Priority boarding on QF domestic - what is the story?

[ComeFlyWithMe]

Not sure if reported earlier, but they are trialling automated boarding gates in the premium line at SYD Gate 2. Interesting concept, a little better than the Lufthansa implementation (no turnstile).

So I guess if you can't get your staff to do it right, you install a machine to do it!

I would be very interested if it actually rejects non-priority pax as that would be priceless to watch.

 

[geordieladinoz]

I had a positive experience in ADL this morning prior to QF750. Only 1 cabin crew member was scanning boarding passes and on approaching the scanner the normal queue was cutting across the premium aisle. I would have been happy for the 2 or 3 people to be processed before us but the female cabin crew asked the other passengers to move to one side to allow us through.

 

[Chucksta]

No priority boarding lane at PER this morning for QF77 to SIN. Just one long queue.

Is there any point in stating that Business Class, SG and WP get priority boarding for international on the website when its not even offered?

SQ seem to offer it at PER, so why cant QF?

On top of that, the IFE was not working for half the flight. Rebooted many times... very good CSM sorted it out.

 

[Cynicor]

QF77 worked fine yesterday, 2 lanes and the PB was announced after the families with small children bit. PB was on left and the main was on right. Didn't have any issues getting to the front and bypassing the longer normal queue.

 

[medhead]

Great 2 people on the same flight with 2 different experiences. Nothing more to say other than the thread topic is about domestic flights.

Unless I add that Adelaide worked perfect this morning for VA 401.

 

[mickeyc747]

Great 2 people on the same flight with 2 different experiences. Nothing more to say other than the thread topic is about domestic flights.

Unless I add that Adelaide worked perfect this morning for VA 401.

All About Domestic QF flights lol

 

[equus]

2 fails over the weekend. BNE QF613 Sat 25 May. 737 flight at 9.00am so only 1 FA boarding. Single line (in the premium lane this time), and somewhat chaotic. Went up the other side, (flying J), and had boarding pass scanned - comment from FA that it wasn't working well.

Big fail was in MEL - QF628 Sun 26 May 737 flight at 17.05 so again only 1 FA. Left the lounge for the long hike, and arrived when boarding was just underway. Single long line - this time correctly in the non-priority lane. Thought that maybe we had success. Far from it, again only single FA boarding, and went up the (empty) premium lane. Another staff member (not FA, gate agent?) came up the air bridge, and scanned a boarding pass using the other scanner - and was promptly told by the (male) FA, that she wasn't allowed to do that. He then stated that two lanes won't work with one FA, and that announcements need to be made to make it clear (despite the signage). He somewhat reluctantly "merged" the lanes, and processed us ahead of the long queue, but was clearly not happy, and not on board with priority boarding. I didn't say anything (cuts both ways, FA don't want to confront passesngers, Pax don't want to annoy FA), but clearly more training is needed....

 

[medhead]

All About Domestic QF flights lol

Exactly. All about the service QF should be providing on domestic flights. Or the service that attracts money, to put it another way.

 

[Danger]

I flew from Perth to Sydney over the weekend and was pleased to see a ground staff member (not an FA) standing parallel to the priority line, announcing in a loudish voice a couple of times that Business and Platinum only in the right lane. Despite it having also been announced over the PA at the start of boarding, when the ground agent said it, a few people quietly moved to the left.

Great 2 people on the same flight with 2 different experiences. Nothing more to say other than the thread topic is about domestic flights.

No, not the same flight. Both members posted yesterday (Sunday) but Cynicor flew on Saturday.

No priority boarding lane at PER this morning for QF77 to SIN. Just one long queue.

Is there any point in stating that Business Class, SG and WP get priority boarding for international on the website when its not even offered?

SQ seem to offer it at PER, so why cant QF?

On top of that, the IFE was not working for half the flight. Rebooted many times... very good CSM sorted it out.

QF77 worked fine yesterday, 2 lanes and the PB was announced after the families with small children bit. PB was on left and the main was on right. Didn't have any issues getting to the front and bypassing the longer normal queue.

 

[Chucksta]

Red Roo: is it possible to setup a priority boarding sign and roped off lane for J and premium FF passengers on QF77 out of PER international?

If you are not at the gate when the boarding announcement is made, there is no way of knowing that there is a priority lane. So if you arrive mid way through the boarding process, all you see is one big line.

All you can do is just join the queue because just walking up to the boarding agent looks like you are queue jumping.

 

[samh004]

Not sure if reported earlier, but they are trialling automated boarding gates in the premium line at SYD Gate 2. Interesting concept, a little better than the Lufthansa implementation (no turnstile).

So I guess if you can't get your staff to do it right, you install a machine to do it!

I would be very interested if it actually rejects non-priority pax as that would be priceless to watch.

That sounds interesting, but requires priority pax to all be confident enough to do it on their own, and while I'm sure most of us are, there will be those that bring the line to a standstill.

 

[Red Roo]

No priority boarding lane at PER this morning for QF77 to SIN. Just one long queue.

