theshaun

Just wondering if there are any service levels on how long a bag should take to be delivered. Using track your bags on the app, it took 48 minutes from off load to delivery at baggage claim and this was with a priority tag on the bag. I don't recall having to wait this long in the past.

moondog

This varies widely based primarily on the airport, and secondarily based on how many other flights arrive at the same time.

For my current travel circuit (China/HK/Macau), I rarely need to wait more than 2 minutes for my bag with or without priority tags, though PEK T3 is an exception.

When I was based in Portland, OR, 20 minutes was the norm there...so I got used to the carry on thing.

I think this topic is useful because, with enough data, FTers would be able to make better decisions about whether or not to check bags.

Uncle Nonny

Let me preface my post by saying my business trips are typically around 10 days so I need to check bags (please, no speech about someone cramming 10 days worth of clothes into a fanny pack as my work circumstances are atypical). It's been my life's goal to get AA @PHL to get bags delivered in a timely manner. They simply cannot/will not do it. The Priority tags rarely come out first on the belt. When they do it seems I get teased with my first bag in the first 5 only to see my 2nd bag come out last. It comes down to training and money, like everything at AA. Whether the bags are handled by contractors or employees, AA simply doesn't care enough to devote enough resources to improving the quality of service here. It's extremely frustrating. Consider anything under 20 minutes a win.

MiamiAirport Formerly NY George

Come to MIA. One hour is the norm and priority tags come out either last or mixed within other bags.

Often1

Where, when?

48 minutes when it is the only AA flight at a small airport is absurd. During massive IRROPS at a major hub with backed up aircraft not so much.

Uzzar

CLT also tends to be very slow, 30-45 minutes is not uncommon.

3Cforme

On international arrivals you're waiting for Customs clearance. (I don't know if Pre-Clearance airports sidestep that entirely for bags at U.S. arrivals.)

If you want a 20-minute domestic bag guarantee, fly AS or DL.

autdi

If all pre-clearance is like YYZ, then you go through the passport check and the customs bag check, with the forms all done before getting to security, and there was a bag drop post customs, but before security for checked bags. Think of it this way, if you had something in a carry on, you exit into the secure side of the airport on arrival, not the sterile path to customs, so anything customs wanted to look at had to be done before you leave, as you are treated like a regular transfer on arrival in the US.

beachfan

donotblink

joe_miami

MIA has had problems for years with bags being looted/stolen by staff or stolen from the carousels.

beachfan

donotblink

zzpitt

I frequently fly back to PHL from a much smaller station (BTR, EVV, LIT) and often joke with the check-in agent that it's not worth their time to put the orange tag on, that it's essentially meaningless back in PHL. They consistently seemed genuinely shocked when I explain this. You would think this would be easy to spot-check/audit from a management perspective - randomly pick a few flights a day and stand at the carousel to see if the orange tags are first. But like you said, that implies that somebody in management is actually concerned about ensuring this is done correctly.

Maybe they turned a new leaf in the past month? Trip in late November, I noted that is seemed much shorter than usual. Then 2 weeks ago, I was floored to see my bag coming down the belt just as I was walking up to carousel. Or maybe I was just extremely lucky...

ricktoronto

Before they demolish and renovate the luggage area in the terminal is the hard and fast rule.