Thank you for taking the time to give us direct feedback. We know you are busy and appreciate your willingness to care enough to share your experience. We understand the stainless steel wire can feel a bit stiff and depending on the individual handle/bag design, it can be a bit tight to bring the 2 ends close enought to screw together. The 6 inch loop is an industry standard to keep the luggage tag close to the bag so it doesn't hang down too far, potentially getting caught in the various bag transport machinery.