Priority boarding on QF domestic - what is the story?

[medhead]

How, they have been making that announcement for over ten years, and occasionally holding back people to let SG/WP board as a priority, nothing new here, just inconsistent QF service which in itself is consistent!

I think I explained how - they actually made an announcement. QF730 on Monday morning is consistently, "come on lets go" or even just as follows:
FA to gate agent: Are we ready?
Gate agent: Yes we'll get going. *walks towards desk*
*Passengers stampede*

no doubt I'm foolish to live in hope that Qantas might actually get consistently consistent with boarding calls. It is somewhat ironic, IMO, that Virgin Australia, oft attacked on AFF as a LCC and bogan airline, can be 98% consistent with boarding announcements and controlling the process, IME. Yet the self promoting "premium" airline is absolutely rubbish at boarding, again IME. Better class of pax on Virgin?

 

[docjames]

Flew Mel/Adl today. Boarding announcement was something like, "Qantas invites Business, Platinum, Gold, OW Emerald and Sapphire guests to board at their convenience". Yes they did say "Board at their convenience". No extra lane though. So I held back a bit until there was a bit of a queue, placed my WP card over the BP and walked to the side of the head of the queue. The kind ground staff saw my WP card, reached over, scanned my BP, which did not scan. The opup gods smiled (thanks to TT filling up the Y cabin), gave me a J BP and I boarded the aircraft.

SO maybe we are 50% of the way there. Anyone else heard the words "Board at their convenience" now being used?

It's not very convenient to shove in front of a queue of people, whether it's at the start or end of boarding.

Whether entitled or not, it doesnt make me "enjoy (my) journey" to receive death stares from 150-250 other pax whom i'm about to spend the next 1-8 hours on board with.

 

[OverrideServlet]

So I held back a bit until there was a bit of a queue, placed my WP card over the BP and walked to the side of the head of the queue. The kind ground staff saw my WP card, reached over, scanned my BP, which did not scan.

I don't really love this as a priority boarding system.

With a priority boarding lane it's clear to everyone that, if I were to use it, I am very likely entitled to get on the aircraft before everyone else.

With the method quoted above, stepping in at the front of the only boarding line in use just makes me look like a pushy bee-arch?

As far as I'm concerned the onus is on the airline to implement and enforce this system, not me.

 

[BVT]

I don't really love this as a priority boarding system.

With a priority boarding lane it's clear to everyone that, if I were to use it, I am very likely entitled to get on the aircraft before everyone else.

With the method quoted above, stepping in at the front of the only boarding line in use just makes me look like a pushy bee-arch?

As far as I'm concerned the onus is on the airline to implement and enforce this system, not me.

Just back from 6 weeks flying around North and South America with AA. Their "Priority Boarding" lane works very well. Everyone understands the system; why can't QF adopt that? BTW, all flights fantastic in F and J. No problems, no delays, no lost luggage. Have I used up all my "good" AA karma?

 

[connieguy]

How, they have been making that announcement for over ten years, and occasionally holding back people to let SG/WP board as a priority, nothing new here, just inconsistent QF service which in itself is consistent!

This was the first time I have heard the words "Can board anytime at their convenience". What I have heard in the past is "Can board first" or "Can board now".

As far as I'm concerned the onus is on the airline to implement and enforce this system, not me.

Totally agree.

After I did the walk, other WP/SGs made a 2nd line and the single ground staff scanning the BPs did one from the the WP/SG line and then one from the other line. The other paxs are not idiots. They know what is happening and why.

I would suggest to Red Roo the easy way to do this is to move the BP scanner from the side of the boarding area to the middle. Then a single ground staff could handle 2 lines, instead of reaching across one line to scan BPs from the WP/SG line.

Maybe this is the intended QF solution?



A dedicated card scanner for priority boarding with a sign saying

"Boarding at convenience for:

Business
Platinum
Gold
OW Emerald
OW Sapphire"

No need for dedicated staff at the scanner?

 

[pshepvic]

Red Roo is under no obligation to answer any questions by any AFF member, let's all keep that in mind. I think that this has been mentioned several times.




You'd be surprised at the level of knowledge that AFF members have compared to FA's in regards to QF/OW tiers and benefits.


I have asked them (FA's) about WP and SG tiers etc etc, most of them;
a) Don't have a clue
b) Couldn't give a toss either way.

Just the way it is....

Interesting to hear that's what the FAs on QF think. I think it's the exact opposite on VA - they seem genuinely happy to go out of their way for Golds onboard - the emphatic "Welcome back Mr Shep" is great, as well as the exceptional service I've been receiving in PE on my last few flights. On Monday I was addressed by name several times, and not just when they read my name off a piece of paper when they brought the food around!

 

[pshepvic]

Just back from 6 weeks flying around North and South America with AA. Their "Priority Boarding" lane works very well. Everyone understands the system; why can't QF adopt that? BTW, all flights fantastic in F and J. No problems, no delays, no lost luggage. Have I used up all my "good" AA karma?

