Next Generation Check In

[thewinchester]

Speaking of NGCI, I posted a video in my Asia 2010 TR showing NGCI in operation at PER. Here it is again for those who missed it:

[video=youtube;eDq2imPn73w]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDq2imPn73w[/video]

I've also documented my thoughts on the system, and there’s just too many menus and steps to complete.

 

[Ewing]

I used this for the first time last night (with carry on), and while the system worked flawlessly I found myself missing the personal touch.

When scanning my card at the gate, the polite banter and "thanks Mr Ewing" has been replaced with simply being handed my receipt sent on my way.

When boarding the plane, "Welcome back Mr Ewing" was replaced with a gruff "Row 1 on your left". In the latter case, once the same crew member had looked at the manifest she started using my name (including when I stepped off the plane).

Maybe I'm just strange, but I like the personalised greetings (even though I know it's superficial a lot of the time) and if it takes getting a "real" boarding pass to keep that then I will continue getting them

(and it was definitely related to NGCI, because people around me with real BPs were greeted properly).

 

[trippin_the_rift]

Used it for the first time last week and must say it certainly feel like a basic replacement for check in staff

Downside is that it's much, much slower than the old check in terminals

 

[arraitch]

I used this for the first time last night (with carry on), and while the system worked flawlessly I found myself missing the personal touch.

When scanning my card at the gate, the polite banter and "thanks Mr Ewing" has been replaced with simply being handed my receipt sent on my way.

When boarding the plane, "Welcome back Mr Ewing" was replaced with a gruff "Row 1 on your left". In the latter case, once the same crew member had looked at the manifest she started using my name (including when I stepped off the plane).

Maybe I'm just strange, but I like the personalised greetings (even though I know it's superficial a lot of the time) and if it takes getting a "real" boarding pass to keep that then I will continue getting them

(and it was definitely related to NGCI, because people around me with real BPs were greeted properly).

Maybe there's a combination of factors at work here: a certain resistance to change/getting used to two ways of scanning rather than one/frustration at being unable to greet pax by name until card scanned/not having a good day? Perhaps the presence of a "personal touch" awaits some bedding down? (And you don't sound strange, BTW! )

 

[samh004]

When boarding the plane, "Welcome back Mr Ewing" was replaced with a gruff "Row 1 on your left". In the latter case, once the same crew member had looked at the manifest she started using my name (including when I stepped off the plane).

Maybe I'm just strange, but I like the personalised greetings (even though I know it's superficial a lot of the time) and if it takes getting a "real" boarding pass to keep that then I will continue getting them

(and it was definitely related to NGCI, because people around me with real BPs were greeted properly).

Seems odd because the name is clearly viewable on the dockets as well, even if the typeface is slightly smaller and less clear. You’d think they’d have eyesight good enough to read that.

Regarding NGCI at Longreach, it doesn’t work but I OLCI and when arriving at the airport on day of departure they’d already printed a BP for me and had it waiting behind the counter. Nice!

 

[MatF]

Went through SYD T3 this morning, around 7:45am.

Seemed a bit chaotic, but I guess that will settle. I didn't actually use NGCI (I checked in at WGA for WGA-SYD and SYD-BNE), but there were a lot of confused looking people standing around. My first impression was the signage all seemed very modern and a bit minimalist.

I guess I won't actually use NGCI until it's in BNE (I presume that will happen before WGA! )

Only thing that impacted me this morning was the queues to go through security were much longer than usual for some reason. Went through the Business/WP/SG line, but nobody checked for status.

Ewing: I had a real BP for QF510 this morning, but didn't get a personalised greeting at the gate or onboard. Perhaps everyone was just grumpy

I had to chuckle at the attempt to give priority boarding today. We were on a B738, and the staff called boarding for the back half of the place, people requiring assistance, people with children and Business/SG/WP all at the same time

I guess that's marginally better than nothing ....

 

[medhead]

Gotta say that priority boarding worked a treat with DJ this morning. The usual scrum was there ready to surge forward. I got to step past them all. this was after pax requiring assistance.

I have yet to hear a priority boarding call on QF this year. But I was contacted last Thursday about my feedback on that point and was told they will pass it onto the airport manager. Shame I can't remember which airport I complained about.

 

[Mal]

Got my new tags and card today ... took a while!

 

[equus]

Used online check in and NGCI card at SYD yesterday as QP PS.

At the lounge dragon desk, asked the question "How do you present a boarding pass". Somewhat flumoxed, the dragon swiped (not the chip) the PS card, but that didn't seem to help. Then asked if I had a QP card (which I did), looked at the QP and PS card, and said allright.

So it would seem that anytime access for WP will be vanishing, but until they get NGCI ironed out and staff familiar with everything, it is pretty much anytime access for anyone with QP in any guise!

 

[bdl]

Used online check in and NGCI card at SYD yesterday as QP PS.

