Priority boarding on QF domestic - what is the story?

[OverrideServlet]

Personally I've given up caring.

That is a shame.

This was pretty much inspired by reading your series of blog posts:

qantaspriorityboarding.com

 

[anat0l]

I thought of this thread when I was in Coles yesterday in the 12 items or less checkout queue and the woman in front of me had a full shopping trolley...

Now how are you supposed to deal with that?

The same thing applies to dealing with priority boarding.

In saying that, it seems VA can do it fine, and on international flights there doesn't seem too much hoo-ha. Either that or it doesn't really make the papers as much as a naive celebrity likening a go-around to a "we're all gonna die" situation. Although there have been a couple of cases raised in the VA forums where all the kettles lined up for priority boarding and no one did anything about it (of course, such situations are still rare).

I still believe that some of us, until true priority boarding is introduced, should just shove in to the front of the line, waving your black card all the way.

 

[Stephen65]

Now how are you supposed to deal with that?

Other than grumble inwardly I don't know. I have never seen Coles enforce the 12 item limit ever.

 

[Sequel]

Other than grumble inwardly I don't know. I have never seen Coles enforce the 12 item limit ever.

Maybe you need to start a new thread here Fly Buys about you Fly Buys status not being recognised and you imminent departure to Everyday Rewards!

 

[straitman]

Is that a Certificate III in Priority Boarding sign placement?

No.

It actually requires a Certificate IV :!: :shock:

 

[simongr]

Now how are you supposed to deal with that?

I do ask people to move out of the 12 items queue and have seen it enforced in my local Woolies. I don't shop in Coles.

 

[medhead]

That is a shame.

This was pretty much inspired by reading your series of blog posts:

qantaspriorityboarding.com

Maybe I should have worded it more carefully. I still care and I maintain the rage. But I've also decided to not let myself care, as such. Besides I've moved on somewhat and I'm flying more and more with an airline that does do priority boarding.

I thought of this thread when I was in Coles yesterday in the 12 items or less checkout queue and the woman in front of me had a full shopping trolley...

That's funny had the opposite when I was at school. Second it a quickly moving normal check out line with 3 items. Someone (just happened to be a teacher) about 5th in a long slow 12 items queue said "you've only got 3 items". As if I wasn't allowed in the normal line.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

You would have to be signed off with the appropriate PPE and safety induction forms before you would be allowed to "place" the signs. You know, you have to watch out for sharp edges and stuff.

I do have a Cert IV in workplace assessment though, so I could sign you off after you passed your written exam indicating competence in "Priority Boarding Sign Placement Training".

Don't forget to sign the class attendance sheet though so we can have the AQF Certificate issued in the correct name.

DFCatch you are one scary puppy! Sounds dangerously close to the truth.

That's funny had the opposite when I was at school. Second it a quickly moving normal check out line with 3 items. Someone (just happened to be a teacher) about 5th in a long slow 12 items queue said "you've only got 3 items". As if I wasn't allowed in the normal line.

What is it about teachers & how they have to be in control 24/7? Did she frogmarch you to the principal's office?

When the boot is on the other foot they can't handle it when someone else is laying down the law to them such as when they're told the flight's closed for baggage acceptance & they storm off saying "typical Qantas". No doubt they would get the same reception from DJ, JQ or TT if they were late to check in also.

 

[dfcatch]

Is that a Certificate III in Priority Boarding sign placement?

It's a....

"AJ - if you really want to save QF's bottom line... Forget nickel and diming the punters, forget screwing over FF's from their NPPPs, simply sack the pathetic excuses for humans who pose as "consultants" or those useless crony junior exec sycophants that you have surrounded yourself with (AKA - whoever came up with this moronic idea that Priority Boarding needs trialling..??..?? - I mean WTF!!!). As they say when talking about public servants - CUT THE FAT!

(Breathes deep) - alright - I'll rephrase - $100 says the issue with QF priority boarding is there is a single individual somewhere in the food chain (maybe even AJ himself) who has personally vetoed the Priority Boarding thing which has resulted in this debacle".

Copied and pasted from the "Certificate III in Priority Boarding sign placement Handbook".

Red Roo - I mean seriously mate - WTF is going on..?? What's the REAL story behind why something so simple has been drawn out in such a complicated fashion???

Surely you must privately agree with this (although I understand if you are not in a position to openly criticise those on a higher pay grade than yourself).


PS. I am however impressed to see some "signs" of things maybe happening.
I am cautious however, not to mistake movement for achievement

Disclaimer: Sorry if I came across as harsh - but I have a religious aversion to bureaucracy and incompetence - two things that QF seems to have an abundance of

 

[QF WP]

dfcatch, QF is like the Queen Mary...I'm just not sure that it's worth me waiting to see if they can turn it around. VA is obviously more nimble, for a number of reasons that should be apparent.

I could keep typing but I just don't think it's worth the time and effort for the rant - rather get home and have time with the kids....and dinner...and a red wine.

 

[dfcatch]

dfcatch, QF is like the Queen Mary...I'm just not sure that it's worth me waiting to see if they can turn it around. VA is obviously more nimble, for a number of reasons that should be apparent.