Is there any point in stating that Business Class, SG and WP get priority boarding for international on the website when its not even offered?

SQ seem to offer it at PER, so why cant QF?

On top of that, the IFE was not working for half the flight. Rebooted many times... very good CSM sorted it out.

2 fails over the weekend. BNE QF613 Sat 25 May. 737 flight at 9.00am so only 1 FA boarding. Single line (in the premium lane this time), and somewhat chaotic. Went up the other side, (flying J), and had boarding pass scanned - comment from FA that it wasn't working well.

Big fail was in MEL - QF628 Sun 26 May 737 flight at 17.05 so again only 1 FA. Left the lounge for the long hike, and arrived when boarding was just underway. Single long line - this time correctly in the non-priority lane. Thought that maybe we had success. Far from it, again only single FA boarding, and went up the (empty) premium lane. Another staff member (not FA, gate agent?) came up the air bridge, and scanned a boarding pass using the other scanner - and was promptly told by the (male) FA, that she wasn't allowed to do that. He then stated that two lanes won't work with one FA, and that announcements need to be made to make it clear (despite the signage). He somewhat reluctantly "merged" the lanes, and processed us ahead of the long queue, but was clearly not happy, and not on board with priority boarding. I didn't say anything (cuts both ways, FA don't want to confront passesngers, Pax don't want to annoy FA), but clearly more training is needed....

Red Roo: is it possible to setup a priority boarding sign and roped off lane for J and premium FF passengers on QF77 out of PER international?

If you are not at the gate when the boarding announcement is made, there is no way of knowing that there is a priority lane. So if you arrive mid way through the boarding process, all you see is one big line.

All you can do is just join the queue because just walking up to the boarding agent looks like you are queue jumping.

Thanks for this feedback. I've passed these comments and examples to the relevant teams. Glad to note that there have been some positive experiences too.

 

[simongr]

It would be useful to see some more detail about the automated gates. A google search turned up this interesting cartoon...

 

[ComeFlyWithMe]

That sounds interesting, but requires priority pax to all be confident enough to do it on their own, and while I'm sure most of us are, there will be those that bring the line to a standstill.

There was a staff member on hand to assist those who aren't technically proficient. Although there were a few gotchas, it has a pressure plate underfloor that is so large that two people fit on it. A few had to take a step back. In addition, the boarding slip printer is tiny and unnoticeable. The gates of course not opening until you have taken the tiny boarding slip. With some better signage on the machine itself, and keeping it to frequent flyers initially, I can see it working well.

As for rejecting non priority pax, that remains to be seen...

 

[kw1]

PB line worked perfectly last nice in ADL (QF 774). Unfortunately i forgot i couldnt take my nice cup of coffee on the plane with me.

 

[QF WP]

You are correct Oz. Gate 20 at BNE and your description of events is like you were there.

She could have been

Talking to the CSM on the way down to MEL, it would appear that QF have cut the number of cabin crew down from 5 to 4 on the 738 so they are only sending 1 FA up to the gate. If this is the case, those who travel regularly on the 738 might as well forget about PB in future as it will never work (in the current form) with 1 FA at the gate (it did not work with 2 FA either).

Doesn't make me want to leave VA (and come back to QF) once I have re-qualified VA Plat.

 

[QF WP]

PB worked perfectly for me and Mrs LW at PER on Sunday (QF594 to BNE). Running late and no time for the Lounge, so J tickets got us into the PB line. Bypassed the normal queue at Gate 12 which was back to the concession stands in the middle. Walked to the RHS and the PB queue was empty. Sailed to the front and on in seconds. One FA was manning each of the readers, so she stopped serving the other line and welcomed us. Did hit the line down the walkway to the airport, but it was a full flight - 30/30 in J on a 767-338 (and I didn't see many seats empty in Y).

 

[Kangol]

Walked to the RHS and the PB queue was empty. Sailed to the front and on in seconds. One FA was manning each of the readers, so she stopped serving the other line and welcomed us.

Had the same today QF613 BNE-MEL.
Boarding call was clear (J, WP, OWE on RHS PB lane), one FA on the LHS scanning BPs, held the normal pax back whilst calling PB pax through. Used polite terms like "won't be long" etc..

Very well done. I hope all QF staff have the capability to do the right thing as shown today.

This was great after my QF22 diverted to BNE due to the fog in SYD.

 

[tuapekastar]

It worked (I believe) PER-MEL yesterday on QF772. I say "I believe" because I left from gate 14 which is exactly where I exited the Qantas Club right next to the gate, so could not see what people who approached from other angles saw. But there were two agents doing the boarding in different lines and one of those lines was empty (turned out to be the PB line) and one was long so I jumped in it and was through in a flash. It even led to a separate bridge to the aircraft (there was another to Y), something I've not seen in PER before.

 

[Red Roo]

Great to hear of your recent positive experiences. We're working very hard on this aspect of our service. Glad to know it's making a difference.