Aww how pretty, a little yellow tag

[opusman]

Hey, look at the little yellow tag! Obviously that's just for decoration, right! Isn't it lovely? So pretty! And what's this writing.. 'First'? What could that mean? No idea, but the tag sure is pretty. Anyway, let's send the bag out somewhere towards the end, I'm sure it's owner won't mind waiting 30 minutes for it

Sigh.. kind of defeats the purpose of getting off the plane first and express customs passes, doesn't it Qantas?

 

[vbap]

You can get it on departure
You can get it on arrival
A hard earned First
Deserves to come out last

Doesn't it make you feel bitter? VIC Bitter!

 

[Hvr]

Sigh.. kind of defeats the purpose of getting off the plane first and express customs passes, doesn't it Qantas?

Agree, on Wednesday my bag was about 30th out and the first one with a yellow tag. They were mostly bags without priority tags ahead of mine.

 

[Anna]

If a check-in agent ever goes to put a yellow First tag on my bag when I am heading towards Aus, I usually ask them not to these days. Too many times it has come out last.

 

[drewbles]

You can get it on departure
You can get it on arrival
A hard earned First
Deserves to come out last

Doesn't it make you feel bitter? VIC Bitter!

Yup. Sounds like MEL handlers.

I recall one evening on arrival we waited 30 minutes for the carousels to start turning. All non-priority luggage came out. We were then told via PA that the premium luggage would be out 'in around 20 minutes' as the container it was loaded in to was mistakenly loaded to go to HKG (this was QF188, SYD-MEL-HKG). 45 minutes later it came out. Over an hour and 15 minutes.

And don't get me started on PER. If TXL can do it why can't every airport (TXL, the airport where bags were going around on the carousel before we even got into the terminal; we were bussed in from an AB flight, and the full carousel was already going around, and my bag was there).

 

[boomy]

Never got my bag early with the F tag. I reckon it works by last to check in, first to receive the bags and because most F tags (myself included) check in early to use their lounge benefits, the bags come out late.

 

[The Rok]

Perth is a disaster for luggage and at all costs I try to avoid checking in luggage. When I last left Karratha to go to a different site I had quite a bit of baggage. I went to the post office and boxed it all, posted it back to Perth and flew HLO to avoid waiting hours for luggage.

 

[Danger]

I checked-in in CBR recently, on a Dash flight connecting in Sydney and onwards to Perth. I was seated in an exit row on the Dash so had to see an agent. As usual the tag that was spat out said 'Priority' not Business. This time I queried, explaining I know there's no Business on Dash's but I was connecting to a flight with Business and it was after that flight where the priority of my luggage delivery was important. He assured me that in Sydney the baggage readers would assign it to the Business bin. I was very sceptical. Anyway, I get off in Perth (after a short 22 minute connection in Sydney) and my bag is third off - with a First tag. I couldn't believe it.

 

[harvyk]

Whilst never had the luxury of the yellow tag (not that I check bags that often any more), but one time that sticks out in my mind was at HKG, where I swear every single bag on the plane came out first (followed by every single bag on a DL plane) and then they took out the priority bags (aka Priority / J / F).

I also think that baggage handlers do it deliberately. Almost a "well since I don't fly at the pointy end, I don't see why you should get any special treatment" type attitude, as more often than not I see priority / J tagged bags mixed in with non tagged bags, or worse, after the standard bags.

 

[opusman]

It seems to me that MEL is far worse than most airports. Nothing spoils a nice F flight more than standing around a baggage carousel while the Y pax get their bags and go happily on their way.

 

[boomy]

It seems to me that MEL is far worse than most airports. Nothing spoils a nice F flight more than standing around a baggage carousel while the Y pax get their bags and go happily on their way.

Totally agree!!

 

[RooFlyer]

I agree with the gist of the thread (and have had 'F' tagged bags come out nearly last in both MEL and SYD returning from Nth America / HKG), however for some reason LAX baggage arrivals has its act together. Who would have guessed?

Last week I zoomed through immigration and was at the baggage carousel 10 minutes after stepping off the plane. My bag was just then coming off the First/Business belt and tumbling onto the carousel, immediately after about 15 or so bags that looked like the crews? (Pretty much identical).

