Qantas and "Priority Baggage"

[Rhys26]

Do you guys receive the priority baggage tags now that there is self check in at airports?

I have flown qantas a few times this year but have not got an orange tag on my bags. Do they still give you tags?

 

[mannej]

The priority info is printed on te luggage tag

 

[Awesom Andy]

Overheard a baggage handler saying in his opinion the only thing next gen Qtags were good for was name tags on carry on luggage & he would never travel with them on his checked bags. Hmmmmm :shock: :shock:

I wouldn't be surprised at all. Let's just imagine that I'm a baggage handler for the moment. On a luggage with paper tag, I would be able to read it straight off the tab where it's going, which flight it's on. With the new tag, I have to scan it, wait for it to load, then read off it to find the same info. Now, it's easy to tell which one is more efficient.

 

[mannej]

I wouldn't be surprised at all. Let's just imagine that I'm a baggage handler for the moment. On a luggage with paper tag, I would be able to read it straight off the tab where it's going, which flight it's on. With the new tag, I have to scan it, wait for it to load, then read off it to find the same info. Now, it's easy to tell which one is more efficient.

How is baggage efficiency at HKG? I believe they use RFID systems?

 

[serfty]

How is baggage efficiency at HKG? I believe they use RFID systems?

Yes, they are thin RFID devices attached like self adhesive tape.

However, every bag through there still has a paper tag that can be perused in the case of an issue.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

I wouldn't be surprised at all. Let's just imagine that I'm a baggage handler for the moment. On a luggage with paper tag, I would be able to read it straight off the tab where it's going, which flight it's on. With the new tag, I have to scan it, wait for it to load, then read off it to find the same info. Now, it's easy to tell which one is more efficient.

In a perfect world the system works but if the scanners are breaking all the time and to switch from scanning a paper tag to a Qtag takes 3 minutes because they have to log off and logon again, that's not efficient.

Also for bags being transhipped to another flight, bags with paper tags can be immediately delivered to the next flight but there aren't scanners out at all aircraft so any bags with Qtags have to be delivered to a central area like a holding bay where there is a scanner to determine where they are going next. Only then can they be taken to the next flight which is why some bags with tight connections don't make it.

 

[Sprucegoose]

How is baggage efficiency at HKG? I believe they use RFID systems?

Everything works in HKG!!!

 

[Sprucegoose]

In a perfect world the system works but if the scanners are breaking all the time and to switch from scanning a paper tag to a Qtag takes 3 minutes because they have to log off and logon again, that's not efficient.

Also for bags being transhipped to another flight, bags with paper tags can be immediately delivered to the next flight but there aren't scanners out at all aircraft so any bags with Qtags have to be delivered to a central area like a holding bay where there is a scanner to determine who ere they are going next. Only then can they be taken to the next flight which is why some bags with tight connections don't make it.

Yes there is a way to go before all the bugs are ironed out i reckon.

 

[Awesom Andy]

How is baggage efficiency at HKG? I believe they use RFID systems?

Everything works in HKG!!!

Being a regular visitor to HK, I can quite assure you that it's not as great as you might think. The vast majority of the time, I have to kill some time at the belt before it starts moving, and every now and then, there would be delays with certain belts which they would announce on the PA. While it might be more efficient than an AU-based airport, my experiences suggest HK isn't miles ahead as such.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I'm confused. i was sure there was priority tagging for QC members in economy on international flights, but it seems I'm out of touch and it's not supposed to be the case anymore.

However... if checking in for a domestic connector, so for example MEL-SYD-HKG, will QC status mean a priority tag is attached? And a paper version of the tag? (like others i really can't see baggage handlers looking for a small dot in determining which bag to send up to reclaim first...)

 

[Blackbird]

Website says priority baggage only for domestic flights
See Discover the benefits of The Qantas Club

Just following on from with Q bag tags from 2011, on a flight BNE-CNS last Tuesday, my checked bag took 25 mins to come out with a Q bag tag.
Very helpful desk guy said baggage handlers don't know where the bag is going so bag has to be taken to the tranship area for scanning.
(737s with manual loading.)
Then your priority bag takes 25 mins to arrive.
Told me to lodge a complaint as this is still a regular issue.
The tags obviously work in capital cities.
But a year on, it would be nice to know that Q tags won't work in the smaller ports.
Has anyone had transhipping issues in capital cities?
Wouldn't seem that difficult to spit out a paper tag if the Q tag won't work where you are headed.
Flight was otherwise perfect.

 

[Awesom Andy]

From my knowledge, it has been domestic only for at least quite some time. However, they sometimes tag them priority on international flights as well.

 

[N860CR]

With the removal of the coloured paper tag and the addition of the tiny "Priority" or "Business" marking on the label, I think QF have basically confirmed that priority baggage for their domestic passengers is basically a thing of the past. There's no way a baggage handler will prioritise luggage based on those markings they can barely see.

 

[atreides]

Flying KTA PER this week I had a Business tag put in my label. My bag came out about 10 minutes after the first one did

I can understand the baggage handlers point of view at the unloading end however. Rather than putting non priority bags on the side to fish out the priority ones, they might as well just put them all onto conveyor as they pick them up. It would save double handling.

 

[Berlin]

I was surprised a few months back when in Spain, Iberia for all airlines, managed to get my priority tagged suitcase out first or second on every single flight. Now- Iberia is one of the most disorganized, chaotic, always late airline in OneWorld. But if THEY can somehow do it, then there's really no excuse in the world why Qantas shouldn't be able to!

 

[Danger]

With the removal of the coloured paper tag and the addition of the tiny "Priority" or "Business" marking on the label, I think QF have basically confirmed that priority baggage for their domestic passengers is basically a thing of the past. There's no way a baggage handler will prioritise luggage based on those markings they can barely see.

My understanding is that's just a visual thing to make the passenger feel good. The barcode on the tag is what directs the baggage handler or machine or whatever to put the bag where it should go.

Flying KTA PER this week I had a Business tag put in my label. My bag came out about 10 minutes after the first one did

I can understand the baggage handlers point of view at the unloading end however. Rather than putting non priority bags on the side to fish out the priority ones, they might as well just put them all onto conveyor as they pick them up. It would save double handling.

I agree except I think it also relies on the loading of the bags to be done appropriately in the first place.

I was surprised a few months back when in Spain, Iberia for all airlines, managed to get my priority tagged suitcase out first or second on every single flight. Now- Iberia is one of the most disorganized, chaotic, always late airline in OneWorld. But if THEY can somehow do it, then there's really no excuse in the world why Qantas shouldn't be able to!

Well if Iberia is doing something right, there's a front page news article.