Priority boarding on QF domestic - what is the story?

[BVT]

"Interesting" experiencing yesterday QF864 SYD/OOL. Boarding at gate 12, with TWO FA's scanning boarding cards; I fronted up and there was a long queue for non priority boarding snaking back through the concourse. No one in the PB lane.

I stroll nonchalantly down the empty PB line, thinking what are all those peeps on AFF going on about ..... At the head of the non queue, the FA on my side stops, looks up and continues boarding pax from the other queue. Hmmm, maybe she didn't see me, polite cough, looks up again and keeps boarding the other line! By this time there were a few pax behind me as well.

Finally, a non PB pax stops and ushers me forward!

So, that's how it is supposed to work; rely on the pax to sort it out for themselves.

Not good enough QF.

 

[Red Roo]

"Interesting" experiencing yesterday QF864 SYD/OOL. Boarding at gate 12, with TWO FA's scanning boarding cards; I fronted up and there was a long queue for non priority boarding snaking back through the concourse. No one in the PB lane.

I stroll nonchalantly down the empty PB line, thinking what are all those peeps on AFF going on about ..... At the head of the non queue, the FA on my side stops, looks up and continues boarding pax from the other queue. Hmmm, maybe she didn't see me, polite cough, looks up again and keeps boarding the other line! By this time there were a few pax behind me as well.

Finally, a non PB pax stops and ushers me forward!

So, that's how it is supposed to work; rely on the pax to sort it out for themselves.

Not good enough QF.

I agree! Thanks for sharing this; I've passed your comments on so it can be addressed internally with the staff member concerned.

 

[medhead]

Qf784 BNE-CNS 16 August. Single FA doing boarding from the right hand lane with the massive priority sign next to it. He actually has to use that side because it is the side that has the computer. Thought about using the other, apparently non-priority lane, but there weren't many people around. When I got to the front I asked about PB to be told just use the other lane and you'll get it, "that's why I switched around the sign." Low and behold the little sign has been switched around. Ok shame about that massive big banner with the wrong information.

So the guy was trying to make the best of the situation. But it just created confusion and gave conflicting information. At the very least the BNE gates need to be fixed up so that the PB lane and signage is on the lane opposite the computer side, which probably seems to need to be used every time.

Not sure what's wrong with management that they can't look at the gate and identify this problem themselves.

"Interesting" experiencing yesterday QF864 SYD/OOL. Boarding at gate 12, with TWO FA's scanning boarding cards; I fronted up and there was a long queue for non priority boarding snaking back through the concourse. No one in the PB lane.

I stroll nonchalantly down the empty PB line, thinking what are all those peeps on AFF going on about ..... At the head of the non queue, the FA on my side stops, looks up and continues boarding pax from the other queue. Hmmm, maybe she didn't see me, polite cough, looks up again and keeps boarding the other line! By this time there were a few pax behind me as well.

Finally, a non PB pax stops and ushers me forward!

So, that's how it is supposed to work; rely on the pax to sort it out for themselves.

Not good enough QF.

Polite cough?! I just keep walking right up to the FA.

 

[geordieladinoz]

Fri 16/08 QF743 SYD-ADL
Fail. 2 FA's scanning and when we arrived the general queue was shorter and we were processed quicker than PB. No obvious reason for the slow processing of PB so may have been more to this one?

Tony Hancock's pet hate, the 'WP no-shadow' annoyed me more on QF743 - grrrrrrr. And yes, there were lots of empty seats in rows 4 - 8 but not next to this WP and SWMBOWP!

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Sun 18/08 QF766 ADL-SYD
Success. 2 FA's scanning and the PB lady was very polite and dealt with us promptly.

- - - - - - - - - -

As per the general consensus, it can work it's just sometimes it looks like people don't want it to!

 

[geordieladinoz]

Not sure what's wrong with management that they can't look at the gate and identify this problem themselves.

I think you have hit the nail on the head which sums up why QF are not bothered about PB.

How long would it take QF airport management (and I'm sure there are several levels to this) to see a boarding at each gate to identify issues and put in place corrective actions? The fact that a lot of specific issues have already been pointed out here would make it even quicker. Then frequent inspections to follow up. It's all simple really?!

As a manager, I want to walk around site and see what issues or problems might be out there to maintain a good environment. My working environment changes regularly so visits are regular. It's not difficult and keeps you in touch with what is actually going on!

Go on RedRoo, set a challenge for the management to solve these issues and we will be kind judges for you!

 

[nlagalle]

Go on RedRoo, set a challenge for the management to solve these issues and we will be kind judges for you!

Better yet, tie it to their KPI's!!

 

[QF WP]

20/8 Flight QF625 BNE/MEL (3pm departure)

Left the Business Lounge early to be at Gate 20 for the opening of boarding.

Initial page invited Platinum and Business Class to use the dedicated lane. Beginning of boarding seen in photo - pax taking the correct lane as the 2 in front were both in J with me.

Complete success. Sitting in J now awaiting departure.



Only negative was that it is a fairly full flight and a couple of pax came back into the J cabin to store their bags.

#firstworldproblems

 

[ozbeachbabe]

20/8 Flight QF625 BNE/MEL (3pm departure)

Left the Business Lounge early to be at Gate 20 for the opening of boarding.

