Priority boarding on QF domestic - what is the story?

[mrpooky]

Usually only one lane available, and if two, only one person checking tickets, so not as far as I know.

Closest I've come is a personal call (to mobile) when there were only 3 travelling, by the gate agent.

I've never seen a QFLink PB lane either, although most of my flights have been BNE <-> NTL, and I wouldn't expect one at NTL anyway.

I've never had the personal call either, but once at BNE a lovely young QFLink staff member drove me out to the plane in a car, rather than on the full bus. That was nice (and I'm only SG).

 

[TonyHancock]

First QF flight of the year, and an op up. It was QF 400 so of course no effort was made to implement Priority Boarding. The divider between PB and non PB was pushed over to the left to allow two non PB lanes.

 

[tm.smile]

Brisbane to Sydney yesterday afternoon, the 2.25pm 767 flight. Boarding was a bit delayed but then once it began priority boarding was announced to be on the right with signage in place. Lane went though well and there were two staff members, one on each side.Interesting note: there was some sort of supervisor or manager standing off to the side listening to the boarding page. Nodded his head at the staff member making the announcements like he was making sure the correct things were being said...

 

[Geoffm]

Interesting this PM -BNE - ISA all were lined up in the priority lanes - walked straight up to the CSO on white side - just smiled and scanned.

 

[JohnM]

Brisbane to Sydney yesterday afternoon, the 2.25pm 767 flight. Boarding was a bit delayed but then once it began priority boarding was announced to be on the right with signage in place. Lane went though well and there were two staff members, one on each side.Interesting note: there was some sort of supervisor or manager standing off to the side listening to the boarding page. Nodded his head at the staff member making the announcements like he was making sure the correct things were being said...

One can only hope.... Also I hope that the 'supervisor' had checked which way the dinky signs pointed...:evil:.

 

[SeatBackForward]

First QF flight of the year, and an op up. It was QF 400 so of course no effort was made to implement Priority Boarding. The divider between PB and non PB was pushed over to the left to allow two non PB lanes.

It was a tactical move on QF's part. They said "hmm PB is failing, how do we make Mr Hancock feel special??".."I know lets make EVERYONE else a priority, that way Mr Hancock will be recognisable as the only non-priority passenger"...

 

[Pleb Status]

Travelled on QF582 PER-SYD yesterday and no priority boarding infrastructure was to be seen (at all, not even to the side of the gate). As I have never seen QF even remotely enforce priority boarding (in anyway whatsoever), the boarding scrum without the infrastructure was no different to when it is present.

The PB system is broken, has never worked at all and will only become worse until QF do something to enforce it.

 

[RWJ777]

Brisbane to CBR Thursday afternoon. Priority lane operating but not enforced. Non premium pax moved over to the priority lane and were duly processed without being asked to move back into other lane. Both lanes were full, offering no advantage to premium pax.

Like much of what QF does, it has good systems let down by poor implementation and enforcement; a mixture of staff not really giving a rat's and pax thinking that they're entltled to benefits afforded to others (despite them having paid for them). A curious industrial and social egalitariism.

It's the Spirit of Australians.

 

[TonyHancock]

It's the Spirit of Australians.

I thought that was Bundy?


.....agree with your post btw.

 

[RWJ777]

I thought that was Bundy?

only on Australia Day!

 

[Mal Ware]

Travelled on QF582 PER-SYD yesterday and no priority boarding infrastructure was to be seen (at all, not even to the side of the gate). As I have never seen QF even remotely enforce priority boarding (in anyway whatsoever), the boarding scrum without the infrastructure was no different to when it is present.

The PB system is broken, has never worked at all and will only become worse until QF do something to enforce it.

Thats strange because some people here have never seen it fail, well maybe once.

I have honestly seen it policed once and that was on a Per-BNE flight and as well as the 2 FA checking people in, a third was guarding the PB line kicking people out who shouldn,t be in it. That was about 6 months ago, have not seen it enforced since.

Make a complaint to Qantas about it, if enough people start doing that they may start to do something.

Brisbane to CBR Thursday afternoon. Priority lane operating but not enforced. Non premium pax moved over to the priority lane and were duly processed without being asked to move back into other lane. Both lanes were full, offering no advantage to premium pax.

Like much of what QF does, it has good systems let down by poor implementation and enforcement; a mixture of staff not really giving a rat's and pax thinking that they're entltled to benefits afforded to others (despite them having paid for them). A curious industrial and social egalitariism.

It's the Spirit of Australians.

Its the spirit of the flying Kangaroo.

Your the reason we created priority boarding but don't actually provide it.

 

[mannej]

You don't need to constantly dig at people who have different experiences to yours. You have no reason apart from having your blinkers on not to believe them.

Honestly it is getting a bit tiresome.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

I've said it before throughout this thread but I'll keep saying it - it shouldn't be up to the F/A's to enforce the rule it should be nipped in the bud before at the time the pax attempts to join to PB queue so if they're not eligible for PB they can be redirected immediately to the general boarding queue.

Just imagine for a minute what would happen if a (non PB eligible) pax gets to the gate reader in the PB queue & the F/A says "I'm sorry Sir/Madam you'll have to join the general boarding queue". Do you really think they're going to say "okay"??? No they're going to attempt to stand their ground and argue the point & just put on the usual DYKWIA performance holding up all the eligible PB pax behind him/her which will annoy everyone.

