Priority boarding on QF domestic - what is the story?

[ozbeachbabe]

So, subtlely not all boarding is alike & there's a v1 (intl) where you have the dedicated boarding lane where you can legitmately queue jump midway through the boarding process vs the v2 (dom) where the only advantage of priority boarding is that you can board anytime irrespective of whether your row has been called.

The role of ground staff these days resembles that of a 'door naz_' as they'd have to police the queue & weed out those people who don't qualifty for priority boarding but think they do same as what happens now for the premium service desk queue & premium security. It annoys non-premium pax as they're being sent away but it also annoys premium pax for being asked however unless they have their CL/WP/SG card in their hand you wouldn't know.

Ultimately making sure the right people are in the right queue ensures that the benefit is kept free for its intended purpose.

 

[bugayev]

snip

Agreed, but the broader issue, particularly at ports like SYD, is that at the slightest whiff of a boarding announcement, 100 people are up waiting to get on the plane before the door is even opened. That makes any attempt at pre-boarding or priority boarding extremely difficult, as (having just experienced it this morning) you've got to fight your way through the crowd just to get near the door. The only way to avoid it is a dedicated lane that allows those eligible for priority boarding to access the door without riot gear

 

[nlagalle]

On some afternoon flights between Mel and syd priority for platinum members would be a meaningless construct. Though having all the plats in their own line would leave the rest of us with a nice short line.

I have said this a few times.. morning flights for MEL-SYD would be utterly useless with the number of WP's flying same as evening SYD-MEL..

 

[Danger]

I put the W in WP today.

I won't say the cities involved for fear (!) of being identified myself or getting a particularly helpful service desk agent in trouble but . . .

This morning I was flying out of Perth for an interstate port where I would transit for another interstate port. I'd wanted to be at the gate before the first boarding call was made but I was held back in the lounge. However, I took a punt (long odds, I know) and suspected a priority boarding call wasn't made.

I went to the service desk and asked why a priority boarding call wasn't made for my flight.

Desk agent: We only do those for international flights.
Me: Actually, that's not correct. I can show you a printout where it applies to domestic flights also. [I leant down to my bag.]
Desk agent: No that's fine. You're welcome to joing the line and board at your convenience.
Me: But that's not priority boarding. Who should I speak to?
Desk agent: You can speak to the agent at the gate.

​

Recalling that a number of other members had been told to simply push in front, I first walked alongside the queue, waiting for about half a minute until the gate agent gave me attention and presented my Platinum card:

Me: Hi, I'd like to board please.
Gate agent 1: [A look of 'what about the line, you clown?'] You need to join the end of the queue.
Me: But there wasn't a priority boarding call made so I assumed I just needed to push to the front.
Gate agent 1: No but you can board at your convenience.
Me: Okay. I'll be sitting down over there then [very close to the gate].

​

Then the fun began.

Boarding finished about 12 or so minutes prior to the scheduled departure time. At this time, gate agent 1 came across to me and said 'Please come through' or something to that effect'. I said 'No, thank you. I'm boarding at my convenience." He got the point and moved away.

A minute or two passed and then I was paged as the last remaning passenger and "proceed without delay". I didn't move.

A short time later gate agent 2 came across to speak with me.

Gate agent 2: Mr danger, the flight is closed and you're the last remaining passenger to board.
Me: Boarding does not close until 15 minutes before the flight. I was told I could board at my convenience so I'm doing so.

Another minute passed and I was paged a second time. Once again, I didn't move. I waited probably another minute before gate agent 2 came over and said that it was now time to board and I risked being off-loaded. I reckon I still had a couple of minutes up my sleeve but I said "I think there's still a couple of minutes to go but I think I've made my point so I will board now".

At my intermediate (transit) port I waited at thate from about 40 minutes before departure to ensure I'd hear a priority boarding call. There wasn't one so I went to the gate agent and asked why. She didn't know the answer and directed me to the service desk.

