Priority boarding on QF domestic - what is the story?

[slc767338]

All well and good to try to pretend this will have no significant impact. I'm fairly certain one of my usual flights had 18 platinums out of approximately 160 seats, on one occasion. Based in status qualification ratios alone, without considering that is a popular flight for frequent flyers, suggests 36 golds. So a 200% increase in PB lane usage. Just a few people. Nothing really.

Given the allocated domestic boarding is 20 minutes, those figures average out to 2.7 pax per minute using the PB line (up from the 18 odd you specified and not including those seated in J - averaging around 1 pax per minute). Maybe a 200% increase but still an insignificant amount in the scheme of things.

 

[medhead]

Given the allocated domestic boarding is 20 minutes, those figures average out to 2.7 pax per minute using the PB line (up from the 18 odd you specified and not including those seated in J - averaging around 1 pax per minute). Maybe a 200% increase but still an insignificant amount in the scheme of things.

Again who said anything about lost time? Not an issue I've raised. In fact the number of boarding lanes and passengers per lane has nothing to do with boarding time.

 

[eastwest101]

All well and good to try to pretend this will have no significant impact. I'm fairly certain one of my usual flights had 18 platinums out of approximately 160 seats, on one occasion. Based in status qualification ratios alone, without considering that is a popular flight for frequent flyers, suggests 36 golds. So a 200% increase in PB lane usage. Just a few people. Nothing really.

I can understand your disappointment with PB medhead - and I share your sentiments on this issue but considering that there doesn't seem to be any consistent enforcement over the last few years, you would also have to factor in the amount of Non-status/Bronze/Silver that use the PB lane as well.

Personally I'm agnostic about whether QFF Golds get PB or not, the benefit is totally diluted by the fact that everyone and anyone can use the PB lane without being turned back to the general line. Given that QF can't enforce current PB policy, and also does not charge extra for checked-in luggage (and so is less susceptible to Carry-on luggage abuse i.e. kitchen sink included in Carry-on luggage) and most domestic services are now single aisle aircraft except for transcon to Perth then the benefits of priority boarding may appear to be pretty weak anyway maybe unless the flight is chockers - in which case its all about overhead bin space.

Not that I am that high in the QF status world but with the notable exception of First/Business lounge access for QF WP's there dosen't seem to be much love for QFF WPs lately. As others have also mentioned - the other simplifications to QF SC earn recently would suggest that even with soft landings - the number of QF WPs and QF SG will eventually decrease as the demographics of the overall QFF ecosystem world get smaller, less relevant, older and more focussed on toasters rather than frequent flyers.

 

[Quickstatus]

Really the only tangible benefit of PB is overhead compartment space and secondly supposedly cuts down on the queuing.

Other "benefits" such as LookAtMeAsImBoarding (TM) etc are really for DYKWIA wannabes.
The plane takes off and lands. Even if you get on early you won't get there any faster.

I say:
Enforce the carryon regulations.
Introduce a boarding priority announcement:
Disabled/
J
WP/WP1/CL/DYKWIA
Families in economy
General boarding
No queue jumping if you missed your boarding zone.
Will make the numbers in Lounge a lot less as well.

 

[Buzzard]

So all that's happened is that QF have fallen into line with one world rules

....and Virgin as they give Gold PB

 

[medhead]

I was just about to write that if gold QFF members around here think time is the benefit of PB, that suggests they don't actually need PB. But now someone has mentioned the real importance of priority boarding. Overhead space. As I have a grand total of 5 flights a week that suit my schedule needs and 4 of those are in peak times. I find overhead space to be a premium commodity.

I still also completely acknowledge that Qantas seems to be completely incapable of doing premium boarding. Despite all my comments here, I still believe Qantas should just give up on PB. They can't do it, they seem disinterested in doing it - give up.

 

[medhead]

....and Virgin as they give Gold PB

And they actually do a properly organised boarding process.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

So all that's happened is that QF have fallen into line with one world rules

.....and if they hadn't SG's would be trotting out the old "but QF treat OW Sapphire members better than their own frequent flyers" line.

As the saying goes, you can please some of the people some of the time but you can't please all of the people all of the time.

 

[BadgerBoi]

Or you could see the glass half full - I.e they are making it fairer and simpler (true sense of the phrase) as it has levelled the playing field in allowing SG + OWS priority boarding on both domestic and international as supposed to either/or.

The best part of this change for me is watching the poutiness on AFF from some of the WPs

 

[medhead]

The best part of this change for me is watching the poutiness on AFF from some of the WPs

What a completely stupid post you've made. Go on quote the imagined poutiness.

Or perhaps people are talking about the usual qantas enhancements, make it so that those of us who actually do flying need to spend more money, then take away the benefit so we no longer have to spend money. It isn't that subtle a point surely.

 

[BadgerBoi]

What a completely stupid post you've made. Go on quote the imagined poutiness.

Or perhaps people are talking about the usual qantas enhancements, make it so that those of us who actually do flying need to spend more money, then take away the benefit so we no longer have to spend money. It isn't that subtle a point surely.

Seems I hit a raw nerve, no need to look further back than post #3550 for a spot of pouting.

BTW, the change won't affect me, I only fly in business so any flying I "actually do" on QF domestic sees me entitled to what passes for PB anyway.

 

[medhead]

Seems I hit a raw nerve, no need to look further back than post #3550 for a spot of pouting.

BTW, the change won't affect me, I only fly in business so any flying I "actually do" on QF domestic sees me entitled to what passes for PB anyway.

Seems you're sadly mistaken.

 

[QF WP]

[MOD HAT ON]
Back on topic please everybody...looks squarely at a couple of members :evil:

[/MOD HAT OFF]

 

[RichardMEL]

Coming next season - the new hit series from HBO (vH Boarding Order) - "Gold is the new Platinum" !!!!!

 

[Austashes]

Absolutely agree! Boarding is smooth, the line to board does not stretch out through the terminal. Also, my fellow WP - you have time to board place your bag in the cabin locker without people pushing past. I think Qantas should accept the lessons learnt from AA and adopt a similar successful strategy.
Also I would love to hear from anyone who does not like this boarding process.

 

[BadgerBoi]

Seems you're sadly mistaken.

Not at all - it's not as if PB works most of the time anyway for domestic. As often as not I'll use the ordinary line despite always being entitled to us PB.

 

[eminere]

Signage had already been updated at SYD as at 12 Dec and at MEL as at 15 Dec. At MEL the lines for priority and regular boarding were roughly equally long.

 

[medhead]

Signage had already been updated at SYD as at 12 Dec and at MEL as at 15 Dec. At MEL the lines for priority and regular boarding were roughly equally long.

Same with ADL gate 20 or 21 last week 9th. But gate 24 today still had just the little sign on the bollard saying platinum only with no banners, old or new.

 

[Danger]

Signage had already been updated at SYD as at 12 Dec and at MEL as at 15 Dec. At MEL the lines for priority and regular boarding were roughly equally long.

I'm struggling to understand how it took Qantas just a few days to change their mini billboard size signs, but several years to get signs in the first place.

 

[eminere]

I'm struggling to understand how it took Qantas just a few days to change their mini billboard size signs, but several years to get signs in the first place.

I think they simply applied an "& Gold" sticker to the existing signs.