Priority Luggage

[Expon]

I remember reading about priority baggage been removed from one of the QC features but I couldn't find reference to it anywhere. But I suspect it doesn't actually mean anything even if it is still a feature. Twice in the last month I have flown BN - MEL and on both occasion on the MEL end it has taken a extremely long amount of time for my bag to come out. Now I'm all for waiting my turn but when it comes out towards the end with a bright PRIORITY tag on it, I tend to think that it isn't given much priority. I'm damn sure they still throw it so what does this tag actually mean?

This isn't a once off, it happened again today. Does anyone else find this a common event?


Ex

 

[dot]

I find that it varies enormously - some airports seems to be really good with it (LAX trans pacific - separate carosel, HKG, ICN) while others seem to make no difference (MEL, SYD, CBR, TPE, SIN, AUS, RDU). Those where it seems to have no effect, sometimes it comes out first, sometimes, it comes out mid-field, sometimes it comes out last... and these are all airports, I have had multiple flights too. All in all, I'm glad I get the tags, but it's no guarantee...

 

[caggs]

It's just MEL airport. It would have to be one of the slowest airports for getting the baggage from the plane to the carosel. It doesnt matter if it is domestic or international, priority tagged or not, the experience remains the same - poor.

Cheers

Caggs

 

[serfty]

I remember reading about priority baggage been removed from one of the QC features but I couldn't find reference to it anywhere. ...

Not sure if it's been removed, certainly still available for Domestic Flights:

Flying with Us - Qantas Club - Benefits

 

[codash1099]

It's just MEL airport. It would have to be one of the slowest airports for getting the baggage from the plane to the carosel. It doesnt matter if it is domestic or international, priority tagged or not, the experience remains the same - poor.

I've found SYD domestic pretty poor but it's haphazard at best at all airports.

 

[turbo]

Expon, I remember that being discussed too a while ago but all my flights both dom & intl since then have had priority tags put on except once in NZ when the checkin agent was an air new zealand employee working on the qantas desk?? who i figured probably didn't know we were entitled to them

i am dubious if it makes a big difference but despite what others have said, i find MEL good. mostly i have seen my bags coming off while i am still seated and if i dont walk too quick they are often on the carousel by the time i get down there.

 

[Hvr]

Of course it doesn't help if everyone on the plane has membership. Try flying into CBR when parliament is resuming or the business people are coming in for a couple of days

It's a novelty to see a bag without a priority tag.

 

[turbo]

tell me about it. i mainly go b/w CBR & MEL and on some sunday evening flights into CBR you may as well hold question time on the plane.

 

[serfty]

Here's a post that summarizes what it may be like flying out of CBR, unless you are of the CL ilk: http://www.frequentflyer.com.au/com...-preference-who-gets-what-4943.html#post59568

Seems nothings changed in years, especially out of CBR.

 

[NYCguy]

It's just MEL airport. It would have to be one of the slowest airports for getting the baggage from the plane to the carosel. It doesnt matter if it is domestic or international, priority tagged or not, the experience remains the same - poor.

You should try SVO!

 

[Matt_r]

have had priority tags put on except once in NZ when the checkin agent was an air new zealand employee working on the qantas desk?? who i figured probably didn't know we were entitled to them

AirNZ provide the check-in staff for Qantas in Auckland and Wellington (probably elsewhere too).

I've found that Sydney International puts priority tags on my bags, but Auckland refuse to for International flights.

The rules actually say Qantas Club members only get pri tags on domestic flights (including within NZ). The NZ staff have a little card that tells them who gets what, she showed it to me when I queried the missing priority tags.

 

[Flashback]

Likewise for me, flying out of WLG.

 

[Commuter]

Might be a bit off-topic, but a lot of check-in staff don't seem to know/bother about putting Business tags on WP's luggage on domestic flights.

I can't be bothered pointing it out to them, but it does seem to require a bit more training of their check-in staff?

(Also my bags came out one of the last, with Priority tags, the other day - not delighted as I was in a hurry. No wonder people take excessive amount of hand luggage on board.)

 

[serfty]

For a start, as a QF WP the tags should be at a minimum the Mauve Business Class ones.

I am of the opinion that you should always make sure you get the correct tags; in your reference to training of check-in staff, this reinforces it.

I think the main issue is (especially domestically) that many higher status travelers rarely check luggage, so the check-in agents do not come across it as much as you would expect.

 

[Commuter]

You're right, Serfty. I think I should start pointing things out to them in the future.

 

[mabunji]

Having a priority tag on your bag simply means that when the aircraft hold is unloaded, if the baggage handler has a choice between 2 bags (equally accessible), the baggage handler should grab the tagged bag as a priority over an untagged bag.

..... Thats it.

If your bag is buried in a pile 4 deep, and with 3 bags stacked on top of it, those bags will have to be moved before the baggage handler can get to yours. Those bags will feed onto the conveyer belt and come out ahead of yours irrespective of what sort of tag your bag is sporting.

 

[serfty]

... ..... Thats it. ...

A bit simplistic ... the reality is different, even of baggage staff do not follow the procedures.

e.g. for containered flights (763's, 747's, 333's) the tags are supposed to dictate what container the bags get loaded into before the flight; the priority containers are supposed to be loaded last and hence are first off and their contents hit the baggage carousels first.

 

[NM]

A bit simplistic ... the reality is different, even of baggage staff do not follow the procedures.

e.g. for containered flights (763's, 747's, 333's) the tags are supposed to dictate what container the bags get loaded into before the flight; the priority containers are supposed to be loaded last and hence are first off and their contents hit the baggage carousels first.

And on 737s, the priority bags should be the last onto the conveyor belt up to the aircraft hold, and hence should be first off. Now this does not always work for multi-segment flights, but they are few and far between these days.

 

[oz_mark]

And on 737s, the priority bags should be the last onto the conveyor belt up to the aircraft hold, and hence should be first off. Now this does not always work for multi-segment flights, but they are few and far between these days.

I have also seen them unload a 737 so that baggage with a tag goes on one trailer, and baggage without goes on a different one - so there is a bit or sorting sometimes done while unloading

 

[wallacej]

I have also seen them unload a 737 so that baggage with a tag goes on one trailer, and baggage without goes on a different one - so there is a bit or sorting sometimes done while unloading

It seems like a simple process... and even when they are loading, cant they put all the priority bags on one side untagged on the other. then balance it out when the plane is loaded.

Some of us pay for the priv. of being a QF member, and others earn it. Either way it is a benefit that is more often than not, not upheld by Qantas, and something that management needs to follow up on.
Maybe they don't want to upset the baggage handlers for fear of them creating turmoil and striking???

As I said in another posting, this may reduce the number of bags carried onto the plane by FF'ers if they knew their bag would more likely than not be one of the first out, rather than the lotto shoot that goes on now.