Check your luggage claim tags!

[kaytieeldr]

Originally Posted by lorenni

The only number I had handy last night was for the baggage fee payment line, so I called them first. I was clearly and specifically informed that the resort airline check in - including the tagging of bags - is run by Disney's Magical Express. Yes, I am aware that this service is contracted to a third party - but that is still the name of the service and that's what I called it in my post.

Incidentally, the AirTran folks said this happens regularly with the Magical Express/resort airline check in.

So - back to my original suggestion - double check your luggage claim slip before you leave the desk. Something I should have been doing anyways (wherever I check the bag). I'm just lucky I still had the claim check because otherwise I don't think anyone would have been able to figure out that my bag had been checked in under someone else's name on a different airline to a different city.

Resort Airline Check-In is identical to airport curbside check-in, except that the "curb" is about 20 miles from the airport.
Guests using RAC do not need to also be using Magical Express.
Not all guests using Magical Express are able/eligible to use RAC.
Disney's Magical Express doesn't operate DME, no matter what somebody in the AirTran baggage payment office told you.

Your claim check/should be attached to your boarding pass. You're right, it is the passenger's responsibility to retain this paperwork until all flight legs are completed and all luggage is safely in the passenger's possession.

[OKW Lover]

Its always a good idea to check that the agent tags your bags for the correct destination. That goes for using RAC at the resorts and for when you check bags at the airport yourself.

Every time we've used RAC they have made it a point to show us the bag tag and verified that our bags were being checked to the right destination. We fly Delta very frequently and their counter agents always do the same.

[maxiesmom]

Originally Posted by bdklein

Why? It's all part of the Disney Experience. And in this case it wasn't up to snuff.

While it may be part of the Disney Experience, it is not a Disney operation. When you use RAC you are checking in to your flight, just as you would do at the airport. They are not Disney Cast Members, and using or not using Magical Express has nothing to do with it.

[HoosierDisneyDad]

Originally Posted by kaytieeldr

Disney's Magical Express doesn't operate DME,

?
What does Disney's Magical Express (DME) operate then? Maybe you mean it doesn't operate RAC?

[sam_gordon]

Originally Posted by HoosierDisneyDad

?
What does Disney's Magical Express (DME) operate then? Maybe you mean it doesn't operate RAC?

I'm sure she meant RAC. That's funny. Good catch.

[kaytieeldr]

Originally Posted by HoosierDisneyDad

?
What does Disney's Magical Express (DME) operate then? Maybe you mean it doesn't operate RAC?

Yes, that's exactly what I meant! Thanks for catching my mistake .

Warning: don't read what I type, read what I meant to say.

[lorenni]

My mother was not in line with me. She was at the resort and our reservations were linked. I have no idea why they switched people half way thru the check in process.

As for the RAC - RAC itself told me that the service is run as part of ME. Mears runs it all, and they are contracted and paid by Disney. In my world a business bears responsibility for their contracted third parties.

[kaytieeldr]

Originally Posted by lorenni

My mother was not in line with me. She was at the resort and our reservations were linked. I have no idea why they switched people half way thru the check in process.

As for the RAC - RAC itself told me that the service is run as part of ME. Mears runs it all, and they are contracted and paid by Disney. In my world a business bears responsibility for their contracted third parties.

Sorry, Mears doesn't run RAC. RAC staffers are airport employees. They have nothing to do with Mears.

Again, Resort Airline Check-In is identical to airport curbside check-in, except that the curb is about 20 miles from the terminal.

Mears doesn't operate curbside check-in, therefore Mears doesn't operate RAC.

Mistagged luggage happens. The passenger is ultimately responsible for making sure their luggage is tagged correctly - since they 100% know where they're going, to a much greater degree than the airport employee.

Typos happen. Not that luggage gets misdirected like this often (only about ten million bags a year, which is surprisingly few given the number of pieces of luggage tha are checked) but a typical error is typin MOC when the luggage should be going to MCO. that's probably what happened to that woman whose luggage spent most of her trip in Brazil.

[lorenni]

Which is why the entire point of my original post was to remind everyone to check their luggage tags!

Not so much interested in arguing with you about who runs what. I'll go on what the baggage folks at the resort actually told me, thanks!

[OKW Lover]

Originally Posted by lorenni

Which is why the entire point of my original post was to remind everyone to check their luggage tags!

Always a good practice.

[maxiesmom]

Originally Posted by lorenni

Which is why the entire point of my original post was to remind everyone to check their luggage tags!

Not so much interested in arguing with you about who runs what. I'll go on what the baggage folks at the resort actually told me, thanks!

We are just trying to make things clear for those posters who may just be lurking, and taking notes for their vacation.

RAC is just like checking in at the airport. It is NOT repeat NOT run by Magical Express, or any business owned or shared with Disney. The only thing it has to do with Disney is that it operates out of their resorts. They could just as easily set up at the Hilton down the road. RAC is just like checking in at the airport. Think of it as a little section of the airport at each Disney resort.

[goofy4tink]

Okay everyone....go a google search for remote airline checkin. The only thing that continually comes up is BAGS. This company runs RAC at many places in the country. So, it makes no sense to say that ME or Disney or Mears runs it. It is run by BAGS.
Disney tends to lump DME and RAC in together. Evidently, they don't give the everyday guest enough credit for being bright enough to know that these are two different companies!! You do not need to ride the ME bus in order to use RAC. BUT..Disney will tell you that you do need to ride the bus in order to have your checked bags magically arrive at your resort. See the difference?

Mears runs DME for Disney....basically. BAGS runs RAC for Disney/DME. It's all very incestuous, so to speak. And if/when something goes wrong? Well then, nobody runs it!! Much finger pointing happens.

[sam_gordon]

Originally Posted by goofy4tink

Okay everyone....go a google search for remote airline checkin. The only thing that continually comes up is BAGS. This company runs RAC at many places in the country. So, it makes no sense to say that ME or Disney or Mears runs it. It is run by BAGS.
Disney tends to lump DME and RAC in together. Evidently, they don't give the everyday guest enough credit for being bright enough to know that these are two different companies!! You do not need to ride the ME bus in order to use RAC. BUT..Disney will tell you that you do need to ride the bus in order to have your checked bags magically arrive at your resort. See the difference?

Mears runs DME for Disney....basically. BAGS runs RAC for Disney/DME. It's all very incestuous, so to speak. And if/when something goes wrong? Well then, nobody runs it!! Much finger pointing happens.

And the bolded is the real issue. IMO, a guest should be able to contact Disney regarding (almost) anything happening on their property & arranged through Disney.

For example, if you book a photo shoot through Disney, even if they hired a 3rd party to do the shoot, you should be able to complain to Disney.

This is just my opinion.

I still don't understand how the OP could check in and receive BP for her flight but the bags were tagged on a different airline to a different destination. I mean, everything is computerized, how does that happen?

[kaytieeldr]

Originally Posted by sam_gordon

I still don't understand how the OP could check in and receive BP for her flight but the bags were tagged on a different airline to a different destination. I mean, everything is computerized, how does that happen?

I wouldn't be surprised if, like the Brazil situation described by a poster earlier in this thread, coincidentally the party checking their luggage just before the OP was flying to Boston on jetBlue - and the person checking her in didn't change 'whatever' before printing the luggage tag.

[msjprincess]

Originally Posted by kaytieeldr

I wouldn't be surprised if, like the Brazil situation described by a poster earlier in this thread, coincidentally the party checking their luggage just before the OP was flying to Boston on jetBlue - and the person checking her in didn't change 'whatever' before printing the luggage tag.

But I thought she said the baggage claim tag had her mother's name on it.