Priority boarding on QF domestic - what is the story?

[TonyHancock]

QF427 today and PB worked well. Nice clear boarding call, almost empty PB lane. Dare I begin to think we are almost there?

The signage is something the really does need to be improved though.

edit - hopefully I will be able to report another success on this flight, as the aircraft has some technical issues and we have all disembarked!!!:shock::shock:

edit no.2 - and PB worked again!! Pretty happy with that because it has been the late flights that have been nothing more than a scrum.

 

[QF WP]

Now to post photos from my past 2 flights:

Gate 14 PER QF476 (23/8)


Gate 2 MEL QF636 (23/8)

 

[Steady]

Just boarded QF773, priority boarding was a fail. Both lines same size and people in front not status pax or in J.

Arrived just as boarding started but missed the call to know if PB was announced.

 

[Pleb Status]

For the first time, in what must be more than 100 QF dom sectors since PB has been in place, I actually witnessed some 'enforcement' of PB on QF597 BNE-PER yesterday. As normal at boarding, no one was observing the PB signs or instructions etc. However, when I was near the FA at the gate, I witnessed the passenger in front of me being told by the FA that they did not qualify for PB and 'in future they should use the normal boarding queue'. The offending passenger just ignored the FA and I have no doubt will use the PB lane next time. But some 'enforcement' of PB was witnessed for the first time ever.

Flights with zero PB enforcement > 100. Flights with the absolute minimum level of PB enforcement = 1. Well done QF.

 

[Boris spatsky]

For the first time, in what must be more than 100 QF dom sectors since PB has been in place, I actually witnessed some 'enforcement' of PB on QF597 BNE-PER yesterday. As normal at boarding, no one was observing the PB signs or instructions etc. However, when I was near the FA at the gate, I witnessed the passenger in front of me being told by the FA that they did not qualify for PB and 'in future they should use the normal boarding queue'. The offending passenger just ignored the FA and I have no doubt will use the PB lane next time. But some 'enforcement' of PB was witnessed for the first time ever.

Flights with zero PB enforcement > 100. Flights with the absolute minimum level of PB enforcement = 1. Well done QF.

For me, enforcement means sending them to the back of the other line!!

 

[ashleyn]

For the first time, in what must be more than 100 QF dom sectors since PB has been in place, I actually witnessed some 'enforcement' of PB on QF597 BNE-PER yesterday. As normal at boarding, no one was observing the PB signs or instructions etc. However, when I was near the FA at the gate, I witnessed the passenger in front of me being told by the FA that they did not qualify for PB and 'in future they should use the normal boarding queue'. The offending passenger just ignored the FA and I have no doubt will use the PB lane next time. But some 'enforcement' of PB was witnessed for the first time ever.

Flights with zero PB enforcement > 100. Flights with the absolute minimum level of PB enforcement = 1. Well done QF.

That's not enforcement, that's just another total fail. It is enforced or its not, simple as that. If there are not enough staff to police it, scrap it altogether. As so many have posted before, how hard can it be ?

 

[ComeFlyWithMe]

Another fail last night on QF555 BNE-SYD, single FA 734 boarding, all pax were in the PB lane. Quite a joke.

 

[ashleyn]

Another fail last night on QF555 BNE-SYD, single FA 734 boarding, all pax were in the PB lane. Quite a joke.

Come on Red Roo, for all your passing this on to the relevant teams, this is still a disaster. Draw a line in the sand, either QF does PB and does it properly or it does not.

 

[Realistic]

That's not enforcement, that's just another total fail. It is enforced or its not, simple as that. If there are not enough staff to police it, scrap it altogether. As so many have posted before, how hard can it be ?

As someone due to finally make WP in a few weeks I say please nooooooo! :-|

 

[nlagalle]

QF402 MEL-SYD this morning. Walked up and no one in the PB lane so strolled straight on board. Fairly long general lane.

 

[MartinMemo]

For many of us priority boarding means boarding last spending more time in the QF lounge
QF is not like American carriers scrambling for overhead space

I think carry-on should be more closely monitored, especially on smaller flights. i was on a VA E90 and some woman walked on with 2 massive gym bags taking up an entire overhead locker. The only reason i rush to board is because of the overhead locker situation on VA.

 

[Brettmcg]

I think carry-on should be more closely monitored, especially on smaller flights. i was on a VA E90 and some woman walked on with 2 massive gym bags taking up an entire overhead locker. The only reason i rush to board is because of the overhead locker situation on VA.

