Priority boarding on QF domestic - what is the story?

[connieguy]

+1

I've never heard priority boarding be called - never been there early enough. Actually, I get a little annoyed if I get to the gate and there's a huge line, even though I leave the lounge then final call is announced.

Yup. This is the bottom line of this thread. When a WP leaves the lounge, they expect to be able to board the aircraft without getting in the normal Pax line. Allowing Priority Boarding when the boarding process first starts (and all the FF are in the Lounge) is not the same thing as allowing Priority Boarding during the entire boarding process.

 

[JohnK]

I've never heard priority boarding be called - never been there early enough. Actually, I get a little annoyed if I get to the gate and there's a huge line, even though I leave the lounge then final call is announced.

Usually I will only leave a lounge ~2-3 minutes after I have heard "Final Call" from lounge staff. I have been known to return back to the lounge in SYD and BNE where my flight is due to the depart from the gates close to the lounge and upon walking outside I see there is a long queue at the gate.

Can you tell I hate queues.

 

[Verde]

The AA sign makes it really simple. Qantas should just make them and put them out.

I had no troubles at all with priority boarding in the USA and when there are clear specific lanes it makes things simple.

I'm sure somewhere I boarded a Qantas flight with the two lanes (maybe flying to Auckland? Or maybe I'm getting it mixed up with the LAN flight back to Sydney) - there was only one staff member doing the boarding passes and I got a dirty look from the lady at the front of the regular line when she was asked to wait and I was asked to go through, but people will get used to it and if they do decide to sell it as a service then people who get grumpy about it can choose to pay for it if it bothers them so much (I actually felt a bit uncomfortable walking past about fifteen people to then pretty much go straight through, but what is the point of priority boarding if you don't use it? The whole system seems to be creating a class structure when Australia is supposed to be classless).

I'm not sure if it is coincidence, but it seems to me most of the time when the boarding announcements are made in the Qantas lounge that it is usually well timed so there is virtually no queue left by the time you walk to the gate. Either that or I've just been getting lucky.

It looks like people have slightly different definitions of priority boarding - either being the first to board or being able to board in a priority lane anytime. I associate it with both. Plus it is good to have some kind of consistency - AA does it nicely in the USA, so why not have Qantas do it as well here? Other than a sign to clearly mark the two lines, it should be pretty much free to do.

I still have a memory of being surprised last year when a Qantaslink Dash 8 flight announced boarding for Plat/Gold/OneWorld elites ahead of regular passengers in Sydney for a flight to Albury - that was a bit odd. But then it was odd earlier this year when for the same route they announced boarding by row groups (rear half of the plane first), so the frequent flyers with forward seats had to wait round longer than most (though I don't know if they'd have enforced this) - presumably this was to split the passengers into two bus loads to be taken out to the plane.

Yes, absolutely. The red LED displays currently used by QF are very easy to miss and not at all a good example of clear & obvious signage.

American Airlines has the following signage at eye level. It's really hard to miss and passengers seem to rarely find themselves in the wrong queue.

A 2 lane boarding system can definitely be handled by 1 ground staff. Other airlines do this all the time (again, American Airlines). They will simply ask the passengers in the regular lane to wait a moment while they invite anyone standing in the priority queue to come forward.

Also, for what it's worth some QF domestic flights do have 2 crew scanning boarding passes.

 

[Oneworldplus2]

LHR, Terminal 5 C the other day, same as the AA model. l'll try to grab a snap in a few weeks upon my return.
FA at head of 'fast track lane' and was turning away a fair few pax, she was doing a very good job l must say. The "fast track lane" was announced for J Class, BA Golds and Silvers and OW equivalents on first boarding call. l used it and was 'rejected', until l said, "hold on, l'm a OW Emerald"...She was "...l was only looking for J boarding pass, you may proceed sir."

 

[samiam]

Of interest is this link, as pasted earlier in the thread:

Frequent Flyer - About the Program - Benefits & Privileges - Status Privileges

It really highlights how little difference there is between SG & WP for twice the SC's (however gained). Might save a copy for posterity

I have heard priority boarding 'called' (and then not enforced) about twice in 2 years for J, WP, SG and OW on DOM flights. This part of the table is interesting, though:

 

[DC3]

AA does it nicely in the USA, so why not have Qantas do it as well here? Other than a sign to clearly mark the two lines, it should be pretty much free to do.

Well said. Qantas makes a poor effort of this, compared to how AA handles it.