Initial page invited Platinum and Business Class to use the dedicated lane. Beginning of boarding seen in photo - pax taking the correct lane as the 2 in front were both in J with me.

Complete success. Sitting in J now awaiting departure.

View attachment 18105

Only negative was that it is a fairly full flight and a couple of pax came back into the J cabin to store their bags.

#firstworldproblems

I notice from the pic that there are 2 F/A's boarding (so must be 5 F/A's on board) yet it's only a refreshment flight.

You'd expect PB to work with 2 F/A's however the real challenge is expecting it to work with only one.

There are some CL pax who won't use the PB lane when only one F/A as they feel it's rude to 'push in' so instead choose to join the end of the general boarding queue.

 

[Wayamba]

QF690 Adelaide to Melbourne yeaterday was a stuffed up right from start. It was announced but the sign and divider had PB near the seats in waiting area with negligable space for the normal boarding. To make things worse the space between the end of divider and desk could barely fit a kid.
The other thing was a couple of people got through with hot drinks. When 1 of cabin crew who hadn't been at gate found out he very quickly but politely confiscated them . Very embressed with how he did it.

 

[QF WP]

20/8 Flight QF482 MEL/PER (6.50pm departure)

Left the Business Lounge late - was chatting with a seatmate.

By the time we got to the Gate, boarding had commenced and the normal queue was 50 deep.

We walked to the left and hit the PB line with nobody in it. Turned left on the gangway and onto the A332.

No negatives.

No #firstworldproblems on this flight

 

[Anna]

Well well well.

In 2C this morning on QF740. After breakfast had been cleared away the CSM came up to me and said "Ms Surname, how was your PB experience this morning?" :shock::shock:

"Am I on a watch list?" I replied nervously. "No, there's just a comment recorded next to your name that you have given us feedback about PB so we are checking how it is going", he said.

So I told him that there was no line at all this morning so PB was fine at ADL today, but that I think in general to make it work all the time the FAs need to use the kind of assertiveness they would use in an emergency to send pax who are in the wrong line back to the end of the correct line so that they get the message.

I was impressed that QF cared enough to ask me though.

 

[CaviAck]

Well well well.

In 2C this morning on QF740. After breakfast had been cleared away the CSM came up to me and said "Ms Surname, how was your PB experience this morning?" :shock::shock:

"Am I on a watch list?" I replied nervously. "No, there's just a comment recorded next to your name that you have given us feedback about PB so we are checking how it is going", he said.

So I told him that there was no line at all this morning so PB was fine at ADL today, but that I think in general to make it work all the time the FAs need to use the kind of assertiveness they would use in an emergency to send pax who are in the wrong line back to the end of the correct line so that they get the message.

I was impressed that QF cared enough to ask me though.

It's scary that they track you all that way... looks like I might never get another op-up considering the number of times I've complained about priority baggage at CNS.

 

[Mr_Orange]

the number of times I've complained about priority baggage at CNS.

Ha, I've complained about the same thing at CNS. Does priority baggage ever work there?

 

[CaviAck]

Ha, I've complained about the same thing at CNS. Does priority baggage ever work there?

For QF staff it does apparently. Had a talk to one of the staff member about QF's promises and they were surprised that it wasn't working as it did for when they were at CNS.

For me however, it's only worked once since beginning of the year out of the 4 times I've landed in CNS with QF from SYD and 1 time from BNE and none of the 2 times landing in SYD. And from what I saw last year, two or three times out of 7 (this is including flying CNS and landing at SYD).

 

[Sprucegoose]

Ha, I've complained about the same thing at CNS. Does priority baggage ever work there?

Ring the airport manager. These northern and western climes get lazy quickly.

 

[CaviAck]

Ring the airport manager. These northern and western climes get lazy quickly.

Do you have the number? I would gladly do so from the lounge next time I'm there xD

 

[ComeFlyWithMe]

Another epic fail on QF510 this morning gate 18. Priority signs dragged off to the side, staff couldn't care, boarding gate a zoo, as is typical for gate 18.

And it turns out they were boarding an Armidale flight at gate 19 at exactly the same time. So much for the new integrated single terminal experience...

 

[Red Roo]

Another epic fail on QF510 this morning gate 18. Priority signs dragged off to the side, staff couldn't care, boarding gate a zoo, as is typical for gate 18.View attachment 18226

And it turns out they were boarding an Armidale flight at gate 19 at exactly the same time. So much for the new integrated single terminal experience...

Thanks for sharing this. I've passed on your example to the team. This is not the experience that was intended.

 

[ComeFlyWithMe]

Thanks for sharing this. I've passed on your example to the team. This is not the experience that was intended.

Thanks RedRoo.

Probably doesn't help that they boarded a 767 with a single lane and scanner due to the inappropriateness of gate 18 to serve anything other than a 737 at best, combined with a regional flight boarding at the same time at 19, what a mess.

 

[CaviAck]

Thanks RedRoo.

Probably doesn't help that they boarded a 767 with a single lane and scanner due to the inappropriateness of gate 18 to serve anything other than a 737 at best, combined with a regional flight boarding at the same time at 19, what a mess.

That may be a blow back from moving the Dash8's to T3. Last week I boarded for the first time a 73H from gate 12 and saw a Dash8 at gate 7 or 8 while looking out the lounge window.

If they're moving Dash8's to T3 they should keep it to Gate 1 or the regional gates (16-19?)