Originally Posted by
airmotive
The courier nags were definitely the priority for the ground crew. None of the courier bags had priority tags. And I saw at least one priority-tagged bag get removed to make room for courier bags.
And I don't think all (if any) the couriers were DMs. Coach was sold out. I was
#1 of 8 for 11 empty FC seats. I think we now have an answer for the question, "Who the heck buys DM tags for $50 on eBay?" Answer: Courier companies.
Ah, that wasn't all that clear in your OP. Presumed DM bag tags = DMs (meaning they did this a lot - not out of the question). There must be a contract (implicit or otherwise) to prioritize the bags. Though one has to wonder why they aren't just shipped cargo and why the courier is required for commodity items like fish or coffee.
I sat next to a courier on a LAX-NRT flight once. He was young, a DM, and enjoyed the travel. Lot's of back and fourth across the Pacific. Don't know what he was traveling with though.