Priority boarding on QF domestic - what is the story?

[Flying mermaid]

Officially on the Qantas website under Platinum Privileges, its only offered domestically:

Yes I know - however Red Roo in another thread announced it was starting in Canberra - I think the date was 26 April and it did indeed appear ( with very very small signs) but it was not always there and I haven't seen it the last couple of weeks at all, so I am wondering if it is gone. Not a biggie as they seem to be calling the flights quite late in the lounges and there hasn't been much in the way of queues so probably not an issue at all. I will stop looking for it.

 

[medhead]

Officially on the Qantas website under Platinum Privileges, its only offered domestically:

Which is wrong. For a start there is a separate announcement of PB for Adelaide, which you'll notice is not listed.

 

[chrispy3276]

QF419 Syd - Mel was a bit of a disaster this morning. Was a completely booked 767 and only person at the gate. They tried to accommodate for it by requesting only Plat + J customers to start with, but instructions were typically ignored with people filling both lines, including the priority boarding lane in which rules were overlooked.

 

[Ansett]

Monday QF604 MEL-BRI worked well
Monday QF767 BRI-PER Worked well (Apart from Divert to Adelaide)
Tuesday QF593 ADE-PER Complete and Utter Mess free for all just like Kindergarden and no supervision and or control
Friday 19th QF 776 PER-MEL have no idea sas was almost last person on board as boarding had started early ( Must Say Crew were sensational)

All of these flights where in J

 

[jedinite]

QF768 PER to MEL 19th July - hopeless.
I deliberately left the lounge early to be there just before boarding to make sure I had room to put my carry on, but there was already 2 long lines at both regular and priority boarding. (two Flight attendants scanning)
I was travelling in Y, and the CSM on this flight did the personal "meet and greet" to the platinums in Y, observed to be myself and 2 other passengers.
Hence there is no way 30 something J class and 3 platinums in Y = 100 people in priority boarding queue. (and most of the J's seen to be boarding once I had already taken my seat.)
As a result, I had to stash my bag about 5 rows back, which caused all sorts of "going against the flow" problems.

On the up side, the crew were amazing, and this was the first ever platinum CSM greeting I had received (been platinum for almost a year now)

I even overhead the group of teenagers in the line in front of me saying "oh dear, we're in the wrong line, oh well, what does it matter, they wont turn us away, just go for it"

I don't understand why the staff don't turn people back if they are at the wrong queue. It is just the cough in me that would get great satisfaction out of saying computer says no, back of the line bucko, all with a smile on my face?

They have no hesitation in very firmly enforcing the rules of who can and cannot access which lounge, why not which boarding queue?

On a more serious note, the highlight of the Y inflight catering, the snack size chocolate seems to have been replaced on all my recent flights by...tictacs. Will my First world problems never end.

 

[NTflyer]

Worked well this morning on QF 842 SYD-DRW came straight from the lounge to an empty lane and the general boarding line up was huge.

 

[ComeFlyWithMe]

Starting to see - *wait for it* - consistency on my regular SYD-BNE and BNE-SYD trips. Certainly improved consistency at these ports.

 

[Mr_Orange]

2 success stories for me this weekend. QF551, BNE-SYD on Friday and QF532, SYD-BNE today. Priority boarding signs clearly visible and pax respecting them and the boarding agents acknowledging those of us in the priority queue.

 

[RickyT84]

Can report that priority boarding worked as intended on QF 490 from MEL to SYD earlier this evening. There was no one at the priority boarding queue when ewing and myself arrived (thank you ewing ) and our boarding passes were scanned quickly.

 

[Red Roo]

QF419 Syd - Mel was a bit of a disaster this morning. Was a completely booked 767 and only person at the gate. They tried to accommodate for it by requesting only Plat + J customers to start with, but instructions were typically ignored with people filling both lines, including the priority boarding lane in which rules were overlooked.

