Priority boarding on QF domestic - what is the story?

[TomVexille]

Have never read this whole thread, I understand the angst at a benefit not being enforced, but at the same time I always try to board last to minimize time in plane. And I have never had a problem finding somewhere to put my carry-on. Seriously guys, what is the problem???? I truly don't get it.

I sit in my seat until there is a window to calmly and decently deplane amidst that "scrum". It amazes me every time how everyone leaps up as soon as the aircraft has come to a standstill. This is basic pack mentality that every novice passenger learns from the people around him.


I fly a lot, but to this day I have never been unable to accommodate my carryon near me.


I agree that if QF offer a priority boarding they should make it work. But their failure does not really upset me.

juddles, you say that you want to minimize your time onboard, but then wait as long as you have to onboard at the other end. So which one is it? I completely respect your opinion that it's best to be onboard last. That's your prerogative. But you hit the nail on the head when you say that QF should make it work if they advertise it.

Priority boarding suits me, when it is done properly. And I like to be able to see the overhead locker where my carry-on is located. Board early and settle in. No last minute rushing to board. That's just me.

+1 to this.

Basically this

 

[Quickstatus]

juddles, you say that you want to minimize your time onboard, but then wait as long as you have to onboard at the other end. So which one is it? I completely respect your opinion that it's best to be onboard last. That's your prerogative. But you hit the nail on the head when you say that QF should make it work if they advertise it.



+1 to this.

Basically this

Juddles practice does minimises time in the tube. I agree His practice is also certainly the most "Zen". Certainly better than getting all huffed and puffed about PB issues. Enplaning and deplaning last has benefits. Further efforts at minimisation of in-tube time requires a more stressful approach and does not necessarily minimise in-tube time.

Enplaning last means more time in lounge, no waiting at gate, no waiting on bridge, no waiting in aisle
Deplaning last means more time sending last minute emails, completing the airline magazine sudoku, no battling other passengers to get overhead luggage, no queuing to get out especially if in Y.

This practice also minimises the time waiting for gate checked items.

On CRJ900 flights this is what I do. These aircraft do not have great overhead luggage compartments so most carry ons have to be gatechecked. I often catch these flights after a long intercontinental. Enplaning last means my carry on goes into hold last and deplaning last means less time waiting outside the aircraft in the cold (usually fly these in winter). Invariably my luggage is waiting for me when I deplane as it was among the last to be loaded therefore first to be unloaded.


Make PB work- sure!
ExCSM friend told me that PB eligible passengers are very often in the majority depending on the route and flight time.
I can see the latest DSC offer by the airline will make the PB issue worse. Time to be ZEN!.

 

[TomVexille]

Juddles practice does minimises time in the tube. I agree His practice is also certainly the most "Zen". Certainly better than getting all huffed and puffed about PB issues. Enplaning and deplaning last has benefits. Further efforts at minimisation of in-tube time requires a more stressful approach and does not necessarily minimise in-tube time.

Enplaning last means more time in lounge, no waiting at gate, no waiting on bridge, no waiting in aisle
Deplaning last means more time sending last minute emails, completing the airline magazine sudoku, no battling other passengers to get overhead luggage, no queuing to get out especially if in Y.

This practice also minimises the time waiting for gate checked items.

On CRJ900 flights this is what I do. These aircraft do not have great overhead luggage compartments so most carry ons have to be gatechecked. I often catch these flights after a long intercontinental. Enplaning last means my carry on goes into hold last and deplaning last means less time waiting outside the aircraft in the cold (usually fly these in winter). Invariably my luggage is waiting for me when I deplane as it was among the last to be loaded therefore first to be unloaded.


Make PB work- sure!
ExCSM friend told me that PB eligible passengers are very often in the majority depending on the route and flight time.
I can see the latest DSC offer by the airline will make the PB issue worse. Time to be ZEN!.

I actually don't think either of you are wrong. It's just that this thread isn't about whether one should board first or last, it's about QF's systematic failure to provide a published benefit

 

[ozbeachbabe]

QFi can do it so why not another part of hte same company?

QF ground staff do the boarding of QFi flights (not F/A's) so wouid be more adept at doing it because they probably depart multiple flights each day out of the same port.

QF dom flights use F/A's to do boarding as I believe it's in their award. Some F/A's may successfully dodge a bullet and it may be weeks or even months before they have to do the boarding of a flight.

