Forget about Priority Boarding, what about out of control queuing ?

[ashleyn]

I was on QF925 from Cairns to Sydney on Saturday and saw the most bizarre queuing behaviour. Boarding was at 11:50 but by 11:45, the Q was back into the departure lounge ! Why ? There didn't appear to be a PB lane at all. I sat in amazement watching this and at 12:00 got up and walked to the gate with almost no Q at all. Do people think the plane is going to leave without them ? Perhaps they think they'll get a better seat ? It just doesn't make sense.

 

[markis10]

happens all the time in CNS, the seats must be uncomfortable in the terminal or maybe people are just keen to get out of the hideous terminal full stop.

 

[TonyHancock]

I was on QF925 from Cairns to Sydney on Saturday and saw the most bizarre queuing behaviour. Boarding was at 11:50 but by 11:45, the Q was back into the departure lounge ! Why ? There didn't appear to be a PB lane at all. I sat in amazement watching this and at 12:00 got up and walked to the gate with almost no Q at all. Do people think the plane is going to leave without them ? Perhaps they think they'll get a better seat ? It just doesn't make sense.

Maybe there are some status pax who would like to get the overhead locker space above their seat? That is my excuse when I am forced to fly QF domestically to SYD for an international flight.

 

[dfcatch]

happens all the time in CNS, the seats must be uncomfortable in the terminal or maybe people are just keen to get out of the hideous terminal full stop.

Markis is correct - standard 101 behavior for CNS.

They have recently increased their signage and announcements requesting people not to queue until the flight is called. No effect whatsoever.

Oh, and PB doesn't exist in CNS.

 

[TonyHancock]

Oh, and PB doesn't exist in CNS.

Can't say that I have experienced it in MEL or SYD this year yet....Actually that's not quite true I'm 1 from 4.

 

[turtlemichael]

The geography of the Cairns terminal and gates does not readily lend itself to PB. But it could be done with a little bit of thought. The glacial speed at which QF moves on such things means the chaos will continue for a good while yet.

 

[drewbles]

Having flown QF for the first time since 'Premium boarding' has been introduced, I have to say, i'm underwhelmed.

Experience in MEL:
Non existant. Yes, the signs are there as is the barrier. There were two staff scanning boarding passes, and not one was policing the premium queue. Was a very full 767 flight and at least three people in front of me had no FF number at all on their boarding passes, and row numbers above 20. The gate agents did nothing but scan and welcome them on board.

Experience in SYD:
At gate 9 this morning, it was actually working reasonably. The queue for regular was snaking way back and there were only a few in the premium queue. Of course, it was a 738 so it was pointless as by the time they had announced boarding down at the J lounge, the regular boarding had commenced, and the a/c was half full by the time I arrived (and yes, I'm aware this is a regular argument of those who say 'meh priority boarding what's the point when...'). Still, it did work.

Seems to be self-policed. If people don't see the signs (not that you can really miss them) the agents don't seem to tell them they're not eligible to be using that queue, whereas Virgin quite politely tell people to use the regular queue if they aren't.

So far, i'm not really regretting switching most my travel to DJ. I'm treated far better there by all staff than with QF (where mediocrity seems to be the order of the day).

 

[dfcatch]

PB in SYD last night worked fine. 738, two staff scanning, boarding was halfway when I arrived from the lounge, zoomed straight through the PB, guy in front was WP J, girl in front of him was getting read the riot act for trying to carry on a massive Backpacker-style backpack, and getting told she could only take in on as the flight was not full.

I would say PB worked fine

 

[Pushka]

Priority Boarding worked fine for us a couple of weeks ago in Melbourne. Very nicely in fact.

 

[Warks]

I've become used to it from flying DJ and the first time I've seen it work with QF was out of BNE last week when the plane was 30 minutes late.

Was CNS designed as a shopping mall with an airport attached? That's the only way I can explain how the queues snake out into the centre and people have to cut through them to get to other gates. Seems like it was designed with shopping in mind only. I don't think I've ever bought anything in an airport that wasn't an emergency supply. No one would actually ever go to an airport to shop would they?

 

[notzac]

No one would actually ever go to an airport to shop would they?

LHR T5 is the first example that came to mind - it's a shopping mall with air bridges. And every time I've been through there, the shops all seem to be doing a brisk trade..!

 

[TonyHancock]

LHR T5 is the first example that came to mind - it's a shopping mall with air bridges. And every time I've been through there, the shops all seem to be doing a brisk trade..!

Bought myself a lovely couple of Thomas Pink traveller business shirts at LHR T5 two weeks ago!

 

[turtlemichael]

No one would actually ever go to an airport to shop would they?

Of course I wouldn't even think it, let alone suggest but some might believe that would be an exciting day in Cairns.

 

[drewbles]

LHR T5 is the first example that came to mind - it's a shopping mall with air bridges. And every time I've been through there, the shops all seem to be doing a brisk trade..!

"Gatwick? Don't you mean "shopping mall with runway"?"

 

[nonpop]

Maybe there are some status pax who would like to get the overhead locker space above their seat? That is my excuse when I am forced to fly QF domestically to SYD for an international flight.

+ 1 for me. When SWMBO and I travel we do it with a roller each where possible ... so that over bin space is the goal. I hate having to place my bags further down the plane.

 

[Deleted member]

Flew from Samui to SIN yesterday, boarding by rows was called. For the first time ever I saw proper control by the ground staff people tried to board out of sequence. They were politely told to wait till called well done silk air