Monday QF604 MEL-BRI worked well
Monday QF767 BRI-PER Worked well (Apart from Divert to Adelaide)
Tuesday QF593 ADE-PER Complete and Utter Mess free for all just like Kindergarden and no supervision and or control
Friday 19th QF 776 PER-MEL have no idea sas was almost last person on board as boarding had started early ( Must Say Crew were sensational)

All of these flights where in J

QF768 PER to MEL 19th July - hopeless.
I deliberately left the lounge early to be there just before boarding to make sure I had room to put my carry on, but there was already 2 long lines at both regular and priority boarding. (two Flight attendants scanning)
I was travelling in Y, and the CSM on this flight did the personal "meet and greet" to the platinums in Y, observed to be myself and 2 other passengers.
Hence there is no way 30 something J class and 3 platinums in Y = 100 people in priority boarding queue. (and most of the J's seen to be boarding once I had already taken my seat.)
As a result, I had to stash my bag about 5 rows back, which caused all sorts of "going against the flow" problems.

On the up side, the crew were amazing, and this was the first ever platinum CSM greeting I had received (been platinum for almost a year now)

I even overhead the group of teenagers in the line in front of me saying "oh dear, we're in the wrong line, oh well, what does it matter, they wont turn us away, just go for it"

I don't understand why the staff don't turn people back if they are at the wrong queue. It is just the cough in me that would get great satisfaction out of saying computer says no, back of the line bucko, all with a smile on my face?

They have no hesitation in very firmly enforcing the rules of who can and cannot access which lounge, why not which boarding queue?

On a more serious note, the highlight of the Y inflight catering, the snack size chocolate seems to have been replaced on all my recent flights by...tictacs. Will my First world problems never end.

Thanks for these examples. I've passed them on, along with the comments regarding Premium boarding in CBR and several positive experiences discussed over the past few days.

 

[nlagalle]

Thanks for these examples. I've passed them on, along with the comments regarding Premium boarding in CBR and several positive experiences discussed over the past few days.

I think however RR the staff need to send people off who aren't entitled to use the PB lane. I had a gold in front of me the other week on one flight and a bronze behind me on another. Sending them to the end of the queue will stop them trying to jump over.

 

[Red Roo]

I think however RR the staff need to send people off who aren't entitled to use the PB lane. I had a gold in front of me the other week on one flight and a bronze behind me on another. Sending them to the end of the queue will stop them trying to jump over.

Feedback received across various channels, including AFF, suggests that Premium Boarding seems to be improving overall.

However I know the team responsible are keen to review the instances where it's not worked, and this is best done with examples. They're able to identify patterns relating to specific ports and/or staff, and in some cases assist with additional resources.

 

[eastwest101]

QF667 BNE-ADL yesterday - a B738 service departed gate 22 from BNE. Only one flight attendant scanning boarding passes and alternating between the PB lane and the regular queue. They were using the scanner close to the normal lane so that the PB pax had to push their way into the head of the normal queue to get PB.

With about 100 in the normal queue and 30-40 people in the PB queue I really wouldn't call the result a roaring success. Can RedRoo confirm if QF staff have been recently updated about order of PB queue vs the normal non-priority queue? Could I suggest (again) to QF management that they go around the corner and have a quick look at what VA do? If that's not too much trouble for them.

At the risk of repeating myself, a bit of an effort at consistent enforcement and sending a few people back to the normal queue is required to get the message across that QF are serious about implementing PB for eligible pax - not just hoping that PB will happen. Unentitled pax using PB have essentially "got away with it" about 90-95% of the time without any negative consequences over the last few years and it is that small sub-group that will need the enforcement/consequences.

Many have said it here before - if you don't have enforcement/consequences for non-compliance then you really don't have a policy....

 

[SeatBackForward]

Feedback received across various channels, including AFF, suggests that Premium Boarding seems to be improving overall.

However I know the team responsible are keen to review the instances where it's not worked, and this is best done with examples. They're able to identify patterns relating to specific ports and/or staff, and in some cases assist with additional resources.

