Priority boarding on QF domestic - what is the story?

[nonpop]

Was on QF434 today Mel > Syd on a B767.
There was mention that they will be boarding by row numbers (mid to back it sounded like) and also then went on to include the elites etc.
By then it was too late. The line had already formed and even before the announcement they had started boarding. The scrum was on.

It was a full flight. With so much overhead luggage that they needed to call people to the front of the plane to bring their luggage which would then be checked into the hold. And the crew were trying to slam shut the mid storage bins that hang down. It was crazy. People were putting bags so big that there was no way the hanging bins would ever close. It was insane.

There has to be a way for Qantas to have a priority boarding line. The way overhead space is now treasured, it really feels like we’re flying a LCC. Elites by their very nature (domestically) will fly more and usually for shorter trips e.g usually a day or two. Ergo an onboard bag will usually be their preference I would have thought. So the challenge for Qantas is to adapt to their changing passenger behavior (in part driven by the airlines themselves).

Qantas and “premium experience” are starting to be diametrically opposed expressions.

But then again, may be it is just me and I'm getting older and less tolerant.

 

[OverrideServlet]

There was mention that they will be boarding by row numbers (mid to back it sounded like) and also then went on to include the elites etc.
By then it was too late. The line had already formed and even before the announcement they had started boarding. The scrum was on.

Lately I've been leaving the lounge a bit earlier to observe the early boarding calls.

My experience is the same as yours. As soon as the boarding announcement starts people are jostling for position at the gate, regardless of row number or status. Plus, despite flagrantly ignoring the instructions the gate staff seem unwilling to send these passengers to the back of the line.

So, I think the key thing here is that no matter what system Qantas chooses to implement the staff at the gate are going to need the guts to strictly enforce it.

 

[Simo]

Lately I've been leaving the lounge a bit earlier to observe the early boarding calls.

I am hanging around longer in the lounge now to avoid the scrum.

Flying back from Syd today i was one of the last person to board.

I used my FF card to check in and the BP scanner was broken so I had to then line up at a service desk for them to print me a boarding pass which burned up another 5 minutes or so I did let other people get in front of me and then the service desk guy was rushing to get my BP printed so we could get away on time but it didn't happen there was other people behind me with the same problem.

 

[QF029]

As you all seem to travel quite a bit

This has got to be the quote of the year.

 

[Simo]

Hi Gowatson,

By that comment, I only meant that I can not give you an exact resolution and exact date.

Reading all the comments on this thread, customers are looking for two lanes at boarding so that as Platinum Frequent Flyer, you can show up and board when you are ready and not have to stand at the back of a long line just because you wanted to finish your drink in the lounge .

The reason implementation is more than just a sign is that airport regulations require we have a plan for where each line will go (regardless of whether it will ever be long or not). This ensures people will not be lining up past fire exits, retail shops, in the way of other gates etc. And we have to have this established for all gates in all airports.

If you have any other questions, just let me know.

Cheers,
Red Roo

I know you state that it is very hard because of airport regulations but go and have a look at all the gates and people lining up in front of shops and exits now.

So I believe this is just an excuse and trying to push it under the carpet.

 

[moa999]

Was on QF434 today Mel > Syd on a B767.
There was mention that they will be boarding by row numbers (mid to back it sounded like) and also then went on to include the elites etc.
By then it was too late. The line had already formed and even before the announcement they had started boarding. The scrum was on.
.

To be honest though, I dare say that half the plane and probably the first 20 rows are elites.
If QF did implement priority I expect in some cases the priority queue would be longer than the non-priority queue

 

[mark299]

To be honest though, I dare say that half the plane and probably the first 20 rows are elites.
If QF did implement priority I expect in some cases the priority queue would be longer than the non-priority queue

It is true that in some flights there are many WP's; but this is not true in most cases; as the majority of the population don't travel 3 times a week like some of us do.

Certain routes are frequented by elites like mining industry (FIFO workers) and corporates using syd-mel.

 

[anchew]

Certain routes are frequented by elites like mining industry (FIFO workers) and corporates using syd-mel.

And public servants escaping CBR

 

[Ghostdunks]

Even if in some cases, the priority line is longer than the normal line, if it operates the way it should (ie. Use ALL the available bp scanners to process everyone from the priority line first before processing anyone from normal line, again, using all available bp scanners, then if any new priority boarders turn up, process them "with priority" while holding up the normal line) then all the priority boarders should still get on board the aircraft first or earlier than normal pax by bypassing the normal line, which is all priority boarding needs to be.

If you have priority boarding access:
Case 1) you want to get on an early as possible to stow carryon luggage, so you line up in priority line as boarding commences and you'll get on before all the normal pax
Case2) you want to stay in lounge longer OR as usually happens, lounge makes boarding call AFTER boarding has commenced so by the time you get to gate, there's a huge line already. If you have a priority boarding line available, then you can go to that line and board before normal pax do and still have a good chance of stowing carryon easily.

Its not that hard....

And what's with the excuse of needing to make sure the lines don't break OH&S or whatever? On the flights I'm normally on(Mel-syd), there's usually two lines formed for boarding, and both lines are long, with normal pax and elites all mixed together. What's the difference then of just separating normal pax and elites into two lines? You still have the same number of lines as before, just that the priority line should get processed first. You don't slow down boarding anymore than it is already as you're still processing the same number of people at the same speed, just that they are separated in order of priority which is all we're asking for.

 

[greenfish]

The current approach is farcical. This evening, QF SYD-BNE 19:05 - when the announcement was made there were well over 50 people already in the line. The announcement was boarding by row numbers - row XX to XX - oh and also QF Platinum and Gold. There was simply no way a passenger with "status" could receive any benefit.

