Priority baggage service at MEL?

[DGW]

I flew into MEL this afternoon and noticed something interesting downstairs at baggage claim. It would appear there is now a designated area for the collection of Priority-tagged baggage, with a baggage handler present to retrieve these bags from the conveyor (I took the pic before he'd arrived). Has anyone seen this in any other port? One of the three belts was boarded up (being reno'd I assume) so I'm assuming this "service" is in place to help manage the large volume of Priority baggage at peak times given they're one belt down. Nice idea.

 

[bullerdude]

Nice! Someone suggested this last month in another thread - perhaps that's were they got the idea from?

I only hope it works, cause it would suck to be standing whilst your bags are on the regular belt. If it does work, I would love to see this as a permanent feature (as opposed to something temporary due to the construction) at the main city airport where the crowds can be quite large.

 

[samh004]

Reminds me of NAN, where a staffer pulled priority bags off the belt too. Doesn't take much to implement.

 

[Ewing]

Reminds me of NAN, where a staffer pulled priority bags off the belt too. Doesn't take much to implement.

Bloody annoying too.

I spent ages waiting for my bag to come on the belt before realising it had already been pulled aside.

 

[samh004]

Bloody annoying too.

I spent ages waiting for my bag to come on the belt before realising it had already been pulled aside.

That said, if you knew the service existed, you'd just head to the collection point. As it was, I was first off the plane so headed to the start of the belt and found the collection point.

Unless you're talking about MEL

 

[Guru1]

FYI This is not a new or going to be introduced procedure. It is due to airport upgrades to the Melbourne airport facilities.

 

[Jamesl]

FYI This is not a new or going to be introduced procedure. It is due to airport upgrades to the Melbourne airport facilities.

Correct, due to the upgrade of carousel 2 the demand on the other 2 carousels is increased so to alleviate excess baggage an easy way was to get one MELAIR staff member and on VA Baggie and take PL off first.

 

[samh004]

FYI This is not a new or going to be introduced procedure. It is due to airport upgrades to the Melbourne airport facilities.

Correct, due to the upgrade of carousel 2 the demand on the other 2 carousels is increased so to alleviate excess baggage an easy way was to get one MELAIR staff member and on VA Baggie and take PL off first.

That's a shame, as it'd be a good privilege.

 

[bcworld]

Has anyone seen this in any other port?

It also happens at DPS...in fact I think they also stack up non priority bags in a separate section. I don't think this is to help customers though, more to help facilitate some luggage porter scam.

 

[Velocity Frequent Flyer]

Hi guys,
This is a temporary measure put in place while the carousel is upgraded. It ensures priority baggage is still received before general baggage and priority baggage isn’t confused with previous flights while work is carried out.
At this stage, we don’t intend to keep operating the priority areas after construction is complete.

 

[Velocity Frequent Flyer]

Hi guys,
This is a temporary measure put in place while the carousel is upgraded. It ensures priority baggage is still received before general baggage and priority baggage isn’t confused with previous flights while work is carried out.
At this stage, we don’t intend to keep operating the priority areas after construction is complete.

In fact, very temporary, as in we have decided to discontinue the priority arrival luggage area in Melbourne.
All guests will now receive their luggage on the carousels as per the norm.

 

[KCMil]

VFF, IMO, a bad move, I know many people who have commented on how excellent that sort of service is. To beat (not merely try to match,) the competitor you have to stamp your mark of difference, I thought this was one way of doing it. Shame that so many good ideas are let go...

 

[serfty]

In fact, very temporary, as in we have decided to discontinue the priority arrival luggage area in Melbourne.
All guests will now receive their luggage on the carousels as per the norm.

A Shame, as the area was hard to miss - we had checked bags eek for our flight from PER and when we came down (after a 5 minute lounge pitstop) there they were - nicely corralled.

 

[kyle]

Came back from OOL in J on Sunday afternoon. Saw the sign at Carousel 1, and thought, that's something new. Waited and waited, no sign of my priority luggage. So I thought to myself, maybe there's a dedicated desk for the priority luggage, sort of like the oversized luggage desk. Went over to Carousel 3 to investigate the existence of such a desk, and my luggage was coming out of Carousel 3???

It's actually not the first time in MEL that the carousel number on the screen either changes at the very last minute, or doesn't update at all.

 

[AIRwin]

It's actually not the first time in MEL that the carousel number on the screen either changes at the very last minute, or doesn't update at all.

No announcements?

 

[straitman]

Reminds me of NAN, where a staffer pulled priority bags off the belt too. Doesn't take much to implement.

I was just about tp post that but you beat me to it. A good system but not any help if the priority bags don't come out early in the process.

 

[samh004]

I was just about tp post that but you beat me to it. A good system but not any help if the priority bags don't come out early in the process.

That's true, still requires priority luggage out first, so I guess needs to be correctly packed. Have to re-work those union agreements on job roles.

 

[kyle]

No announcements?

Not at all. Because the ppl from my flight was waiting around Carousel 1. Then as I was heading to check at Carousel 3, saw the two pax sitting in the same row as me who looked like seasoned travellers collecting their bags there.