Schmuck of the day at BNE

[Moody]

Was me!

Was on the evening Jetstar flight to Sydney today as both QF and DJ were wanting stupid money. I got to the QP in plenty of time and confirmed with the dragons that they made JQ boarding calls. I just had time for one beer and a quick run through my Inbox before I packed up and decided to start the long walk along to the Jetstar gates without being prompted. When I got there I found out why there had been no boarding call - the flight was delayed. I had a quick debate with myself about whether it was worth the long walk back to the QP, but I could hear the second beer calling me (to my doom as it turned out).

Upon re-entering the lounge I commented to the dragon that I had peaked too soon and would wait for the boarding call this time. Then I grabbed the second beer and got out a book, but I was very vigilant to listen to all boarding calls as I had been caught out before at the BNE QP. Another 30 minutes passed and I had finished my beer and didn't want another and the QP was getting very busy so I decided to bail again and read my book at the gate. There are no departure screens for JQ flights until you almost reach gate 38, and I saw the Sydney flight just as it disappeared from the top with CLOSED against it! What the ....!


There were no JQ personnel at the gate so I walked back to the QP. "What happened to the boarding call", I asked. "We made it", was the reply. Pigs cough, I thought, and probably was written on my expression. "Well I never heard it so what do I do now?"


Buy another ticket was the answer, as Jetstar has no relationship with Qantas! The man on the service desk quoted me $240, but I was not in the mood to take this inflated fare from the guy that had allegedly made the mythical boarding call so I snapped "I will book it myself!", and went back into the QP. After 5 minutes I found that there were no more JQ flights, QF wouldn't sell me any fares because the remaining flights were within 3 hours, and Virgin had one flight at full economy. Time to eat humble pie so I went back to the service desk. Fortunately I got a lady who hadn't winessed my terse exchange with her colleague, and when she heard I had missed my JQ flight she did some shenanigans with the fare and got it for me for $130. "You've got 15 minutes before we will make a boarding call", she said, but I had had enough for one night and headed straight out the door.

Then a few seconds later I was struck by a thought and turned back to the lounge and waited to talk to the man at the service desk. I explained to him that I think he made the JQ boarding call just before I re-entered the lounge and the dragons at the door hadn't picked up that I was on the flight her colleague had just called. I then apologised for doubting his word and he thanked me for apologising and we parted friends.

So all's well that ends well, but why can't QF show the codeshare JQ flights on their departure screens? That would be an easy fix I would have thought.

 

[Mal]

The issue is that it is your word against the Lounge Staff. A bunch of us were caught out by a similar incident a couple of months ago and we had to run to the gate.

Each of us had been listening for the call, but it never came. There was no "Passengers X please present yourself at the gate" calls etc. Lounge staffer swore black and blue that they had called our flight. Gate agent (who had spoken to lounge on the phone) also confirmed the "official" story.

Moral of the story - You, and you alone are responsible for being at the gate at the correct time. The lounge staff will rarely admit to a mistake. Agree it's difficult when it isn't displayed on the screen but in that case it just means more vigilance is required.

 

[dfcatch]

Except in your case Mal - they 100% didn't make the call (unless the PA suddenly malfunctioned)

 

[JohnK]

I generally hear JQ boarding calls in the BNE lounges on a Friday afternoon but not sure that they do it for every flight.

But it would appear that lounge staff are not perfect and do not always make boarding calls for QF flights either. In the SYD business lounge on Sunday waiting for the boarding call and it did not happen. Noticed the flight go to "Final Call" and I headed off to gate 1. Got paged with another name as I was approaching the gate. We both had come from the business lounge and there definitely was no boarding call. They called the MEL flight but not the BNE flight.

Anyway not sure what all the fuss was about as the queue was half way up the aerobridge and it was a lightly loaded flight.

 

[munitalP]

On a couple of occasions I have nearly missed a JQ flight from T2 I have been rung by JQ asking where the hell I was. In both instances I was in the Qantas Club and was a short hop to the gate. Thinking about it, I would have had checked luggage do that may be a reason rather than just off loading me.

I am sure also in both cases the flight was called in the lounge and I just chose subconsciously to ignore the call or didn't hear it, reason, there were people on the flight I had noticed in the lounge prior to departure.

 

[simongr]

JQ flights are displayed in the MEL j lounge...

