Do priority luggage tags matter

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Jun 27, 2016, 2:41 am

thebouncer

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Do priority luggage tags matter

I wonder what the point of these are I have the ones added by check in agent and my gold tags and my bags just seem to arrive in a random order regardless. Just wondering if this is anyone else's impression?

Jun 27, 2016, 2:44 am

nux

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This has been raised and discussed many times. For status passengers they are just added for show.

Quote:

Priority baggage handling
As an Emerald frequent flyer you will also receive priority baggage handling when travelling in any cabin on an eligible oneworld flight, giving your baggage priority handling from aircraft to carousel.. (Priority baggage handling is not available on flights operated by British Airways.)

Last edited by nux; Jun 27, 2016 at 2:50 am

Jun 27, 2016, 2:48 am

rossmacd

Join Date: Jan 2010

Posts: 7,464

They are a complete waste of good trees. Purely for show, and anyone saying that they make a difference is blinded by the ego enhancement that they provide

Jun 27, 2016, 3:03 am

stu1985

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Complete waste.

They never work anyway! BA seems to have a complete inability to get their status passengers' luggage off first.

Jun 27, 2016, 3:14 am

Greenpen

Join Date: Aug 2008

Posts: 3,926

But if for some reason someone is looking for you they can help. At Tobago when all the passengers on a 747 had to be processed when it was cancelled then having Virgin Upper Class baggage labels visible meant the ground staff looking for us (UC people) spotted us and could deal with getting us to a taxi and hotel quickly.

Don't leave them on your hand bags though, especially on the 08.04 from Basingstoke!

Jun 27, 2016, 3:19 am

LTN Phobia

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It works at some airports.

They consistently work when arriving at HND, NRT, SIN.

Jun 27, 2016, 3:24 am

LondonMike

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Arriving into JFK recently, I noticed though that all the crew bags came out first. Very disappointing to be standing there waiting while the entire crew of a 747 casually walks past you...

Jun 27, 2016, 3:52 am

msm2000uk

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Uncle T will be along shortly I'm sure.

He loves a good Bag Tag thread

Jun 27, 2016, 4:27 am

T8191

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Quote:

Originally Posted by msm2000uk

Uncle T will be along shortly I'm sure.

He loves a good Bag Tag thread

You rang?

I have never expected to receive priority baggage handling on either BA or AA, despite the orange/red tag being stuck inside the standard baggage label, and have thus never been disappointed.

Jun 27, 2016, 4:29 am

#10

bealine

Join Date: Jan 2003

Posts: 3,775

Quote:

Originally Posted by stu1985

Complete waste.

They never work anyway! BA seems to have a complete inability to get their status passengers' luggage off first.

On short haul / UK domestic routes, all bags are loaded together so, you're quite correct, "status" won't mean anything.

Speaking for Heathrow, on outbound long haul routes, separate containers are earmarked as "Premium Bins" and annotated as such on the Cargo Plan Manifest (CPM). The outstation's handlers should all be aware of BA's wishes to offload Premium bins first - that's what we pay them for.

On incoming aircraft at Heathrow, the CPM is the first thing loaders look at when they go to meet an incoming aircraft and I can tell you here and now, that every man jack of them will prioritise getting the Premium bins offloaded first (unless there is a "Anti-Tip Limit Exceeded" warning, which means that unloading may have to be carried out out of the usual sequence.)

If you have travelled in First or Club World, your bags should be first on the carousel at least 90% of your travels, and, if they aren't, then I'm afraid I am at a loss to understand why.

Jun 27, 2016, 4:35 am

#11

Globaliser

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Quote:

Originally Posted by LTN Phobia

It works at some airports.

They consistently work when arriving at HND, NRT, SIN.

Don't you really mean that priority baggage handling works consistently well when arriving at some airports after departing LHR T5? Personally, I would add JNB to that list.

The received wisdom here (because of insiders' contributions) is that this is because the priority loading system at T5 works. But that's got nothing to do with the priority tags, which the loading machines can't read and which are therefore meaningless.

Jun 27, 2016, 4:48 am

#12

LTN Phobia

Moderator: British Airways Executive Club

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Globaliser

Don't you really mean that priority baggage handling works consistently well when arriving at some airports after departing LHR T5?

I meant to say any flights arriving at HND, NRT and SIN seem to be handled strictly according to priority tags by baggage handlers - not just BA but on any flight. I can't remember a single 'fail' at any of these airports.

However, it can also semi-back-fire on you. I arrived at HND in F the other day but my bags were tagged with the normal Priority ones as they seemed to be the only ones the outstation had. The result? My bags came out after all the F-tagged bags came out, among non-F priority-tagged ones.

It made me laugh as to just how reliable those tags are at HND.

I dread to think what will happen if the priority tags get ripped off before arriving at HND for instance - among the non-priority bags without a doubt

(I still think handling of F bags on Lufthansa at HND is the best. You don't even need to take them off the carousel yourself because staff members will do it for you...)

Jun 27, 2016, 4:50 am

#13

nux

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Quote:

Originally Posted by bealine

Speaking for Heathrow, on outbound long haul routes, separate containers are earmarked as "Premium Bins" and annotated as such on the Cargo Plan Manifest (CPM). The outstation's handlers should all be aware of BA's wishes to offload Premium bins first - that's what we pay them for.

What determines if the bag goes in the 'Premium Bin' - I assume it is by barcode and only for CW/F passengers?

Jun 27, 2016, 4:55 am

#14

Kaveh96

Join Date: Jun 2013

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In my experience the yellow priority tag only attracts the attention of people in the customs of whichever country you've just landed in. They assume, you've travelled in business, have rich and would probably are over your allowances.

I was getting stopped on my flights to Kiev repeatedly despite how i dressed. The range went from a suit to the homeless look, and I can only assume it was the fluorescent tags

Jun 27, 2016, 5:31 am

#15

Fitch

Join Date: Nov 2010

Location: Bristol

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My own experience at BCN (> 20 arrivals with luggage) suggests a strong inverse correlation between tagging and my wait time.

No idea why - bolshie baggage handlers perhaps ?

In any case, once I started refusing the tags, delivery sped up noticeably

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