Qantas to Introduce Group Boarding and Bag Tracking

[fly2earth]

Check a bag … then you have plenty of time

Last time I arrived 2 minutes late to the CX boarding gate at HKG for my 1 hr transfer and they had to offload my checked bag (rather than letting me get on the plane?) Leaving me to hop back myself to Straya
And reboarded me on a new plane.

 

[RooFlyer]

Of course, this necessitates the gate agents and lounge agents to be in sync and the gate signal their estimate at the right time.

Many of the times the people at the gate are simply waiting for the people on the aircraft signal that they’re ready for boarding to start. You can see the gate agents on the radio or peering down the bridge corridor waiting to get the thumbs up. In this case, they would have to delay boarding to give the lounge their five minutes notice and I don’t think they really want to hold things up just for that.

App will shortly have inbound flight information for the flight you are on.

That will be brilliant. At the moment, the Flighty app has that for Virgin here (including aircraft details and a push notification of 'touchdown of inbound aircraft') and also for many other airlines around the world, but not Qantas. I’ve assumed that whatever database Flighty draws from, Qantas didn’t feed into. I wonder if they will now?

 

[fly2earth]

Funny experience. One time I walked out of the lounge to board the flight only 10 minutes after walking in (note: no boarding announcements made) and the moment I stepped out of the lounge precinct (past two seperate lounge ) I got an announcement via the app that boarding is delayed for another 30 minutes. Guess the lounge 's weren't feeling particularly chatty that day. What is even more funny is I walked back in after 30 minutes when plane is delayed a further 30 minutes. Lounge don't need me to scan my pass since she already knew who I was

 

[Berlin]

App will shortly have inbound flight information for the flight you are on.

Now THAT is a functionality that would be awesome! AA had this for ages but better late than never. Most exciting news in a long time!

 

[Berlin]

That will be brilliant. At the moment, the Flighty app has that for Virgin here (including aircraft details and a push notification of 'touchdown of inbound aircraft') and also for many other airlines around the world, but not Qantas. I’ve assumed that whatever database Flighty draws from, Qantas didn’t feed into. I wonder if they will now?

Yes, it’s the same on Flightradar. Almost every other airline you can tell which your incoming aircraft will be but not with Qantas. Gosh- VA often has days of future flights listed in advance.

Which gives a nerdy and always slightly anxious (German blood, you know, the Angst…) travelers like me the great opportunity to get worked about potential delays waaaay ahead of time

 

[serfty]

Flightaware has had this information for at least a year.

Matching from various sources such as gate, registration appears to be how it done.

It is airline agnostic.

 

[justinbrett]

Flightaware has had this information for at least a year.

Matching from various sources such as gate, registration appears to be how it done.

It is airline agnostic.

Pre-covid IME.

Although the time at which the inbound flight becomes visible is the question, and can be very late (even as late as 30 minutes prior).

I think it requires the flight plan to be submitted which has the registration, and from my ATC days that can be submitted very late, sometimes while the crew are already in the aircraft.

JQ seem to submit them for an entire mission at once (eg MEL-SYD-OOL-SYD-MEL).

 

[encryptededdy]

Flightaware has had this information for at least a year.

Matching from various sources such as gate, registration appears to be how it done.

It is airline agnostic.

I find FlightAware doesn't work for QF until departure either. For instance, I'm sitting here waiting for QF164 due to depart in 2h and no registration has been posted yet (of course by viewing historical data we can deduct it will be QF161's aircraft, so VH-XZG).



Anyway, I wonder if with the app change QF will start submitting the flight plan sooner, or if it'll just be an internal thing that it references to get aircraft information.

I certainly appreciate the AA app telling us what the inbound aircraft is.

 

[baggyred]

Just had my first experience of this - passengers clearly need to be up skilled

But I hope qantas stick with it - even with the countless people trying to board as group 1 - qantas actually were enforcing it

Even as a lowly group 5 this flight - made my experience better with less queuing

 

[RichardMEL]

Just had my first experience of this - passengers clearly need to be up skilled

Made match fit?

But I hope qantas stick with it - even with the countless people trying to board as group 1 - qantas actually were enforcing it

good to hear. Seems funny all the ppl who think they may be group 1 or 2. Signage is quite clear.

