage delivery and multi-airline remote check-in services as the premier provider of arrival and departure services for the hotel, cruise, convention and hospitality industries. Headquartered in Orlando, Florida, Bags Inc. continuously strives to “Make Travel Easier” with operations in more than 270 cities across the country, exceptional service and innovative technologies. Bags Inc. handles more than 5 million checked bags annually, greets millions of guests, and parks thousands of cars each year for its rapidly growing list of partners that includes nearly all major airlines and cruise lines, renowned resorts, national hotel chains, convention centers, and rental car facilities across the nation. Learn more about how we’re changing the way you travel by visiting MakeTravelEasier.com, following us on Twitter @TravelEasier, or at Facebook.com/TravelEasier.

-Make Travel Easier-

Bags Inc. Welcomes US Airways to the Bags VIP Luggage Delivery Family

Airline is the third US carrier to join growing list now offering the checked baggage delivery service.

Orlando, Fla., July 12, 2013 — Bags Inc., the world leader in luggage delivery and multi-airline remote check-in services, added another airline to the growing list of clients now offering the Bags VIP luggage delivery service. US Airways is the third major US carrier to offer the service directly to their customers.

“When we launched Bags VIP we knew it was the next step in enhancing the flying experience. We are thrilled that US Airways has chosen our Bags VIP service to make travel easier and more enjoyable for their customers,” said Craig Mateer, Founder and CEO of Bags Inc. “Bags welcomes the partnership and the opportunity to deliver our VIP service to US Airways and their customers along with their luggage.”

Through the Bags VIP service, US Airways customers can now have their checked baggage delivered directly to their home, hotel, business or any address within 100 miles of their destination airport. Travelers can schedule and pay for Bags VIP luggage delivery up to one hour prior to their scheduled departure by visiting MakeTravelEasier.com/usairways. Once scheduled, customers check their bags as usual at the airport and pay any applicable baggage fees. Upon arrival their bags will be delivered within four to six hours of retrieval. Bags VIP luggage delivery service starts at $29.95 and is offered in all domestic locations the airline serves. For more information about Bags VIP delivery service visit MakeTravelEasier.com/usairways or usairways.com/baggage

About Bags Inc.:

Bags Inc. is the world’s leader in luggage delivery and multi-airline remote check-in services as the premier provider of arrival and departure services for the hotel, cruise, convention and hospitality industries. Headquartered in Orlando, Florida, Bags Inc. continuously strives to “Make Travel Easier” with operations in more than 270 cities across the country, exceptional service, innovative technologies, and a close working relationship with the TSA. Bags Inc. handles more than 5 million checked bags annually, greets millions of guests, and parks thousands of cars each year for its rapidly growing list of partners that includes nearly all major airlines and cruise lines, renowned resorts, national hotel chains, convention centers, and rental car facilities across the nation. Learn more about how we’re changing the way you travel by visiting MakeTravelEasier.com, following us on Twitter @TravelEasier, or at Facebook.com/TravelEasier.

-Make Travel Easier-