Priority boarding on QF domestic - what is the story?

[Danger]

From what I could tell, it worked half heartedly in MEL on Friday (737 flight), they announced boarding by rows (rear first) along with J, CL, WP and OWE being invited to board.
It's the first time I've heard them announce CL prior to a dom flight (have heard it for int before).
I would've thought they would announce the PB spiel before the "row number in Y" spiel.
When it was announced, I was a couple of metres from the boarding line and clearly in front of an elderly gentleman and his wife who tried to pass me.. I then stepped forward raising my hand showing my WP card to which they then conceded the position. True DYWKIA moment

That's a total fail in my opinion. Board at your leisure is not priority boarding unless there is a dedicated lane.

 

[Austashes]

What I just can't understand is why Vigin do this so easily on two fronts: Priority lanes that only except valid passangers and Economy by row & anyone trying to jump asked to wait to one side.

US AA have priority board numbers printed on their boarding pass - not too difficult to put into practice Qantas.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

What I just can't understand is why Vigin do this so easily on two fronts: Priority lanes that only except valid passangers and Economy by row & anyone trying to jump asked to wait to one side.

US AA have priority board numbers printed on their boarding pass - not too difficult to put into practice Qantas.

If they do end up putting something like AA's Priority AAccess on boarding passes it would also be a good idea to print gate numbers on them too just like they are able to on international boarding passes.

That would save passengers from the inconvenience of flight delays due to fail to board pax confusing their sequence number (which appears above where a departure gate should be) with their gate number.

An all too common occurence is someone heading down to what appears to be 'gate 46' which may belong to VA & also out of PA range to hear QF announcements.

 

[bosox76]

The PB lane worked well on QF625 BNE to MEL today

 

[straitman]

Three flights last week.
MEL-ASP
ASP-SYD,
SYD-MEL

No priority boarding :!:

 

[simongr]

Two flights last week and great PB - sailed past the huge lane for non-PB.

Sadly I didnt get bumped to j like I expected when the flight after mine was cancelled... maybe when I hit P1...

 

[MelUser]

On DJ flights they politely turn away non status/non business passengers from the Priority Queue Boarding Pass Check. - ie it is policed and enforced (politely)

On QF it is open slather and I haven't seen people turned away.

Having said that, who wants to be up the front sitting with hundreds of people walking past and knocking you with their bags as happens on AA all the time.

I personally don't understand AA's obsession (and that of its first class pax) in filling First Class first. I think it is done to make the First passengers feel special or whatever else!

 

[Heleigh]

On DJ flights they politely turn away non status/business passengers from the Priority Queue Boarding Pass Check. - ie it is policed and enforbed (politely)

I'm surprised they turn away J pax when PB is listed as a standard for J tkt???

 

[simongr]

On DJ flights they politely turn away non status/non-business passengers from the Priority Queue Boarding Pass Check. - ie it is policed and enforbed (politely)

I think that might clarify things a little.

 

[Heleigh]

I think that might clarify things a little.

Thanks simongr

 

[drewbles]

On DJ flights they politely turn away non status/business passengers from the Priority Queue Boarding Pass Check. - ie it is policed and enforbed (politely)

On QF it is open slather and I haven't seen people turned away.

Having said that, who wants to be up the front sitting with hundreds of people walking past and knocking you with their bags as happens on AA all the time.

I personally don't understand AA's obsession (and that of its first class pax) in filling First Class first. I think it is done to make the First passengers feel special or whatever else!

Having seen many many many people on AA just throw their bags into the F overheads and wander down to row hell+1, I can see why. I always chomp at the bit to get on AA flights first (Usually in first too). Mainly as I do not do checked luggage often, and I don't like the thought of having to gate check!

 

[pshepvic]

Having seen many many many people on AA just throw their bags into the F overheads and wander down to row hell+1, I can see why. I always chomp at the bit to get on AA flights first (Usually in first too). Mainly as I do not do checked luggage often, and I don't like the thought of having to gate check!

Same. Although on an AA flight BWI-DFW last week it was half full of Australians connecting to QF8, and as a result the lockers were half empty!!


Sent from my iPhone using AustFreqFly app

 

[moa999]

Gate 10 at SYD yesterday.
One of the double gates with red carpet to the left door nothing to the right.
Serving a 738 only one door in operation and appeared only one door in operation and one person checking in.

Fail I thought so like seemingly everyone else joined the queue. Only to discover when joining the front of the queue that second person was hidden behind one of the large support poles, and PB was in operation.

 

[RWJ777]

Doesn't seem to be any evidence of it in Canberra, the people's commune-state of Australia. Perhaps such an unegalitarian thing as priority queues could not be countenanced in the people's commune-state; everyone shall be deemed platinum and accorded scraping and bowing privileges, irrespective of how often they actually fly (levitate?).

 

[ashleyn]

I believe QF read this forum, last 2 trips Per-Syd-Per, PB lane has been closely policed. Good work QF.

 

[TonyHancock]

I believe QF read this forum, last 2 trips Per-Syd-Per, PB lane has been closely policed. Good work QF.

Did they have extra people checking?

 

[ashleyn]

Did they have extra people checking?

Yes they did before you got to the scanning stage.

 

[SeatBackForward]

Yes they did before you got to the scanning stage.

Certainly doing something right in Perth for the Friday flights to SYD.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using AustFreqFly

 

[TonyHancock]

Yes they did before you got to the scanning stage.

Excellent news! Were there any annoyed non WP's who were trying the premium lane?

 

[simongr]

Sadly for a midday flight mrssimongr was told twice to go to the normal lane as they don't do PB. Also two j pax near them were knocked back as well ( she was also in J) and they were in the mood to complain.

I will be complaining as well - I also had poor PB ex SYD for the first time in a while...