Next Generation Check In

[Danger]

I'm not sure if this has been covered elsewhere in this thread so excuse me if it has.

I've just checked in at PER for QF568 to SYD, connecting with QF11 to LAX (but on a separate PNR). I have the new Q tags but because of the international connection I had to check-in the old fashioned way. The agent tagged my bag but didn't add a yellow First tag. I said "I don't wish to sound rude but could you please add a First tag to my bag?" Her response was that it's now all part of the barcode, pointing out the tag itself had the digitally printed 'Business' on it and that SYD has Next Gen technology. While I'm aware SYD has it, LAX doesn't.

So is the agent wrong? Should she have added the old yellow First tag? Or, if not, should my digital bag tag have shown First rathern than Business? I''m aware that the tags really mean nothing and that it's all about coding to assign a bag to a particular luggage bin but wouldn't her actions have essentially meant my bag will be treated as Business not First?

Again, I should point out to all here that this isn't a case of DYKWIA; I'm simply curious to know whether this is another 'enhancement' to Platinum benefits.

 

[anat0l]

I'm not sure if this has been covered elsewhere in this thread so excuse me if it has.

I've just checked in at PER for QF568 to SYD, connecting with QF11 to LAX (but on a separate PNR). I have the new Q tags but because of the international connection I had to check-in the old fashioned way. The agent tagged my bag but didn't add a yellow First tag. I said "I don't wish to sound rude but could you please add a First tag to my bag?" Her response was that it's now all part of the barcode, pointing out the tag itself had the digitally printed 'Business' on it and that SYD has Next Gen technology. While I'm aware SYD has it, LAX doesn't.

So is the agent wrong? Should she have added the old yellow First tag? Or, if not, should my digital bag tag have shown First rathern than Business? I''m aware that the tags really mean nothing and that it's all about coding to assign a bag to a particular luggage bin but wouldn't her actions have essentially meant my bag will be treated as Business not First?

Again, I should point out to all here that this isn't a case of DYKWIA; I'm simply curious to know whether this is another 'enhancement' to Platinum benefits.

I don't have experience with this. No idea if the agent is wrong. Although, here's my 2 cents (inc. GST):

• The tag says "Business", "mistakenly". I remember a time I was in AKL (this is 2008, well before NGCI) and was checking through to SIN (via SYD). I was a WP, with J on AKL-SYD sector then SYD-SIN in F. But I only got pink Business tags in AKL. Lady claimed "there are no F flights out of AKL". Sure, but shouldn't that still mean that F tags are available for F through-pax and WPs? I mean, I checked through BNE-SYD-BKK-LHR-FRA (F award) and they had yellow tags at BNE D.
• If your LAX flight isn't elite heavy and especially if you don't have a means of fast-tracking US immigration, it may not matter in the end. My guess is that if the aircraft taking you to LAX is containerised, then at SYD the luggage tag will be scanned and transferred to the priority container. It may be with all the other J tags, however, so your luggage may not come out as "fast", but like I said unless you have a way of getting through immigration fast, your bag may well be on the belt before you get there anyway (and I have a feeling they're faster at getting bag #1 on the belt in LAX than they are in AU). Of course, some DYKWIA pax might be fuming as to how a mere "plain tag" bag got to circulate amongst the sea of yellow and purple tags.

 

[dfcatch]

Oh anat0l

There's no issue with a "plain tag" circulating amongst the premium bags..... Just as long as mine is not there AFTER the plain tag

FWIW, two AKL-SYD flights I had recently both in Y, I got first tags both times.

 

[farstar]

I flew Syd to Mel yesterday so I just had one of the new round WP bag tags on my bag no paper tag and it came out near to last so not really business class priority baggage, the tags are hard to see on bags. Though I guess priority tags don't always help.

 

[Sprucegoose]

We compared a silver and platinum tag tonight at BNE drinks and there is a subtle difference between the silver (lighter) and platinum (darker) disc colour. It's not terribly noticeable though.

Rely on technology, not baggage handlers.

We did rely on technology and they put a manual tag on 'just to be safe'!!!

 

[excell]

Had the pleasure of using NGCI SYD-MEL on 11th day after intro in SYD.
Parked in Valet used the new check in for wife and myself 1 bag checked in the Qantas lass was there to help if needed.
5 mins later in the Lounge with some sparkling.
Brilliant, loved it. Who cares wether NZ had it first.
Bravo Qantas.

 

[Flying Fox]

I noticed on a recent flight that the standard bag tag with the bar codes was now printing 'Business' near the codes. I assumed that the computers then assigned the bag to be loaded last.

 

[serfty]

Looks like Qantas are trying to do away with the Coloured tags altogether domestically.

I have had that answer before (prior to NGCI) and simply say something along the lines of "in my experience, the computers are different at <destination> and the bar codes do not work".

 

[farstar]

I checked my bag in in Sydney for Melbourne using NGCI and my bags came out last. To me it would be hard to see the WP bag tag, though even with the pink paper Business tags they don't usually come out first.

 

[Danger]

Well I landed at LAX about three hours ago and was most surprised to see my bag arrive 8th on the carousel. Ahead of it was one tagged First and one tagged Business Both were the old fashioned way (plastic/paper-type glossy tags). I believe the agent at check-in in PER was wrong and my bag should have had a First tag. I my travel was terminating in SYD, fine, but it wasn't. As for it arriving 8th, I can only assume someone stuffed up and unloaded the wrong container first!

