Priority Checked Baggage - What a joke !

[dgwally]

Yes ... I know.. this is a first world problem... but I need to express my frustration at Qantas & 'Priority Checked Baggage'... You would assume that if you fly Business or have the appropriate status your bags would be one of the first out... this isn't the case if you fly PER-SYD or PER-MEL... today my bag was once again one of the last out and yes it was tagged as 'Priority' .... Maybe the Baggage Handlers had a bad day today... nope... it happens around 80% of the time. (thats my estimated %, I don't keep a tally)

So the question I hear everyone ask... Have you provided this feedback to Qantas.... Simple answer is yes, Multiple times over the past 18 months. The response I get is 'its the baggage handlers' and they always ensure my feedback is referred on to the relevant Airport Manager. I know there is nothing they can do after the fact, the point in the feedback is to highlight the issue in a hope Qantas would improve!

18 months later the issue still exists and Im now even more frustrated !

Thanks for listening and lets hope that over the next 18 months Qantas Baggage handlers can improve

 

[Sdtravel]

Been happening for ages
When I first joined QC it seemed to work but then it kinda stopped
i think it was around the time of the self checkin that it seemed to go down hill
but others could comment more. Perhaps it was earlier.
memtioned it a few times no change.
i think it's a bit better on international but one side is a foreign country doing it so it could be just a AUS internal issue.
But it may not be baggage services fault they could be getting a coughpy deal from QF mgt

 

[ashleyn]

Been happening for ages
When I first joined QC it seemed to work but then it kinda stopped
i think it was around the time of the self checkin that it seemed to go down hill
but others could comment more. Perhaps it was earlier.
memtioned it a few times no change.
i think it's a bit better on international but one side is a foreign country doing it so it could be just a AUS internal issue.
But it may not be baggage services fault they could be getting a coughpy deal from QF mgt

I'm happy if my luggage turns up.

 

[jackthomas]

I'm curious as a new QF SG, How are priority bags identified? Purely based on the Q Bag Tag colour or is there an extra tag at bag drop?

VA priority baggage is rarely much better, but I guess all is well as long as it gets there...

 

[esseeeayeenn]

Last month I flew ADL-PER with 3 checked bags. As a WP flying business my bags were indeed given priority, and two were the first two bags to emerge.
However I waited in vain for the third.
After all the bags had been unloaded I walked over to luggage services.
They immediately asked "did it have a bag tag as well?". When I confirmed this they started off towards the oversize luggage area to retrieve it.
Apparently on 737s the priority bags are stored together with the bags which are through checked for connecting flights.
And they are frequently mixed up. So my bag was waiting to be whisked off to parts unknown.

 

[medhead]

The colour of the Qtag means nothing for priority baggage. It's electronically coded onto the tag when you check in based on your status/fare class. Anyone can use any Qtag. Also printed onto the paper tags.

I've had one experience where they put all the baggage against a non-status passenger in the booking.

To the OP. Overall priority means a big fat ZERO. It's been like this for at least 4 years, probably longer just my memory is failing.

 

[Flying mermaid]

It's been patchy for years - sometimes works many times not - I gave years ago and am just grateful if the bags are there

 

[coriander]

Not only domestic, also international. We flew QF93/94 in J in Jan this year and Feb last year and EACH time our Q-tag and bright pink labelled "Priority" cases were last onto the baggage carousel - to the point that our family was consistently amongst the last 20 or so people waiting for cases. It doesn't seem to matter whether we check in early or late (Mrs C speculated that the cases are first on last off). We even replaced our silver Q-tags with the gold ones, but it didn't help. I'm philosophical that "it's all just part of the travel experience".

The upside of last cases off is that you zip through Customs as there's no longer any queue !

 

[medhead]

We even replaced our silver Q-tags with the gold ones, but it didn't help.

Because the colour of the tag is not used to determine priority entitlement. It is completely meaningless. Priority is assigned to a tag each time it flies.

 

[CaviAck]

I'm curious as a new QF SG, How are priority bags identified? Purely based on the Q Bag Tag colour or is there an extra tag at bag drop?

For SG and OWS priority baggage is indicated by a black circle with the words priority in white in the middle on the baggage label. For WP/WP1 and OWE priority baggage is indicate by a black square with the words "Business" in white in the middle.

As for how long this has been going on... It's been around since they introduced self-check in and switching from the bright coloured tags to the printed black circles/squares. so a bloody while now. As for being route specific, I don't think so. I've had it work and fail on BNE-SYD and fail miserably SYD-CNS and vv and hit and miss on BNE-CNS.

