Qantas doesn't care about priority boarding

[jakeseven7]

Some crew follow everything to the letter. So if it doesn't state send them back, they won't do it.

Gosh I hate it when my staff follow everything to the letter, so annoying....

 

[wannabeinvestmentbanker]

Adding an additional data point from this evening's QF453 5pm SYD-MEL

QF ground staff going up the priority boarding line kicking ineligible pax over to the other line. FA at scanner 2 started boarding the non-premium line then another ground staff member rushed over to tell her to stop and waved the priority line over. I keep giving positive feedback and can only hope it continues with the help of ground staff to engrain the process with boarding agents.

 

[TheInsider]

Adding an additional data point from this evening's QF453 5pm SYD-MEL

QF ground staff going up the priority boarding line kicking ineligible pax over to the other line. FA at scanner 2 started boarding the non-premium line then another ground staff member rushed over to tell her to stop and waved the priority line over. I keep giving positive feedback and can only hope it continues with the help of ground staff to engrain the process with boarding agents.

See, once again a crew issue!!!
Some just don't have a clue.
But good to see ground staff assisting. Highly doubt MEL or BNE staff would though.

 

[pauly7]

Adding an additional data point from this evening's QF453 5pm SYD-MEL

QF ground staff going up the priority boarding line kicking ineligible pax over to the other line. FA at scanner 2 started boarding the non-premium line then another ground staff member rushed over to tell her to stop and waved the priority line over. I keep giving positive feedback and can only hope it continues with the help of ground staff to engrain the process with boarding agents.

I have also been giving good feedback everytime good premium boarding is executed. Important I think during this pilot phase.

 

[Kangol]

I have also been giving good feedback everytime good premium boarding is executed. Important I think during this pilot phase.

To the FA scanning your BP? Or the CSM onboard?

 

[DC3]

I have also been giving good feedback everytime good premium boarding is executed. Important I think during this pilot phase.

To the FA scanning your BP? Or the CSM onboard?

... or to those waiting/watching in the non-premium queue?

 

[pauly7]

... or to those waiting/watching in the non-premium queue?

To whoever on the ground/air in person that will listen even just a quick ‘this new PB is great’.

And every flight I’ve been firing off positive emails to customer service with name of staff who did a good job, flight number, day etc.

I figure in my own small way I can help a little doing this rather being a part of the whining chorus that do nothing to help

 

[Wheelsup64]

To whoever on the ground/air in person that will listen even just a quick ‘this new PB is great’.

And every flight I’ve been firing off positive emails to customer service with name of staff who did a good job, flight number, day etc.

I figure in my own small way I can help a little doing this rather being a part of the whining chorus that do nothing to help

Spoke to flight attendant on BNE-SYD this morning and asked how it was going. She said some pushback from non-premium but generally well received. Told her it’s a very positive policy.

 

[doublecatered]

See, once again a crew issue!!!
Some just don't have a clue.
But good to see ground staff assisting. Highly doubt MEL or BNE staff would though.

Its not very fair blaming the cabin crew that are attempting to implement a directive in a variety of different airport environments/scenarios/layouts.
Also, I would have thought its the terminal staff's responsibility to organise the gate and ensure the queues are properly formed not the cabin staff who's primary role is on board the aircraft
Ground staff should not only be assisting, they would be leading the charge in this initiative seeing as its on their turf.
From the several flights I have taken and watched the new process, its been a mixed bag but I really believe if the airport supervisory staff are actively involved, it seemed to work better at the outset.

 

[justinbrett]

Its not very fair blaming the cabin crew that are attempting to implement a directive in a variety of different airport environments/scenarios/layouts.
Also, I would have thought its the terminal staff's responsibility to organise the gate and ensure the queues are properly formed not the cabin staff who's primary role is on board the aircraft
Ground staff should not only be assisting, they would be leading the charge in this initiative seeing as its on their turf.
From the several flights I have taken and watched the new process, its been a mixed bag but I really believe if the airport supervisory staff are actively involved, it seemed to work better at the outset.

Its not that hard to board the priority line before the regular line- it’s a pretty simple concept.

 

[TheInsider]

Its not very fair blaming the cabin crew that are attempting to implement a directive in a variety of different airport environments/scenarios/layouts.
Also, I would have thought its the terminal staff's responsibility to organise the gate and ensure the queues are properly formed not the cabin staff who's primary role is on board the aircraft
Ground staff should not only be assisting, they would be leading the charge in this initiative seeing as its on their turf.
From the several flights I have taken and watched the new process, its been a mixed bag but I really believe if the airport supervisory staff are actively involved, it seemed to work better at the outset.

Cabin crew are the ones who board domestically, so they can kick people out if they are in the wrong queue. Also, yes, ground staff should be kicking people out too.

 

[turtlemichael]

QF678 ADL-MEL yesterday (December2). Straggly lines for premium and general had formed. The boarding order was given initially for those seated row 14 and beyond to board via the rear stairs. The premium queue waited patiently for about 2 minutes then there were a number who changed queues. The premium line was called a good 5 minutes after the general boarding. I had been at the front of the premium line and when I got on board half of J was seated and at least half of rows 4-13. I am assuming there was some issue but there was no explanation given.