I'm not sure how effective this would actually be. Given the possible permutations of staff, day of the week, gates, services and aircraft types, the data pool to start finding patterns would need to be huge. Aren't the general patterns enough?

 

[Red Roo]

QF667 BNE-ADL yesterday - a B738 service departed gate 22 from BNE. Only one flight attendant scanning boarding passes and alternating between the PB lane and the regular queue. They were using the scanner close to the normal lane so that the PB pax had to push their way into the head of the normal queue to get PB.

With about 100 in the normal queue and 30-40 people in the PB queue I really wouldn't call the result a roaring success. Can RedRoo confirm if QF staff have been recently updated about order of PB queue vs the normal non-priority queue? Could I suggest (again) to QF management that they go around the corner and have a quick look at what VA do? If that's not too much trouble for them.

Yes, the relevant teams have been offered clear guidelines as late as 26JUN.

I'm not sure how effective this would actually be. Given the possible permutations of staff, day of the week, gates, services and aircraft types, the data pool to start finding patterns would need to be huge. Aren't the general patterns enough?

The initial guidelines are based on general patterns. However, we share your goal of consistency. This is not a disciplinary exercise; rather one ensuring that the training is being delivered and received uniformly. It's also an opportunity to support individuals where necessary as feedback in the reverse is equally important in this scenario.

 

[mickeyc747]

I think you need the lady from Sydney International Airport arrivals at the express line on Monday morning she turned everyone away that did not have an express card no ifs or buts. Look on peoples face was priceless and she did not bat an eye lid, just told them to move to the back of an horrendous long queue.

 

[eastwest101]

This is not a disciplinary exercise; rather one ensuring that the training is being delivered and received uniformly. It's also an opportunity to support individuals where necessary as feedback in the reverse is equally important in this scenario.

I understand your point on this matter, it is really the enforcement of passengers that I was looking for. And understand that staff have important feedback that they can pass up the line to management - as its the staff whom ultimately have to implement it.

 

[eastwest101]

I think you need the lady from Sydney International Airport arrivals at the express line on Monday morning she turned everyone away that did not have an express card no ifs or buts. Look on peoples face was priceless and she did not bat an eye lid, just told them to move to the back of an horrendous long queue.

Hats off to that lady.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

QF667 BNE-ADL yesterday - a B738 service departed gate 22 from BNE. Only one flight attendant scanning boarding passes and alternating between the PB lane and the regular queue.

They were using the scanner close to the normal lane so that the PB pax had to push their way into the head of the normal queue to get

Could I suggest (again) to QF management that they go around the corner and have a quick look at what VA do? If that's not too much trouble for them.

How many minutes late was your flight departing?

It seems on time departures are rare these days when only one F/A is boarding.

Wouldn't it cost QF more money when for example you have a BNE/CNS bfst flight with 5 F/A's then that crew operate back CNS/BNE mid-morning but only 4 F/A's are required so one of them deadheads back in J?

I'm not sure how effective this would actually be. Given the possible permutations of staff, day of the week, gates, services and aircraft types, the data pool to start finding patterns would need to be huge. Aren't the general patterns enough?

It's easy, just pick any 738 at a non meal time with 4 FA's ie only one doing boarding. What is an F/A meant to do when you have premium pax in both lanes?

You have WPs in the PB lane expecting to be called across by the F/A who is on the general boarding side & CL pax who are in that same lane as they see only one F/A & assume PB is not offered.

Do you ignore the CL pax in the general lane because the WP will think they're being ignored in favour of 'plebs'?

 

[medhead]

How many minutes late was your flight departing?

It seems on time departures are rare these days when only one F/A is boarding.

Wouldn't it cost QF more money when for example you have a BNE/CNS bfst flight with 5 F/A's then that crew operate back CNS/BNE mid-morning but only 4 F/A's are required so one of them deadheads back in J?

I frequently see a bottle neck in the aerobridge. Including when I'm one of the last to board chatting with the FA who was doing the scanning. As such I'm not sure how back an impact one vs two FAs can have on departure time. But then my experience is limited comparatively.