You don't have to go to America for this type of boarding - just pop over to the Virgin Australia terminal and try their priority boarding out!

 

[markis10]

View attachment 2871



No need for dedicated staff at the scanner?

Someone would be needed to tell the dude in the picture that his barcode is on the back of his gold card, he is trying to scan the front in the picture! And who is going to help when you get the rejected beep which happens a lot!

 

[connieguy]

Interesting to hear that's what the FAs on QF think. I think it's the exact opposite on VA - they seem genuinely happy to go out of their way for Golds onboard - the emphatic "Welcome back Mr Shep" is great, as well as the exceptional service I've been receiving in PE on my last few flights. On Monday I was addressed by name several times, and not just when they read my name off a piece of paper when they brought the food around!

That would be nice but a bit scary / creepy / hard to get used to, seeing I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of times it has happened to me on QF flights. Where do DJ find that kind of staff? I mean if QF can't hire them, well how does DJ do it? Oh maybe QF will make it a WP1 benefit and how WPs and below are current treated are just more "Enhancements" to make WP1s stand out and part of the process to make them feel really special.

 

[connieguy]

Someone would be needed to tell the dude in the picture that his barcode is on the back of his gold card, he is trying to scan the front in the picture! And who is going to help when you get the rejected beep which happens a lot!

I would think the BP scanner would use the RFID chip inside the new Next Gen Q cards for identity as is done in check-in. Anyone know if the new Next Gen BP scanners are RFID equipped to do this?

 

[markis10]

I would think the BP scanner would use the RFID chip inside the new Next Gen Q cards for identity as is done in check-in. Anyone know if the new Next Gen BP scanners are RFID equipped to do this?

No RFID, they are bar code only, which is why all of a sudden our cards got bar codes as well as a chip!

 

[m_ratt]

No RFID, they are bar code only, which is why all of a sudden our cards got bar codes as well as a chip!

I could have sworn my non-Q-Card had a barcode on the back too.

 

[markis10]

I could have sworn my non-Q-Card had a barcode on the back too.

It had a mag strip but no bar code! I got one of the trial cards and it was the first thing I noticed!

 

[medhead]

Maybe this is the intended QF solution?A dedicated card scanner for priority boarding with a sign saying "Boarding at convenience for: BusinessPlatinumGoldOW EmeraldOW Sapphire"No need for dedicated staff at the scanner?

I've been tempted to do this in Sydney the last few weeks, as they have only had one FA scanning BPs but there are 2 scans. I could barely stop myself from using the free scanner. Just wasn't sure it was on and then won't I look more stupid than normal.

can confirm that they use the barcode

 

[connieguy]

I've been tempted to do this in Sydney the last few weeks, as they have only had one FA scanning BPs but there are 2 scans. I could barely stop myself from using the free scanner. Just wasn't sure it was on and then won't I look my stupid than normal.

can confirm that they use the barcode

I think you have solved it. Walk up and try swiping your WP Q card through the other scanner. If it doesn't work, the FA at the other scanner will see what you did, see the WP card, take it, scan it and you are on your way.

My next flight is 20 July. Will try doing that for sure. Taking MsPG to the Melb epiQure launch dinner. Anyone else going?

 

[rechoboam]

How did you score an invite?

 

[JohnK]

SO maybe we are 50% of the way there. Anyone else heard the words "Board at their convenience" now being used?

I have been hearing this announcement (when I am at the boarding gate early) for a number of years. I guess the delivery is inconsistent just like everything else at Qantas.

 

[pshepvic]

It had a mag strip but no bar code! I got one of the trial cards and it was the first thing I noticed!

My last card issued before the new Q-cards actually did have a barcode on it, which I was able to use to board in BNE, MEL and SYD (but not ADL) before NGCI even started and was still being trialled in PER.

The card was issued around July last year, and pretty much worked for boarding as soon as the new scanners were installed.

Maybe they need to install gates like JAL have in Haneda airport - like at the train station you scan your BP and the gates open. Have a priority lane and a regular lane. Only requires 1 staff member to help with an issue, but can still have multiple lanes.

 

[markis10]

My last card issued before the new Q-cards actually did have a barcode on it, which I was able to use to board in BNE, MEL and SYD (but not ADL) before NGCI even started and was still being trialled in PER.

The card was issued around July last year, and pretty much worked for boarding as soon as the new scanners were installed.

They appeared in late 2009, I must have got the last embossed non bar code stock before the Q tag trial started last year :

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....her-cost-saving-measure-19348.html#post262853

My NOV replacement WP card has just arrived in the mail - tacky, not embossed, just printed info on the card - shame on you QFF - this card is for members who spend $$$ on flying - you give me a card I could have printed with a $300 printer from officeworks...

It also has a bar code on the back - is this goining to be for paperless boarding cards for the sacnner at the gate to read?

 

[serfty]

My Oct 2009 renewal card had the barcode - no chip of course.