Priority boarding on QF domestic - what is the story?

[ozbeachbabe]

Two funny problems-first a woman in a wheelchair is preboarded and must have been halfway down the airbridge when FA suddenly shouts out stop-you are on the wrong flight-you are 926 to CNS.

Then mrsdrron goes through for seat 2A.I am holding 2B-red light.Equipment change-to an International 767 so no 2B and I have been put in 5J.Go to desk and agent puts us together in 3J,K.When i board-about half way through boarding but escorted on by GA,I notice a couple in 5J,K.A little later a woman boards,obviously for 5K.Says to the couple you are in my seat,they say no but she says show me your boarding pass.Next thing I hear is -"nice try but you are a lot further down the back."

Why do people try this? Maybe because of articles like the one the other about "blagging a free upgrade"...

I honestly think that some people are that daft they think cabin crew won't notice. I've been on several flights where I've seen people sit down in J holding whY boarding passes. Usually the CSM will look at the pax manifest (OSL) for J then double check the actual number of pax seated in J to make sure someone isn't 'accidentally' in the wrong seat.

Unless the pax haven't flown for a few years & their last flight was on JQ when they had the open seating free for all but some how I doubt it.

 

[nonpop]

QF459 11th Dec Syd > Mel on a B767

Priority boarding lines in place.
People had begun to line up once the gate agents appeared and opend the door.
2 gate agents ... one for each line. Premium was to the left and general was to the right along the red carpet:shock:
Boarding call made with people told to line up in accordance and that boarding would also commence by row numbers.
People needing assistance allowed to board first.

But then when boarding commenced the gate agents didn't serve the premium pax first.
Each agent took pax from their respective line vs both agents taking the line of premium pax first.
IMHO I would have thought that the premium pax would have been cleared first before general line had started.
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[yo yo ma]

But then when boarding commenced the gate agents didn't serve the premium pax first.
Each agent took pax from their respective line vs both agents taking the line of premium pax first.

I would have thought this should happen too... I have found they do this on AA

 

[medhead]

9 Dec QF761 onto a 767. Priority boarding worked a treat. 15:25 flight so not to busy I guess. But great to bypass about 25 odd people. Thanks qantas for sorting this out.

 

[samiam]

9th Dec PER-MEL

Non-premium pax in the premium line- not educated/redirected.

Early days...

 

[richie9x]

But then when boarding commenced the gate agents didn't serve the premium pax first.
Each agent took pax from their respective line vs both agents taking the line of premium pax first.

You were lucky!

Today at BNE they called boarding for my flight QF635 to MEL. There were already 30 people in the hoi polloi lane. But only one FA at the gate and they were boarding people from the general lane. The premium lane was empty with no FA on it. Normally there are two FAs, not sure why there was one - could have been because the flight was less than half full. Anyway I walked up the premium lane and waited. After he scanned the current passenger I thought he would have motioned for me to come over. He did look up and see me, but the next person from the general lane stepped forward and boarded. Then the next general passenger started to walk forward. So I cut infront of him and said 'excuse me I am in the premium line' and handed over my BP.

I think if I hadn't had done that then I would have had to wait until the general lane was boarded before I could board. Previous times premium lane boarding has worked well for me. Not sure if it was just a rogue FA or do they not know what to do when there is only one FA boarding.

 

[Sprucegoose]

QF get this right on Int, but domestic is a new ball game it seems.

the heat is on. VA have the headstart here and understand what is required at the premium end.

 

[Moopere]

I think if I hadn't had done that then I would have had to wait until the general lane was boarded before I could board. Previous times premium lane boarding has worked well for me. Not sure if it was just a rogue FA or do they not know what to do when there is only one FA boarding.

Sounds like the staff are not being trained in the 'new' paradigm or are not being eased into the new situation with a kind but firm hand from floor supervisors.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

You were lucky!

Today at BNE they called boarding for my flight QF635 to MEL. There were already 30 people in the hoi polloi lane. But only one FA at the gate and they were boarding people from the general lane. The premium lane was empty with no FA on it. Normally there are two FAs, not sure why there was one - could have been because the flight was less than half full. Anyway I walked up the premium lane and waited. After he scanned the current passenger I thought he would have motioned for me to come over. He did look up and see me, but the next person from the general lane stepped forward and boarded. Then the next general passenger started to walk forward. So I cut infront of him and said 'excuse me I am in the premium line' and handed over my BP.

I think if I hadn't had done that then I would have had to wait until the general lane was boarded before I could board. Previous times premium lane boarding has worked well for me. Not sure if it was just a rogue FA or do they not know what to do when there is only one FA boarding.

Was QF635 a 734? If it was, only one F/A comes up to board unless the flight is to/from CBR.

Don't know whether they've factored that into the equation. Trouble is it's the question of manpower so they would need to roster another ground staff person on besides the gate agent or they'll continue to have this problem. I can't see management agreeing to this because it means spending money.

The only other option they have is to ensure the F/A calls across pax in the Premium lane but I can see potential ground rage issues with that as people in the general boarding lane will expect to be boarded first if they were there prior to premium pax joining the other queue.

 

[Sprucegoose]

Was QF635 a 734? If it was,

only one F/A comes up to board unless the flight is to/from CBR.

