priority tagged baggage

[hazel]

Recall reading in a thread [not sure where] the other day a discussion about QF priority tagged baggage & does it come out first.
I was at HBA airport Tuesday to pick up someone on QF. The JQ from SYD arrives about 7-8 minutes before the QF from MEL. We thought we would have a wait while all the JQ baggage came out, but no, that was held up so the QF priority tagged could come out first.

 

[harvyk]

I think it's very hit and miss with priority tagged bags... Unless I have J tags on my bag I'll always have priority tags, and whilst I would expect J tagged bags to come out first (which they usually do) I have frequently been at airports waiting for my "priority" tagged bags whislt watching the majority of other pax receiving their non priority tagged bags. (CBR is very bad for this)

 

[david870mdg]

"Priority" baggage tags = worth the paper they are printed on.
Some ports are excellent ie always first off the carousel; actually I've always found this with *A intl and on CX.
Others (MEL comes straight to mind) are not.

 

[thewinchester]

Yeah, agreed. I've said before in prev. threads on the topic it can be pretty hit and miss.

I find SYD T3 is generally the most efficient, particularly when bags are transferred to other flights (haven't had one delayed yet with priority tags).

Perth T1, T2 and MEL T1 are woeful for them. I always allow an extra 15-25min on these flights for baggage because it's so unpredictable.

 

[samh004]

"Priority" baggage tags = worth the paper they are printed on.

Well surely that’d be worth more than no paper at all

Surely a global airline body needs to introduce a standard (like the bag tags with barcodes/RFID chips) of a priority label that can be read by airport machinery and works in all airports on existing equipment, so everyone that is entitled to priority tags, has them work everywhere.

I seriously can’t imagine it’d be that hard. It’d also be automatic then.

 

[markis10]

Well surely that’d be better than no paper at all

Surely a global airline body needs to introduce a standard (like the bag tags with barcodes/RFID chips) of a priority label that can be read by airport machinery and works in all airports on existing equipment, so everyone that is entitled to priority tags, has them work everywhere.

I seriously can’t imagine it’d be that hard. It’d also be automatic then.

Global standards - like power plugs LOL, it will be interesting to see how the Qantas permanent bag tags work when they come in.

 

[samh004]

Global standards - like power plugs LOL, it will be interesting to see how the Qantas permanent bag tags work when they come in.

Well, when you compare it to a power plug, sure, it looks like it’ll never happen. However the tags that identify your bag and it’s destination now are a global standard, so it’s not that far fetched that something similar could be designed for priority.

It’s more surprising that it hasn’t happened already. And I’d suggest it’s built into the tags you get at the airport, not personal tags, as you can quite easily lose your membership level

 

[JetLagged]

Have found Q domestic pretty good - even when not travelling J find our bags come out towards the front of the queue - but still hit and miss!

But if really want to be missed rather than hit - try ground staff at Heathrow - I feel that anyone with a F or J tag is deliberately kept to near last - or else the same old story of first on last off: have waited anywhere up to 45 minutes for bags there, and Y passangers off and leaving well before mine makes an appearance!

 

[Archphoto]

I'd agree it is *very* hit and miss; sometimes think they are tagged "Priority" just to make us feel important and make us feel that we are "valued FF".

It all depends upon the airport that you fly into - I remember arriving at SYD and my "Priority" baggage was the absolute last bag to come off - in my opinion, until a "Standard" is reached, they are pretty worthless.

If my bags are first off I'm thrilled, but I have given up expecting them to be - have waited for ages too many times to really place any value whatsoever on them.

 

[NM]

Global standards - like power plugs LOL, it will be interesting to see how the Qantas permanent bag tags work when they come in.

remember that a standard is just a common starting point from which to deviate

 

[anat0l]

Ah, another age old topic comes up again.

And I'll say it again - and agree with most - it's a hit and miss affair, really. Some assert that priority tagging works so selectively that it's not worth a benefit to FF elites at all. For me, when priority tags work, I'm very thankful for them. That is - sadly or otherwise - enough for me to be convinced that the system should remain.

The only airport where I've had priority tags mean nothing is PER. Damn baggage handlers at T2 couldn't sort priority bags from normal ones to save their lives for the love of small furry animals.

Only other times have been when there have either been lightly loaded flights (where it usually matters rather little), a bag that has been through-check-routed a few times (especially international), or flights near the end of the day (unfortunately, but in saying that, this is not a regular occurrence).

 

[pauly7]

I'd say my tag working ratio is about 90%, so pretty happy

 

[drron]

Well arriving in BNE yesterday as I came to the carousel there were my 2 bags with their priority tags amongst 5 bags already on the carousel.As I left the building no others had appeared with several business pax still standing there.As I had come from DPO via MEL methinks they may have come on an earlier flight as they appeared much quicker than i expected.

 

[Blackadder]

Last time using the tags was the Anazc weekend to TSV, bags were among the last to appear, on return to Sydney among to the first to appear so really does appear to be pot luck in my case.

 

[kiwial]

Arriving in BNE last week with 2 bags tagged 'Business' we waited until 80% of the baggage from the flight came off before 'Business' and 'Priority' bags came through, some 25 minutes after landing.

On our return to SYD, our 'Business' tagged bags were in the first 4 on the carousel and only 5 minutes after exiting the aircraft.

So, yes it is very hit and miss.

It's not just QF that has issues. We returned in J on EK from AKL last year and 45 mins after landing the carousel stopped with around 20 J pax asking after their baggage. After some too-ing and fro-ing Toll Dnata staff advised us that one of the cans had not been removed from the A380. A further 20 minutes passed and we were all reunited with our bags!

 

[Groundfeeder]

I stop counting after the first 50 bags, parcels, prams, skis etc have passed me on the carousel - anywhere!!:evil:

 

[Reggie]

The only airport where I've had priority tags mean nothing is PER. Damn baggage handlers at T2 couldn't sort priority bags from normal ones to save their lives for the love of small furry animals.

Both the DOM and INT terminals are a joke with priority baggage when QF are handling them. My bags tagged J (or F if coming of an INT connection) never, and I will repeat "NEVER" come off priority at the QF domestic, and living in PER, I frequent this airport often.

The other day I flew AKL-PER on NZ, and had priority baggage, my baggage was one of the last off, even though on the reverse trip was one of the first off. Reason, QF handle the baggage for NZ in PER.

 

[Maca44]

I have good luck with bagged luggage over the years, but on one occasion about 10 years ago on a flight back from SFO the tagged bags came out first, but then had to wait 45 mins for skiis to to arrive so made no difference.

 

[markis10]

Maybe some baggage handlers think its priority for loading onto the plane,like early boarding, while non priority bags become the source of giraffe suits etc!

 

[medhead]

Well don't I have egg on my face, my bags were in the first 4 this morning in SYD. I'm on 100% success rate for priority tags this year. 1 out of 1. I'll look forward to seeing what happens in BNE on Thursday night.