The boarding set up/orientation can vary greatly from airport to airport so they may have never done the boarding of a flight from that city before.

If ground staff also did the boarding of domestic flights it would probably mean a more consistent experience across the board.

 

[katiebell]

QF ground staff do the boarding of QFi flights (not F/A's) so wouid be more adept at doing it because they probably depart multiple flights each day out of the same port.

QF dom flights use F/A's to do boarding as I believe it's in their award. Some F/A's may successfully dodge a bullet and it may be weeks or even months before they have to do the boarding of a flight.

The boarding set up/orientation can vary greatly from airport to airport so they may have never done the boarding of a flight from that city before.

If ground staff also did the boarding of domestic flights it would probably mean a more consistent experience across the board.

It realy does not matter if FAs or ground staff do the boarding: it is all about training to a standard and then applying it consistently. It is not rocket science and the major airports all have similar set up: 2 scanners (occ 3) equal number of staff, tensabarrier and signs stating which side is premium and which is not. Should be simple. As one company it would be easy to take SOPs from one part to another: no reason to reinvent thigs.

What QFi do do that QFd do not is to allow all PBs to board 1st, using both (all) lanes and then open to general boarding. This would fix the problem of majority PBs and the delays caused by scanning mobile phones.

 

[katiebell]

on the slightly OT matter of when to board: one lounge/airport I cannot get out of fast enough is DXB and the EK policy there is flounge boards last...

In reality a benefit of being a high tier FF pushed by QF is choice, including choice of when to board. They just need to make it works so we chosse whether we board 1st or last. not the boarding lounge scrum. Should be simple really.

 

[Quickstatus]

Use a hierachical zone boarding method and get rid of PB

Zones cannot board during the boarding of a higher zone but higher ones can board during their zone or lower.
Boarding pass is printed with the Zone.
All passengers within a PNR board in the same zone


Suggest this:
Zone 1:Families with children under 6, disabled
Zone 2:Business class, CL
Zone 3:WP1 and WP
Zone 4:SG/PS and premium seats - those that paid extra for a better seat - exit row
Zone 5:Rear Y cabin
Zone 6:Front Y cabin
Zone 7:Super discount tickets
Zone 8assengers with oversized carry ons which did not pass the carryon size tester irrespective of status or class of travel.

 

[Pleb Status]

Use a hierachical zone boarding method and get rid of PB

Zones cannot board during the boarding of a higher zone but higher ones can board during their zone or lower.
Boarding pass is printed with the Zone.
All passengers within a PNR board in the same zone


Suggest this:
Zone 1:Families with children under 6, disabled
Zone 2:Business class, CL
Zone 3:WP1 and WP
Zone 4:SG/PS and premium seats - those that paid extra for a better seat - exit row
Zone 5:Rear Y cabin
Zone 6:Front Y cabin
Zone 7:Super discount tickets
Zone 8assengers with oversized carry ons which did not pass the carryon size tester irrespective of status or class of travel.

Why complicate things. Just do it the way VA does. All with one FA at the gate as well.

 

[juddles]

juddles, you say that you want to minimize your time onboard, but then wait as long as you have to onboard at the other end. So which one is it? ........

Tom, it is a win win situation. Making an average of plane size and thus pax numbers, I reckon that to board first adds about half an hour sitting there watching people bumble past. I do not wait to get off last - but I sit in my seat and grab the opportunity when there is a hiccup in the offloading (someone trying to self load their three bags and purse) and get up. I also take into account if I have checked luggage and how long that will take to get to the carousel.

 

[dk4]

Making an average of plane size and thus pax numbers, I reckon that to board first adds about half an hour sitting there watching people bumble past.

Talking QFd, the average jet's size is B737 (or smaller if you include turbo-props). IME QFd generally completes boarding in around 10 minutes.

Use a hierachical zone boarding method and get rid of PB

The aim of boarding is to complete it quickly - IME QFd boards aircraft extremely efficiently (especially as the only major domestic carrier using a single door boarding process at most ports/aircraft).

IMO your proposal would likely slow them down significantly: My experience with "zone based" boarding, in the USA for example, is generally much slower than QFd boarding (on a like for like B737 aeroplane - and even given that QF re-checks BPs at the aircraft threshold, which isn't standard procedure in the USA). There is an enormous kerfuffle at most US departure gates, and the times that "zone boarding" runs smoothly are IME outnumbered by the times which it doesn't.