Don't know whether they've factored that into the equation. Trouble is it's the question of manpower & so they would need to roster another ground staff person on besides the gate agent they're going to have this problem. I can't see management agreeing to this because it means spending money.

I can't see that happening so the only other option they have is to ensure the F/A calls across pax in the Premium lane but I can see potential ground rage issues with that as people in the general boarding lane will expect to be boarded first if they were there prior to premium pax joining the other queue.

Hey I didn't know that OBB. What is the driver for that? the pollies?

 

[Moopere]

The only other option they have is to ensure the F/A calls across pax in the Premium lane but I can see potential ground rage issues with that as people in the general boarding lane will expect to be boarded first if they were there prior to premium pax joining the other queue.

Other airlines do it with no problem (1 FA) - however, in the short term, whilst its all a bit new for Pax and staff alike, a few extra staff, at extra cost, milling around the lines to ensure the right people are in the right lane, and helping with crowd control would be all thats required. Soon enough, everyone, staff and pax alike, know what the deal is and it should work as if by magic.

 

[richie9x]

Was QF635 a 734? If it was, only one F/A comes up to board unless the flight is to/from CBR.

Don't know whether they've factored that into the equation. Trouble is it's the question of manpower so they would need to roster another ground staff person on besides the gate agent or they'll continue to have this problem. I can't see management agreeing to this because it means spending money.

Yes it was a 734. That explains it.

I can't see that happening so the only other option they have is to ensure the F/A calls across pax in the Premium lane but I can see potential ground rage issues with that as people in the general boarding lane will expect to be boarded first if they were there prior to premium pax joining the other queue.

It seems to work ok for Virgin having only one person serving general and premium lines. With anyone in the premium lane getting precedence over the general lane no matter how long the people in the general lane have been waiting.

 

[amaroo]

Death star seem to able to afford 2 or more staff at the gate?

Can't see why QF can't......might be a little like the old local council & general road worker practices!

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Hey I didn't know that OBB. What is the driver for that? the pollies?

Pollies....ahh the folk whose salaries are paid by us. I'm thinking that would be a reasonable assumption Spruce. :mrgreen:

Death star seem to able to afford 2 or more staff at the gate?

Can't see why QF can't......might be a little like the old local council & general road worker practices!

Now if I was really cynical I could say QF can't afford it because they're already paying for JQ to have 2 staff at the gate.

A QF 734 only has 4 F/A's so there must be some reason why 3 have to remain on board. I have on occasion seen 2 F/A's at the gate for a 734 not going to CBR but that was because an FA in uniform paxing on that flight was helping out.

JQ A320's AFAIK have 5 F/A's however it's hard to tell who's ground staff & who are F/A's as they all wear the same uniform so it could in fact be one JQ F/A & one JQ ground staff.

 

[LiamR]

JQ A320's AFAIK have 5 F/A's however it's hard to tell who's ground staff & who are F/A's as they all wear the same uniform so it could in fact be one JQ F/A & one JQ ground staff.

AFAIK JQ F/As don't assist with the boarding process at the gate. I think?

 

[ozbeachbabe]

AFAIK JQ F/As don't assist with the boarding process at the gate. I think?

I'm fairly certain at least one does as when I flew DRW/BNE on JQ the person at the gate scanning the boarding passes was one of our FA's on the flight whilst the other person was ground staff.

I could depend on what airport it is, if it's on an aerobridge or stand off bay, who the ground handling agent is or is it JQ proper. I imagine it would be different at every port.

 

[LiamR]

I'm fairly certain at least one does as when I flew DRW/BNE on JQ the person at the gate scanning the boarding passes was one of our FA's on the flight whilst the other person was ground staff.

I could depend on what airport it is, if it's on an aerobridge or stand off bay, who the ground handling agent is or is it JQ proper. I imagine it would be different at every port.

Different for every port, sounds about right. I'm basing it off AeroCare staff at OOL. So their 'procedure' would probably vary from other airports.

 

[nonpop]

12th Dec '11
QF458 on a B767
Mel > Syd

2 lines as per the norm now with premium pax and 'other' pax.
2 gate agents.
Both lines start boarding at same time with no preference given to premium line.
Both lines move at same speed. So not sure if the benefit is working as well as it could.
Again, I would have expected the concept of a "premium line" was to have it cleared first like AA do with premium boarding (works very, very well even with a single gate agent).

Oh well, a first world problem.

 

[JohnM]

This morning in PER a 767 service to MEL did not have the PB lane open, but there were two standard lanes operating.

When queried, the gate person said the PB lane was not operating because "there's only one door". What weird logic is that when they had two lanes feeding into the aero bridge anyway?

At my 737 connection in MEL to CBR they were using a PB lane to a single door aircraft.

What gives in PER? Surely they are not using the PB lane only for A330s and B747s?! Is some staff training needed there?



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[Danger]

This morning in PER a 767 service to MEL did not have the PB lane open, but there were two standard lanes operating.

When queried, the gate person said the PB lane was not operating because "there's only one door". What weird logic is that when they had two lanes feeding into the aero bridge anyway?

At my 737 connection in MEL to CBR they were using a PB lane to a single door aircraft.

What gives in PER? Surely they are not using the PB lane only for A330s and B747s?! Is some staff training needed there?



Sent from my iPad using AustFreqFly app

Make no mistake, that was a complete and utter cop-out from the gate agent. Pathetic.