I flew QF446 on 25AUG13 and noticed exactly the same thing. Weekend flights are usually worse for this kind of stuff as a higher proportion of pax are leisure travellers than during the week. For some reason they believe they need to take everything + the kitchen sink for an interstate weekend sojourn.

Having recently completed my first flight survey as part of the QF Feedback Panel I made this comment and suggested that maybe a little more checking might be required.

 

[MartinMemo]

I flew QF446 on 25AUG13 and noticed exactly the same thing. Weekend flights are usually worse for this kind of stuff as a higher proportion of pax are leisure travellers than during the week. For some reason they believe they need to take everything + the kitchen sink for an interstate weekend sojourn.

Having recently completed my first flight survey as part of the QF Feedback Panel I made this comment and suggested that maybe a little more checking might be required.

Maybe that's why i notice it - my trips are 90% leisure and fly out Friday afternoon/fly home Sunday afternoon. I thought it was directly related to VA charging people to check luggage (which is inconvenient). If I had it my way, checked would be free and carry on would be charged unless J class, or gold + status. (though a little off the point of this thread).

Onto the actual point though- VA have been strictly monitoring their priority lines lately - Now i just wish they would monitor the doors people use more. It should be; priority first, people in row 1-15 second, 16-29 third, and people who refuse to use the correct door last.

 

[Ausbt]

I know this is a QF thread, but I flew ZQN-SYD with VA (AirNZ metal) last Saturday. There was no priority boarding lane as such, but the surprising announcement was "shortly we will be calling all guests seated in seats A & F". Huh? I've never heard of this before. Seating for window pax first, regardless of rows? That's weird. Apparently those pax travelling with children (as I was) were allowed to all board together. As a VA WP, I would expect nothing less!

On another note, never in my time as a VA WP have a received a at-seat greeting from the CSM when seated in Y. But on this flight, seated in row 20 on a AirNZ 'seat-only' fare, not only did the CSM come down and shake my hand, but a FA wandered by and said hello as well and handed out noise-cancelling headphones for all three of us (including my Red member children). During the flight they 'slipped' me a bottle of red and an ice cream none of which I was entitled to on that fare. What lovely service!

 

[MartinMemo]

I know this is a QF thread, but I flew ZQN-SYD with VA (AirNZ metal) last Saturday. There was no priority boarding lane as such, but the surprising announcement was "shortly we will be calling all guests seated in seats A & F". Huh? I've never heard of this before. Seating for window pax first, regardless of rows? That's weird. Apparently those pax travelling with children (as I was) were allowed to all board together. As a VA WP, I would expect nothing less!

On another note, never in my time as a VA WP have a received a at-seat greeting from the CSM when seated in Y. But on this flight, seated in row 20 on a AirNZ 'seat-only' fare, not only did the CSM come down and shake my hand, but a FA wandered by and said hello as well and handed out noise-cancelling headphones for all three of us (including my Red member children). During the flight they 'slipped' me a bottle of red and an ice cream none of which I was entitled to on that fare. What lovely service!

Ive never heard of A&F before. Interesting idea though. Excellent treatment there as well. I got something similar when i got flown ahead with a handful of other WP (im only PS) but they sat us all down the back of an E90 and the CS came up and welcomed us all by surname. I just wonder what it would cost them in manpower to have 2 people checking in (one priority and one normal) - why not have one person, serving priority only, then normal, and the second at the stairs making sure 15 and beyond are going via the back.

 

[serfty]

NZ have been doing this since last year - never an issue for me as I use my VA WP / *E to board from the start.

 

[JohnM]

Epic fail QF802 PER-MEL just now. Clearly no attempt at proper sign placement or policing.

 

[Anna]

The CSM (QF764) asked me again today for feedback on how PB was going. Again he read a note next to my name on the manifest and came over to ask.

Clearly QF KWIA. That'll come in handy if I ever forget WIA.

 

[Reggie]

As a preface I know that Qlink flights are not subject to PB.

Friday night QF1807 PBO-PER, boarding call was "We are now boarding Rows 14 back, and Platinum Qantas Frequent Flyers can board at their leisure". There was laughter throughout the terminal, as on this Friday night flight, three quarters of the pax would be WP

 

[JTB]

Last week I flew to Exmouth and Qantas staff were checking boarding passes for the priority security lanes and turned away some people who didn't qualify. Didn't get priority boarding of course, but that is because it is a bus trip out to the tarmac