Qantas doesn't care about priority boarding

[pippen_2k]

QF74 was a shambles last night. People lining up 20 min before boarding in both the business class and economy lines regardless of what class they were. It was mixed.
The announcement was made that everyone would be boarding through the business class gate and that business class passengers should board last ... yeah right. Anyway even after this announcement it never happened. The mass herd of people did what they want.
'Please stay seated until your group etc is called forward' - Nope, didn't happen.
'People who need extra time to board please come forward' - That looked like half the plane lol
They eventually realised their mistakes and called business class to enter.
They then tried to call forward those seated at the rear of the plane but the lines were too congested and it was a free for all.

 

[tdimdad]

632 MEL-BNE today boarded the priority queue first using a single scanner. No gatekeeping to the queue but one passenger in front was turned away from the scanner for whatever reason. The memo had reached the gate staff...

Came to 403 SYD-MEL this morning at the final call stage and both queues were processed in parallel at that time.

 

[Kangamatt]

Worked a treat in ADL this morning. QF670, both scanners boarding "premium" passengers first. Announcement was clear that general boarding for all other economy passengers would commence shortly.

 

[jakeseven7]

Reporting live from Melbourne airport where I got here early to observe premium boarding in action.

Very exciting - all 3 flights I have watched boarded seamlessly.

1. Premium boarding called
2. Premium pax boarded on both scanners from premium lane only. A couple of people tried it on and sent back to huge economy lines. Won’t try that again!
3. Once premium line exhausted general boarding called and both scanners then processed general.
4. Laggard premium pax arriving at an empty premium queue then processed as they arrived

I actually got asked if I was QF management as senior QF ops are patrolling Melbourne gates getting feedback and making sure everything is working. Had a good chat to one and said on behalf of AFF we are super pleased this has finally been addressed. They said if this model works will be rolled out to other ports.

I suggest a change in thread title!

 

[DC3]

... I suggest a change in thread title!

... and that would be “Qantas doesn't care about priority boarding (not)”?

 

[TheInsider]

I actually got asked if I was QF management as senior QF ops are patrolling Melbourne gates getting feedback and making sure everything is working. Had a good chat to one and said on behalf of AFF we are super pleased this has finally been addressed. They said if this model works will be rolled out to other ports.

I suggest a change in thread title!

Just want to point out, this HAS been rolled out to all other ports!

 

[larrymull]

Really looking forward to seeing this in action. I always end up lining up in the normal boarding queue as people just follow the leader and line up in the priority queue. Headed to Perth tonight from MEL so will hopefully see this work in real time.

 

[Captain Halliday]

PB in BNE this morning worked as per recent posts in this thread.

This was despite barcode scanners being inoperative and staff having tear stubs of cardboard BPs.

 

[RichardMEL]

So I took three flights yesterday and I went to the gate to witness PB in action. Here's what I experienced.

1. MEL-ADL
Worked a charm. Premium called first. Y line told to hold back as they would only board Premium first (after pre-board for disabled, kids etc).
Had both EGR's working so the premium queue moved fast (I was about 4th in so can't comment abut what happened after)

2. ADL-SYD

I will give QF a waiver on this one as it was the 747 and with one jetway for the whole aircraft it was always going to be interesting given the rare visitor there and the amount of excited people wanting to get on (it was totally full). So there was no premium board it was just like the old system.

3. SYD-MEL

A330 at Gate 11 so two boarding doors. I got there from the lounge as the Premium boarding had begun and the queue was not too long - Y was held back and their queue snaked back into the main area (as always for these flights).

However the couple who were directly in front of me in the PB, when they got to the EGR the agent said "Oh you're in the wrong queue - this is premium" and I expected they would be sent to the far queue.. but they were waved through nyway.

So I will give that one as a "good try but mixed messages"

So it was a mixed bag yesterday for me. I think as it beds in more and regular pax get more used to it (and gate staff/FA's) it should go better.. hopefully. It was a bit disappointing that on the last flight the couple were let through despite not being premium, but I could also imagine if they were sent packing to the far queue they probably would have cried bloody murder.

It's good to see QF doing better at it.

 

[drron]

I am going to put LST to the test in 11 days.

 

[Danger]

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

Agreed. But revolutionary in the way BA's Club World was revolutionary at the turn of the century That is to say, other carriers partook in the Battle of Priority Boarding years ago. They won, packed up their kit and went on to the next battle. Meanwhile ...

... Had a good chat to one and said on behalf of AFF we are super pleased this has finally been addressed. They said if this model works will be rolled out to other ports ...

Qantas thinks it's invented this you beaut way to provide a oneworld benefit that's been around for eons and one the majority of carriers have done without issue for almost as long. Seriously, it's laughable how Qantas goes about this stuff.

 

[DC3]

.... the couple who were directly in front of me in the PB, when they got to the EGR the agent said "Oh you're in the wrong queue - this is premium" .... It was a bit disappointing that on the last flight the couple were let through despite not being premium, but I could also imagine if they were sent packing to the far queue they probably would have cried bloody murder.

What! There was no Walk of Shame? Very disappointing.

 

[RooFlyer]

I am going to put LST to the test in 11 days.

As will I at HBA on Thursday but these of course are not the ports that QF have said the new system would be applied to. I THINK that's because they are QantasLink contract staff etc. At HBA at least there are the signs and separate queue areas, but as with everywhere else previously, nothing enforced.

 

[theoracle30]

I am going to put LST to the test in 11 days.

I live in LST currently - the QF Link Dash-8 services never had a priority lane. Normally it's a civilized free-for-all through one door. I wouldn't expect that to change this week.



VA has priority boarding through Gate 4 with general boarding through Gate 3 (basically two doors side-by-side), but it is a 737.

 

[drron]

Though in post 166 TheInsider said it had been rolled out to all ports.
PS-I don't expect anything different.

 

[justinbrett]

Not much point having priority boarding on a dash 8, especially when you need to get on a bus.

 

[jakeseven7]

Just want to point out, this HAS been rolled out to all other ports!

The QF information released does not say all other ports are getting it yet so perhaps that’s what the ops manager meant - see how the main ports go, review then roll out to the secondary ports.

 

[jakeseven7]

I am going to put LST to the test in 11 days.

It’s not on the initial roll out list.

I will be trialling it in 35 days though too

 

[pauly7]

Hi another data point.

10/10 execution on QF675 this AM, process as others have described so won’t repeat. Mel seem to be all over it so far.

 

[wannabeinvestmentbanker]

QF499 sadly not today but crew arrived late and I'm just happy to get out of SYD with a fairly minimal delay with all the weather of late.