A method for handling bags (10), in particular wicketed bags, combined into bundles (13) and for feeding the bags (10) to a packaging machine (11), and a corresponding apparatus. In the method and apparatus, the bags (10) are supplied in a plurality of bundles (13) in a magazine (14) arranged upstream of the packaging machine (11); the bundles (13) are arranged on bag carriers (15) in each case such that the bag carriers (15) extend through suspension holes (12) of the bags (10); the bag carriers (15) with the bags (10) located thereon are fed from the magazine (14) to the packaging machine (11); and the bundles (13) are transferred from the bag carriers (15) directly to appropriately arranged receiving pins (28) of a cyclically driven conveying device (29) of the packaging machine (11) and are then filled in the packaging machine (11).

The method serves for producing flexible packaging products, more particularly packaging bags, the packaging products being formed by welding together two film layers. In order to avoid imprecisions in the sequence of process steps, film sections (4) formed of film layers are separated from a film web (7a; 7b) and transferred to a transport device (1) where they are positively fixed at least at one edge by means of a fixing device (3). Then the film sections (4) are transported by means of the transport device (1) in a transport direction (5) to at least one welding station (12) while maintaining the positive fit, the film layers are welded together in the latter, and the film sections (4) are subsequently further transported while maintaining the positive fit.