Priority Boarding Lane *PHOTO*

[Major]

An update to this piece - from this week, Pacific Blue and Polynesian Blue will also be offering Priority Boarding at Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth international airports.

The same eligibility criteria apply - Premium Economy Guests, Velocity Gold members and our partner airline reciprocal status members.

If you're flying somewhere warm (or cold) and get the chance to check it out, let us know what you think!

Traveling BNE to Port Vila next Wed. Will let you know

 

[Deleted member 29185]

An update on OOL priority boarding lane........it doesn't exist. :shock:

Admitedly, the call went out for gold, PE and partner airline boarding now, etc, but there was such a crowd around gate 6 there was no hope of getting within cooee of the rather cramped doorway!

Also I've got to agree with Liam, the screening at OOL sucks. This morning it seemed everyone in front of me wanted to have 15 goes at walking through the metal detector........."Oh, my key ring with 26 jumbo metal keys, my dinner plate sized Harley davidson belt buckle and my swiss army knife aren't supposed to be taken through????"...........Lord give me strength :evil:

 

[antycbr]

An update on OOL priority boarding lane........it doesn't exist. :shock:

Admitedly, the call went out for gold, PE and partner airline boarding now, etc, but there was such a crowd around gate 6 there was no hope of getting within cooee of the rather cramped doorway!

I thought that VA were rolling this out progressively as they do signage and other works to convert from VB to VA?

Priority boarding doesnt exist at CBR either - but given the size of the gate areas at gates 5 and 6 in particular it would be impossible to accommodate. I think the layout of the gates themselves may constrain the ability to do priority boarding, in Sydney the gate agent podium is set up so that the line can flow either side at a lot of the gates, makes it work really well.

 

[LiamR]

An update on OOL priority boarding lane........it doesn't exist. :shock:

Admitedly, the call went out for gold, PE and partner airline boarding now, etc, but there was such a crowd around gate 6 there was no hope of getting within cooee of the rather cramped doorway!

Also I've got to agree with Liam, the screening at OOL sucks. This morning it seemed everyone in front of me wanted to have 15 goes at walking through the metal detector........."Oh, my key ring with 26 jumbo metal keys, my dinner plate sized Harley davidson belt buckle and my swiss army knife aren't supposed to be taken through????"...........Lord give me strength :evil:

On that note. The time between the "Golds PE and others can pre board now." and the General Boarding call for everybody is about 3-5 seconds. Unless you are standing right at the desk, you have no chance of making it before the masses are let through.

Which means, in order to avoid the gate lice and board first, you need to become a gate lice! I feel so bad every time I stand right up the front like a gate lice. But then again, I get a strong feeling of satisfaction when I can push through the others and board first.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

On the upside Liam, the cabin steward I had this morning mentioned that OOL lounge is still due in October. Personally, I can't possibly see how, but at least it still seems to be on the radar.

 

[LiamR]

On the upside Liam, the cabin steward I had this morning mentioned that OOL lounge is still due in October. Personally, I can't possibly see how, but at least it still seems to be on the radar.

Check your inbox. I hope you are right, and I'm wrong.

 

[connieguy]

An update to this piece - from this week, Pacific Blue and Polynesian Blue will also be offering Priority Boarding at Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth international airports.

The same eligibility criteria apply - Premium Economy Guests, Velocity Gold members and our partner airline reciprocal status members.

If you're flying somewhere warm (or cold) and get the chance to check it out, let us know what you think!

Excellent news VA. It just gets better and better. Well done.

Oh BTW say thanks to the Accelerate program guys for the 2 x DJ Gold cards. It will be a very good investment for DJ as I see DJ Platinum x 2 happening in the next 12 months. Exciting times to be with DJ and not the tired old dog on the block.

 

[medhead]

On that note. The time between the "Golds PE and others can pre board now." and the General Boarding call for everybody is about 3-5 seconds. Unless you are standing right at the desk, you have no chance of making it before the masses are let through.

Which means, in order to avoid the gate lice and board first, you need to become a gate lice! I feel so bad every time I stand right up the front like a gate lice. But then again, I get a strong feeling of satisfaction when I can push through the others and board first.