Even ignoring the order, the time of arrival is pretty impressive. And its by no means a unique experience at LAX.

So, either the MEL loading was spot on and/or the LAX unloading people are pretty sharp.

But it shows that it CAN be done consistently, and magnifies the customary failures.

 

[daturtle]

I just assume my bag will be out last. Anything before that is then a pleasant surprise.

 

[Flying mermaid]

I just assume my bag will be out last. Anything before that is then a pleasant surprise.

Yep that is the way we operate as well. Wonderful when it works, but we no longer expect it.....

 

[MH_fan]

This is why I never check-in luggage nowadays. Despite that, when I have travelled with people who check-in their luggage when flying MH, they have been pretty good and consistent with priority delivery. This has been the case in SYD, KUL, LHR, CDG and PEN.

 

[jono88888]

(TXL, the airport where bags were going around on the carousel before we even got into the terminal; we were bussed in from an AB flight, and the full carousel was already going around, and my bag was there).

Flew into TXL on Monday, and no bus, just walked off the bridge into the arrival hall, 5 meters ahead was an immigration booth, and 5 meters further the carousel. And even though I was off the plane pretty quick it was only a minute or so before the bags arrived.

But nothing is perfect, and I had my first case of missing luggage. Turned out it was still in LHR so that can't be TXL's problem/fault.

If only every airport could work like TXL there'd be far fewer people trying to go carry-on only, be very little to be gained - other than reventing missing luggage

 

[SeatBackForward]

See, Airlines need to get with the Indian Railways when it comes to baggage retrieval:

 

[drewbles]

I agree with the gist of the thread (and have had 'F' tagged bags come out nearly last in both MEL and SYD returning from Nth America / HKG), however for some reason LAX baggage arrivals has its act together. Who would have guessed?

Last week I zoomed through immigration and was at the baggage carousel 10 minutes after stepping off the plane. My bag was just then coming off the First/Business belt and tumbling onto the carousel, immediately after about 15 or so bags that looked like the crews? (Pretty much identical).

Even ignoring the order, the time of arrival is pretty impressive. And its by no means a unique experience at LAX.

So, either the MEL loading was spot on and/or the LAX unloading people are pretty sharp.

But it shows that it CAN be done consistently, and magnifies the customary failures.

LAX only has it's 'stuff' together cause DHS takes so long to process pax. By the time you're done queueing for 45-60 minutes to have your finger prints taken, photo taken and cough probe given, you're going to want to have your bags ready

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Whilst never had the luxury of the yellow tag (not that I check bags that often any more), but one time that sticks out in my mind was at HKG, where I swear every single bag on the plane came out first (followed by every single bag on a DL plane) and then they took out the priority bags (aka Priority / J / F).

I also think that baggage handlers do it deliberately. Almost a "well since I don't fly at the pointy end, I don't see why you should get any special treatment" type attitude, as more often than not I see priority / J tagged bags mixed in with non tagged bags, or worse, after the standard bags.

that is unusual for hkg... normally priority is strictly adhered to there. I've had income out last only once in several dozen times... and that was because they had to load the priority bags in some other part of the plane due to some unusual cargo.

 

[RooFlyer]

LAX only has it's 'stuff' together cause DHS takes so long to process pax. By the time you're done queueing for 45-60 minutes to have your finger prints taken, photo taken and cough probe given, you're going to want to have your bags ready

I take your point (but not the probe)... except in this specific case I was 10 minutes from the plane to the carousel and I don't think I've ever taken more than 30 minutes, usually abt 20 and the J/F bags are always there.

* Tips for shorter queuing times at LAX and probably anywhere (not saying you need the tips, just say'n):

- Walk rapidly from plane to immigration area. You've been in a tin can for XX hours, so the exercise will do you good (not for those sensitive to DVT though). Every 10 people or so you pass will save you time (based on 10 queues);

- Scan the queues. Avoid any heavy with pax apparently from Mexico, China, Korea, or with people with bits of paper in their hands;

- Go to the far end of the hall; most pax just join one of the first 1-3 queues they come across.