I find it can be departure airport dependent as well.
Yep. The bags come off the plane in the reverse order they are loaded, and generally go straight to the carousel. They don't unload everything and sort through it looking for orange tags. It all comes down to the baggage handling processes at the departure (or last transfer) point.
Depends where you are landing. Rubbish in China/Hong Kong. Having landed at these 2 areas more then 30 times in the last year. It's very much a miss for me. On NZ,QF,SQ,TG,GA. I don't think it is an airline problem.
Hit and miss, i believe it has to do with the airport you have arrived in. In Changi it always works however when i get back to Sydney its a free for all, they come out mixed, sometimes mines near the end and ive travelled F. I reckon its all down to whoever runs the baggage handling.
I think it varies a bit depending on aircraft type. On some aircraft the baggage is in containers, so the Priority luggage comes out together, just could be first, last, or in the middle.
On 737s the bags are just loaded into the hold. I have seen them sorting the bags as they take them off the plane. Probably less of an option when the bags are in containers.
Good point.
In a previous life I was a baggage handler for Air New Zealand on the Auckland domestic ramp. 737s were used exclusively on the domestic network at that time and were belly loaded (unlike the 320s operating now which use ULDs). We were pretty meticulous about loading priority bags - either they were put in last or were put in a separate hold with easy access. Of course, if the person unloading the aircraft on the other end neglected to take them out first that negated our efforts. I would imagine that a similar system is in place with the 320s now. Either the priority bags get put in last and then that ULD is loaded last, or a separate ULD just for the priority bags is used and loaded last.
Normally mine come in the first half, if not first. On Air NZ Premium with Platinum Velocity they have always been in the first batch among other priority bags at SFO. A few months ago I flew Business VA to Perth and my bag was the absolute last, but then again they'd ripped the priority flag off it...
How does Changi do it? Arrived last night on a Singapore flight into terminal 3. Did not stop from gate to immigration to carousel. No queues anywhere, maybe 10 minutes from gate to baggage. Bags were waiting for us.
My theory is that baggage handlers attempt to get priority bags out first, but ultimately will get bags moving as fast as possible, regardless of what order they arrive in. They are not going to hold bags back because the priority ones haven't arrived...
There may be other considerations as well... perhaps your bag is being inspected or re-scanned?
It usually works for me on Domestic Flights 99% of the time with both Qantas and Virgin. International is very hot or miss though. Literally first bag off both ways flying SYD-SIN, SYD-YVR and SYD-PVG but towards the middle to back on my flights to LAX, JFK and DFW. I find the orange flag opposed to having it just printed on the tag tends to help your chances
How does Changi do it? Arrived last night on a Singapore flight into terminal 3. Did not stop from gate to immigration to carousel. No queues anywhere, maybe 10 minutes from gate to baggage. Bags were waiting for us.
Remember that it takes at least 5 mins from aircraft parking to actually being out of the plane. Meanwhile your bags are almost immediately removed probably in the first container load. My faster time at changi from physically leaving the aircraft to getting in a cab was 5 mins but we were at the closest gate, had already prefilled the immigration card and had no bags to collect.
On one arrival into HKG my bag was tagged priority from flying in J, but was the absolute last bag on the carousel!
It looks like HKG doesn't have a baggage-processing system that prioritize selected bags. SQ even doesn't bother to give priority tags for the pax to HKG.
J.Bloggsworthy
J.Bloggsworthy
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 19 Jul 2017
Total posts 4
MikeAir
MikeAir
Air New Zealand - Airpoints
Member since 14 Jul 2017
Total posts 5
Depends where you are landing. Rubbish in China/Hong Kong. Having landed at these 2 areas more then 30 times in the last year. It's very much a miss for me. On NZ,QF,SQ,TG,GA. I don't think it is an airline problem.
mushmush
mushmush
Singapore Airlines - The PPS Club
Member since 14 Nov 2013
Total posts 40
Hit and miss, i believe it has to do with the airport you have arrived in. In Changi it always works however when i get back to Sydney its a free for all, they come out mixed, sometimes mines near the end and ive travelled F. I reckon its all down to whoever runs the baggage handling.
stoffel
stoffel
Member since 27 Jul 2017
Total posts 21
On 737s the bags are just loaded into the hold. I have seen them sorting the bags as they take them off the plane. Probably less of an option when the bags are in containers.
Tom-125
Tom-125
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
Member since 13 Nov 2015
Total posts 14
Normally mine come in the first half, if not first. On Air NZ Premium with Platinum Velocity they have always been in the first batch among other priority bags at SFO. A few months ago I flew Business VA to Perth and my bag was the absolute last, but then again they'd ripped the priority flag off it...
ThePerthTrav
ThePerthTrav
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 18 Dec 2016
Total posts 20
Regardless of wether or not I'm flying Business, my bag will always be last.
aggie57
aggie57
QF
Member since 04 Apr 2014
Total posts 136
How does Changi do it? Arrived last night on a Singapore flight into terminal 3. Did not stop from gate to immigration to carousel. No queues anywhere, maybe 10 minutes from gate to baggage. Bags were waiting for us.
MRYJDrake
MRYJDrake
Air New Zealand - Airpoints
Member since 31 Oct 2016
Total posts 206
There may be other considerations as well... perhaps your bag is being inspected or re-scanned?
Lala295
Lala295
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 10 Dec 2014
Total posts 38
It usually works for me on Domestic Flights 99% of the time with both Qantas and Virgin. International is very hot or miss though. Literally first bag off both ways flying SYD-SIN, SYD-YVR and SYD-PVG but towards the middle to back on my flights to LAX, JFK and DFW. I find the orange flag opposed to having it just printed on the tag tends to help your chances
elchriss0
elchriss0
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
Member since 13 Jan 2015
Total posts 80
brettepi
brettepi
Member since 10 Jul 2017
Total posts 86
yes it lets the baggage handlers know you have money and which bag to target
DBPZ
DBPZ
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
Member since 26 Feb 2016
Total posts 38