Priority luggage, enough is enough.

[MH_fan]

I rarely check in bags (on any trip) but the one time I did (about 12 months ago) on QF and using those Q-tags, my bag didn't even get to my final destination! My Q-tags are now collecting dust. I will never use them again.
My experience on priority baggage delivery on other airlines have been much better. Even though I don't check in bags, my travel partners usually do. I fly MH very regularly and priority tagged bags have been literally within the first 10 out on the carousel on 9 out of 10 flights. These include arrivals at SYD, KUL, CDG, LHR, PEN, BKI, KCH and HKG (all within the last 2-3 years). In contrast, most of the QF flights in the past few years have not had priority baggage delivery honoured.

 

[drron]

We dont use the Q tags after our bags went on a mileage run-SYD-PER-SYD-BNE instead of straight to BNE.they added a paper tag PER-SYD so we knew where it had gone.Our experience mirrors the OP.And when I travel by myself domestically on Virgin they get it right~90% of the time.

 

[reductionist]

It would be great to get some sort of response from RedRoo on this one.

I would love to know if the priority baggage benefit is being delivered in full as far as QF is concerned.

Or, if not, whether they plan on doing anything about it.

 

[Berlin]

They're all QF employees on something like $80k aren't they?

Excuse me, they are getting how much??? :shock:

 

[RooFlyer]

It would be great to get some sort of response from RedRoo on this one.

I would love to know if the priority baggage benefit is being delivered in full as far as QF is concerned.

Or, if not, whether they plan on doing anything about it.

Here, here.

 

[serfty]

...

Or, if not, whether they plan on doing anything about it.

Oh, they do do stuff about it, issuing directives to local managers regularly that "Correct Procedures be Followed to ensure Priority baggage" etc.

It's whether the managers are able to convince the people who handle the baggage to actually try hard enough to follow the directive is the question ...

 

[PLC]

I have lower expectations now. I'm just happy when I get my luggage / things.

On a flight from ADL-SYD in J they actually managed to lose my suit - and it was in the bl**dy cabin!! Well...not strictly true...everyone (including me) managed to forget I had carried it on and it stayed in the closet. I didn't remember until later that night (long story), and by that time it had disappeared. Unfortunately I was flying to PVG first thing the next morning on "official" business, and was facing the prospect of doing it in a pair of shorts. Let's just say the first thing I did in Shanghai was buy a suit!! Got a call from Qantas the next day saying they had located my suit, and it would be waiting for me at ADL.

Wait...did I just go off topic? Sorry.

 

[jetlagger]

No love for my luggage this morning, despite the pretty & bright attachments to the tag.
I waited & waited & waited.. It appeared almost last out on the carousel.
I just guess the luggage handlers were perhaps playing games, as the priority luggage was appearing
way after the masses.

 

[mannej]

Excuse me, they are getting how much??? :shock:

From what I understand, they aren't all employed by QF, but by subsidiaries.

For those to earn those higher figures, they will need to be working higher number of hours as the penalties can be quite attractive.

 

[maomaocat]

I had the opposite problem yesterday for CBR-xMEL-ADL in J, sat in 1D. Flight in ADL docked all the way down in Flagstaff Hill (gate 23? 24?) and my luggage was halfway around the belt by the time I got to it!

 

[ajw373]

From what I understand, they aren't all employed by QF, but by subsidiaries.

For those to earn those higher figures, they will need to be working higher number of hours as the penalties can be quite attractive.

They are a combination of employed, direct contract and through handling agents. Just depends on the port.

 

[reductionist]

Oh, the do do stuff about it issueing directive that "Correct Procedures be Followed to ensure Priority baggage" etc.

It's whether the people who handle the baggage actually try hard enough to follow the directive is the question ...

I don't doubt that this is the case.

But if QF can't fix this situation (i.e. actually be effective at managing their own staff/contractors) I don't think they should be advertising priority baggage as a benefit.

Passengers would then have realistic expectations about the product and would be better informed when choosing which airline to fly, particularly if priority baggage is important to them. I know, does QF really want this? Probably not.

Why they don't regularly send someone down to the baggage handling areas to make sure people are doing their jobs correctly is beyond me.

Surely there's opportunity here to both improve the situation and do a bit of marketing BS around it (ala priority boarding).

 

[serfty]

To be honest, while the delivery of priority luggage was inconsistent (at best) before the introduction if the e-tags, as per the OP, it is now far less reliable - generally bad.

Maybe it's simply harder to discern the little Squares / Circles on the the barcoded tags than it was the coloured tags of yesteryear, let alone those bags with nothing but an e-tag.

... a bridge too far for those employed to lug cases weighing up to 32kg between conveyances.

 

[JohnPhelan]

Clearly looking at the colour of Q tags is an absolutely unreasonably, onerous demand...

Looking at the colour of the tags is not a reliable indicator. Someone could have got the tags when they were WP, but are now PS - or even NB!! Or they could have bought a WP tag on ebay. And the colour of the Q tag doesn't tell them if you are flying in J (or F, internationally).

No, the only way the handlers can actually know the status of the bag is to:
a) scan the Q tag with the handheld scanners (which we're told the ramp staff offloading the bags don't have)
b) if it's a paper tag, look at it (and this is less reliable since the colourful First or Business additional tags have become only rarely used - mainly on international and international connection flights, in my experience). They have to look for the black square on the label - who's going to do that?

 

[ReLoad]

Originally when I complained to QF I was given the usual brush off.

Now 12 months later with some data I too was given the same usual brush off.

Again really it's not that big a deal but sometimes 5 minutes is very important.

I would even settle for a 70% success rate, but that seems even like a pipe dream.

 

[reductionist]

Now 12 months later with some data I too was given the same usual brush off.

Is it possible for you to share their response with us?

Your complaint is backed up with some actual data so it'd be interesting to see what their take is.

 

[ReLoad]

Is it possible for you to share their response with us?
Your complaint is backed up with some actual data so it'd be interesting to see what their take is.

Dear Mr ReLoad


Thank you for taking the time to contact us.

I was disappointed to learn about your delayed luggage lately .
Please accept our apologies that you have not been receiving the premium level of service expected of Qantas.


We go to great lengths to take care of each piece of luggage and to ensure it is available as soon as you arrive at your destination. Occasionally the baggage-handling process can take longer than we would like and I understand how frustrating it is when this happens.


If you think your baggage tag maybe damaged please contact the Qantas Shop on 02 9436 1000 for a replacement tag.


We are committed to creating the world's best flying experience and your feedback will help us make the improvements to achieve this goal.


I would again like to apologise for disappointing you and thank you for bringing this to our attention. I do hope we have the opportunity to welcome you aboard Qantas again soon.


Kind Regards


(removed for privacy)


Customer Care Executive

 

[reductionist]

Thanks for sharing.

I'm on the fence as to wether or not this is a brush-off style response. It's much better than the responses QF have given me to my complaints.

Here's hoping the data you've sent them does go towards helping them improve things. I applaud you for your efforts!

 

[yohy?!]

by the sounds of it, might be worth changing back to paper tags (doesn't take too long to print them does it).

now does anyone have any ideas on how to get the RF chip out of the tag without destroying (they do look pretty and all...)

 

[JohnM]

Given the number of wannabe DYKWIAs that wear their RFID Q-Tag into the QP, maybe issuing BPs for checked in bags and Q-tagging the passengers could overcome these problems .