Priority boarding on QF domestic - what is the story?

[Chief Wiggum]

The problem was always the wimpy signage that the work experience student designed. Crystal-clear signage (eg. AA, LAN) leads naturally to self-policing. Why does it always seem to take QF a second go to get things right :evil:.

Agree 100% - the signage QF uses is terrible, ambiguous and confusing... even to those who know what they're looking for. Often I found myself in the PB line when I thought I was in Economy (in the days before I discovered AFF) and then since being WP, the same applies in reverse. They make it VERY difficult for well meaning pax to not join the wrong line IMO. Or another way to look at it... they give non-status pax a "good excuse" to join the PB line...

 

[QF WP]

Signage at Gate 22 in ADL last night on QF664 ADL/BNE - success for us in J (12/12). Didn't see any self regulation

 

[trippin_the_rift]

Agree 100% - the signage QF uses is terrible, ambiguous and confusing... even to those who know what they're looking for. Often I found myself in the PB line when I thought I was in Economy (in the days before I discovered AFF) and then since being WP, the same applies in reverse. They make it VERY difficult for well meaning pax to not join the wrong line IMO. Or another way to look at it... they give non-status pax a "good excuse" to join the PB line...

What is even more confusing with the above image is there is a red carpet line down the economy side.
They should switch the signs around so the red carpet is down the premium line.

I agree with others in that the signage is too bland. It blends into the background and does not stand out. The trick is is to make it look like an advertisement and not a subtle branding exercise. Perhaps also add one extra pole/tape that goes off to the side so you can't just walk up to the shortest line but rather you would need to walk around an extra couple of meters where you can't miss the sign.

 

[CaviAck]

What is even more confusing with the above image is there is a red carpet line down the economy side.
They should switch the signs around so the red carpet is down the premium line.

But the premium line sign is black and the Y sign is red. Don't you think the carpets matching the signs is good?

 

[ComeFlyWithMe]

Success tonight on QF785 SYD-ADL, nobody in priority line, one staff member scanning, called me over in front of the other pax, very efficient and polite. Worked well.

Almost makes up for the fact I have to work in ADL for two days. Actually it doesn't. Still on the Tarmac in SYD, is it too late to get off and go home?

 

[pjm99au]

566 from Perth yesterday afternoon actually had a gate attendant at the entrance to the priority boarding lane checking boarding passes and turning away those not eligible. Well done Qantas

 

[Buzzard]

Signage at Gate 22 in ADL last night on QF664 ADL/BNE - success for us in J (12/12). Didn't see any self regulation

View attachment 31289

We are used to being behind the times here in ADL. New signage should arrive any year now

Wait till you see what we define as a luxury coach

 

[doubleplatinum]

It's so sad it's almost up to us all to police this or ask cabin crew to due to the massive amount of bogans that will try to sneak every time and then just try to play dumb when challenged, if more people simply followed the rules the system would work. Taking half a seconds to read the signs certainly doesn't hurt, how you could honestly end up on the wrong side after taking half a second to read the sign is beyond me.

 

[doubleplatinum]

Agree 100% - the signage QF uses is terrible, ambiguous and confusing... even to those who know what they're looking for. Often I found myself in the PB line when I thought I was in Economy (in the days before I discovered AFF) and then since being WP, the same applies in reverse. They make it VERY difficult for well meaning pax to not join the wrong line IMO. Or another way to look at it... they give non-status pax a "good excuse" to join the PB line...

Seriously?

 

[eastwest101]

Seriously?

Yes seriously. The thread is over 3 years old and while I have been following it we have seen reports of different signage, PB lane on right hand side and left hand side, signs bollards and ropes missing/going round in circles and placed randomly, 1 or two staff scanning boarding passes, non PB pax being ejected from the PB lane and also being allowed through... and thats all before you factor in the "scrum formation effect" when its sometimes difficult to see the smaller signs.

So I would suggest there is still some uncertainty and lack of knowledge from QF staff, and if the staff haven't worked it out then its possible that some of the passengers haven't either.

Take an afternoon off work and have a read of the entire thread - its quite entertaining!

 

[JohnK]

Take an afternoon off work and have a read of the entire thread - its quite entertaining!

