Priority boarding on QF domestic - what is the story?

[simongr]

QF 422. MEL-SYD this morning. Went to the gate lounge early but no priority call so iusual bun fight. Asked "what happened to priority boarding". Answer "Oh I think they still have it"!!!!!!

Why were you expecting it? They have said they havent got it (in the form that we would like) and it will only be trialled at SYD initially. I am hoping for some experience of it over the next few weeks as I have four trips to MEL in six weeks.

 

[Moopere]

Why were you expecting it?

Probably because its a written benfit would be my guess.

They have said they havent got it (in the form that we would like) and it will only be trialled at SYD initially. I am hoping for some experience of it over the next few weeks as I have four trips to MEL in six weeks.

A good start but not good enough. Its already a stated benefit, its not an upcoming enhancement that requires trialling.

This constant enquiry about stated benefits is a form of management from below ... and if management from above won't address it, which they clearly haven't, then its up to customers to either jump ship or whinge constantly about it.

Personally speaking, I'm not one who changes supplier immediately if that supplier is otherwise providing a service I like. I fully support giving vigurous feedback to a supplier that I actually _want_ a business relationship with. Ultimately, if there is no response I'll move on to someone who does want my business, but I don't feel its appropriate to do this is the fist instance.

 

[simongr]

Probably because its a written benfit would be my guess.

A good start but not good enough. Its already a stated benefit, its not an upcoming enhancement that requires trialling.

This constant enquiry about stated benefits is a form of management from below ... and if management from above won't address it, which they clearly haven't, then its up to customers to either jump ship or whinge constantly about it.

Personally speaking, I'm not one who changes supplier immediately if that supplier is otherwise providing a service I like. I fully support giving vigurous feedback to a supplier that I actually _want_ a business relationship with. Ultimately, if there is no response I'll move on to someone who does want my business, but I don't feel its appropriate to do this is the fist instance.

Given that we are on page 18 (40 posts per page) of a thread discussing the lack of priority boarding I am surprised is anyone expects this advertised benefit to be in place.

I don't think continually repeating that it isnt in place is going to change anything.

Personally I am not going to change carriers over this and hopefully my domestic travel will curtail soon and I will be back on international travel where this benefit is provided.

 

[LiamR]

I guess it just illustrates that most people tune out/zone out/don't listen to PA's/don't read signs so it's one thing to have a dedicated boarding lane but quite another to have people enforcing who should be in it.

The problem is people hear the word "Boarding" and rush to the gate and stand there until they are allowed on. The OOL Virgin PA says something along the lines of...

"We will be boarding flight xx_ to xx_ in approximatly 5mins, at this time we welcome PE, Golds, Eithad ect, are welcome to board now."

That kind of gives passengers a notice they are about to board, but not yet. A lot of peopel get up and hover, but you don't get the huge crowds at the gate.

The problem is, most of the travelling public simply don't know how priority boarding works, or where they should queue to get onto the aircraft.

 

[Moopere]

Personally I am not going to change carriers over this and hopefully my domestic travel will curtail soon and I will be back on international travel where this benefit is provided.

Sure. Everyone is different in their own perception of the importantce of the subtlety of service provision. Also, whilst the failing of a single small service feature may go unnoticed, or ignored, its often a collection of smaller things that start to degrade the overall perception of service for any business.

I agree that the point of this thread has already been met - Red Roo has responded that this long standing service failure has now been raised (somewhere?) in QF management. However, I still find it an interesting topic to see how the ground staff at the various domestic airports are dealing with the enquiries from PAX who are looking for the stated benefit. Its implying to me what we all feel has been going on for a long while now, that standards have dropped and even the staff themselves no longer know what level of service provision they are supposed to be meeting. If QF were a hotel, and if staff were as underinformed, the hotel would get lambasted and probably, almost certainly, lose a star or two in its rating.

Standards are set so that they can be met, or even exceeded. If you can't meet a certain set of standards then its incumbent on a business to either fix that, or lower the standard and publish this fact to your customers and potential customers. Saying you are five star (internally rating yourself ... hello Stamford Hotels!) yet actually providing on the ground a 3-4 star reality is never a good thing and could even be false advertising/contract breach in the worst cases.

 

[Stephen65]

Its already a stated benefit, its not an upcoming enhancement that requires trialling.

Just as well since when Qantas talks about enhancement of a benefit they usually mean cancellation or restriction.

 

[kirk7]

i dont know what QF is trialling.....its very easy to put up signs like the Virgin folks

If they want to make it future proof- they can put up Platinum One undernealth Chairmans Lounge

I can report the return trip from BNE to SYD had painless priority boarding. The ground staff just stopped and turned over to me after finishing the current PAX.

 

[simongr]

i dont know what QF is trialling.....its very easy to put up signs like the Virgin folks

Red Roo has stated that any changes to the boarding process need to be checked with the airport - they can't just put up signs. I assume VA checked with the airport before they did their great version of PB.

 

[TonyHancock]

Red Roo has stated that any changes to the boarding process need to be checked with the airport - they can't just put up signs.

To be fair though, if this is the case, why advertise it as a benefit? It is not like it has not been advertised for some time.

..and if it is not possible why not remove as a benefit?

