I flew into IAD today where I encountered numerous issues with United's baggage operations (OPS). Although I have experienced similar problems at IAD in the past, today seemed to be especially bad. And so I was wondering if there may have been a particular OPS issue today. Specifically, here is what happened:
First, United baggage OPS seemed to have trouble assigning and identifying a carrousel for the bags. The carrousel listed on the large all-flights monitor as well as the announcement of the carrousel went from 7 to 3 to 2 back to 3. Even then, as the bags eventually came out of carrousel 2 (nearly 50 minutes later--see para 4 below), my United flight was never listed on that particular carrousel sign.
Second, in the course of the confusion in trying to find out what carrousel the bags would come out of, I first tried using the baggage kiosk--to no avail. I entered my MP#, the nine digit baggage number, as well as to try to scan my ticket. All methods came back with an error message that no information was available about the bags. (No even that they were scanned in at my departing city--assuming that information would be displayed.) This was a signal to me that the baggage handlers weren't able to scan the arriving bags. For all I know, their priority was to unload the bags and race them to the carrousel.
Third, given the lack of success with the kiosk, I asked the personnel at the United IAD baggage OPS which carrousel was the correct one as they had been changed four times by now. The agent said carrousel #3. However, I said that the flight and departing city weren't listed there. The agent responded words to the effect, "yes, we have been having problems with the display. We can't control what is displayed on the monitors. Only the airport can do that." Sorry, but this just sounded strange. It would seem to me that the United personnel are the ones who type-in the carrousel information. Not the airport. So, if anyone knows, doesn't United baggage OPS have the sole ability to assign and enter into the monitor displays which carrousels bags are sent to?
Fourth and most importantly, although my flight on mainline United from the west coast landed at 11:33 AM, the bags did not begin to arrive until 12:22 PM. Forty-nine minutes seems a bit long to wait. And that is what makes me wonder if there was a OPS issue or breakdown at IAD baggage today. Does anyone know? Or is this the new normal?
DISCLAIMER: If anyone has any meaningful insights on any of the above, that would be appreciated. However, I am absolutely not interested in abusive comments from airline employees who are masquerading on FlyerTalk as passengers only to attack customers for asking questions. I am sorry that I have to say this, but that has been my experience over and over again on this site. But back to the issue, thank you in advance for anyone with relevant input that may be helpful.
First, United baggage OPS seemed to have trouble assigning and identifying a carrousel for the bags. The carrousel listed on the large all-flights monitor as well as the announcement of the carrousel went from 7 to 3 to 2 back to 3. Even then, as the bags eventually came out of carrousel 2 (nearly 50 minutes later--see para 4 below), my United flight was never listed on that particular carrousel sign.
Second, in the course of the confusion in trying to find out what carrousel the bags would come out of, I first tried using the baggage kiosk--to no avail. I entered my MP#, the nine digit baggage number, as well as to try to scan my ticket. All methods came back with an error message that no information was available about the bags. (No even that they were scanned in at my departing city--assuming that information would be displayed.) This was a signal to me that the baggage handlers weren't able to scan the arriving bags. For all I know, their priority was to unload the bags and race them to the carrousel.
Third, given the lack of success with the kiosk, I asked the personnel at the United IAD baggage OPS which carrousel was the correct one as they had been changed four times by now. The agent said carrousel #3. However, I said that the flight and departing city weren't listed there. The agent responded words to the effect, "yes, we have been having problems with the display. We can't control what is displayed on the monitors. Only the airport can do that." Sorry, but this just sounded strange. It would seem to me that the United personnel are the ones who type-in the carrousel information. Not the airport. So, if anyone knows, doesn't United baggage OPS have the sole ability to assign and enter into the monitor displays which carrousels bags are sent to?
Fourth and most importantly, although my flight on mainline United from the west coast landed at 11:33 AM, the bags did not begin to arrive until 12:22 PM. Forty-nine minutes seems a bit long to wait. And that is what makes me wonder if there was a OPS issue or breakdown at IAD baggage today. Does anyone know? Or is this the new normal?
DISCLAIMER: If anyone has any meaningful insights on any of the above, that would be appreciated. However, I am absolutely not interested in abusive comments from airline employees who are masquerading on FlyerTalk as passengers only to attack customers for asking questions. I am sorry that I have to say this, but that has been my experience over and over again on this site. But back to the issue, thank you in advance for anyone with relevant input that may be helpful.