Very much the same in ADL. But I generally stand to the side looking at the apron. When the priority call goes out I walk towards the gate and I find the 3 seconds is extended as they notice me moving. Usually make it about 10 m down the ramp before they make the general call. Another priority benefit, not having dudes waiting while I stow my carry on.

 

[connieguy]

...Another priority benefit, not having dudes waiting while I stow my carry on.

Exactly. Especially when you have a heavy coat (going to Canada in winter), laptop, max size rollie (never travel with check-in) and you are sitting in an exit row.

 

[LiamR]

Exactly. Especially when you have a heavy coat (going to Canada in winter), laptop, max size rollie (never travel with check-in) and you are sitting in an exit row.

You're right, being able to jump onboard and put your bag in the overhead, then casually sit down, without the masses standing behind you breathing down your neck is a nice enhancement.

I tried MEL priority boarding on Saturday night (After the AFF F Lounge Run) Felt all special as I strolled past the long queue at the Boarding Gate, and quickly walked down the aerobridge, then BAM! the aerobridge was full of people. :shock:

Most of which had a boarding pass for beyond Row 15. That really irks me. They can't see the sign saying they should board via the back.

 

[connieguy]

...Felt all special as I strolled past the long queue at the Boarding Gate, and quickly walked down the aerobridge, then BAM! the aerobridge was full of people... :shock:

BUT less Paxs in front of you than if you stood at the end of the normal boarding queue.

 

[LiamR]

BUT less Paxs in front of you than if you stood at the end of the normal boarding queue.

Oh absolutely.

Just venting about pax that hold a boardingn pass for rows 15-32 and board via the front doors

 

[connieguy]

Oh absolutely.

Just venting about pax that hold a boarding pass for rows 15-32 and board via the front doors

Unless there were 2 aero bridges, who would want to do the cold tarmac walk to the rear stairs?

 

[cityloop]

Just on this, OOL desperately need to install the priority queue system. I know they announce that Golds and Premiums can go to the counter at any time to board the plane but it makes you feel very awkward with everyone in the queue thinking your a queue jumper, giving a you a look as you try to hand your boarding pass to the attendant at the front of the line

 

[777]

IS it just me or have that not installed priority boarding anywhere they use shared gates - is this case in OOL?

 

[LiamR]

Just on this, OOL desperately need to install the priority queue system. I know they announce that Golds and Premiums can go to the counter at any time to board the plane but it makes you feel very awkward with everyone in the queue thinking your a queue jumper, giving a you a look as you try to hand your boarding pass to the attendant at the front of the line

You can do that? I wasn't aware you could...

IS it just me or have that not installed priority boarding anywhere they use shared gates - is this case in OOL?

It looks to me as if they have installed them at airports with Lounges, my logic is if there isn't a lounge, you'll want to be first on the aircraft, so they only have boarding at the start, if there is a lounge, you might stay there for a big longer.... That's my twisted thinking anyway... I would indeed like to see one at OOL. In my last two flights (Bad sample size I know) there was 8 Golds. So it is defiantly increasing. Don't know if there really is a large amount of golds moving in and out of OOL.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

IS it just me or have that not installed priority boarding anywhere they use shared gates - is this case in OOL?

Yes OOL does use shared gates.

In my last two flights (Bad sample size I know) there was 8 Golds. So it is defiantly increasing. Don't know if there really is a large amount of golds moving in and out of OOL.

I don't know what percentage gold a regular flight would command? On my OOL-SYD Thursday there were two golds that I could see and on Saturday OOL-SYD, there were three...........oh and I was there, not a gold yet, but end of this week...............

 

[Jack Melon]

Virgin's gates at OOL are mainly 4,5 and 6. If it is busy they will use 4, but there gates are 5 and 6. But if they have diversions, technical difficulties on an aircraft using up bays they may have to use JQ's bays. Time will tell

 

[Saab34]

Tiger use the main terminal now so there is really three of them in the big shed.

 

[medhead]

Had a bit of a chat while boarding in ADL this morning. Apparently priority lanes are coming to ADL