What nonsense. I wish I'd loitered in the lounge.

Also had the JT safety tape on both segments today. Yuck.

 

[medhead]

I know that this will make me sound like a BIG W. But here goes. Domestic priority boarding is only listed as a benefit for WPs. SG it is clearly stated as international only. Given the oneworld board at convenience situation there should be no problem making domestic priority boarding platinum only. That will cut a large number of "elites" for priority boarding.

The comments about the already formed lines get back to my views about staff controlling boarding. They clearly don't control it now.

 

[mark299]

I know that this will make me sound like a BIG W. But here goes. Domestic priority boarding is only listed as a benefit for WPs. SG it is clearly stated as international only. Given the oneworld board at convenience situation there should be no problem making domestic priority boarding platinum only. That will cut a large number of "elites" for priority boarding.

The comments about the already formed lines get back to my views about staff controlling boarding. They clearly don't control it now.

Totally agree with your comments.

Domestic priority boarding is only listed for WP. This should be enforced by Qantas, it will reduce the number of elites boarding under priority, which will mean less queue in the priority lanes, and faster completion of priority boarding.

 

[JohnPhelan]

No doubt you mean J class pax plus WPs.

Of course, if you really want to reduce the numbers in the premium line (especially at peak times on the major shuttle routes), then it could just be restricted to J class pax.

 

[anthropologist]

In WA a big problem affecting priority boarding is due to the high number of fifo workers (and others associated with the mining industry) flying so frequently
that if they called for WPs to board first maybe two-thirds of the passengers will be lining up for priority boarding.

The customer service manager on a recent Kalgoorlie flight told me Qantas cabin staff were instructed to greet and chat with WPs
on flights. He said on Pilbara flights if he was to carry out that instruction he would be talking to passengers for the whole flight.

 

[Stephen65]

On one flight from PER-MEL I sat next to a very talkative young woman who works FIFO two weeks on two weeks off as a cook on a gas drilling ship. IIRC she was flying from somewhere in the Pilbara-Perth-Melbourne-Launceston. Because of the length of her trip her contract entitled her to J. If she did that eleven months a year she would be a WP1 on work flying alone.

 

[mark299]

On one flight from PER-MEL I sat next to a very talkative young woman who works FIFO two weeks on two weeks off as a cook on a gas drilling ship. IIRC she was flying from somewhere in the Pilbara-Perth-Melbourne-Launceston. Because of the length of her trip her contract entitled her to J. If she did that eleven months a year she would be a WP1 on work flying alone.

It is true. It is also true that you will know many many (hundreds) of others that don't fly that often. In general, if we seperate the general pax from elites; we will have more general than in J and WP. This may not apply all the time especially in flights frequented by mining, corporate and APS members.

I still strongly believe that J and WP members should be called first.

How about the following method:

1. Have three lanes of queue. One for J and WP, and two for the rest of them.
2. Have two staff, one dedicated for the WP and J lane and the other processing both the normal lanes. When there are no WP/J members the staff can process and call from other line (but not form or block the elite lane); so when the WP/J come from lounge they can still be processed with priority.


Can anyone see any problems with the above? I am sure we can sit there are find faults with all methods, but some will be better than others, we need to find a solution that will work in most common situations (need not be perfect in every single situation/scenario).

 

[Kendall Roy]

............

 

[Danger]

It is true. It is also true that you will know many many (hundreds) of others that don't fly that often. In general, if we seperate the general pax from elites; we will have more general than in J and WP. This may not apply all the time especially in flights frequented by mining, corporate and APS members.

I still strongly believe that J and WP members should be called first.

How about the following method:

1. Have three lanes of queue. One for J and WP, and two for the rest of them.
2. Have two staff, one dedicated for the WP and J lane and the other processing both the normal lanes. When there are no WP/J members the staff can process and call from other line (but not form or block the elite lane); so when the WP/J come from lounge they can still be processed with priority.


Can anyone see any problems with the above? I am sure we can sit there are find faults with all methods, but some will be better than others, we need to find a solution that will work in most common situations (need not be perfect in every single situation/scenario).

With due respect, I think it's ridiculous to expect QF to maintain three lanes at each gate.

Other members have posted what I personally feel are more logical, sensible solutions earlier in this thread, not the least of which is the method employed by AA and DJ.

 

[opusman]

1. Have three lanes of queue. One for J and WP, and two for the rest of them.
2. Have two staff, one dedicated for the WP and J lane and the other processing both the normal lanes. When there are no WP/J members the staff can process and call from other line (but not form or block the elite lane); so when the WP/J come from lounge they can still be processed with priority.

Can anyone see any problems with the above?

I can - it would add a ridiculous amount of time to the process. The boarding process is not like check-in. They don't call people one at a time to board the plane, it is a (hopefully) steady stream of people flowing past the scanners. What's the point in adding a premium boarding queue if the flight is going to end up sitting there for an extra 30 minutes while everyone boards one pax at a time?

 

[Moopere]

Having lines block exits, retail etc.... have you ever been to an airport at peak hour?

Mm. A really corporately relevant question this. All decent businesses need internal auditors to rate policy against practice. It certainly would appear that service delivery is either:

a) Not being audited or,
b) Audits are not being conducted in a frank and truthful way (common enough, but needs management policing), or
c) The audits are happening and are rigorous, but management is ignoring them (also common).

All three options are serious. Corporates with ISO rated quality systems can be given warnings or even lose their rating because of poor audit results ....