 

[baggyred]

Made match fit?



good to hear. Seems funny all the ppl who think they may be group 1 or 2. Signage is quite clear.

Faux ignorance

Probably used to just wandering up in the past through the premium lanes and relying on staff wanting to avoid confrontation.

 

[HirafuHeartAttack]

Good feedback to give Qantas especially in the early stages of the roll out. Let us know the response you get.

I’ll also hang back in the lounge and see what the boarding timing calls are.

Though I do agree with the above posters if you want to board first then you should be at the gate when the boarding is scheduled to commence

I normally leave the lounge early but had just got off a return same day from Emerald before heading home to Sydney. Submitted an enquiry to Qantas in relation to it today to see if I'd get any response and suprisingly quickly received the below... Colour me impressed at both the time and nature of the response.

Dear,
Thank you for reaching out to the Qantas Customer Care team.
We know the ability to board first based on our new group boarding system is important and we apologise for the impact this had on your journey. We have forwarded your feedback regarding ensuring boarding announcements are made well in advance to ensure that Group 1 and 2 are able to board on time and ahead of those they should be ahead of. We appreciate you providing this feedback as it assists in improving our services.
Thank you for taking the time to let us know about your experience and we look forward to welcoming you onboard again soon.
Kind Regards,
Zoe
Qantas Customer Care

Now whether or not that occurs is another story. And while I agree with many that 'you should be at the gate on time' the onus should be on Qantas here to allow those who want to make use of the protocol enough time to do so. Many flights I've been on recently have started boarding 5-10 mins ahead of schedule on the triangle. I'd also like to point out the inbound arrival theory doesn't quite work between 6-6:30am

 

[dairyfloss]

Faux ignorance

Probably used to just wandering up in the past through the premium lanes and relying on staff wanting to avoid confrontation.

I must get to the gate a bit faster once this starts properly, ex-SYD. Not so I can board earlier, but I am looking forward to playing 'reject bingo' using folks at the gate lounge, with my travel companions!

 

[baggyred]

This is the game changer for enforcing the groups

 

[dairyfloss]

I must get to the gate a bit faster once this starts properly, ex-SYD. Not so I can board earlier, but I am looking forward to playing 'reject bingo' using folks at the gate lounge, with my travel companions!

I've created this, if anyone wants to join in the fun? You should find most of these folks at every eligible domestic flight

Cheers,
Matt.

 

[Captain Halliday]

I've created this, if anyone wants to join in the fun? You should find most of these folks at every eligible domestic flight
View attachment 391382
Cheers,
Matt.

BINGO!

In fairness I am on the Bintang Express this evening, so I had a tactical advantage.

 

[dairyfloss]

BINGO!

In fairness I am on the Bintang Express this evening, so I had a tactical advantage.

Nice one! Even without the need to sub out the t-shirt for a muscle shirt / singlet and wearable neck pillow?

 

[Captain Halliday]

Nice one! Even without the need to sub out the t-shirt for a muscle shirt / singlet and wearable neck pillow?

It’s possible I was in smart jeans, tshirt and carrying a backpack.

But I did substitute the kid with the ride on animal suitcase with a kid riding an all in one scooter that pulls the case.

Perhaps that disqualifies me?

 

[TheInsider]

I normally leave the lounge early but had just got off a return same day from Emerald before heading home to Sydney. Submitted an enquiry to Qantas in relation to it today to see if I'd get any response and suprisingly quickly received the below... Colour me impressed at both the time and nature of the response.

Sorry, maybe I'm not understanding something, but why should the lounge call boarding early if they aren't boarding the flight? They call it when it has started boarding, they won't make pre-boarding calls.
It is your responsibility to get to the gate and use the boarding whenever you feel like it. If you want to board early, then get to the gate early?
In no way, will they ever call the flight in the lounge and then hold off boarding until the lounge passengers arrive at the gate.

The domestic lounges are already filled with boarding calls and final boarding calls, adding a pre-boarding call is just making the lounges more of a zoo with the noise. Still think all QF lounges should be silent.

 

[serfty]

They call it when it has started boarding, they won't make pre-boarding calls.

I have flown over 1K Qantas flight segments since 1994, generally with lounge access prior.

My experience is that boarding calls are occasionally made in qantas lounges when boarding had not actually commenced at the time of the call.