Have we ever heard from Qantas as to why this is such a problem for them to address?

 

[kirk7]

Red Roo or Joeys? Please respond. This is important to members.

 

[Robert K]

last time i took a domestic flight (ex syd) there were signs for business and economy at the check in gate.

 

[medhead]

Until 2 weeks ago qantas has always had 2 staff doing boarding on all my flights. Last 4 flights it has been 1 for 737s and 2 for a 767. Interesting change.

last time i took a domestic flight (ex syd) there were signs for business and economy at the check in gate.

Which gate? I've never seen that in Sydney

 

[TonyHancock]

Until 2 weeks ago qantas has always had 2 staff doing boarding on all my flights. Last 4 flights it has been 1 for 737s and 2 for a 767. Interesting change.

I had a couple of domestic trips to BNE in May. 737s in both cases, and yep only one member of staff on boarding duties. I thought it a little odd.

 

[Stephen65]

The whole point of flying J is to board last. That way you can maximise your time in the J lounge. So don't leap to your feet and hurry at the first boarding call you hear because then yes you may be stuck at the end of a long Y queue.

The cabin crew won't let Y's use the J class overhead lockers so there is always space.

 

[samiam]

The whole point of flying J is to board last.

... Or whenever you like?

 

[OverrideServlet]

... Or whenever you like?

Exactly.

This thread isn't specific to J class customers either.

 

[Stephen65]

Fair point. I always try to arrive last so I don't know if QF are doing any sort priority boarding call at the gate for people with priority boarding rights. Logically they should.

 

[TonyHancock]

The cabin crew won't let Y's use the J class overhead lockers so there is always space.

:shock: Not so sure about that!

 

[JohnK]

Headed down to gate 13 quite late in the boarding process for SYD-BNE flight earlier and heard an early boarding call for the SYD-CNS flight.

They were asking for anyone requiring assistance and families with children to board first and then they will announce boarding by row number. Straight after was also an announcement that any Platinum, Gold etc can board now or at their leisure.

So while it may well be inconsistent there is priority boarding for domestic flights for those that want it. I think asking for a separate queue is a little rich though as it will slow the boarding process down and I would rather have the aircraft board quickly than a few egos stroked.

 

[JohnK]

The cabin crew won't let Y's use the J class overhead lockers so there is always space.

When? I put my laptop bag above row 5 earlier in the evening and sat down in row 23. And I did not even bother to look at the overhead bins at row 23 and was the only one sitting in row 23 on international configured 767.

And when I have struggled to find overhead space above row 4 on 737s and row 23 on 767s I wait until an FA comes around and ask them nicely to see if they can find some space in business class. Have never been refused this request.

I remember a few times on DJ around rows 7-10 trying to find overhead space and have asked the crew politely for assistance. I specifically mention that I do not want to be sitting down waiting for the whole aircraft to disembark before I can get my bag. And I won't either. A couple of times my bag has been a few rows back and I stand up with everyone else and ask them to pass my bag down. Most people are more than happy to assist.

 

[Stealth]

:shock: Not so sure about that!

Concur Tony. My beef is two-fold, one that they are cluttering the bins and secondly the time it takes for the wowsers to take their seats after stuffing all this cough on.

Going back some years I complained a number of times about who/what they were putting in the overwing exit rows; it seems that only the complaints put through CASA had any effect.

If the cabin crew don't want to work, transfer them to Jetstar!

 

[kirk7]

Headed down to gate 13 quite late in the boarding process for SYD-BNE flight earlier and heard an early boarding call for the SYD-CNS flight.

They were asking for anyone requiring assistance and families with children to board first and then they will announce boarding by row number. Straight after was also an announcement that any Platinum, Gold etc can board now or at their leisure.

So while it may well be inconsistent there is priority boarding for domestic flights for those that want it. I think asking for a separate queue is a little rich though as it will slow the boarding process down and I would rather have the aircraft board quickly than a few egos stroked.

AA and even Jetstar do a good job of priority boarding.....i cant see why QF cant implement this too.....we should all chip in for a QF to get signs erected like AA....LOL

 

[Timba-Jet]

I general consensus is if QF is going to publish priority as a benefit, it should be done properly. Even cinemas can pull it off, with separate priority lines for online booking pickup. The 'young' ticket agent will always serve the pickup queue before the normal queue.

For me it is a nice to have, but not a major issue either way.