Passengers flying with Spanish carrier Iberia will now be able to download and print their own luggage tags at home before catching their flight, a new measure designed to shave time during the check-in process and improve overall punctuality.

Billed as a world first, Iberia has launched MyBagTag on domestic flights with plans to extend the service to European and international destinations throughout the year.

After printing the bag tag, the paper is meant to be folded into quarters and inserted into plastic envelopes which can be picked up at any  Spanish airport. Bags can then be taken to the baggage drop-off counters.

The new move follows on the heels of British Airways which launched an electronic bag tag this month, likewise in an effort to shave off precious time for flyers and speed up the check-in process.

Passengers flying with the flagship British carrier will no longer be issued paper bag tags but instead hold their smartphone over the electronic tag which will automatically provide a unique barcode containing flight details and an “easy-to-see” view of their bag’s destination.