How is priority baggage handled?
 

I always wondered how priority baggage is handled. Is there a separate section in the hold of the plane for priority baggage? Is it loaded last/unloaded first? Or is it all thrown together and sorted after the fact, when handlers are bringing the bags to baggage claim? Does anyone know??

Also interested in hearing any opinions on the topic of so many more people having priority baggage these days that the benefit is not as good. Thanks!

Poorly IME. Probably half the time when I have a priority bag it's one of the last ones on the belt.

It depends on the airport you are in. The biggest pet peeves I have is when my F tagged bags came after the other J bags have came out. Again, not really a big deal, but still irritating that it is common at outstations. The worst so far has to be an Chinese airports; they seem to be near last pretty much every time:rolleyes::mad:

Actually, I've had a good track record on most *A carriers - when the flight has been direct. When connecting, whether my luggage comes first, last or middle of the pack is anyone's guess :rolleyes:

In my experience, it varies all over the map. In a few cases it seems they gave my bags priority in being loaded onto the plane, so they were the furthest in and the last off! :D

Kidding aside, it seems to make more of a (positive) difference outside the U.S. than inside.

At least in theory, for aircraft which use baggage containers, there is a container which is reserved for priority bags. This should then be the first to be loaded onto the belts at the destination. I say in theory because the ultimate responsibility for getting the priority bags onto the belts first lies with the destination handlers, and how seriously they take that responsibility varies from place to place. Usually I find it works quite well though.

I'm not sure about aircraft which don't use containers. I guess either they load the priority bags last so they are first out, or there is a small space reserved for them. But you still rely on the destination handlers to put them on the belt first.

You must fly to different Chinese airports than me. I rarely have any complaints, and at obscure outstations.

I was at HGH recently; flying KLM in J and I saw that both my bags came out after non priority bags:rolleyes:. One of the tags had dropped; but this doesn't excuse the other bag arriving in the middle of the belt:mad:
Flew PVG-CTU and PVG-PEK and both had pretty poor baggage handling.

Also PVG-SIN where my F bags came after the J bags. For some reason my tags come off frequently; including those more permanent ones:(

Last time I flew F with AF and connected back to LHR in biz my bags still had the red La Premiere sticker and were on the belt not only first but by themselves, the rest of them came several minutes later. There's a First time for everything :)

Priority bags are bags that you carry on the plane, everything else is a bag. I found that I am never disappointed about my bags because I don't expect it to come out first (If I am priority) but if it does then that is bonus. I control my expectations and that controls my frustration. I have complained multiple times but no one does anything about it. I remember a long time ago AA gave me 500 point for my complaint. Whoopee.

EVA is pretty good at it. Every time, my bag is in the first group on the belt, and quite often, the very first one.

First to be pilfered from. Thrown around the most. Last to arrive on the carousel.

Depends on the airport I guess. :/

Badly.