Tell Me the Good/Bad/Ugly about ME Luggage Transfers & RAC

[bellebookworm9]

Okay, we are using ME round trip. We are planning on having them get our bags for us. Since Southwest is now participating in RAC, we will use that for our return flight. So I have two questions. 1) Our return flight leaves at 1, so we will probably be picked up around 10. What time should we get to the RAC desk? I'm thinking 8 or 9, will that allow us enough time? 2) Have you had any bad experiences with ME transferring your luggage? Exceptionally long waits for your luggage to get to your hotels (more than 4 hours)? If using RAC, has your luggage NOT made it back to your home airport with you? Tell me the good stuff too! I just want to be prepared!

 

[clkelley]

We LOVE the inbound DME Luggage service. We pack in a carryon what we need for the first 24 hours, then our luggage arrives when it arrives, no problems. Most of the time we fly in at night, so we ask that it be delivered the next day.

As for departure, we don't use RAC. (Our flights home are usually at 8:30pm, so we couldn't bring it up till 8:30am). We prefer to have an early breakfast somewhere so we are long gone by 8:30am.

However, in your situation, somewhere around 8am should be perfect.

 

[bellebookworm9]

We LOVE the inbound DME Luggage service. We pack in a carryon what we need for the first 24 hours, then our luggage arrives when it arrives, no problems. Most of the time we fly in at night, so we ask that it be delivered the next day.

As for departure, we don't use RAC. (Our flights home are usually at 8:30pm, so we couldn't bring it up till 8:30am). We prefer to have an early breakfast somewhere so we are long gone by 8:30am.

However, in your situation, somewhere around 8am should be perfect.

Ok, our inbound flight lands at 3:25pm, so I hope we have our luggage by 8:30 at the latest! We will definitely be bringing a carry on.

 

[Lewisc]

As for departure, we don't use RAC. (Our flights home are usually at 8:30pm, so we couldn't bring it up till 8:30am). We prefer to have an early breakfast somewhere so we are long gone by 8:30am.

However, in your situation, somewhere around 8am should be perfect.

I've ready sometimes RAC is "flexible" with the 12 hour rule. It couldn't hurt to ask.

For anyone reading this post RAC is not flexible with the 3 hour rule. The computer enforces the rule.

 

[Telcogirl]

We used RAC for the first time ever on our trip last month. LOVED it! We had a 1:20 flight out of MCO and we dropped our bags off at RAC around 8:30ish. The whole checkin process takes less than 5 minutes.

We then took off to enjoy our last hours in the World.

Since it was our first time using this service, we were a little nervous about just leaving the bags there. Sure enough, there they were when we landed in Providence.

It is such a great service, because, let's face it, baggage handling has got to be one of the least fun parts of vacation.

As for DME and baggage handling....again, never have had any issues with this. It is so nice to get off the plane and just head to your resort. Of course, as others have mentioned, pack what you think you will immediatley need when you get there.

 

[goofy4tink]

There truly is very little bad or ugly with DME/RAC. But, it's good to know the particulars, so you aren't surprised by anything.
Your bags will arrive at your resort, up to 4 hrs after resort checkin....resort checkin, not MCO arrival. I'm seldom around to see when my bags arrive because I'm off at a park having fun or in the pool swimming. Bring what you will need for that first day, in your carryon bags. That way you can change if need be and start your fun without having to worry about checked bag arrival.
If you are arriving later at night, after 9:30, be aware that DME does not provide baggage p/u and delivery after 10pm. You either have to get your own bags or wait until the next morning to have DME move them from MCO for you.

For the return home.....for a flight departure time of 1pm, you will have a bus p/u time of somewhere between 9:45 and 10:15. Be at the DME bus stop, ready to go, at least 15 mins before the time you are given. That time is the time the bus leaves, not the time you need to arrive at the stop!! I would get the bags checked as early as you can..then head off and get some breakfast. Don't wait too long because the lines get longish.
There have been a few reports of bags not making it to the home airport but they were delivered the next day. I think that may have been a result of the newness of SW participating and having more bags than usual to get to MCO and possibly someone waiting too long to check their bags.

 

[clkelley]

I've ready sometimes RAC is "flexible" with the 12 hour rule. It couldn't hurt to ask.

For anyone reading this post RAC is not flexible with the 3 hour rule. The computer enforces the rule.

Yeah, but Value resorts Luggage Services doesn't open till 7am, so we'd have to lug our stuff up front ourselves.

We are at Boma by 7am.

We just find it easier to stack our stuff by the door and leave a tip and get on out the door.

Then Luggage Services can pick up the stuff on their schedule and we can get on with our day.

We usually get back to the resort about 3pm, chill at the bar, then get our luggage about 30 minutes before the bus is due.

 

[bellebookworm9]

There truly is very little bad or ugly with DME/RAC. But, it's good to know the particulars, so you aren't surprised by anything.
Your bags will arrive at your resort, up to 4 hrs after resort checkin....resort checkin, not MCO arrival. I'm seldom around to see when my bags arrive because I'm off at a park having fun or in the pool swimming. Bring what you will need for that first day, in your carryon bags. That way you can change if need be and start your fun without having to worry about checked bag arrival.

Didn't realize it was after resort check in and not MCO arrival, but that still shouldn't be too late. We are bringing a carry on, and after we check in at the resort, we plan to walk over to Jambo House and grab some dinner at Mara, explore the resort a bit, and maybe go for a swim.
If you are arriving later at night, after 9:30, be aware that DME does not provide baggage p/u and delivery after 10pm. You either have to get your own bags or wait until the next morning to have DME move them from MCO for you.

Doesn't apply to us as we arrive at 3:25pm, but I did know this.

For the return home.....for a flight departure time of 1pm, you will have a bus p/u time of somewhere between 9:45 and 10:15. Be at the DME bus stop, ready to go, at least 15 mins before the time you are given. That time is the time the bus leaves, not the time you need to arrive at the stop!! I would get the bags checked as early as you can..then head off and get some breakfast. Don't wait too long because the lines get longish.

I'll try and get there around 7:30 at the earliest, 9 at the latest. We are doing EBCI, so no problem with the boarding passes.
There have been a few reports of bags not making it to the home airport but they were delivered the next day. I think that may have been a result of the newness of SW participating and having more bags than usual to get to MCO and possibly someone waiting too long to check their bags.

Since our departing flight is May 28th, I'm hoping Southwest has worked out most of the kinks, but good to know!

 

[Lewisc]

There have been a few reports of bags not making it to the home airport but they were delivered the next day. I think that may have been a result of the newness of SW participating and having more bags than usual to get to MCO and possibly someone waiting too long to check their bags.

Diane--
A couple of poster confirmed an issue can occur if you check your luggage early. RAC was holding their bags. MCO didn't want bags that far in advance. RAC overlooked the bags and didn't sent them to MCO in time.

AFAIK the RAC computer won't let them check in bags late. 3 hours should be more then enough time to get the bags to MCO. I don't know if the luggage trucks pickup every 30 minutes or every 60 minutes. Even if it's hourly, and you just missed the pickup, your luggage should be in route no later then 2 hours before your flight and should get to MCO 60-90 minutes before your flight.

Sometimes an airline doesn't have room in the plane for all the luggage. A cynical person might think leaving RAC luggage behind gives the airline the ability to blame another entity.