red "priority" tag on checked baggage
 

Who can tell me what are the benefits of the red Star Alliance "PRIORITY" insert on the disposable checked baggage tags? I haven't really thought about it until today. I tried to google some info on it but no results.

In my experience, the red tag doesn't get my luggage onto the carousel any quicker. So does it mean they handle my baggage more gently (not my experience either, still get damages).

Thanks in advance for your information!

Priority tags work all the time in Asia....but hardly ever work in the US.

That's because "PRIORITY" in the US usually means that you actually get your bags as compared to the default situation where they are lost and don't come out on the carousel.

But seriously, I have had HON priority tags on LH flights into LAX, and the bag was there when i cleared TBIT passport control - which only took 5-8 minutes.

Oftentimes, the tags will help the loaders decide which bags to (not) leave behind when the aircraft is weight-restricted (think 17-50 seater type planes).. helps regularly at LCY on the hot days when a lot of bags get left behind as people head out for weekend breaks.

Does anyone check the tags on the bag i.e. if you were not even a *A silver and just put tags on the bag? I've managed to get a stack of those tags here and thought they would be useful when travelling with friends and family..

quick chckin
 

i have 100s of these tags too, and you can use them in every selfcheckin machine, but as i am a star gold, i hardly use them :)

dp

Even if those "priority"-tagged bags don't get on the carousel any quicker than non-tagged bags, they still serve a purpose for some: People carrying or pulling those bags can show off to others that they have elite status or fly a premium cabin. These symbols allow people to feel special and important.

Another example are the elite status luggage tags. At least on AA, they serve really no purpose other than the one aforementioned. When I received my EXP tags, I tossed them in the trash.

Outside US, the tag pretty much means the bag comes out first.

In the US, my experience is mixed, but generally I never wait the longest.

It used to be the case in the US that the Priority tag meant "break me first". I have been pleasantly surprised recently, however, especially at LAX, where the Priority bags really do come out first.

On more than one occasion, upon landing at MCO, I was pleasantly surprised to see my check-in luggage just sitting by the carousel waiting for me to pick it up.

I'd like to think the priority tags had something to do with it.

Who are the people that are supposed to get the priority tags? *gold and up?

Star Alliance gold card holders, international first class passengers, longhaul business class passengers.

TG gives me priority tags when I fly PE, as a Silver, so it's not just First or Biz class.

Red PRIORITY Tag = Classic case of YMMV

Fly into SEA and it won't make any difference. They're all SLOW. And once the belt starts running the tags don't see to make any difference at all.