Priority boarding on QF domestic - what is the story?

[simongr]

I wonder if because there has been a DJ bias at OOL whether pax are better conditioned to self policing?

 

[wafliron]

I really seem to be lucky with this: SYD-OOL last week, priority lane was working fine and staff sent a really nasty looking family without any right to be there back to the long queue. This morning on the way back OOL-SYD also no problems.

As they were entering the queue, or at the BP scanner?

 

[alto25]

Had a different experience with PB this morning QF565 to PER.

There was a long line for general boarding and PB seemed to be working with very few in the PB lane. Pax who seemed to be entitled were walking up and only had to wait behind a few. Then a GA started calling pax from the general queue into the PB lane - saying "come on people, lots of space in this lane, move up."

Then both lanes were full and no more PB!

As an additional comment, on my next flight I can now join the PB line!

cheers,
Al

 

[simongr]

Useless today - not sure if it was not policed or not working or the fact that the BP scanner was broken in the PB lane so had to be registered manually...

 

[DAC1]

Had a different experience with PB this morning QF565 to PER.

There was a long line for general boarding and PB seemed to be working with very few in the PB lane. Pax who seemed to be entitled were walking up and only had to wait behind a few. Then a GA started calling pax from the general queue into the PB lane - saying "come on people, lots of space in this lane, move up."

Then both lanes were full and no more PB!

As an additional comment, on my next flight I can now join the PB line!

cheers,
Al

I don't know if its just me, but this problem happened the last time I was on QF565 as well. Its also happened twice when I have seen 565 board whilst waiting at another gate.

 

[DAC1]

I really seem to be lucky with this: SYD-OOL last week, priority lane was working fine and staff sent a really nasty looking family without any right to be there back to the long queue. This morning on the way back OOL-SYD also no problems.

In my experience, OOL-SYD generally works really well. They do it VA style, with a dedicated announcement for J, Plat and OWE customers first as they commence boarding. However, I havent had the same luck in some recent OOL-SYD trips.

 

[Berlin]

As they were entering the queue, or at the BP scanner?

No, up at the scanner.

 

[Solid]

Fail a couple of days ago BNE-PER. Arrived at the gate to find a scrum around it like you see on the movies when everyone is crowded around looking at something.

General boarding line was shorter and moving quicker than priority, so I joined that one!

 

[eastwest101]

Come on guys - can't we all be patient? After all the original announcment from RedRoo was only in Nov 2011? Interestingly the original post from RedRoo only promised PB in SYD/MEL/BNE and PER. Nothing about OOL!

 

[medhead]

Come on guys - can't we all be patient? After all the original announcment from RedRoo was only in Nov 2011? Interestingly the original post from RedRoo only promised PB in SYD/MEL/BNE and PER. Nothing about OOL!

But since that original post they restarted QFF flights from OOL and introduced PB at the same time. They then made another announcement to introduce PB in ADL.

Bu you're right 16 months to deliver a benefit that has been advertised for many years is barely enough time.

 

[wafliron]

No, up at the scanner.

No! Surely you're not serious?!

 

[alto25]

I don't know if its just me, but this problem happened the last time I was on QF565 as well. Its also happened twice when I have seen 565 board whilst waiting at another gate.

This in my opinion is worse than just not policing the PB lane. This is staff actively working against the principle.

The irony is that after the action of the GA, the airbridge line backed up to the gates and pax had to wait to be scanned.

Bit of a mess all round really.

 

[eastwest101]

I think its pretty obvious that QF management either don't know or don't care, QF staff either don't have the resources or don't want to do it, and QF PR and marketing don't have a clue what is going on with Priority Boarding.

I am not surprised that PB is inconsistent/not enforced 16 months after it was annouunced.

 

[Berlin]

No! Surely you're not serious?!

Ouhm. Yes- why? What's so bad about it, do I miss anything? :shock:

 

[eastwest101]

Ouhm. Yes- why? What's so bad about it, do I miss anything? :shock:

I think what Berlin was saying was that on the boarding that they observed, people whom were not entitled to priority boarding were being rejected at the scanner (and presumably sent to the back of the general queue).

If this is the case this is actually the best method of enforcement if done consistently - as it will be remembered by the pax affected and also prompt others to question themselves along the lines of "Do I really want to try it on and then go to the back of the general line?" and/or "Am I actually eligable for PB?" - you know - the stuff that most AA or VA passengers are thinking.

 

[Berlin]

I think what Berlin was saying was that on the boarding that they observed, people whom were not entitled to priority boarding were being rejected at the scanner (and presumably sent to the back of the general queue).

Yep, that's what I was trying to describe, sorry if I was unclear in my description. And I agree, it was actually quite embarrassing for the affected offenders so I don't think they will try to pull that one again anytime soon :shock:

 

[wafliron]

Ouhm. Yes- why? What's so bad about it, do I miss anything? :shock:

That was me expressing mock shock at a report of QF truly enforcing PB properly

We've had lots of reports of correct boarding calls and pax self-enforcement, isolated reports of QF staffers manning the start of the PB line and checking eligibility, but I don't think any reports (before yours) of a GA enforcing PB at the scanner.

 

[eastwest101]

That was me expressing mock shock at a report of QF truly enforcing PB properly

We've had lots of reports of correct boarding calls and pax self-enforcement, isolated reports of QF staffers manning the start of the PB line and checking eligibility, but I don't think any reports (before yours) of a GA enforcing PB at the scanner.

My apologies - I missed your sarcasm as well. Your recollection of the thread may be right from the point of view that we have seen some correct boarding calls, some self enforcement and isolated cases of QF staff enforcing at the tail end of the PB queue but none of these consistently. It would be interesting to collate all the observations over the whole thread. I was going to check if we had actual reports of staff enforcing priority boarding at the scanner but then I realized that the thread is +2400 posts!

 

[wafliron]

My apologies - I missed your sarcasm as well.

No!? Really?? (sorry, I couldn't help myself )

Your recollection of the thread may be right from the point of view that we have seen some correct boarding calls, some self enforcement and isolated cases of QF staff enforcing at the tail end of the PB queue but none of these consistently. It would be interesting to collate all the observations over the whole thread. I was going to check if we had actual reports of staff enforcing priority boarding at the scanner but then I realized that the thread is +2400 posts!

It would be an interesting exercise, but I'm certainly not going to undertake it I can't say for certain that there haven't been any previous reports of enforcement-at-the-scanner, but I've been following this thread for long enough to confidently say you'd have to search long and hard to find them, if they are there.

 

[Ben174]

Have noticed SYD Domestic getting this right lately !
PA Announcements telling everyone what side is priority and who its for, and one agent walking up and down yelling Priority to the left, general to the right please. Has been a lot smoother for me, in sydney anyway!