Incidentally, at the First check-in suite in SYD, I enquired about my check-in situation in PER a few hours earlier. The agent mentioned that "it doesn't matter" about the actual tags as they are all coded (which most of us have known for awhile). If this is the case, then, my bag out of PER should have had First digital printed on the bag tag (as opposed to Business), pursuant to the benefits of Platinum. Some may also find it of interest that they is a dedicated container for actual first class passengers, not just those with First tags.

Anyway, I had a wonderful flight up on QF11. I'm considering a trip report as this is the start of a DONE4 but there's some serious trip report writer competition going on around here, particularly considering the last effort from drron. We'll see.

 

[chrisb]

As for it arriving 8th, I can only assume someone stuffed up and unloaded the wrong container first!

Are you saying that you think your bag didn't have priority status despite coming out fairly much first?

I would assume luggage arrival is primarily a feature of the ORIGIN airport when it comes to containerized luggage. They determine which container bags go in, and the order they go into the plane. I assume the receiving airport just processes them in the order they come out.

Since SYD is the QF base, I assume it has the systems to process your bag tags whether or not it has a priority tag.

 

[anat0l]

Are you saying that you think your bag didn't have priority status despite coming out fairly much first?

I would assume luggage arrival is primarily a feature of the ORIGIN airport when it comes to containerized luggage. They determine which container bags go in, and the order they go into the plane. I assume the receiving airport just processes them in the order they come out.

Since SYD is the QF base, I assume it has the systems to process your bag tags whether or not it has a priority tag.

+1, a bit.

There isn't enough to establish any kind of real conclusion as to whether you got priority, you didn't, it was a fluke, the system works silently, whatever.

In real terms, I'd be glad that your luggage did come out 8 out of 400+! Better than it coming out at position 35, or 293 for that matter.

ISTR when I flew AKL-SYD-SIN and had my bags tagged as J in AKL (even though I was WP and F on SYD-SIN), when I arrived in SIN my bag came out 10th, maybe. The first 9 bags were pretty much all J and a couple of F. Container stuff up? Maybe. In saying that, the first 10 bags took close to 10 minutes in total to be delivered onto the belt (i.e. avg delivery time of 1 bag per minute). That's not SIN efficiency.

 

[Danger]

Are you saying that you think your bag didn't have priority status despite coming out fairly much first?

Kind of. I'm saying that I'm surprised it came out 8th when it was 'only' tagged Business. I'm assuming it wasn't prioritised because of the seven bags in front of it, only two had any kind of tags whatsoever. In other words, I guess I'm saying that if indeed my bag was prioritised, as it should be, what's the story with the other five?

In real terms, I'd be glad that your luggage did come out 8 out of 400+! Better than it coming out at position 35, or 293 for that matter.

Most definitely. I was very pleased, dont get me wrong on that account.

 

[chrisb]

The first 9 bags were pretty much all J and a couple of F. Container stuff up? Maybe. In saying that, the first 10 bags took close to 10 minutes in total to be delivered onto the belt (i.e. avg delivery time of 1 bag per minute). That's not SIN efficiency.

Priority doesn't mean "delay everyone elses just so the F stuff comes out first".

Given the size of a container, there's probably one that contains mixed F/J and then J/Priority luggage, if they even bother breaking it down that much.

 

[chrisb]

In other words, I guess I'm saying that if indeed my bag was prioritised, as it should be, what's the story with the other five?

I assume the priority container is the last loaded, hence the last closed off and possibly the one that gets last minute transfers and other bags tossed into it.

 

[Danger]

I assume the priority container is the last loaded, hence the last closed off and possibly the one that gets last minute transfers and other bags tossed into it.

That makes sense. However, note my comment in my post on the previous page where the First check-in agent at SYD said there's a dedicated first container, strictly for First passengers. Surely, if priority baggage is working as it should be, that container should be the first unloaded.

 

[Bundy Bear]

Macrobertson Dr, Perth Airport WA 6105, Australia

Next generation fail for me, there was a comment that I was re seated and I could not check in, and another seat change to a worse seat thanks Qantas.

Sent from my iPhone using AFF Mobile

 

[moa999]

That makes sense. However, note my comment in my post on the previous page where the First check-in agent at SYD said there's a dedicated first container, strictly for First passengers. Surely, if priority baggage is working as it should be, that container should be the first unloaded.

Query if the First check-in agents have any real knowledge of what goes on in the bowls of the airport (although watching Airline some UK checkin staff do)
Then you never know what happens at the other end!

 

[TheInsider]

Query if the First check-in agents have any real knowledge of what goes on in the bowls of the airport (although watching Airline some UK checkin staff do)
Then you never know what happens at the other end!

The first check-in agents are a just another excuse to pay same skilled agents more money, they get paid about 20-30% more than a CSA. Majority of staff find them to be a waste of money and space and do not deserve to be so many bands (in pay) above a CSA, where as 1st 'hosts' do less than a say domestic check-in agent.

I'd be very suprised if more than 10% of CSA's know what is happening in the bowls of the airport.

 

[anat0l]

The first check-in agents are a useless bunch of morans that get paid about 20-30% more than a CSA. Majority of staff find them to be a waste of money and space and do not deserve to be so many bands (in pay) above a CSA, where as 1st 'hosts' do less than a CSA.

I'd be very suprised if more than 10% of CSA's know what is happening in the bowls of the airport.

Disclaimer: QFCSA's opinions are QFCSA's only and does not necessarily reflect those of Qantas. :mrgreen:


Taking that statement at face value, that's a real shame, because I always thought that F agents got there with a level of maturity and knowledge of systems. So much for that, but for most part I still find them nice people, even if the grey matter is a bit fuzzy.