Is it just me or is it reasonable to expect that all 1W carriers should be able to coordinate priority baggage accross the alliance? Is *A the only alliance offering such a service? Even if only for C and F pax, shouldn't they be able to deal with this? What's the point in Iberia tagging your bags as priority in BCN if, when they reach EI in DUB, they get bundled in with the masses in coach?

That said, perhaps tagging transfer bags as priority when going thru LHR would just be more of an incentive for those talented and skilled BA baggage handlers to send ones belongings off in to the wild blue yonder... ~

Come on 1W - we're not asking much!

Apparently there is no Priority baggage handling with AA flights within North America. Even if you fly First Class. Even if you are Emerald. You'd only get a tag only if the agent feels like tagging your bag Premium or when you are actually flying the Premium Class on transcon flights.

Within Europe, BA is quite lax in placing Priority tags on bags. Half the time I have to ask for it. Forget about IBERIA. I think the agents believe it as only 'for show' .

On Star Alliance flights too, within USA, UNITED does not place Priority tags for STAR GOLD members either. In Europe, not even STAR GOLD members get priority tags on Lufthansa flights even if you fly Business Class. Only Lufthansa-SENATOR members get the priority tags.

Within Australia, you'd get Priority tags as an Elite member of either Oneworld or Star alliances for Qantas and Ansett flights respectively.

My priority tagged suitcase on a recent LAS to YYZ flight in J class on AC came down the carousel third off the aircraft, so sometimes the tags do appear to work.

bj-21.

the first off any CX flight are ALWAYS the ones with the yellow tags, that's right, the CREW bags come off first

The crew bags of CX only come off first in HK because they come from a different carousel. The first bags to come off any CX aircraft are usually the First Class tagged bags, then the Business Class.

Some of the OW members are certainly better than others at handling the priority bags - Lan, Finnair, the dearly departed Canadian and Lingus are certinly better. AA do it when the mood takes them. A priority tag on BA is an invitation for them to misplace your bag at LHR.

However, my point is/was, they don't seem to be able to coordinate the priority status of bags when the transfer inter-line. A Lan priority tag means nothing to a baggage bumper at JFK when he/she takes it off the Lan ramp and throws it on to your connecting AA flights.

Surely they could coordinate this better by using a single OW priority tag???

No, Guy Betsy you are completely wrong.
The crew bags arrive in the same carousel, usually 11-13 in HKG , always first up and even in way off ports like Joburg they come out first. I actually wrote to the MPO club some time ago on this point - still awaiting a reply.