Qantas to Introduce Group Boarding and Bag Tracking

[Lynda2475]

But how does PB work when you stay in the lounge until the last call.

I was one of the last to board an AA flight ORD-DFW last August, after hours of delay i got chatting in the lounge and then had to basically run as it was final boarding. On arrival at the gate they were automatically tagging hand luggage to go below as the bins were already full; almost took mine but saw I was in "First" and I was allowed to continue; as they heavily police the First bin usage.

We thankfully don't have the same overbooking or kitchen sink carry-on that they do in the US.

Maybe not over-booking but excessive carry-on is becoming more and more of a problem and limits need to be better enforced.

 

[Quickstatus]

If they had baggage tracking, they would have been able to work that out

Bag tracking won't stop the aircraft from departing the gate if the bag is not in the hold.

Does bag tracking tell the airline if there are bags that should be in the hold but aren't?

 

[Lynda2475]

I'll still be using my tile to know where the bag really is.

 

[SeatBackForward]

Maybe not over-booking but excessive carry-on is becoming more and more of a problem and limits need to be better enforced.

They can just police the rules they already have about carry-on and personal items. But also enforce that personal items must go under the seat in front.

Still like my idea, of marking space in the overhead bins for each seat. Can't fit your stuff into your own space, then negotiate with others or gate check.

 

[PERLHR]

Executive traveller is stating that new US style group boarding procedures will be trialled by Qantas from June 23.
Possibly up to 5 boarding zones? Any additional news on this or have i missed an existing thread?

 

[opusman]

Qantas to Introduce Group Boarding and Bag Tracking

https://travel.nine.com.au/latest/qantas-announces-changes-to-boarding-and-baggage-tracking/7015280f-cb4b-4397-98c5-dc52a59add12...

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

 

[RooFlyer]

The crucial thing is that the app will track where your bag actually is, or at least where it was last tracked. So for instance, if you know it hasn't gone anywhere, there's a good chance it might go on the next flight. If it's gone to an altogether different destination, you may be able to figure out how long it might take to get to you, rather than not knowing at all.

yes to all that. But the point I was making is that the app will only reinforce what should be happening anyway. On those occasions where the app shows it’s not happening as it should, is there any change to the airlines response or our ability to contact them to chase up the bags?

ideally, the app should have a function where you 'report lost bags' and be able to message the respective baggage department directly. they of course should already know that the bag didn’t make it to you by their own tracking and be onto it immediately and proactively contact you. I’ve got a doubt whether that will happen.

 

[SeatBackForward]

yes to all that. But the point I was making is that the app will only reinforce what should be happening anyway. On those occasions where the app shows it’s not happening as it should, is there any change to the airlines response or our ability to contact them to chase up the bags?

ideally, the app should have a function where you 'report lost bags' and be able to message the respective baggage department directly. they of course should already know that the bag didn’t make it to you by their own tracking and be onto it immediately and proactively contact you. I’ve got a doubt whether that will happen.

I think all that information was already available to them, but was just not publicly facing.

 

[exceladdict]

I think all that information was already available to them, but was just not publicly facing.

Uber is a great case study of how making information available improves the customer experience (eg. where is my taxi?).

When my bag was lost in MEL last year, flying PER-MEL-SYD, knowing it was subsequently sitting at SYD would have been very helpful!

 

[TheInsider]

Does bag tracking tell the airline if there are bags that should be in the hold but aren't?

Qantas' system has already done that for many years.

 

[SYD]

Qantas' system has already done that for many years.

Yes, you never want to hear your name after, “Would the following passenger please make themselves known to ground staff”. Code for your bag didn’t get loaded in LHR or LAX etc… I‘ve been on that list twice but both arriving home and not at the start of a trip.

 

[RooFlyer]

Yes, you never want to hear your name after, “Would the following passenger please make themselves known to ground staff”.

No, especially when it happens (in my experience arriving from LAX) after you've been forlornly waiting at the carousel for your bags until the very end. Of course they know it hadn't been loaded (per TheInsider's comment), maybe 12 hours prior to arrival and they could have told you in flight if not immediately on arrival, so you need not waste time unnecessarily.

That's where Apple Airtags are good - you know pretty much arriving at the carousel if your bags are going to appear or not, so can go straight to baggage services, ahead of any queue and get going.

 

[Quickstatus]

Yes, you never want to hear your name after

Unfortunately didn't happen to me after a LAX- BNE. Had to chase up with lost luggage.

 

[justinbrett]

Ideally VA & JQ should also adopt boarding groups - if everyone does it the culture will stick, like it now has in the US. Granted JQ would just be based on row numbers with no status recognition.

I think most pax who disregard priority boarding do so out of ignorance, not deliberately trying to push in front. Numbers printed on boarding passes make it simple for everyone to understand.

Just maybe don't take it as far as this:

 

[SYD]

Unfortunately didn't happen to me after a LAX- BNE. Had to chase up with lost luggage.

TBH, I haven’t heard that announcement at the end of QF flight for years. It was a ground staff person that would grab the mic read the list. Maybe less of an issue post the BA / QF hookup… Although one of mine was AA to QF.

 

[justinbrett]

TBH, I haven’t heard that announcement at the end of QF flight for years. It was a ground staff person that would grab the mic read the list. Maybe less of an issue post the BA / QF hookup… Although one of mine was AA to QF.

I had one connecting from AA. The announcement wasn't by name - just "those passengers who connected from LAS, your bags didn't make it".

Our flight was 3 hours late and we had to run to the gate, so wasn't all that surprising.

 

[Quickstatus]

That's where Apple Airtags are good - you know pretty much arriving at the carousel

I found at the last SQ flight back into SYD that there is a bit of waiting at the carousel for the Airtag to register especially if one of the first to exit the aircraft and no delays at the immigration line.

 

[smckay]

No, especially when it happens (in my experience arriving from LAX) after you've been forlornly waiting at the carousel for your bags until the very end. Of course they know it hadn't been loaded (per TheInsider's comment), maybe 12 hours prior to arrival and they could have told you in flight if not immediately on arrival, so you need not waste time unnecessarily.

That would come under the paragraph ‘proactively working in our customers best interest’ in the training manual. I thinks it’s the last subject on the last day of training and gets rushed through.

 

[BAM1748]

I doubt there's any intention to misplace bags, but given all the gears in motion, its not unsurprising that a small number of bags go - any logistical operation will be the same.

For sure but what I’m saying is put extra money and effort in to fix the problem not extra money and effort into a dulux fix.

 

[encryptededdy]

Now when Qantas leaves behind your bags due to weight restrictions (e.g. Qantas leaves some bags behind on SYD-WLG), instead of not telling you until you've been waiting at the carousel for 20 minutes, they will.... still not tell you, but you can find out yourself by checking the app.