Qantas doesn't care about priority boarding

[FlyingKangaroo]

It might make a small difference as everyone at the front in J gets PB, clogging the front compared to boarding the back first.

But I am not for a minute advocating that approach. DTKWIA!

Yeah - that's about as convincing an idea I could come up with too.

I reckon the real issue here was someone's shift ending, not curfew, and they couldn't be bothered.

 

[docjames]

Worked well across 3 of 4 flights MEL-BNE-MEL-BNE-MEL in the last couple of weeks - with the exception being the final ex-BNE flight where about half the plane seemed to be priority boarding and diligently queued to use the PB lane once it was called, but then they opened non-priority boarding after scanning about 6 BPs in the ”priority” queue so it was pretty much a free for all…..

 

[pretentious git]

Flew SYD-MEL tonight on 737. Departed Chairman’s Lounge immediately upon being notified the flight was boarding and arrived at the gate. The priority boarding line was probably twice as long as the other line. Only one scanner in operation at the gate. So they decided the best approach is to take one passenger from each lane and alternate boarding. I couldn’t help but take a sneak peek at boarding passes and most in the priority lane didn’t belong there. I ended up boarding pretty much last.

In the past I didn’t care too much about boarding early. But these days many more travellers (me included) try to travel without checked luggage to avoid all the associated problems. So I usually have a back pack and a small carry-on. Therefore priority boarding is important to me. If I don‘t board early I’m likely stuck with shoving one bag under the seat in front and asking the cabin crew to help me find a spot to jam the other piece into.

Anyway - Qantas please just fix it. It’s not a difficult problem to solve.

 

[FishFood]

On my last MEL-PER trip PB was enforced, which was very handy due to being a fairly full A330-200

 

[RooFlyer]

Worst ‘PB’ I have seen in a long time.

QF782, PER-MEL, lines had formed for priority and ‘normal’ boarding.

The priority lane opened, whereupon the front of the non priority line surged across, and there was a mixed gaggle ( no lines) about 4 deep at the scanning point. Pax from the adjoining seating joined the gaggle. No attempt at all to restore order or to enforce PB. After about 30 secs the non priority scanning point opened and the lines separated again.

 

[wannabeinvestmentbanker]

Flew SYD-MEL tonight on 737. Departed Chairman’s Lounge immediately upon being notified the flight was boarding and arrived at the gate. The priority boarding line was probably twice as long as the other line. Only one scanner in operation at the gate. So they decided the best approach is to take one passenger from each lane and alternate boarding. I couldn’t help but take a sneak peek at boarding passes and most in the priority lane didn’t belong there. I ended up boarding pretty much last.

In the past I didn’t care too much about boarding early. But these days many more travellers (me included) try to travel without checked luggage to avoid all the associated problems. So I usually have a back pack and a small carry-on. Therefore priority boarding is important to me. If I don‘t board early I’m likely stuck with shoving one bag under the seat in front and asking the cabin crew to help me find a spot to jam the other piece into.

Anyway - Qantas please just fix it. It’s not a difficult problem to solve.

This seems to be my experience too in the last two weeks out of Syd re one scanner in operation. It’s worked well as I’ve got to the gate when Priority line is just about exhausted and regular line is long so managed to walk straight on. Hopefully one scanner is not a trend as it seems far from efficient.

 

[jakeseven7]

Well executed out of MEL tonight, seems like MEL is doing it very well at the moment from the posts.

 

[RickyT84]

A (positive) data from SYD a couple of weekends ago on the 24th of September with a (ground?) staff checking everyone's BP before allowing the passenger in to the J/PB lane with 2 scanners in operation. We were on an A330 service to MEL so it was good to jump ahead a little.

 

[nerdag]

Consistently inconsistent. PB announced and enforced for a Dash-8 from Hervey Bay tonight, but nothing from Brisbane for a 737!

 

[Mattg]

Priority boarding worked well in Auckland this afternoon (as it usually does for international) but was a complete fail for QF485 ex SYD this evening.

There were two staff members scanning boarding passes. The staff member at the priority boarding line was calling over one person from the priority line, then one person from the general boarding queue. As a result, the “priority” line was longer. At one point he even yelled “merge please”. This isn’t how priority is supposed to work…

 

[k_sheep]

Yesterday in SYD domestic - 50 odd people in the 'business' line (none of whom belonged there, looking at boarding passes, and I'd left before the boarding call was made in the lounge) so I went to the economy line and was summarily ignored for about 15 peoples' worth - until someone took pity on me and waved me in.

 

[Mort]

Data points from last few weeks.
MEL- BNE, PB called and mostly as heard to
BNE-HTI, PB called, then started scanning both lines
HTI-BNE, PB called, chaos ensued multiple lines crossed over, attempted enforcement, but PAX were all over the place (flight packed to the gills)
BNE-MEL, PB called and most pax got in PB queue!!!, 60-70 lined up down the concourse about 10 got in the economy line, gate staff kept announcing that the left line is for priority , no one moved, most status pax I’ve seen on a flight
MEL-BNE got there a little late but full economy line, empty priority, was able to walk straight through.
BNE-HBA - Chaos, every man/woman for themselves.
HBA-MEL. PB called and appeared to be enforced,

 

[RooFlyer]

A pretty good run for me recently. Can't say about enforcement, as I was usually in the first 3 to board

HBA-SYD no signage, no lines prior to calling but business etc called and formed up (last time I checked, HBA was not a 'priority boarding' port, but its usually done)
SYD-ADL; signs, desultory prior lines, called and went OK

ADL-MEL; signs, no prior lines, called and went OK

MEL-HBA; signs, no prior lines, called and went OK.

 

[Traveller X]

The weekend just past
MEL-BNE
BNE-MEL

PB were announced and enforced

 

[dylarr]

20OCT SYD-BNE: No PB, the priority boarding lane was actually barricaded off which was a new one I hadn't seen before so all pax forced into a single lane
20OCT BNE-SYD: No BP, two lanes in operation however pax filtering into both lanes and not enforced
20OCT SYD-CHC: PB available and strictly enforced

 

[nerdag]

Sydney <-> Adelaide today. Both full flights.

Sydney - Announced, but not screened or enforced.
Adelaide - done the way it should be. Announced, screened, regular queue paused when the PB queue got longer (> 5 pax), and kept being paused along the way.

 

[smckay]

Last flight out of SYD it seemed half the plane was Gold and up, as the queue stretched halfway out of gate 13 into the concourse.
Everybody's over-achieving on status

 

[Mattg]

Credit where it is due - priority boarding worked well for QF731 ex SYD this morning.

I wish I didn't find this surprising.

 

[Telemachus]

Credit where it is due - priority boarding worked well for QF731 ex SYD this morning.

I wish I didn't find this surprising.

Same sentiments re QF740 ADL-SYD on Sunday: PB was enforced though that was one of the few positive features of a pretty ordinary experience overall. All seats were occupied, partly perhaps because a medical conference in Adelaide had finished that morning. Flight boarded 45 mins late due to late inbound operating aircraft. I was able (eventually) to be among first to board thanks to PB and got my bag into the overhead bin, which seems to be main benefit of PB on domestic services at present. I was then free to watch and silently lament the behaviour of some other pax who ignored gate staff and CC entreaties to each stow only one bag in overhead bins: there were the usual consequences for the last pax to board, with more delay before doors closed.

 

[encryptededdy]

Just got declined Priority Boarding by the contract staff at Changi for QF82 (as in, they told me my economy row had not been called yet, even though I stated I was using priority boarding, as indicated by the sign). Not a big deal but a bit embarrassing.