I could keep typing but I just don't think it's worth the time and effort for the rant - rather get home and have time with the kids....and dinner...and a red wine.

I have 3 more hours until G&T time - so a rant was a perfect way to kill 10 mins

 

[TonyHancock]

I have 3 more hours until G&T time - so a rant was a perfect way to kill 10 mins

LOL. It's already Chateau Dan Murphy Taster's Choice 2009 McLaren Vale Shiraz time for me!

 

[milehighclub]

Qantas trials Platinum frequent flyer priority domestic boarding - Flights | hotels | frequent flyer | business class - Australian Business Traveller

Currently at Gate 8
Gate 4 will be next

 

[trippin_the_rift]

Qantas trials Platinum frequent flyer priority domestic boarding - Flights | hotels | frequent flyer | business class - Australian Business Traveller

Currently at Gate 8
Gate 4 will be next

My guess for the limited rollout (and cheap pull down sign boards) is that QF don't want to remake 500 signs and deploy them accross the country when the words "Platinum One" need to be added.

Great to see QF doing this finally!

 

[Danger]

Qantas trials Platinum frequent flyer priority domestic boarding - Flights | hotels | frequent flyer | business class - Australian Business Traveller

Currently at Gate 8
Gate 4 will be next

I'm dumbfounded, seriously. First, the incompetence of AusBT aside, writing an article talking about trialling a process that's been listed as a benefit for years, just highlights the standard of this online publication.

But second, Qantas, seriously. What's with the trial? It's listed as a benefit. It doesn't say 'coming soon' or 'selected airports' or 'we'll offer it when we damn well want'. It's there. In black and white. What's with a trial?

And why oh why are you putting up expensive pull-up banners? Take a leaf out of DJ's or AA's book and do simply little signs used the word over. If this is the way of the future for QF's priority boarding, we've got absolutely no hope. Two banners this size, at every gate, at every airport. Can you imagine the cost? Not gonna happen. And this is even at a gate with two areobridges (if I remember correctly).

So I think we can expect to see something like:

Priority boarding &*^&$#@!#)*(&%^$#@

where &*^&$#@!#)*(&%^$#@ is 'At selected gates at Sydney T3, where available, on some days, at peak times, when available, sometimes, if we can'.

​

Benefit enhanced.

I'm blown away, really.

 

[Kendall Roy]

Right, time to kick up a stink over QF not adhering to OWS advertised benefits. Or is that for another thread? :mrgreen:

I only see this being an issue in CBR. Perhaps a ^^ excluding APS workers

 

[Danger]

My guess for the limited rollout (and cheap pull down sign boards) is that QF don't want to remake 500 signs and deploy them accross the country when the words "Platinum One" need to be added.

Great to see QF doing this finally!

I don't see it that way. All benefits that apply to Platinum also apply to Chairmans Lounge but very, very rarely do we see something like, for example, priority security say 'Business, Gold, Platinum, Chairmans Lounge'. It's a given. What's more, I don't think these signs would be at all cheap, particularly given how big they are. The DJ and AA way would be far easier, far less costly and far more OH&S happy, surely.

 

[Danger]

Right, time to kick up a stink over QF not adhering to OWS advertised benefits. Or is that for another thread? :mrgreen:

I only see this being an issue in CBR. Perhaps a ^^ excluding APS workers

Again, though, that doesn't mean the benefit shouldn't be offered. Probably, more likely than not, Platinums will be in the lounge until the end. But it doesn't mean a priority boarding call (or lane) should occur. Whether those eligible take advantage of it or not is entirely up to them.

 

[anat0l]

My guess for the limited rollout (and cheap pull down sign boards) is that QF don't want to remake 500 signs and deploy them accross the country when the words "Platinum One" need to be added.

Platinum One members are still Platinum - unless they have another sign and line for them what's the point of pointing that out?

The AusBT article falls down on a small detail. The priority boarding benefit decreases in value the longer you wait after the start of boarding. Sure you can relax in a lounge, but priority boarding doesn't really maximise your time in the lounge. If anything, it may just minimise your time. Priority boarding just allows you to board early without a line, but you could almost achieve the same thing by leaving the lounge late near the end of boarding (i.e. just when they start PA'ing for the remaining pax - including you - to move your bl**dy a*** or risk offloading). The latter doesn't require priority boarding. The real advantage of priority boarding is to get a space in the overhead and not have to stand and wait for others to settle in. It will probably mean you must leave the lounge close to the first boarding call.

As the Australian air travel environment slowly but surely begins to mirror that of the Americas, giving up those extra 2 or 3 drinks in the lounge to board early will be mandatory.

 

[djfuzz]

This is what Danger is referring to:

I did a back of an envelope calculation for making sufficient pull-up banners at about $50,000 - not an insignificant sum. Doing this on the other hand would be substantially less - much cheaper frames that attach to existing bollards and A3/A4 printing that can be redone whenever anything changes (whether it be specific benefits of even branding).

Their whole Priority AAccess page is an interesting read in implementing the benefit across the process. Given AA's other problems, they seem to have very little problem in maintaining a fair bit of consistency in this regard.

PriorityAAccess(SM) Privileges | AA.com