Priority luggage rant

[drewbles]

I'm going to blame the baggage handlers in specific airports. I've had this rant before, but it's more about the handlers than anything.

PER = fail. Had priority on VA and QF pretty much come out dead last every time.
MEL = fail (all but one time, and that was QF). Priority has always come out last for me.

TXL: bags were already going around after an AB flight, and we were bussed from the plane to the terminal (Time from seatbelt sign off to being in the terminal: around 15 minutes).

If Germany can do it, other airports can too (OK I know it's the stereotypical German efficiency at work, but still).

I find LAX actually excellent for luggage but that's probably due to the fact immigration takes an eternity

 

[carwashhair]

Priority luggage to me is like a systems lottery ticket. You're in with a slightly better chance, but it's still a lottery!

 

[medhead]

Of my limited travel with checked luggage VA is vastly superior to QF with priority luggage.

 

[anat0l]

Priority luggage for me with VA is approximately 40% strike rate of bags being in the first 15 delivered to the belt. The remainder of the time it is usually within the 40-60 percentile of bags delivered to the belt.

Pretty much the same as QF, although QF (unfair due to sample size) has the edge, with around 70% of the time my bag coming out in the first 10-20 bags delivered.

 

[serfty]

100% conformance would be for all Priority Tagged luggage to come out before ANY luggage not so tagged.

Having a priority tagged case coming out 10th behind even one not so tagged in the first 9 is a failure.

Of course, at ports like LAX it is not an issue sine they use separate carousels for priority/non-priority.

 

[RooFlyer]

This issue has been going on for so long, with so much non performance by QF and VA, that the only conclusion is that the airlines are making no effort at all to see that whoever is responsible does the job: loaders at depositing end; loaders at receiving end; airport baggage handling equipment - who/whatever.

Yet they cynically keep promising it as a benefit.

As I told the Tas State manager once: I can have a great lounge experience, I can have a great flight, with great service etc etc, but if my 'priority' bags come out at or near the end - especially in those ports where 5 minutes DOES make a difference in time to get a taxi for instance - then all the prior effort by QF is wasted and I'll come away largely pixxed off at the 'QF experience'.

 

[anat0l]

I think the blame is mainly on the baggage handlers. When the luggage gets mixed up or what not, it's often because they're too lazy to do their jobs effectively.

A "Priority" tag is a bit like a "Fragile" tag - it usually has little effect; and likely does the opposite of what the tag wants! (They seem to pay attention to the tags that say "Heavy: Bend Your Knees"; and thankfully as well, the routing tag).

Maybe we can't exactly blame the baggage handlers. They are often moving a fair amount of baggage (not the easiest job to lob 15-25 kg weights all day long) and are doing it under enormous pressure, especially when there are flights incoming and departing every 5 - 15 minutes, which starts to turn to custard and a real mess when the schedule starts to get cooked (delays, weather, etc.). Start cracking the whip or firing baggage handlers for not meeting performance expectations (except don't steal etc.) and I'm sure we'll start getting more rolling strikes and union trumpeting. Whilst airlines have superior powers to curb such behaviour, it's something you definitely don't want in the first place.

The USA experience is interesting - loading (or rather, unloading) priority baggage onto a separate belt. I assume either they check the tags that go onto the correct baggage car, or they have effectively compartmentalised / containerised the priority and standard luggage correctly. (I'd imagine if handlers are in a real rush, they'll just chuck luggage in, no matter which compartment it was "meant" to go in).

 

[drewbles]

Whilst I wouldn't want their job for any amount of cash (or tea in China), its their job. They're expected to do it. If they don't like it, they can find another job.

It's heavy laborious work, but dem's da brakes!

 

[anat0l]

Whilst I wouldn't want their job for any amount of cash (or tea in China), its their job. They're expected to do it. If they don't like it, they can find another job.

It's heavy laborious work, but dem's da brakes!

I realise it is "their job", and I agree. They can always find another job, or we can have them dismissed if they fail to do their job properly. (One of my bosses always continually reminded us about the pressures of our job and the business, and if we don't like it, there's a door at the front of our store for a reason).

The practical side of the matter is that I wish it were that easy to drum the fear of God into the baggage handlers, because if that were possible (or that easy) then I would believe they would be then doing their jobs far, far more effectively, and we would be complaining a lot less by an order of magnitude. On the other hand, is it a case of not having enough baggage handlers (management cutting costs by having less baggage handlers) which means the existing crew can't do their jobs effectively without cooking schedules?

 

[Gredgy69]

I can't say that I have ever had a problem. Bags are usually in the first dozen or so bags out. Hope I haven't jinxed myself now.

 

[drewbles]

I realise it is "their job", and I agree. They can always find another job, or we can have them dismissed if they fail to do their job properly. (One of my bosses always continually reminded us about the pressures of our job and the business, and if we don't like it, there's a door at the front of our store for a reason).

The practical side of the matter is that I wish it were that easy to drum the fear of God into the baggage handlers, because if that were possible (or that easy) then I would believe they would be then doing their jobs far, far more effectively, and we would be complaining a lot less by an order of magnitude. On the other hand, is it a case of not having enough baggage handlers (management cutting costs by having less baggage handlers) which means the existing crew can't do their jobs effectively without cooking schedules?

I'm not sure if you ever hang around the YSSY message board, but back in the day when I did, this was the joke de jour:
Bag handler took my camel suit - National - www.smh.com.au
=)

 

[anat0l]

I'm not sure if you ever hang around the YSSY message board, but back in the day when I did, this was the joke de jour:
Bag handler took my camel suit - National - www.smh.com.au
=)

Not on the board, but well aware of that particular incident.

Don't know if that baggage handler ever faced any disciplinary action, including, but not limited to, dismissal. Even if he did, he'd probably joke, "It was worth it."

That doesn't solve the problem. If it is the "nature" of baggage handlers to be that unproductive and unreliable, then there needs to be a new mandate and a new way of operating baggage handling, even if that means the head of the union will have to be forfeited.

I'm also well aware of the corruption and drugs running within Australian Customs (also mainly centred in SYD)...

 

[aupirate]

I would have to say that most of the time my priority bag comes out in the first 10 to 20 bags.
Note I have no experience lately with International

 

[quick_dry]

Domestic: so far it has mostly been excellent - even with hockey sticks coming out oversized.

International: great so far everywhere except SYD, which is almost continually a frustrating wait at the oversized collection point.

WP so my bags are always priority tagged

 

[pauly7]

Sounds like there is massive variation in priority baggage coming out in the 'right' order all all ports which has been my experience too.

I just count myself lucky if it works!

 

[Zephyrana]

My (Gold/Business) suitcase usually arrives in the first third of luggage, but not always. However, they always give it a new daub of black tar!

 

[misterchan]

We fly almost exclusively SYD-PER on VA, and had no issues at either end with our bags being the first few out.

 

[BAM1748]

I don't fly VA, but rarely have a problem on QF. I'm mostly happy it comes out at all and not fussed about being first even through I have the priority.

I think it's less than a first world problem, perhaps a DWYKIA one.