 

[Mal]

JQ flights are displayed in the MEL j lounge...

Thinking about it more, the BNE QP does display JQ flights too - IIRC they are on the "regional" screen, not the "Qantas" screen. But really, I don't mess around with JQ, I'm usually at the gate at an appropriate time. Too scared they'll off-load me and cause grief.

 

[yo yo ma]

Then a few seconds later I was struck by a thought and turned back to the lounge and waited to talk to the man at the service desk. I explained to him that I think he made the JQ boarding call just before I re-entered the lounge and the dragons at the door hadn't picked up that I was on the flight her colleague had just called. I then apologised for doubting his word and he thanked me for apologising and we parted friends.

Good to read this part.

 

[Mattg]

I recall seeing a bunch of people running to the gate in SYD (for a QF flight to CBR) well after the flight was "closed" and they were trying to explain to the gate agent that the flight was never called in the QP. The guy rudely replied to one of them, "Rubbish, we hear that excuse every day sir! They always call it!"

 

[awilcockson]

The issue is that it is your word against the Lounge Staff. A bunch of us were caught out by a similar incident a couple of months ago and we had to run to the gate.

Each of us had been listening for the call, but it never came. There was no "Passengers X please present yourself at the gate" calls etc. Lounge staffer swore black and blue that they had called our flight. Gate agent (who had spoken to lounge on the phone) also confirmed the "official" story.

Even worse, in this case it was a QF flight and we were in the J lounge!

 

[JohnK]

JQ flights are displayed in the MEL j lounge...

JQ flights are displayed in most QF lounges I visit....

 

[ozbeachbabe]

I've heard them make JQ boarding calls in the BNE QP however they no longer call Brindabella Airines (FQ) flights. On the January Flounge run the SYD Flounge did a boarding call for JQ35 flight but we didn't leave until the final JQ35 boarding call only to find on getting to the gate that the flight wasn't even close to boarding.

Fifa then said she would volunteer her husband to be the appointed 'lookout' next time as he likes to get to the gate half an hour before boarding. At least that way we can relax in the lounge until the last minute knowing that when we get there it will be boarding & more importantly we won't have missed it.

 

[Fifa]

Fifa then said she would volunteer her husband to be the appointed 'lookout' next time as he likes to get to the gate half an hour before boarding. At least that way we can relax in the lounge until the last minute knowing that when we get there it will be boarding & more importantly we won't have missed it.

The offer is still on!
I just confirmed with Mr Fifa and he's happy with the arrangement

 

[Ewing]

I recall seeing a bunch of people running to the gate in SYD (for a QF flight to CBR) well after the flight was "closed" and they were trying to explain to the gate agent that the flight was never called in the QP. The guy rudely replied to one of them, "Rubbish, we hear that excuse every day sir! They always call it!"

Happened to me once on SYD-CBR.

The screens near where I was sitting weren't working so I was listening for announcements. As we approached the departure time I thought I'd better go check only to find out that the flight had finished boarding and the doors were closed.

I went to the service desk in the lounge. While they were adamant that the flight was called, they moved me and printed a boarding pass for the next flight (fortunately only 40 minutes later) without question.

I later found out that the wife of an old colleague was also on that flight (but in the QP rather than the J lounge) and nearly missed it due to it not being called. I wasn't so lucky.

 

[Moody]

Just to close this off ....

My curiosity wouldn't let this one go so I phoned up BNE terminal and QC. It is confirmed that Jetstar boarding calls are not broadcast throughout the terminal, so beware JQ passengers who want to visit the QC in Brisbane - you may not hear the boarding call even though you are in the departure area. My advice is on first entering the QC to check the flight information near the service desk, as they claim to show JQ flights on a screen there, and also verbally check with the service desk that the flight hasn't been called yet. Then you should be safe to enter as long as you keep your ears peeled for the one and only JQ flight call.

 

[dk4]

IME, when monitoring the JQ monitors for departures, (at most airports) they only display what Jetstar "would like to happen", not "what is actually happening". So, be prepared for a "final call" or even "closed" to display, before a flight has even started boarding... no wonder the staff at the QP get confused

 

[Hvr]

And yet when I am at the MEL F lounge they always call my JQ flight. Indeed, I was once about to head off to the plane and the front counter person asked me to please wait while they checked the status of the flight.

It was a bit late so I had some more time to enjoy the F lounge.