Qantas online checkin launched!!

[Yada Yada]

I used OLCI on Sunday - when I got to the bag drop (Brisbane) I was given a normal boarding pass. The guy serving me knew all about OLCI - but he said they were having so many problems with it, they were giving normal passes to everyone.

It seems crazy that they are having this much trouble. It's not like barcoding is new technology, and Virgin Blue's system works like a breeze.

 

[simongr]

I thought Qantas said a couple of years ago that they had to stay with the magstripe boarding cards due to OneWorld(?) or IATA(?) requirements for interlining of passengers or somthing similar?

Wonder what they will do in that circumstance, although I'm sure it isn't too difficult to keep a mag printer around somewhere just for international connections.

Arent US domestic flights (where the PAX print their own BP at check in at the airport) non-mag stripe BPs?

 

[serfty]

I have wondered, if you check in online and you miss your flight what happens?
Example you check-in the night before and there is horrendous traffic and miss the flight, does QF or any other airline say that you have used your ticket? Of course this would only work for tickets that allow flexibility to change.

I guess that processes in such an event would be no different to the current process for failing to board after obtaining a BP.

 

[JohnK]

Interesting (for me at least) was that they would be moving to the new style of boarding pass at the airport counters as well. Seems reasonable as I would assume A4 paper is cheaper than the current boarding pass, but they will need to ensure they do in fact scan.

A4 paper! So much for collecting boarding passes!

 

[serfty]

It seems crazy that they are having this much trouble. It's not like barcoding is new technology, and Virgin Blue's system works like a breeze.

Methinks there may be some aspect of Staff resistance involved here. As Sir Humphrey would say "The thin edge of the wedge".

 

[serfty]

A4 paper! So much for collecting boarding passes!

You can burn your OLCI PDF's onto CD/DVD for posterity.

 

[JohnK]

You can burn your OLCI PDF's onto CD/DVD for posterity.

Or purchase the current boarding pass printer when QF discards it, buy a lifetime supply of cardboard boarding passes and then print my own boarding passes to collect. :mrgreen:

 

[kpc]

Methinks there may be some aspect of Staff resistance involved here. As Sir Humphrey would say "The thin edge of the wedge".

I think serfty has hit the nail on the head here. QF frontline staff claim they have not heard / been trained with OLCI. Other here claim QF have informed all their staff about OLCI...if OLCI works well, and is taken up by many fliers, guess what happens? QF can retrench more staff :shock:

Even Blind Freddy (and QF front line stff) can see what QF management are trying to do with OLCI!!

 

[oz_mark]

I think serfty has hit the nail on the head here. QF frontline staff claim they have not heard / been trained with OLCI. Other here claim QF have informed all their staff about OLCI...if OLCI works well, and is taken up by many fliers, guess what happens? QF can retrench more staff :shock:

Even Blind Freddy (and QF front line stff) can see what QF management are trying to do with OLCI!!

Trying to keep up with other airlines in their product offerings?

 

[simongr]

But surely its a win for the fliers? Sad for the staff if jobs are lost - but it makes the check in process easier for the more casual traveller (frequent travellers would be QF PS and above who can check in in the business class line) and if they can reduce costs these can either go to the shareholders (with trickle on effects to super funds) or to maintaining fares rather than increasing them.

The job of every corporate is to reduce its cost base as a % of revenue (in the long term that is) - if they dont this then they are not being fair to their customers or owners - I dont see why this is seen as something underhand.

 

[kpc]

Trying to keep up with other airlines in their product offerings?

But surely its a win for the fliers? Sad for the staff if jobs are lost - but it makes the check in process easier for the more casual traveller (frequent travellers would be QF PS and above who can check in in the business class line) and if they can reduce costs these can either go to the shareholders (with trickle on effects to super funds) or to maintaining fares rather than increasing them.

The job of every corporate is to reduce its cost base as a % of revenue (in the long term that is) - if they dont this then they are not being fair to their customers or owners - I dont see why this is seen as something underhand.

I'm not saying that OLCI is not a forward move / advance for QF fliers (and a cost saving for QF), but maybe QF staff are seeing it as another cost cutting measure which would result in more jobs being cut, and that is why they are "slow" to implement it efficiently and smoothly

 

[Mal]

Ok, I finally worked out a way to view what information the barcode contains.

The "sample" boarding pass on the Qantas website (apparently) contains the following data:

M1NORRIS/TREVOR/MR Y1234567MELSYDQF 12345213J99A 12345U502627087 EMLDBA 6666 21J/F1074 070024

(Note that the sample boarding pass is supposedly for a Mr William Fysh, Seat 17A on QF409, SYD-MEL, 18:30 on the 00th Sept).

So obviously that contains lots of dud data. Unfortunately I don't have a "production" boarding pass to check. Would anyone be willing to send me their PDF to have a look at?

 

[HardieBoys]

Sydney Terminal 2 Qantas Club simply re-issue home-printed boarding passes with regular ones. Coffs Harbour allow boarding with a printed online check-in boarding pass, as the airport doesn't have the machine to read the magnetic strips anyway.

 

[kpc]

..........

 

[Skyring]

I'm not saying that OLCI is not a forward move / advance for QF fliers (and a cost saving for QF), but maybe QF staff are seeing it as another cost cutting measure which would result in more jobs being cut, and that is why they are "slow" to implement it efficiently and smoothly

If I were looking at a new round of layoffs, I think I'd be trying to look like a useful employee to keep around.

 

[jakeseven7]

It seems crazy that they are having this much trouble. It's not like barcoding is new technology, and Virgin Blue's system works like a breeze.

I imagine because they were already well used to their Franklin supermarket reciept boarding passes printed on paper and already had scanners installed. QF had to roll out a shipload of hardware as well as software.

We wouldn't know if DJ had teething probems when they rolled it out I suppose as not many people on the this board flew them then.

 

[JohnK]

It seems crazy that they are having this much trouble. It's not like barcoding is new technology, and Virgin Blue's system works like a breeze.

Come to think of it when I purchase groceries from Woolworths I am given a docket with a barcode that is printed on very low quality paper. I take this docket to Woolworths petrol station, the barcode is scanned and I am given my 4c/litre fuel discount.

What is the story with QF? Inadequate or outdated barcode readers?

 

[thadocta]

Come to think of it when I purchase groceries from Woolworths I am given a docket with a barcode that is printed on very low quality paper. I take this docket to Woolworths petrol station, the barcode is scanned and I am given my 4c/litre fuel discount.

What is the story with QF? Inadequate or outdated barcode readers?

I've found that the Coles/Wololies fuel-discount barcodes only work around 75% of the time, the remaining times it won't scan and the console operator has to use one they already have.

Dave

 

[Yada Yada]

Would anyone be willing to send me their PDF to have a look at?

I'll send you one Mal. PM your email address to me.

 

[Yada Yada]

I imagine because they were already well used to their Franklin supermarket reciept boarding passes printed on paper and already had scanners installed.

Does the QF carboard BP make you feel really special?