IMO airlines need the most simplest boarding procedures at the gates, while still adding something "extra" for their most valuable customers - in general I think that QF has achieved the right balance now (with most of their premium customers either wanting to board first or last, but not in the middle).

 

[PaulST]

PB doing perfectly this afternoon in OOL (QF1569 to SYD). There was a massive queue with only one person in the PB line, which I joined as soon as boarding begun. There was only one guy scanning initially and he stopped the standard lane and took my boarding pass.
I was on board quickly and back to work!

FYI he was a FA and possibly the CSM.

 

[medhead]

Often I don't use priority boarding anyway even though entitled to, it's not that hard to simply line up and wait ones turn As I've said before, it would be quicker to simply have two lines.

They do have 2 lines, the point is that one of them is supposed to be process on a priority basis.

Have never read this whole thread, I understand the angst at a benefit not being enforced, but at the same time I always try to board last to minimize time in plane. And I have never had a problem finding somewhere to put my carry-on. Seriously guys, what is the problem???? I truly don't get it.

And I have experienced difficulty with overhead space many times.

 

[TomVexille]

PB doing perfectly this afternoon in OOL (QF1569 to SYD). There was a massive queue with only one person in the PB line, which I joined as soon as boarding begun. There was only one guy scanning initially and he stopped the standard lane and took my boarding pass.
I was on board quickly and back to work!

FYI he was a FA and possibly the CSM.

It actually worked :shock:

 

[kermatu]

PB doing perfectly this afternoon in OOL (QF1569 to SYD). There was a massive queue with only one person in the PB line, which I joined as soon as boarding begun. There was only one guy scanning initially and he stopped the standard lane and took my boarding pass.
I was on board quickly and back to work!

FYI he was a FA and possibly the CSM.

A rarity - but very good to hear.

 

[PaulST]

More success on the return (SYD-OOL). PB line was served first and people in the PB line who weren't meant to be there were asked to stand aside. I wonder if a memo has gone out?


*Boarding was done by FAs again too.

 

[Sdtravel]

Sorry if this is answered somewhere else or in the 390 pages prior.
Is priority boarding available for those travelling with status or premium pax? Travelling in different booking and not in the same class?
There are 4 of us to travelling all on different itineraries and mix if Y & Y+ with me being SG.
Is 4 asking too much or as long as i say they are with me its all good?

 

[kermatu]

Sorry if this is answered somewhere else or in the 390 pages prior.
Is priority boarding available for those travelling with status or premium pax? Travelling in different booking and not in the same class?
There are 4 of us to travelling all on different itineraries and mix if Y & Y+ with me being SG.
Is 4 asking too much or as long as i say they are with me its all good?

While I'm not aware of any rules - personally I think it is too much and an abuse of your status (assuming not all the other 3 are your family).

But if Y+ I assume it's international not domestic? PB is better policed internationally so you do risk being turned away. If not fussed about that, you could give it a go if you "take the lead".

The fact you are on separate bookings will be irrelevant at the gate. But by the sounds of it the agents would be entitled to turn the other 3 away if so inclined.

 

[blackcat20]

Sorry if this is answered somewhere else or in the 390 pages prior.
Is priority boarding available for those travelling with status or premium pax? Travelling in different booking and not in the same class?
There are 4 of us to travelling all on different itineraries and mix if Y & Y+ with me being SG.
Is 4 asking too much or as long as i say they are with me its all good?

Never had any issue as a group of up to four going through together when one person has priority, as long as that person goes first and indicates that the others are with them, ie "we're travelling together".

 

[kermatu]

Perfectly handled boarding in Cairns earlier this week. Most folk lined up in the general queue, no-one appeared to jump lines. I walked straight up the PB line. The single agent doing the boarding pass check stopped her line, came over to me, scanned mine and then went back to the general line.

 

[PaulST]

While I'm not aware of any rules - personally I think it is too much and an abuse of your status (assuming not all the other 3 are your family).

But if Y+ I assume it's international not domestic? PB is better policed internationally so you do risk being turned away. If not fussed about that, you could give it a go if you "take the lead".

The fact you are on separate bookings will be irrelevant at the gate. But by the sounds of it the agents would be entitled to turn the other 3 away if so inclined.

I'd be thoroughly cross if they did that to me later in the year when I'll be flying with my parents (X2 NB) and plan to get them onboard via PB with me. My plan would be to go first and explain that the following two plebs are with me. :mrgreen: