According to the star - alliance website, it indicates that all * gold members do get priority baggages, but when I asked the UA agent during checkin, the she didn't know anything about it. Comments?

Forget it. Priority baggage means nothing to United.

I'm not sure what "priority baggage handling" is all about. I know that sometimes flying first there is a different tag put on the handle. But I have rarely found that the bags with the first class tag are handled any differently.

I often travel with samples and inventory which requires three pieces of luggage. The policy regarding bags that is very clear in print, but is little known behind most United and Star Alliance counters, is that Star Gold cardholders are to be allowed three items of luggage. This is in print everywhere, but I have been told sternly by several agents at check-in that I am going to be charged $50 or more for excess baggage. I then respond just as firmly and clearly that no such thing will take place because of the published, longstanding policy. And then I hand them a printed item that I carry with me everywhere (I think it's a page from the letter that comes with our statements), for this purpose, that says clearly that Premier Exec/Star Alliance Gold is to be accorded three checked bags. Having the printed policy in hand seems to do the trick. They can find the policy somewhere deep in the archives on their computer screens. But nothing seems to work like a dated piece of published policy.

I've had such incidents in Istanbul, Tokyo, and about a dozen places in the US.

That's the only bit of luggage privilege that I've experienced on Star Alliance. I've learned that I have to be ready to be the enforcer myself.

I always check in at Gold * counters, and ALWAYS insist politely they tag bags with whatever their own "Priority" tagging is called, whether it be Varig, Luft, SQ, Ansett, Thai etc.

Always has been acceeded to cheerfully. Just did some Br.Midland flights, and all bagfs got the green BD Priority labels on them, and they came off first. BD were not even full * members at the time!

My personal experience is that United 1st or Priority tagged bags get excellent treatment.

Ozstamps sez -

Except, perhaps, at SFO, where I think a bit of class warfare goes on, because F class bags are at least as likely to come off last as first.

Long Live the People's Republic of Berkeley!

Greg

I find that on international flights the priority tags make a difference. On US domestic flights they are useless.

rogerli, to answer your question, the United agent was uninformed and you were entitled to it. You might want to print out this page from the Mileage Plus newsletter and take it along with you.

http://members.aol.com/premex/upload...ed/starbag.jpg

If you get priority tagged on a domestic flight as QuietLion stated... forget about it. Ot basically comes down to the airport and the time of arrival, which includes any delays. I have found at LAX, go and have a full sit down meal and then grab your "priority" baggage maybe an hour later.

International, I've had good experiences with SAS.

Premex,

I have trouble seeing your site? Is it possible for you to fix it?

Thanx

In Seattle, for domestic flights, bags tagged First do seem to come off more toward the beginning of the bags, sometimes. But, of course, if you are connecting, the order your bags got put on makes the most difference. My experience for International "PRIORITY" or "CONNISSEUR CLASS" has been that it does make a difference.

Not mine. I lived in Seattle for 19 years. Even worked at Microsoft.

rogerli: I just ried Premex's link - works fine for me.

I just got a blue "star" in the upper left corner of an otherwise blank page.

Re priority treatment - AN took my orange tag seriously - the bag got to the carousel before I did. UA's baggage handling seems mighty haphazard, though.

Site worked for me too. Also noted the asterisk by SAS saying beginning 10/1/99. SAS took it seriously enough to not commit until they could deliver. The other airlines figured no one would notice.

I seem to be having the same trouble as rogerli and violist with the jpeg files that PremEx has so kindly posted. Only the part of the file, stating "Star treatment" appears, and then the socket breaks off or something. Same thing is happening with the other jpeg files on the "Unofficial UA Help Desk."

This is not by way of complaint, only gratitude, and now curiosity, about what PremEx has posted. Thank you PremEx!