Priority Luggage Labels in CE - why do they bother?
Is it just me or are the priority tags within Europe not worth the card they are printed? It seems to work fine long haul but we've just done LHR-MAD-LHR and there was little evidence on either leg the priority tags worked. If it can't be guaranteed why do they bother? At least if I know there is a chance my bag will be last off the plane then I won't get too excited about, but there is an expectancy when you have that orange label. End of rant.
Priority tags mean nothing to be honest. So many people travelling in ET, WT or WT+ leave them on from previous flights that they're not used to indicate which cabin you're in and whether your bags should be priority delivered. They're not called "snob tags" for nothing!!
The tag with the destination and bar code is the one which indicates whether your bag is priority or not. If you're in CE, CW, or F the loading team will be able to tell from this tag and load your bag accordingly. Were you travelling in CE or ET? If CE your bag should have been priority sorted through the barcoded tag. If in ET and relying on the orange priority tag, that will mean nothing and your bag will come up with all the other ET bags.
However, on my recent trip my bags were within the first 10 on the belt (after the golf clubs!!) and arrived at the baggage belt at LHR a few seconds before I did. They were also in the first batch of bags to come out at my destination. I was in CW so can assure you the system works the vast majority of the time.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sunrisegirl
...However, on my recent trip my bags were within the first 10 on the belt (after the golf clubs!!) and arrived at the baggage belt at LHR a few seconds before I did. They were also in the first batch of bags to come out at my destination. I was in CW so can assure you the system works the vast majority of the time.
I have travelled CE almost exclusively for the past few years and my bags have almost always come out near last (or not at all on 4 occasions). Could be down to the outsourced OTP and MAN handling services I suppose.
Flew an ET return recently (last-minute booking) and my 2 bags were amongst the first 5 out on both legs.
No idea why but after a surprisingly civilised flight it helped to remove my rather irrational fear of flying behind the curtain.
I have no knowledge of the technicalities of the system, but after a random sample of flights I would say it works as follows:
If your flight is from LHR the tag/barcode is used by the baggage handlers at the destination to identify the bags that should be loaded onto the claim belts first. But if your flight is to LHR it, er...., isn't.
Maybe my experience isn't typical but that's how it seems to me.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tuff
Is it just me or are the priority tags within Europe not worth the card they are printed? It seems to work fine long haul but we've just done LHR-MAD-LHR and there was little evidence on either leg the priority tags worked.
OK not Priority Luggage Labels in CE, but travelling CW couple of weeks ago BGI-LGW, I checked my luggage at the "Jet Center", and guess what, yes my bags were first to arrive. Must remember that
Today flying LHR-ARN in CE, our 4(yes 4, the missus loves shopping) bags, all orange tagged (happens about 6 out of 10 times for us) were among the first off
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I have travelled mostly (>90%) in CE for short haul this year. My bags just come out randomly, whenever it wants, it seems, regardless of the tags.
Not exactly a problem unique to BA though. When I fly QF, regardless of the tags my bag has (varying between First, Business and Priority or whatever it is called), they come out randomly.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sunrisegirl
The tag with the destination and bar code is the one which indicates whether your bag is priority or not.
Sorry for going OT a little bit, but is this the case with every airline, or only BA? And would it not have to do with the respective airports' staff in question, rather than the airlines involved?
Only because I was travelling ICN-TPE on CX in C last week, where at check-in they seemed to have "forgotten" to attach a "Priority" tag to my bag. After arriving at TPE, all other "Priority"-tagged bags definitely came out first, whereas I had to wait for mine 15 mins longer...
So at least on that occasion, they seem to have sorted them by pretty-coloured tag, and not by the barcoded one. But then I was flying CX, not BA...
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CCayley
But if your flight is to LHR it, er...., isn't.
Hi CCayley, either you´re just unlucky, or I´m xtra lucky. Our bags, orange tagged at ARN, were 1 and 2 off the carousell T5 last Tuesday, and this is pretty regular (OK not always 1 and 2) .
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Hi CCayley, either you´re just unlucky, or I´m xtra lucky. Our bags, orange tagged at ARN, were 1 and 2 off the carousell T5 last Tuesday, and this is pretty regular (OK not always 1 and 2) .
They may have been orange tagged, but it was the barcoded tag which indicated to the loading crew that you were in CE and your bags should be off first, not the orange one. People seem to be under this false perception that they must have the orange tag - it's quite simply not necessary. In fact we no longer even use them at LGW and haven't for years.
I'd also add that, like you, every time I've come in through LHR (travelling in CW) my bags have come out among the first batch. I never check bags when travelling in CE so can't comment on that.
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Sorry though, I can't comment on how other airlines process their baggage delivery I'm afraid as I honestly don't know.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sunrisegirl
They may have been orange tagged, but it was the barcoded tag which indicated to the loading crew that you were in CE and your bags should be off first, not the orange one.
Hi sunrise, very interesting point, so how does it work when I check in in economy at ARN, which happens quite often. I/we always get orange tagged, because of the GC, (as opposed to T5) and just this in itself is quite flattering.
Then according to your reasoning, the loading crew will read the barcode as ET, and ignore the orange tag So having a GC won´t help my luggage off quicker.. .
Not at all a problem for me, I´m just very interested in how it actually works. Maybe Menzies at ARN have their own system, but I will anyway now keep a closer check on the outcome.
Rgds
Chrispy
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Then according to your reasoning, the loading crew will read the barcode as ET, and ignore the orange tag So having a GC won´t help my luggage off quicker.. .
That's correct. It's the barcode indicating your travelling cabin that counts, not your EC status. There are scanners in the loading area which read the codes and direct them to the relevant bins. The barcode also links to the details in your reservation.
Of course as with everything in this world, there will always be exceptions, but that's how it should work.
The number of passengers who check bags in with orange tags already on them from a previous trip is very high, and the majority are not EC members. If we priority delivered every bag with an orange tag, you'd be waiting an eternity. (OK - I wonder how long it'll be before somebody says they always DO wait an eternity )
Do you think people leave them on intentionally, or too lazy to take them off?
Depends really. I suspect those who've perhaps flown in a premium cabin just once or twice, or perhaps been upgraded, tend to leave them on intentionally as they like them (I know I did the first time I flew CW). Those who travel regularly in those cabins probably just forget to take them off.
The barcoded tags are a b.tch to get off if they've been left on for a long time. I've broken numerous claws (ie. nails!) trying to get them off at check in. Most of us now ask the passenger to remove them to avoid this. (BA don't pay us for manicures )
) bags, all orange tagged (happens about 6 out of 10 times for us) were among the first off
) 
, but I will anyway now keep a closer check on the outcome.
)
