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-   American Airlines | AAdvantage (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/american-airlines-aadvantage-733/)
-   -   Priority tag / tags for checked baggage / luggage (consolidated) (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/american-airlines-aadvantage/1699982-priority-tag-tags-checked-baggage-luggage-consolidated.html)

SquareRainbow Aug 3, 2015 8:19 pm

is there only one type of priority tag on checked bags?
 
now that US and AA are combined as one, is there only one type of priority tag on checked bags? is there anything that distinguishes the bags of first class and different levels of elite status?

thanks!

JDiver Aug 3, 2015 9:10 pm


Originally Posted by SquareRainbow (Post 25217146)
now that US and AA are combined as one, is there only one type of priority tag on checked bags? is there anything that distinguishes the bags of first class and different levels of elite status?

thanks!

I've seen crew tags, group tags and priority tags.

I've not seen priority tags that differentiate different levels of anything.

dungeonlurker Aug 3, 2015 9:27 pm

I've never been given a different priority tag, flying in first, Gold, or EXP. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't believe that there are, or have ever been, different priority tags.

pssteve Aug 3, 2015 10:27 pm

Priority Tags are merely an inexpensive way to stroke our egos. The actual delivery of our bags is more random than anything else.Just be glad that your bag makes it to your destination.

77W_12A Aug 3, 2015 10:34 pm

Even if the bag is tagged priority, the information contained in the barcode is more important. You can have 10 priority tags plastered on your luggage. If it doesn't say priority on the baggage tag, it's useless.

retirementdreams Aug 4, 2015 12:33 am

My barcodes apparently say: drop bag from 30 foot height and deliver next day.

Centurion Aug 4, 2015 1:24 am

Priority bag tags are not ego strokes. It just depends on the airport and handlers. On a lot of international flights you really see they work more often than not.

fotographer Aug 4, 2015 6:50 am

not having checked a bag in many years now, I do remember when my checked bag got the tag, most of the times, especially in BOM they came out about half way thru,
I have seen other airlines in BOM remove the bags with priorty tags being removed and set aside from the main luggage line.
To me, it just made it easier for me to identify my bag

Often1 Aug 4, 2015 7:16 am

AA embeds priority into the bar code. That's all the baggage handlers "see" and use for purposes of expediting bags. Whether the handlers actually follow the priority coding is a different issue.

The printed tags themselves are simply marketing hype so that people can feel special.

jona970318 Aug 4, 2015 8:33 am

With the automatic sorting systems these days the only difference the priority tags make is when your bags are being physically handled. I've also heard and is under the belief that bags with priority tags are placed in a different compartment/area of the plane so it comes out first. But of course, YMMV

JDiver Aug 4, 2015 10:08 am


Originally Posted by jona970318 (Post 25219220)
With the automatic sorting systems these days the only difference the priority tags make is when your bags are being physically handled. I've also heard and is under the belief that bags with priority tags are placed in a different compartment/area of the plane so it comes out first. But of course, YMMV

Yep. Not every baggage handler has (or uses when has) readers.

The problems include narrow bodies where baggage is all hand-loaded, the arrival of early vs. late bags and how bags will be loaded for weight and balance issues.

The plane then flies, and the baggage is handled in order presented whether it's p-tagged or not; by this time some p-tag baggage is elsewhere in queue. They're not going to pile baggage and not load at cart or carousel whilst they're waitung for every p-tagged bag (nor are they likely to know of some blended in the bin mix).

Compounded by some locations where AA or contract employees just don't care.

869 Aug 4, 2015 11:00 am


Originally Posted by jona970318 (Post 25219220)
With the automatic sorting systems these days the only difference the priority tags make is when your bags are being physically handled. I've also heard and is under the belief that bags with priority tags are placed in a different compartment/area of the plane so it comes out first. But of course, YMMV

I watched out of my window last week at LGA while the crew pulled out all priority tagged bags for loading together at the end. I guess this would make them the first out at DFW, though by the time the one segment bags hit the carousel there was no method to the madness.

JDiver Aug 4, 2015 1:20 pm


Originally Posted by 869 (Post 25220004)
I watched out of my window last week at LGA while the crew pulled out all priority tagged bags for loading together at the end. I guess this would make them the first out at DFW, though by the time the one segment bags hit the carousel there was no method to the madness.

The first crew certainly sounds like they got it right. But the handlers at the other end, might or might not follow through... Right hand - left hand issues, unfortunately not unusual.

morrisunc Aug 4, 2015 3:25 pm

US used to have all Envoy/First bags from inbound Europe flights laid out next to the belt before other bags even began coming off the belt in PHL...this was like 1998-2000

ThreeJulietTango Aug 4, 2015 4:05 pm

There are technically two different types of priority tags if you're counting the LAA and LUS tags as different, but they both serve the exact same function.


Originally Posted by jona970318 (Post 25219220)
I've also heard and is under the belief that bags with priority tags are placed in a different compartment/area of the plane so it comes out first.

^ At least, they're supposed to be. Ideally, priority tagged baggage should be the last to be loaded so it's the first off, as the LGA ground crew mentioned earlier did.

I've had several passengers request that I not place priority tags on their baggage. My coworkers have had the same happen to them and were confused, but from being on FlyerTalk and personal experience, I understood why they preferred not to have them.


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