It was at the service desk where I found a particularly helpful person. I asked why there wasn't a call made and the agent said, with a sort off 'I'm not real sure' kind of look that the plane was only half full so the agent didn't see the need. I asked if it would have been different if it was a fuller flight was involved and the agent said, wait for, "You're just supposed to barge in". I kid you no, word for word, the agent said "barge in".

I then went on a rant about how AA and DJ can do and do it well. I said it would be easy, using the examples outlined above where you could simply have a priority lane but if they lane is empty than the gate agents could call people from the other lane. Regardless, I said, there still should be a priority boarding call. The agent also pulled out a QF manual of some sort that referred to zonal boarding being the procedure which the agent said he/she doesn't like. According to the booklet, when zonal boarding begins, Platinums also board "at this time".

So after all that today, we're not really any the wiser. The only thing that is sure is the Qantas inconsistency and lack of knowledge of their own product.

 

[Oneworldplus2]

Good summary Danger. Well put.

As many, many people have said both on this forum and other sources, "QF's consistency is it's inconsistency"

 

[dfcatch]

Well done Danger!

Your cahunas are much bigger than mine


I was almost expecting a manager of some description to "meet" you at your destination.

Out of interest - were you treated any "different" in-flight?


BTW - RED ROO - come on - WTF dude?? This thread deserves some "acknowledgment" at the very least - even if it's not what we want to hear?

 

[Oneworldplus2]

^ I agree.
Danger should go on that show, 'Balls of Steel'....lol

 

[awilcockson]

Balls the size of bowling balls. I would have been afraid of them calling the AFP on me.

 

[Danger]

Out of interest - were you treated any "different" in-flight?

Not that I could discern. All seemed fine on that front.

 

[awilcockson]

BTW - RED ROO - come on - WTF dude?? This thread deserves some "acknowledgment" at the very least - even if it's not what we want to hear?

My guess is that priority boarding will get "enhanced". It will sure save QF a lot of problems, it's not as though they care about sticking it to their "most loyal customers"

 

[LiamR]

Well done Danger, certainly more brave than me winging to the gate agent till I was allowed to board without joining the queue.

 

[awilcockson]

Well done Danger, certainly more brave than me winging to the gate agent till I was allowed to board without joining the queue.

On the flight home from the last JQ35 run, there was no priority boarding announcement made. When they called rows "x-y", I'm pretty sure it was the back of the plane, either way my row definitely wasn't included, I just walked up and handed over my boarding pass. The gate agent did a double take when she saw the row number, but then smiled and welcomed me onboard "Mr W". I'm guessing she saw the platinum status on the boarding pass, but who knows.

 

[LiamR]

On the flight home from the last JQ35 run, there was no priority boarding announcement made. When they called rows "x-y", I'm pretty sure it was the back of the plane, either way my row definitely wasn't included, I just walked up and handed over my boarding pass. The gate agent did a double take when she saw the row number, but then smiled and welcomed me onboard "Mr W". I'm guessing she saw the platinum status on the boarding pass, but who knows.

When we did JQ35 from the F Lounge run. There was two lanes, a general lane, and a lane for Business Class and those who purchased priority boarding. Most WPs used the priority boarding lane with no problems.

 

[awilcockson]

When we did JQ35 from the F Lounge run. There was two lanes, a general lane, and a lane for Business Class and those who purchased priority boarding. Most WPs used the priority boarding lane with no problems.

Was that on JQ or QF? I was talking about the QF flight home from MEL to BNE.

 

[LiamR]

Was that on JQ or QF? I was talking about the QF flight home from MEL to BNE.

Ah. Sorry, misread your post. It was the JQ flight.

 

[dfcatch]

My guess is that priority boarding will get "enhanced". It will sure save QF a lot of problems, it's not as though they care about sticking it to their "most loyal customers"

Fine by me.

Seriously! I mean - of course I like priority boarding (ie. DJ/AA/BA/AC/NZ... etc etc), All those airlines (and others) can easily do it - no excuse for QF not doing it.

That said - if QF are deliberately not doing it (for whatever reason), whether slowing down overall boarding etc. Fine! I can accept that.

Then just remove it as a benefit - period.

Or just restrict it to Int and remove it as a DOM benefit - fine with me.