Seriously? It took ~30 minutes to read the "What Carbon" thread and that was only ~100 posts. :shock:

I cannot believe Qantas still doesn't get this right. It is not that difficult a benefit to provide. I don't need it but I feel sorry for all those that rely on it.

 

[Captain Halliday]

I flew out of BNE on Sunday and QF made the usual boarding announcement. As PS in row 4 I wasn't entitled to priority lane, so I patiently waited while rows 15-30 boarded. However, the first pax didn't read the sign and went down the priority lane. The lemmings followed... So when they called for rows 4-14 I walked straight to the front using the regular boarding lane. Not my fault if ~180 pax can't read the sign.

 

[JohnM]

I flew out of BNE on Sunday and QF made the usual boarding announcement. As PS in row 4 I wasn't entitled to priority lane, so I patiently waited while rows 15-30 boarded. However, the first pax didn't read the sign and went down the priority lane. The lemmings followed... So when they called for rows 4-14 I walked straight to the front using the regular boarding lane. Not my fault if ~180 pax can't read the sign.

Because the signage is work experience student-design cr@p :evil::evil::evil:.

 

[Lowjhg]

QF427 the other day worked a treat. The un-initiated were perfectly lined up in the normal lane as we sashayed down from the J lounge into the empty priority boarding lane. And no there was not a single triangular 'intersection' in place too!

 

[Danger]

Because the signage is work experience student-design cr@p :evil::evil::evil:.

Like the website, booking engine, e-newsletters . . .

 

[chooms]

Adding to the voices about the non-existent priority boarding at CBR. I've been doing weekly trips down there for the past couple of months and it is very ordinary. Not once has priority boarding been used/enforced.

However, I think the reason is that there is only one FA at the boarding gate scanning BPs on the B717 flights. I have noticed that this is always the case in BNE too, but at least the priority boarding land is clearly defined by way of a rope/ribbon divider. The single FA would call over those in the PB line to scan BPs first or when they turn up. I don't think I have seen any of these dividers at CBR.

 

[Lowjhg]

Adding to the voices about the non-existent priority boarding at CBR. I've been doing weekly trips down there for the past couple of months and it is very ordinary. Not once has priority boarding been used/enforced.

However, I think the reason is that there is only one FA at the boarding gate scanning BPs on the B717 flights. I have noticed that this is always the case in BNE too, but at least the priority boarding land is clearly defined by way of a rope/ribbon divider. The single FA would call over those in the PB line to scan BPs first or when they turn up. I don't think I have seen any of these dividers at CBR.

CBR, where likely most of the time half of the plane are CL/P1/WP. In this case a priority boarding lane will be useless as almost everyone has priority boarding privileges

 

[wingspan]

Adding to the voices about the non-existent priority boarding at CBR. I've been doing weekly trips down there for the past couple of months and it is very ordinary. Not once has priority boarding been used/enforced.

However, I think the reason is that there is only one FA at the boarding gate scanning BPs on the B717 flights. I have noticed that this is always the case in BNE too, but at least the priority boarding land is clearly defined by way of a rope/ribbon divider. The single FA would call over those in the PB line to scan BPs first or when they turn up. I don't think I have seen any of these dividers at CBR.

Absolutely! As a CBR resident, I've noticed for years now that although people make the argument that "most" or "half" of the plane are CL/P1/WP, that's just not the case. There are a great deal of public servants who are SG or PS QP - and certainly the QP at CBR always seems to be very full. But there really aren't that many in the J lounge or coming out of the CL for each flight. Priority boarding wouldn't be useless at CBR if enforced properly as it's not the case that everyone has priority boarding privileges.

 

[Danger]

Canberra is not one of the ports where QF purports to offer priority boarding.

 

[chooms]

CBR, where likely most of the time half of the plane are CL/P1/WP. In this case a priority boarding lane will be useless as almost everyone has priority boarding privileges

I dispute this claim entirely. Maybe for the early morning/after work flights... but that is just like any other capital city.

Canberra is not one of the ports where QF purports to offer priority boarding.

Really? I have used a PB lane at KGI... surely they could afford it to CBR too!