At the lounge dragon desk, asked the question "How do you present a boarding pass". Somewhat flumoxed, the dragon swiped (not the chip) the PS card, but that didn't seem to help. Then asked if I had a QP card (which I did), looked at the QP and PS card, and said allright.

Same thing happened with me on Sunday night (I am QP and PS) - I used OLCI however since I was allocated an exit row the dragon lady had NFI what to do since I had no printed boarding pass. She ended up just printing me out a boarding pass, "just to make sure that you get your exit row." (Although a aircraft change ensured I wouldn't... :shock

The printed boarding pass didn't work at the gate due to the aircraft change however they scanned barcode on back of my PS "Q chip" card - that had the updated seating allocation on it and I finally managed to get on plane.

Next gen bag drop was great, dropped a bag in 5 minutes. Then proceeded to wait 1.5 hours for delayed flight to board

bdl

 

[medhead]

Used online check in and NGCI card at SYD yesterday as QP PS.

At the lounge dragon desk, asked the question "How do you present a boarding pass". Somewhat flumoxed, the dragon swiped (not the chip) the PS card, but that didn't seem to help.

As a guess I would say they had to scan the bar code on the back of your card with the scanner on the entry desk. At least that is what happened the one time I used mobile check in.

 

[TheInsider]

As a guess I would say they had to scan the bar code on the back of your card with the scanner on the entry desk. At least that is what happened the one time I used mobile check in.

I can confirm there are plans for future to scan your BP or card to gain entry to the lounge. Either via a gate mehod or something else.

 

[Oneworldplus2]

I can confirm there are plans for future to scan your BP or card to gain entry to the lounge. Either via a gate mehod or something else.

Interesting.

It seems that in about 10 years time, there won't be any QF employees at airports.

• Next gen check in technology = no QF staff required at check in

• Q Chip card technology = no need for lounge dragons and print your receipt at gate.

Move the call center to India and Mascot can downsize yet again.

 

[djfuzz]

Interesting.

It seems that in about 10 years time, there won't be any QF employees at airports.

• Next gen check in technology = no QF staff required at check in

• Q Chip card technology = no need for lounge dragons and print your receipt at gate.

Move the call center to India and Mascot can downsize yet again.

And the J lounge 'island dining' and QP drinks will be produced by Marc Newson-designed Neil Perry-inspired Star Trek replicators.

 

[samh004]

Interesting.

It seems that in about 10 years time, there won't be any QF employees at airports.

• Next gen check in technology = no QF staff required at check in

Works fine until Amadeus goes down or someone cuts the wrong phone line, then with no staff at the airport or none nearby, there would be massive issues and incredibly bad PR.

• Q Chip card technology = no need for lounge dragons and print your receipt at gate.

I think lounge dragons would still be necessary or everyone would abuse their privileges.

 

[TheInsider]

Works fine until Amadeus goes down or someone cuts the wrong phone line, then with no staff at the airport or none nearby, there would be massive issues and incredibly bad PR.



I think lounge dragons would still be necessary or everyone would abuse their privileges.

AFAIK MEL has just employed another 14 or so people. And SYD/BNE recently recruited aswell from what i've been told.

 

[samh004]

AFAIK MEL has just employed another 14 or so people. And SYD/BNE recently recruited aswell from what i've been told.

Yeah, I figured they weren’t just letting go of all staff, I’m just wondering where they’ll be, what they’ll be doing, if there’s less desks. I mean, I can see QF wanting to pay less if they’re not behind a desk, and I can see that being a problem.

Relying on technology is good up until the point where it fails, be it once in a blue moon or more often, so they need to have staff for that, and I’m sure they will, I just wonder where they’ll be camping out

 

[MatF]

Interesting.

It seems that in about 10 years time, there won't be any QF employees at airports.

• Q Chip card technology = no need for lounge dragons and print your receipt at gate.

Perhaps there will be a card reader outside the QP door. If a WP taps their card on it, the system checks to see if they have a booking that day - and if not, a series of 10 doors slam shut, Get-Smart-style

 

[samh004]

Perhaps there will be a card reader outside the QP door. If a WP taps their card on it, the system checks to see if they have a booking that day - and if not, a series of 10 doors slam shut, Get-Smart-style

Not a bad idea for getting into the lounge, but I can see guest access being abused in this way. And in particularly busy times, a line forming as each wait to swipe their card.

 

[djfuzz]

Not a bad idea for getting into the lounge, but I can see guest access being abused in this way. And in particularly busy times, a line forming as each wait to swipe their card.

Nah - they'd be 'injector'-style doors, which would measure the weight of the people walking through the gates and strictly restrict access accordingly, like the self-serve checkouts at Woollies (that alliance had to have some ulterior motive, right?).

I do wonder what would become of other OWE/OWS pax - maybe QF will try to foist it on the rest of OW too.