But make a decision - either provide it or not - don't piss off your customers by claiming it's a benefit and then not providing it.

If AJ is such an accountant - then it's marketing-paint-by-numbers - you don't make money by deliberately annoying your "most valued customers".

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Some of you may find excepts of the article below ring true, others may find it just another whinge fest by just another journo, who in this instance is Graham Davis formerly of Channel Nine's Sunday program.

Our trip to Perth is a snapshot of the problem. We arrive at Sydney Airport to find that Qantas has practically replaced humans with computers altogether. We have to master a touchpad to check in and only a pre-issued electronic tag on our bag ensures a smooth transition to the baggage handlers. God knows how the elderly and computer illiterate manage. The struggle to get through security without having a nervous breakdown clearly isn’t Qantas’s fault. But it does have control over what happens for the rest of the journey and, sad to say, we don’t like it one bit.

For someone who arrives at Sydney Airport apparently totally unaware until this point that "Qantas has practically replaced humans with computers altogether" how does that explain him a) being in possession of a Qtag & b) actually knowing what to do with it - oh I know, journalistic licence.

Also, by his own admission he was travelling in the 'pointy end' of the aircraft so could still have utilised Premium Checkin instead of a Next Gen kiosk, but let's be fair, had that been the case he wouldn't have been able to have a whinge about the checkin process.


#19 SAVING THE MANGY FLYING KANGAROO

 

[connieguy]

Recalling that a number of other members had been told to simply push in front, I first walked alongside the queue, waiting for about half a minute until the gate agent gave me attention and presented my Platinum card:

Me: Hi, I'd like to board please.
Gate agent 1: [A look of 'what about the line, you clown?'] You need to join the end of the queue.
Me: But there wasn't a priority boarding call made so I assumed I just needed to push to the front.
Gate agent 1: No but you can board at your convenience.
Me: Okay. I'll be sitting down over there then [very close to the gate].

​

Then the fun began.

Been there, did that. When I sat down I logged onto the QF Platinum benefit page and showed the ground staff that as a WP, I was to receive the benefit of "Priority Boarding", which was not being told to join the end of the queue. After many phone calls by the desk staff I was also told to board the aircraft or miss the flight. No explanations as to why I was denied "Priority Boarding" nor any apology.

When I arrived at my exit row, all the overhead bins were totally full. I just handed my overcoat, laptop bag and wheelie to the nearest FA and said "Please stow these for me, thank you", which he did. The ground staff which I had most of my discussions with did enter the aircraft and spoke to the CSM, while looking at me, but she never spoke to me.

Total incompetence. No other words for it.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Been there, did that. When I sat down I logged onto the QF Platinum benefit page and showed the ground staff that as a WP, I was to receive the benefit of "Priority Boarding", which was not being told to join the end of the queue. After many phone calls by the desk staff I was also told to board the aircraft or miss the flight. No explanations as to why I was denied "Priority Boarding" nor any apology.

When I arrived at my exit row, all the overhead bins were totally full. I just handed my overcoat, laptop bag and wheelie to the nearest FA and said "Please stow these for me, thank you", which he did. The ground staff which I had most of my discussions with did enter the aircraft and spoke to the CSM, while looking at me, but she never spoke to me.

Total incompetence. No other words for it.

Whilst you may be trying to prove a point to the airline, I would hope that people in your situation would have some consideration for 150 or so fellow passengers that want to depart on time. Flights are often late due to exit row pax being last to board as the crew have to wait for that last person to take their seat before they do the overwing briefing to the pax after which the aircraft door is closed.

 

[connieguy]

Whilst you may be trying to prove a point to the airline, I would hope that people in your situation would have some consideration for 150 or so fellow passengers that want to depart on time. Flights are often late due to exit row pax being last to board as the crew have to wait for that last person to take their seat before they do the overwing briefing to the pax after which the aircraft door is closed.

I have been flying for 58 years (I was 7 when I made my first New York to Rome flight on a TWA Connie) and have never been the single cause of a late departure. I have, however been on many a late plane due to various reasons such as waiting for connecting passengers, aircraft faults, etc.