Qantas doesn't care about priority boarding

[Sabot]

I am all for boarding groups of sorts sort. It also relies on people behaving as expected which can be variable.

Really though if QF is promising to at least board J and elites first (remember disabled and families with small kids and those who need extra tume are usually a pre board anyway) then that works just fine as having groups 1 - x.

I quite like how UA refined their system. They have two lanes at most gates. Group 1 and Group 2 - and after pre-boards (which seems to be an ever increasing list these days - my last flight it was something like disabled, people needing extra time, families with kids under 2 or 3 whatever, uniformed military and finally uber top tier Global Services, which is kinda like CL, THEN group 1). And what they do is when group 1 empties and they call group 2, then group 3 etc can line up in the group 2 lane and basically go from there.

Regarding disabilities - you don't even need wheelchairs or a limp. I mean these days disabilities can have a wide definition (and sometimes I do wonder a bit, but I don't really worry about it).

I have a friend who has poor eyesight (well worse than me) and she ALWAYS goes first with the disabled and they take her to her seat and put her bag up in the overhead for her (this is in the US) and she loves it - but for her it's fair enoigh - she just can't see the row numbers and so on when on the plane so honestly that is fair enough. Me.. I don't go that route - I am fine in that regard.. but it is interesting the defiinition of a disability for pre-board - I mean if one is deaf, for example, does that qualify? I don't know.

What about special child friendly flights?

Or perhaps child sections of the plane?

 

[Rich]

r

What about special child friendly flights?

Or perhaps child sections of the plane?

Oh spare me. Perhaps charter your own aircraft.

 

[blackcat20]

Disagree

Dont need to train anyone.
Just separate the boarding groups according to Group number

Group 1 = disabled
Group 2 = parents and small children
Group 3 = special people like certain VIPs
Group 4 = J, WP1, CL
Group 5 = WP
Group 6 = The great unwashed

Just announce boarding by group number printed on the boarding pass.

This wont be supported by the "elites" some of whom want everyone else to know the are important and how far up the totem pole they are.

If group 1 is late board with group number that is currently being boarded.

I think you mean:
Group 6 = SG
Group 7 = the great unwashed.

 

[amaroo]

The elderly and children first. The order once included women, but that's gone in this age of woke

 

[JessicaTam]

[mod hat]
This is the "All new" Priority boarding thread.

This is not the staff travel thread.

Please stick to the topic.
[/mod hat]

 

[Quickstatus]

I think you mean:
Group 6 = SG
Group 7 = the great unwashed.

Ok we call it 6a and 6b

 

[wandering_fred]

Priority boarding for the disabled passengers.
ACROD parking sticker holders should have first preference.

Just wandering
Fred

 

[DC3]

The elderly and children first. The order once included women, but that's gone in this age of woke

Is that for “Abandon Ship”?

 

[trippin_the_rift]

 

[harvyk]

So if this thread can get QF to fix PB, Will the call center thread fix QF's abysmal call center?

 

[kevrosmith]

Video not available in Australia, for me at least anyway. (And I couldn't be bothered with a VPN right now...)

 

[esseeeayeenn]

Video not available in Australia, for me at least anyway. (And I couldn't be bothered with a VPN right now...)

The video is pretty widely available, just search on youtube, but this comment may be off topic.

 

[opusman]

I thought that J passengers were sufficiently classy that they'd never actually need to use a toilet.

Remind us which cabin you would have travelled in when dead-heading?

 

[SeatBackForward]

My flight got cancelled so was a bit later than "peak hour" but just boarded. The QF ground staff knew something different was supposed to happen, but between them and the FAs at the scanners there were puzzled looks exchanged.

Finally the QF ground agent walked up the priority queue quickly asking if everyone was business, gold or platinum. No checking boarding passes, they were so quick even if you said no they'd have moved on and not heard.

But when they did start boarding they drew from the priority lane to both scanners to the rather annoyed look to the gentlemen at the front of the economy queue.

Overall, better than before, but still suspectible to fall over in a heap. This is just one data point though, will need a few more trips before drawing any conclusions.

 

[WLGFlyer]

But when they did start boarding they drew from the priority lane to both scanners to the rather annoyed look to the gentlemen at the front of the economy queue.

This is nothing short of revolutionary for QF domestic. Would be great to see this sticking around.

 

[SeatBackForward]

This is nothing short of revolutionary for QF domestic. Would be great to see this sticking around.

Agreed it's revolutionary for QF but if they don't actually check the priority lane...

 

[jpp42]

But when they did start boarding they drew from the priority lane to both scanners to the rather annoyed look to the gentlemen at the front of the economy queue.

Possibly he was actually a frequent flyer but saw the long priority queue versus short economy queue when he arrived, and knowing the previous Qantas boarding system figured this was the way to jump the queue

 

[SeatBackForward]

Possibly he was actually a frequent flyer but saw the long priority queue versus short economy queue when he arrived, and knowing the previous Qantas boarding system figured this was the way to jump the queue

Yeah I suspect this, and hopefully (like Qantas) they'll figure out how it should work now.

 

[DC3]

Possibly he was actually a frequent flyer but saw the long priority queue versus short economy queue when he arrived, and knowing the previous Qantas boarding system figured this was the way to jump the queue

Doesn’t follow AFF?

 

[Tallfont]

Whilst I realise that this occurred before the new changes as it was at 23:30 WST on the 24th October but I witnessed Qantas put a new spin on boarding through two doors on an A330.

QF652 PER>BNE. No announcement regards boarding but they had opened the glass doors and had staff at the gate it was obviously happening. As per usual both lanes started boarding at the same time.
It then got all a bit confused as there was no signage as to who went where. So some passengers went to the right and some to the left. Probably 50% went to the left and boarded through the Business section. Some boarded to the right that were in Business and of course were then "swimming against the flow" to get their seats.

All in all an absolute shambles. One can only hope that these changes will improve things. If VA can get it right after 100 years you would think Qantas could.