It also promotes possible air rage and makes it an uncomfortable situation for the F/A who then has to see that pax again onboard.

People have posted here that there have been non-uniformed staff at the start of the queue to ensure pax join the correct queue. This procedure works but needs to be done consistently ie each and every time to ensure the whole PB experience is delivered as advertised.

While we're on the subject those same people could also step in and assist with the boarding of 734's when there is only one F/A to board. PB cannot be delivered effectively with one F/A.

 

[tm.smile]

You don't need to constantly dig at people who have different experiences to yours. You have no reason apart from having your blinkers on not to believe them.

Honestly it is getting a bit tiresome.

I didn't really think it was a dig at you. There are just many experiences that suggest otherwise but then that perhaps highlights the inconsistencies at the implementation. The expectations of many here are also different. In my experiences it's usually worked. Not as well as it has on virgin, but that could also be down to the clientele (more business seats and more plats...)

 

[JohnM]

I've said it before throughout this thread but I'll keep saying it - it shouldn't be up to the F/A's to enforce the rule it should be nipped in the bud before at the time the pax attempts to join to PB queue so if they're not eligible for PB they can be redirected immediately to the general boarding queue.

Just imagine for a minute what would happen if a (non PB eligible) pax gets to the gate reader in the PB queue & the F/A says "I'm sorry Sir/Madam you'll have to join the general boarding queue". Do you really think they're going to say "okay"??? No they're going to attempt to stand their ground and argue the point & just put on the usual DYKWIA performance holding up all the eligible PB pax behind him/her which will annoy everyone.

It also promotes possible air rage and makes it an uncomfortable situation for the F/A who then has to see that pax again onboard.

People have posted here that there have been non-uniformed staff at the start of the queue to ensure pax join the correct queue. This procedure works but needs to be done consistently ie each and every time to ensure the whole PB experience is delivered as advertised.

While we're on the subject those same people could also step in and assist with the boarding of 734's when there is only one F/A to board. PB cannot be delivered effectively with one F/A.

I agree. I also continue to maintain that the lack of truly prominent signage (small text and arrows) helps neither the staff nor the pax. One would have to be almost blind to miss seeing, or misunderstand, AA's PB signs.

 

[nlagalle]

I didn't really think it was a dig at you. There are just many experiences that suggest otherwise but then that perhaps highlights the inconsistencies at the implementation. The expectations of many here are also different. In my experiences it's usually worked. Not as well as it has on virgin, but that could also be down to the clientele (more business seats and more plats...)

No the dig was aimed at me.. Don't worry, the poster doesn't want to believe my experiences, and I don't really care. It works for me and if it doesn't i'll fire another complaint to QF. which is more than he has done.

 

[mannej]

I didn't really think it was a dig at you. There are just many experiences that suggest otherwise but then that perhaps highlights the inconsistencies at the implementation. The expectations of many here are also different. In my experiences it's usually worked. Not as well as it has on virgin, but that could also be down to the clientele (more business seats and more plats...)

No the dog wasn't at me but clear as day at who it was aimed at

 

[medhead]

I'll repeat my previous opinion that it works for Virgin because they have trained their passengers over a number of years. Plus better signage.

However, I completely disagree with the assumption that it isn't working just because the lanes aren't being policed.

No the dig was aimed at me.. Don't worry, the poster doesn't want to believe my experiences, and I don't really care. It works for me and if it doesn't i'll fire another complaint to QF. which is more than he has done.

The funny thing is that person also likes to paint themselves as a victim but seems to have no problem belittling people who have different experiences. There is a word for that, but I just can't remember it, for the life of me....

 

[TonyHancock]

However, I completely disagree with the assumption that it isn't working just because the lanes aren't being policed.

From my now, fortunately, limited QF domestic experience I would have to say that the complete lack of any sort of policing is a significant contributing factor in the systemic failure of QF to provide premium boarding. If QF allows pax who are not entitled to premium boarding to use the service unhindered how can premium boarding be anything but a fail? I agree that this is not the single factor but it is a significant contributing factor. I have now come to terms with the ongoing failures and fly VA domestically unless I have an international connection. Tomorrow I fully expect yet another failure. We pax are still nothing more than self loading freight on QF domestic....regardless of status. (I have experienced the odd CSM and FA that bucks the trend so there is still some hope.)

 

[medhead]

From my now, fortunately, limited QF domestic experience I would have to say that the complete lack of any sort of policing is a significant contributing factor in the systemic failure of QF to provide premium boarding. If QF allows pax who are not entitled to premium boarding to use the service unhindered how can premium boarding be anything but a fail? I agree that this is not the single factor but it is a significant contributing factor. I have now come to terms with the ongoing failures and fly VA domestically unless I have an international connection. Tomorrow I fully expect yet another failure. We pax are still nothing more than self loading freight on QF domestic....regardless of status. (I have experienced the odd CSM and FA that bucks the trend so there is still some hope.)

All of that is true but I was probably referring to self regulation. It sometimes works without any policing precisely because pax self-regulated. Hence my comment.