 

[opusman]

On the last trip where I checked baggage, my bags were pretty much first off at the destination (ADL). Coming back, mrsOpusman and I took advantage of arrivals access and had a cheeky drink in the J lounge before going to bag claim, so I have no idea how well it worked in MEL

 

[vetrade]

Haven't we all seen those youtube clips of how gently baggage handlers treat our luggage when it's out of sight? Don't you think there's a chance that some of those guys harbour sufficient envy towards the frequent flying classes that they would delight in throwing their bags at the bottom of the pile when they see the priority tag, just to "get up their nose"?

If you don't want your bags to be singled out for "special" (aka delaying) treatment, take the priority tags off and leave their arrival on the carousel to random chance.

 

[RooFlyer]

<snip>
To the OP. Overall priority means a big fat ZERO. It's been like this for at least 4 years, probably longer just my memory is failing.

<snip>

As for how long this has been going on... It's been around since they introduced self-check in and switching from the bright coloured tags to the printed black circles/squares. so a bloody while now. As for being route specific, I don't think so. I've had it work and fail on BNE-SYD and fail miserably SYD-CNS and vv and hit and miss on BNE-CNS.

Longer than both, in my experience.

I don't believe its ever actually done. If your 'priority' bag comes out early, its just the reflection that statistically, with randomised bags, sometimes your bag will be first, or amongst the first.

As I once pointed out to a State Manager, baggage collection is the last and therefore most remembered experience on a Qantas flight (since we are talking about Qantas here). If that's a bad experience, then the efforts of a great cabin crew, and the great food and drink you had on the flight will be largely wasted. You leave the airport muttering about bloody Qantas promised service not delivered. Yet some-one or some group has undoubtedly made the decision that 'Priority baggage' is something they won't spend time on.

Just like priority boarding.

 

[medhead]

For SG and OWS priority baggage is indicated by a black circle with the words priority in white in the middle on the baggage label. For WP/WP1 and OWE priority baggage is indicate by a black square with the words "Business" in white in the middle.

You described the paper tags very well. Much better than my throw away line.

If you don't want your bags to be singled out for "special" (aka delaying) treatment, take the priority tags off and leave their arrival on the carousel to random chance.

This is not really possible as, for domestic at least, the priority indication is an integral part of the tag that gets you bag to its destination, either Q-Tag or paper tag. Remove that tag and you've got a lost bag.

Longer than both, in my experience.

I have a vague memory of it working pretty consistently sometime upto the early 2000s, sometime.

 

[PaulST]

I do wonder if sometimes some rather unpleasant ground staff actually delay priority bags out of spite. When flying QF J domestically, my bags are usually in the last lot yet sometimes when I'm flying Y they often come out in the first bunch (or last bunch).

 

[RickyT84]

My experience with priority luggage has also been mixed thus far. Sometimes my bag(s) would come out with the first lot (together with the 'Business' tagged bags) and sometimes in the middle.

I would say that priority baggage tends to work better on international flights (both inbound and outbound) for me.

 

[ComeFlyWithMe]

As with all things QF, it's consistently inconsistent. I've travelled as WP in F many times, sometimes the bag is out first, others the very last. QF don't care either way.

 

[coriander]

Haven't we all seen those youtube clips of how gently baggage handlers treat our luggage when it's out of sight?

Damage to my luggage contents on our last trip back from the USA was mostly thanks to TSA.

Departing MCO I had wrapped my CPAP machine, cups and mugs and other memorabilia inside socks and various clothes and placed them in the middle of my case. On opening the case at home, there was a "love letter" from TSA saying the contents of the case had been inspected. The suitcase had been upacked for inspection and clothes were thrown back in with CPAP machine, mugs etc unwrapped and thrown in last so that they were on top of the case contents against the top of the case with thus no padding or protection. The mugs were smashed, of course, and the LCD screen on the CPAP machine had to be replaced. My packing technique had previously served me well over the past 20 years but were undermined by the TSA. TI didn't cover because damage was less than $100 excess - cost wasn't issue, just the loss of memorabilia and loss of my beloved CPAP machine for a week whilst being repaired!

 

[BD1959]

Haven't we all seen those youtube clips of how gently baggage handlers treat our luggage when it's out of sight?

It's a shame the CCTV coverage of the infamous Camel Suit incident never made it to youtube .... or did it??

Regards,

BD

 

[vetrade]

This is not really possible as, for domestic at least, the priority indication is an integral part of the tag that gets you bag to its destination, either Q-Tag or paper tag. Remove that tag and you've got a lost bag.

Yes, I see the shortcomings of my comment, although at the time I was thinking only of the Q-Tag, which most obviously advertises the FF status of the owner.