Priority / International Business check in for QFF Silver

[encryptededdy]

My friend was just denied check-in in the business class queue at SYD International on Qantas - They lined up at the Business counter, but were denied by the staff at the desk despite being QFF Silver (OW Ruby). The staff referred to the signage for the line which said "Business - Platinum One, Platinum, Gold". Sadly we didn't get a photo of the signage.

In Sydney there's no separate Premium Economy line (to my knowledge anyway), so my friend had to use the self-service Economy check-in machines instead. This was of course quite embarrassing for them to be kicked out of the desk and also for me who told them that they could use the Business check in.

Per the Qantas website for Silver (emphasis mine);

For domestic flights, priority check-in is available at select airports. For international flights, check-in at any Business counters where available, regardless of your class of travel.

Also "Access to Business Class priority check-in" is a listed benefit of oneworld Ruby.

Has anyone else experienced this before?

Obviously, the staff wasn't well trained to know that Silver can use international business check-in, but my guess as to what happened with the signage is someone got the totem signs for Business boarding and Business check-in mixed up, and they put a business boarding sign where they intended to put a business check-in sign.

Qantas boarding sign (photo not mine)

Qantas check-in sign (photo not mine, but taken at SYD International in 2019)

 

[Pushka]

My friend was just denied check-in in the business class queue at SYD International on Qantas - They lined up at the Business counter, but were denied by the staff at the desk despite being QFF Silver (OW Ruby). The staff referred to the signage for the line which said "Business - Platinum One, Platinum, Gold". Sadly we didn't get a photo of the signage.

In Sydney there's no separate Premium Economy line (to my knowledge anyway), so my friend had to use the self-service Economy check-in machines instead. This was of course quite embarrassing for them to be kicked out of the desk and also for me who told them that they could use the Business check in.

Per the Qantas website for Silver (emphasis mine);

Also "Access to Business Class priority check-in" is a listed benefit of oneworld Ruby.

Has anyone else experienced this before?

Obviously, the staff wasn't well trained to know that Silver can use international business check-in, but my guess as to what happened with the signage is someone got the totem signs for Business boarding and Business check-in mixed up, and they put a business boarding sign where they intended to put a business check-in sign.

Qantas boarding sign (photo not mine)

Qantas check-in sign (photo not mine, but taken at SYD International in 2019)

I didnt realise that Silver had such access to priority check in. Is this new?

 

[encryptededdy]

I didnt realise that Silver had such access to priority check in. Is this new?

It's ok, Qantas Staff don't know either

To my knowledge this has always been a perk of OneWorld Ruby / Qantas Silver.

 

[dylarr]

No idea what happened in this instance. But your friend definitely should not have been denied! I think the theory about somebody getting the boarding/check-in signs mixed up seems quite plausible...

I didnt realise that Silver had such access to priority check in. Is this new?

It has been a published Silver/Ruby benefit for many years.

 

[AIRwin]

I didnt realise that Silver had such access to priority check in. Is this new?

Does it also include priority bag tags?

 

[DAC1]

Does it also include priority bag tags?

No it doesn’t.

 

[Quickstatus]

Looks like some check in still not match fit. Not a good look at the airline's number 1 international port of departure

Are they QF employed or contracted agents?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I didnt realise that Silver had such access to priority check in. Is this new?

I think going back to the early 2000s? One of the reasons I *used to think* QF silver was the sweet spot for membership… priority check in, priority boarding, access to preferred seats, and prompt call centre answering. On Cathay QF silver got you emergency exits free of charge. (We lost the call centre benefits a few years ago when they closed the aussie centres )

 

[elanshin]

It's a little confusing for QF Silver but you're supposed to get priority Check in but not priority boarding or priority security lines. Seems like a case of bad staff who wasn't fully trained.

 

[Pushka]

I think going back to the early 2000s? One of the reasons I *used to think* QF silver was the sweet spot for membership… priority check in, priority boarding, access to preferred seats, and prompt call centre answering. On Cathay QF silver got you emergency exits free of charge. (We lost the call centre benefits a few years ago when they closed the aussie centres )

Thanks. I thought it was gold. Interestingly as silver I'd never been directed to a priority check in nor any comments made

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Thanks. I thought it was gold. Interestingly as silver I'd never been directed to a priority check in nor any comments made

BA never offered business class checkin for its ruby members. But as a QFFF they never turned you away. Cathay was good at honouring it, Qantas has chopped and changed… business class, then premium economy, now back to business class.