 

[SeatBackForward]

Cabin crew are the ones who board domestically, so they can kick people out if they are in the wrong queue. Also, yes, ground staff should be kicking people out too.

Cabin crew also have to deal with disgruntled passenger on-board. It would be a much easier affair if the ground crew did the booting.

 

[Danger]

On a 737 service ex-Sydney today, I walked to my gate with a little skip in my step. The reports suggested I'd in for a welcome change. I'd scribbled a little note on a piece of paper, ready to hand to the gate agent to thank Qantas for taking action.

The note wasn't needed.

At gate two, the person behind the desk announced boarding, including premium boarding through the left lane. Two scanners, two staff, two boarding queues simultaneously. I was six deep in the premium lane. By the time I reached the front, at least three passengers in the right, non-premium lane had already been boarded by the FA.

I exited the line and spoke with the chap behind the gate desk. He could not have been less interested in me or my concern, happy to push back in his fancy chair, completely void of any level of enthusiasm or customer service. I said "I didn't realise the new boarding boarding system hadn't made it's way down to gate two." "It hasn't," came the curt reply. Followed by "Who are you?" I took out a piece of paper and a pen and took the chap's name as he told me that "our" job is to call priority boarding and that's what he did. He said "Do you think everyone in the priority lane is entitled to priority boarding?" to which I said "No." His response: "Exactly. But it's not our job." He asked if I wanted to speak to a supervisor and I happily accepted.

Several minutes later a man wandered by to explain that it's up to the FAs how they board; it's their decision, not the groundstaff's. He pointed out "It's a new system so they're probably still getting used to it" to which I replied "Yet it's been a stated benefit for years." Her response was, essentially, 'It's up to Qantas what benefit it offers.'

I was floored by the behaviour of the chap behind the desk. It's almost as if, should a passenger have suffered a heart attack right in front of him, his "job" effort at helping would have been to put in a call to someone before reclining in his chair and happily reminding himself "It's not my job."

 

[trippin_the_rift]

On a 737 service ex-Sydney today, I walked to my gate with a little skip in my step. The reports suggested I'd in for a welcome change. I'd scribbled a little note on a piece of paper, ready to hand to the gate agent to thank Qantas for taking action.

The note wasn't needed.

<snip>

Thank you for standing up for the 500K (?) Qantas members who hold Silver status or higher.

Priority boarding has been an operational requirement for Qantas, for at least, the past 20 years since they've been in Oneworld.
Sounds to me the guy has no idea what the airline's responsibilities are, and the window for pulling ones-socks-up surely past a long time ago.

 

[doublecatered]

Thank you for standing up for the 500K (?) Qantas members who hold Silver status or higher.

Priority boarding has been an operational requirement for Qantas, for at least, the past 20 years since they've been in Oneworld.
Sounds to me the guy has no idea what the airline's responsibilities are, and the window for pulling ones-socks-up surely past a long time ago.

Have I missed something? Are you saying Silver frequent flyers get priority boarding.. isn't it Gold and above?

 

[jakeseven7]

On a 737 service ex-Sydney today, I walked to my gate with a little skip in my step. The reports suggested I'd in for a welcome change. I'd scribbled a little note on a piece of paper, ready to hand to the gate agent to thank Qantas for taking action.

The note wasn't needed.

At gate two, the person behind the desk announced boarding, including premium boarding through the left lane. Two scanners, two staff, two boarding queues simultaneously. I was six deep in the premium lane. By the time I reached the front, at least three passengers in the right, non-premium lane had already been boarded by the FA.

I exited the line and spoke with the chap behind the gate desk. He could not have been less interested in me or my concern, happy to push back in his fancy chair, completely void of any level of enthusiasm or customer service. I said "I didn't realise the new boarding boarding system hadn't made it's way down to gate two." "It hasn't," came the curt reply. Followed by "Who are you?" I took out a piece of paper and a pen and took the chap's name as he told me that "our" job is to call priority boarding and that's what he did. He said "Do you think everyone in the priority lane is entitled to priority boarding?" to which I said "No." His response: "Exactly. But it's not our job." He asked if I wanted to speak to a supervisor and I happily accepted.

Several minutes later a man wandered by to explain that it's up to the FAs how they board; it's their decision, not the groundstaff's. He pointed out "It's a new system so they're probably still getting used to it" to which I replied "Yet it's been a stated benefit for years." Her response was, essentially, 'It's up to Qantas what benefit it offers.'

I was floored by the behaviour of the chap behind the desk. It's almost as if, should a passenger have suffered a heart attack right in front of him, his "job" effort at helping would have been to put in a call to someone before reclining in his chair and happily reminding himself "It's not my job."

Since you have such a great case (and names) to highlight to Qantas I beg of you to email customer service ASAP to highlight it to them!!

 

[Fergo747]

Have I missed something? Are you saying Silver frequent flyers get priority boarding.. isn't it Gold and above?

Yes it's SG and above that get priority boarding not PS.

 

[blackcat20]

Yes it's SG and above that get priority boarding not PS.

Silver get PB internationally but not domestically.

 

[drron]

I think that fellow should be sent to a reeducation camp.