 

[kirk7]

Red Roo has stated that any changes to the boarding process need to be checked with the airport - they can't just put up signs. I assume VA checked with the airport before they did their great version of PB.

Actually there is something contradictionary here. I do remember QF actually owns the terminal in Sydney (not sure about the others). That's why you have different companies operating the valet service.

Hate dropping off at T3 as they keep the cars at a parking lot beyond the long term yard and T2 is just downstairs or in the multi-level. They're SACL operated.

 

[straitman]

To be fair though, if this is the case, why advertise it as a benefit? It is not like it has not been advertised for some time.

..and if it is not possible why not remove as a benefit?

If they removed it and later reinstated it they people would whinge that they cannot make up their minds.

The current situation is far from ideal BUT the fix is being addressed so that is an improvement. An estimated timeline might stop some of the complaints though.

 

[simongr]

To be fair though, if this is the case, why advertise it as a benefit? It is not like it has not been advertised for some time.

..and if it is not possible why not remove as a benefit?

Removal of a benefit requires six months advance warning.

Actually there is something contradictary here. I do remember QF actually owns the terminal in Sydney (not sure about the others). That's why you have different companies operating the valet service.

Hate dropping off at T3 as they keep the cars at a parking lot beyond the long term yard and T2 is just downstairs or in the multi-level. They're SACL operated.

I believe that QF lease the terminal rather than owning it.

 

[Oneworldplus2]

Removal of a benefit requires six months advance warning.

Not always....

 

[markis10]

I believe that QF lease the terminal rather than owning it.

Qantas own the terminal and lease the land it sits on. MAp said last year they would buy T3 if the opportunity arose.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Flew back ADL/BNE this evening & no 'priority' call for J/WP/SG nor OWE/OWS.

They didn't do anything. I had to join the end of the queue.

So there's absolutely no point in having a dedicated priority boarding lane or even signs if pax are going to take no notice of them and staff aren't going to enforce it! :evil: They need to put a tensa barrier across the entrance to the priority queue so people can't line up in it and maybe stick a dummy at the front of the general boarding queue so everyone can line up behind it. :shock:

perhaps jetstar should start flying the FIFO routes..... that would clean it up

(although being a QF share holder i would never actually endorse such a move - that is unless it was actually going to give WP's a chance at enjoying the privilege.)

You've got to be careful what you wish for these days. :shock:

The problem is people hear the word "Boarding" and rush to the gate and stand there until they are allowed on. The OOL Virgin PA says something along the lines of...

"We will be boarding flight xx_ to xx_ in approximatly 5mins, at this time we welcome PE, Golds, Eithad ect, are welcome to board now."

That kind of gives passengers a notice they are about to board, but not yet. A lot of peopel get up and hover, but you don't get the huge crowds at the gate.

The problem is, most of the travelling public simply don't know how priority boarding works, or where they should queue to get onto the aircraft.

My sentiments exactly. In order for any airline to preboard eligible priority boarding pax they must refrain from using the words "boarding call" otherwise everyone will stand up and it's all over red rover!

i dont know what QF is trialling.....its very easy to put up signs like the Virgin folks

If they want to make it future proof- they can put up Platinum One undernealth Chairmans Lounge

I can report the return trip from BNE to SYD had painless priority boarding. The ground staff just stopped and turned over to me after finishing the current PAX.

As I mentioned above, the airline can put up a sign but it means nothing if FA's or ground staff where applicable don't enforce it.

 

[Oneworldplus2]

Flew back ADL/BNE this evening & no 'priority' call for J/WP/SG nor OWE/OWS.

So there's absolutely no point in having a dedicated priority boarding lane or even signs if pax are going to take no notice of them and staff aren't going to enforce it! :evil: They need to put a tensa barrier across the entrance to the priority queue so people can't line up in it and maybe stick a dummy at the front of the general boarding queue so everyone can line up behind it. :shock:

Yep, my observations in BNE this week. The call went out, but from that point on, nothing. QF has admitted that that they will rectify the problem, which is good for 'us' (the customers).....fingers crossed from here-on-in.

 

[LiamR]

Flying in and out of Sydney this weekend on QF. I'll keep an eye out for any changes to boarding procedure.

Didn't notice anything when I was there on Saturday.

 

[pshepvic]

Sure........

Happened to me once - I stood to the side looking confused and looking at my BP, and a staff member ran up and said "are you gold?"

He then made the entire queue of people move to the correct lane (which was not easy as it was a gate with no aerobridge and a big pillar in between the lanes).

It was in the first couple of weeks so I think both the staff and passengers were still learning the new rules.

 

[Oneworldplus2]

To be fair though, if this is the case, why advertise it as a benefit? It is not like it has not been advertised for some time.

..and if it is not possible why not remove as a benefit?

I agree.

It would be like QF stating, WP's have unlimited access to BA's CCR (in Y), when they only have access to F Lounge.

 

[medhead]

I agree.

It would be like QF stating, WP's have unlimited access to BA's CCR (in Y), when they only have access to F Lounge.

Not really. Domestic priority boarding on qantas aircraft is within the control of qantas and they could provide it. In fact they intended to provide it via PA announcements, which have stopped or never happened. Qantas does not control the CCR and saying WP has access probably contravenes the agreement with BA/OW. They seem to be different situations.