Star Alliance priority baggage

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  • Anonymous
    Guest

    LHRSENflyer
    Participant

    Normally I whiz through LHR with only hand baggage. Only two recent long haul trips I have waited for luggage. And waited. The first time it had been tagged SAA Premium Class with a connection onto Lufthansa rather than Star Priority so I put down the late delivery to mis-tagging. Arriving on a full Swiss flight on 2nd Jan I again had time to observe how luggage was delivered. And it seems a Priority tag means absolutely nothing at LHR. Does anyone have similar experiences at LHR T1?
    I also noted with interest at OR Tambo that SAA baggage is delivered within minutes when even Priority tagging on Lufthansa can mean a wait of up to 45 minutes. Useful to note if you got a connecting domestic flight.


    LPPSKrisflyer
    Participant

    At LHR TG and SQ generally get priority bags out first but with all the others it’s total luck. LX used to be very good when they were handled by AZ but since they are handled by Menzies at least behind the scenes standards have fallen.


    kkflyer
    Participant

    I have flown numerous times on TG F with Priority and First class tags and have had to wait and wait and wait whilst others travelling at the back of the bus are collecting their luggage. Seems to me LHR baggage handlers do not care or perhaps do not understand what Priority means (with that bright orange/pink tag). Similarly with travelling Club Europe with Priority tagging no such luck as Priority service.


    canucklad
    Participant

    Those little pink tags promise so much when you see the Agent carefully tagging them at check-in/bag drop

    Over the years I have complained to BMI’s ground handling people at LHR on more than a few occasions

    Imagine my frustration ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

    Depart EDI at 19.00—arrive LHR 19.55 park up just after 20.00

    Pink tagged luggage finally arrives near the end of non-priority luggage at 20.45

    Brilliant……I once grabbed the BMI gate agent (travelling colleague thought my behaviour rather eccentric) to observe the baggage being unloaded……….

    No trucks for 5 minutes
    Trucks arrive ……baggage handlers look around lost ( scottish word “Glaickit”)
    Baggage Handlers open hold ..10 minutes after landing
    Baggage handlers then unload luggage for a few minutes
    Baggage handlers stop for a 5 minute chat
    BMI Agent had to go back to work
    Luggage finally gets to belt 25 minutes later

    Percentage wise —- most weeks it took half as long again to travel the last 250 yards than the previous 500 miles

    I was always fobbed off with Aviance contract service level agreements being averaged out

    If you have a moment find a wall ,chat to it for a few minutes and await a sensible answer

    Then you’ll get close to my frustration !!!!!! only at LHR


    ZKSmith
    Participant

    In my experiences AKL and JNB are excellent, priority baggage is already moving round the belt when you get there (I’ve only flown NZ and SA to these airports respectively so can’t comment on the service of other airlines).

    SYD is hit and miss, priority bags can arrive first, last, or randomly in the middle depending on the baggage handlers mood that day.

    LHR T1 is a joke, I’ve never had priority bags arrive first when coming off an international flight. Interestingly ‘canucklad’ I’ve always had a good experience with BMI domestic flights at T1, with bags on the belt before passengers have made the short walk to the collection area.

    LHR T3 and T4 are somewhat better but not great (I can’t comment on T5, it’s a long time since I flew BA).

    At most other airports, especially American airports, I’ve always been lucky enough to have my priority luggage arrive amongst the first bags. Have had bad experiences at ORD and IAD however, where we had to wait over 40 mins for any luggage to appear. Thankfully even then priority came out first.


    canucklad
    Participant

    Using the pink tags i’ve found that YVR is excellent, luggage waiting for you after passing Immigration–which is also quick and freindly

    Last time I went from aircraft to car in about 20minutes

    Middling is EDI, sometimes excellent other times hellish—alot to do with the belt being shared with other airline arrivals probably

    MAN…..generally OK

    DUB can be slow, especially considering the distance/time to travel from gate to carousel

    As mentioned LHR comically horrendous, and going on your revious post inconsistent….Maybe and inexplicapably its because I anormally arrive on a Sunday evening

    No pink tags–not star alliance —Consistently HKG is no 1—-from aircraft onto the DB coach within 30-40 minutes of arrival regardless of CX/AF/KL and travelling economy


    Alan100
    Participant

    My experience is that most airports do not respect any priority tags. I am a Gold Alliance member and have had bad experience. Most frustrated with Stockholm Arlanda ( ARN) as I fly every week in and out of that airport….in some cases the priority tagged bags come last!

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