Early Qantas Domestic to Board 30 Minutes Beforehand (8am and Earlier 737 departing MEL/SYD/ADL/BNE/PER)

[serfty]

Just noticed on Qantas June Email:

Early boarding for morning flights
Getting you to your destination safely and on time is our highest priority. That's why we're making changes to boarding times for Qantas Domestic Flights operated by Boeing 737 aircraft. Customers departing at or before 08:00am from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide will now begin boarding 30 minutes prior to departure. Customers eligible for priority boarding will still be able to board at any time. Online check-in remains available 24 hours before departure, closing 30 minutes prior to domestic flights.

 

[exceladdict]

Just noticed on Qantas June Email:

Tucked right down the bottom of my monthly newsletter too. I've noticed my 737 flights increasingly boarding before expected time recently. I wonder what it is about the morning flights that deserves special treatment

 

[AIRwin]

I wonder what it is about the morning flights that deserves special treatment

So any delays don't snowball through the day?

 

[henrus]

Controversial but I think this starts with tightening up carry on allowances. I’ve been on way too many 737 flights within the golden triangle where the lockers fill up half way through boarding because people bring two big bags onboard.

The Qantas domestic carry on allowance is far too generous and oddly allows more on domestic 737s in economy compared to an international service. On one recent 5pm flight down to Melbourne there was almost a punch up onboard as someone who’d put their bag above was upset it was being rotated by another passenger to fit more in. Ironically dash 8s work better at basically anything with wheels gets tagged as premium hand luggage and effectively gate checked.

 

[elanshin]

Controversial but I think this starts with tightening up carry on allowances. I’ve been on way too many 737 flights within the golden triangle where the lockers fill up half way through boarding because people bring two big bags onboard.

The Qantas domestic carry on allowance is far too generous and oddly allows more on domestic 737s in economy compared to an international service. On one recent 5pm flight down to Melbourne there was almost a punch up onboard as someone who’d put their bag above was upset it was being rotated by another passenger to fit more in. Ironically dash 8s work better at basically anything with wheels gets tagged as premium hand luggage and effectively gate checked.

I suspect a lot of it is their need to differentiate from JQ. It gets harder to justify QF if they tighten everything. so it has to distinguish more from JQ and lets be honest, for the golden route, it's not that different of a product in Y.

 

[fletty]

I don't have a problem with them having more generous weight limits over JQ and VA, but they should at least actually weigh them consistently and ensure dimensions and bag counts are within the rules.

 

[Daver6]

I guess the new boarding system is less efficient?

 

[muppet]

I wonder what it is about the morning flights that deserves special treatment

I suspect its because the planes are already at the departure airport waiting - so the extra boarding time doesn’t add to that sector’s block time.

 

[exceladdict]

So any delays don't snowball through the day?

I suspect its because the planes are already at the departure airport waiting - so the extra boarding time doesn’t add to that sector’s block time.

Makes sense, am yet to experience the new boarding process but if it gets us away on time that's a good thing - and I guess in the morning people are arguably less likely to want an extended airport or lounge stay

 

[pauly7]

Tucked right down the bottom of my monthly newsletter too. I've noticed my 737 flights increasingly boarding before expected time recently. I wonder what it is about the morning flights that deserves special treatment

Qantas have been boarding 30 mins PTD on many flights for many months now, have also noticed. Clearly doing soft trials.

 

[wannabeinvestmentbanker]

Agreed! For many months now I've been leaving the lounge at T-30 as they usually board at around T-25. Nothing new here and has been welcomed as my syd mel vv have often been early if not on time.