I was a bit cheeky one time at MEL… the business class queue was out the door (literally), but the PEY checkin was empty. I used silver to go to the PEY counter. The agent was a bit miffed, but i innocently explained I thought i was only entitled to PEY as a silver member! Shaved around 30 mins off checkin!

Cathay also gives priority boarding, and your group number is higher with AA and BA. It’s not a bad level to have to smooth out the airport experience.

 

[Ade]

Does it also include priority bag tags?

No it doesn’t.

In my experience, it depends. I have used the Priority queue as QF Silver and got priority (J tags, in this case) tags. Some agents when processing the check-in, as a habit, add the priority tags. But some don't. I have also got priority tags with CX, 9W, MH .. but not UL

 

[encryptededdy]

My friend states they even showed the agent the text on https://www.qantas.com/au/en/travel-info/check-in.html which states Silver can use premium check-in, but both agents at the two business counters denied this, and basically just said "the sign doesn't say silver".

 

[Lynda2475]

For domestic flights, priority check-in is available at select airports. For international flights, check-in at any Business counters where available, regardless of your class of travel.

Depends on how you interpret "where available" I'm guessing the check in agents indicating that the signs didn't say it was available to Silver, so it is not available at SYDi?

Back when I was silver was never able to use priority screening at SYDd or MELd, only gold and above or a J ticket.

 

[encryptededdy]

Back when I was silver was never able to use priority screening at SYDd or MELd, only gold and above or a J ticket.

Yeah, this is correct and matches all available documentation though. The problem is check-in does not.

Premium services should be as follows to my understanding;

	Priority Check-in	Priority Security	Priority Boarding
Qantas Club	Domestic Only	No	No
Silver (Ruby)	Yes (Business)	No	No
Gold (Sapphire)	Yes (Business)	Yes (Domestic only)	Yes (Business)
Platinum (Emerald)	Yes (First)	Yes (Intl' where avaliable)	Yes (First)

Post automatically merged: Mar 20, 2023

For domestic flights, priority check-in is available at select airports. For international flights, check-in at any Business counters where available, regardless of your class of travel.

Depends on how you interpret "where available" I'm guessing the check in agents indicating that the signs didn't say it was available to Silver, so it is not available at SYDi?

I guess that's one way of interpreting it. However if we use Qantas' consistently inconsistent(tm) wording on the check-in page, it says something else: https://www.qantas.com/au/en/travel-info/check-in.html

Premium passengers (Business and Premium Economy), Gold and Silver Frequent Flyers, and oneworld Ruby members have access to dedicated Premium Service Desks in all international ports.

 

[Ade]

basically just said "the sign doesn't say silver".

Equivalent of "computer says no" ... it is just bad customer service.

 

[dan92]

Don't post often, but happened to be at the Sydney International counter today. The sign doesn't show Silver/OW Ruby (probably were from the boarding lines) but the screens above checkin counters do include Silver/OW Ruby.

 

[encryptededdy]

Thanks for the post. I'll ask my friend to point out the screens say Oneworld Ruby above them next time they go through, but I'm not sure if they want more confrontation. I wish Qantas would just fix their signage and train their staff.

Either way, I left a non-urgent complaint with Qantas about the signage, hopefully they get around to fixing it.

 

[SYD]

At various times, SYD used to have seperate QF checkins for F, J, whY+ and QP. At some point, probably when the huge self-checkin area was rolled out, they removed a bunch of checkin desks and consolidated to one row.

I thought I saw Silver/OW Ruby last time I flew out but will try and look again next week.

TBH, it’s probably quicker to use the self checkin now if you’re doing a straight forward bag drop.

 

[encryptededdy]

I thought I saw Silver/OW Ruby last time I flew out but will try and look again next week.

Yeah this photo was taken in SYD International pre-covid and shows the correct signage.

Someone's just messed up what sign they have out, and the staff don't know enough to not be fooled by it.