Qantas to Introduce Group Boarding and Bag Tracking

[pauly7]

If gate agents are continually overriding the assigned boarding groups that defeats the purpose of having them.

I honestly don’t think outside of AFF folk, not many people will even clock it. Will be interesting to see what happens when the trial expands to Sydney, I think we can safely agree a few more DYKWIA’s may be based there?

 

[Lynda2475]

Will be interesting to see what happens when the trial expands to Sydney, I think we can safely agree a few more DYKWIA’s may be based there?

Trial is already in Sydney on some flights - hence the reports earlier in this thread.

I hope to experience it on my next flight from SYD in a couple of weeks.

 

[pauly7]

Trial is already in Sydney on some flights - hence the reports earlier in this thread.

I hope to experience it on my next flight from SYD in a couple of weeks.

I must have missed that, thanks!

 

[tdimdad]

Well QF could (like some other airlines do for award purposes) allow you to pre-nominate in your profile your linked family members. Then if they are on the same flight as you it could auto-link. But I do feel there needs to be a cap, and aligning it with lounge guest eligibility makes sense (and limiting to partner/parent/sibling/child no 3rd cousins twice removed)

If you want more than the +1/2 (depending on status), then they must be on the same PNR. Otherwise link by predefining the relationship in your profile.

Something like this could work. E.g. use the same nomination options than in reward flight bookings (when booking for someone else or gifting points) and cap it to one other PNR. There will be the odd ones out where e.g. a family travels on more than two PNR's but perhaps they can go and ask in advance for a separate override, if they want to board together with the highest status holder.

 

[KSC]

I’m a non-frequent flyer and without reading this I would not have been surprised me if I had to board by group. As long as I was notified a visual display and audio announcement helps.
Also helps if the person speaking is clear and not monotone.

Also helps to spice up the messaging a bit to get peoples attention eg. “Passengers boarding QF69 to Brisbane, today is your lucky day as you are all in the draw to be potential winners of boarding bingo. The game is simple, starting lining up to board when your group number displayed on your boarding pass is called. To make winning easy here is a hint… We will be boarding in groups ordered from 1 to 6. Any passengers that attempt to board before their group number is called, will be politely asked to return back for another attempt of boarding bingo when their group is called.”

 

[andytheturtle]

I’m a non-frequent flyer and without reading this I would not have been surprised me if I had to board by group. As long as I was notified a visual display and audio announcement helps.
Also helps if the person speaking is clear and not monotone.

Also helps to spice up the messaging a bit to get peoples attention eg. “Passengers boarding QF69 to Brisbane, today is your lucky day as you are all in the draw to be potential winners of boarding bingo. The game is simple, starting lining up to board when your group number displayed on your boarding pass is called. To make winning easy here is a hint… We will be boarding in groups ordered from 1 to 6. Any passengers that attempt to board before their group number is called, will be politely asked to return back for another attempt of boarding bingo when their group is called.”

Haha. That’s way too complicated for most people.

I’d suggest a pictorial guide like those safety instruction cards onboard, or the IKEA assembly instructions

Having the announcement in multiple languages would help, too.

 

[anat0l]

I'm curious if anyone has come across airports or airlines that use such real-time signage?
I've seen agents carrying handwritten signs as they walk down the queue to remind people who should be lining up.

The US airlines, at least in the USA, at many airports display the current boarding group on the info screen belonging to the gate.

Outside of the USA, I don't think this usually exists, because the airlines can't take control of what they display on information displays. Happy to be wrong.

Another technique I've seen is the use of barriers to make people line up in their boarding groups before boarding starts. I think I've seen BA do this at both LHR T5 as well as outstations. The fronts of the lines are blocked off and only opened when the boarding group is permitted to board.

If gate agents are continually overriding the assigned boarding groups that defeats the purpose of having them.

I wonder if someone logs the system's use (i.e. tracks which customer was boarded, when, whether an override was needed, sees in what order the plane is filled), because if so that could give some insight into a query like this.

 

[andytheturtle]

And is this meant mostly for Domestic flights?
Almost goes without saying, but the queue to board a single aisle plane is much longer than the double isle.
I find international boarding to be generally less chaotic.

 

[Captain Halliday]

Haha. That’s way too complicated for most people.

I’d suggest a pictorial guide like those safety instruction cards onboard, or the IKEA assembly instructions

Having the announcement in multiple languages would help, too.

Great analogy.

Boarding is like assembling flat pack:

• 180 pieces to get in the right spot. (Pax)
• Sometimes the pieces get lost.
• Instructions that are unclear.
• Often you just need to jam them in to make them fit. (Seats and overhead lockers)
• Occasionally when you’re finished there’s still some pieces left (overbooked)
• And despite vowing “never again” you keep returning for more.

 

[pauly7]

That's mildly surprising. AA have fairly well established boarding by group protocols. The definitions of the groups have shuffled over years, but the system is there.

What is more problematic in the USA is gate lice, which sometimes gets in the way of those who are boarding now (or soon) who try lining up.

Well established yes as in it’s been around for a long while, but it has changed and not everyone flies AA all the time, so I guess some people just get confused, don’t listen etc

Anyway like the new QF system being trialled it is very good at turning away those people, which will hopefully correct their ‘behaviour’ whether it be non-attention paying or the mortal enemy of AFFers - the ‘DYKWIA and Ill just board when I want’ person

 

[KSC]

The US airlines, at least in the USA, at many airports display the current boarding group on the info screen belonging to the gate.

Outside of the USA, I don't think this usually exists, because the airlines can't take control of what they display on information displays. Happy to be wrong.

Another technique I've seen is the use of barriers to make people line up in their boarding groups before boarding starts. I think I've seen BA do this at both LHR T5 as well as outstations. The fronts of the lines are blocked off and only opened when the boarding group is permitted to board.



I wonder if someone logs the system's use (i.e. tracks which customer was boarded, when, whether an override was needed, sees in what order the plane is filled), because if so that could give some insight into a query like this.

Domestic flights I have had in the US from memory showed the boarding groups on a display.
The only thing I found consistent that holds up their boarding are two main scenarios.

1. Passengers trying to board with oversized and overweight luggage. “Oh I wasn’t aware that I could not bring a kitchen sink” or “this is only a 80lbs kettle bell, I’m sure someone can put it in the over head storage’.

2. Passengers not sitting in their allocated seats even when it’s a basic single number assigned seat. Happened to me twice in one trip in the US ‘yes that is correct I’m in seat 1A which is in the front of the plane your seat 3A is in row 3”.

Summing up what ever boarding system Qantas implements the human factors make it a challenge and will take time for the majority to get used to.
The human factors in control is the Qantas crew.
It’s good to hear feedback that crew are only letting the designated boarding group board when called. This will give enough stick for people to learn.

Also a consistent set of procedures implemented and followed by the crew is important. Challenging implementing new ways working and embedding those changes to sustain long term.

 

[jase05]

Please hurry up with this trial and then bring it to ADL ASAP.
It was always pretty good here but the last 2 weeks I’ve had 5 flights out and 1 was just ok and the other 4 were free for alls and a debacle

 

[exceladdict]

I'm usually on the same PNR as Mrs excel but very rarely on the same booking as non status colleagues. A simple fix would be when going to the lounge, agent offers or system automatically links the two boarding passes and that then automatically upgrades boarding priority. Allows SG one, WP two adult guests plus children if present.

 

[andytheturtle]

I'm usually on the same PNR as Mrs excel but very rarely on the same booking as non status colleagues. A simple fix would be when going to the lounge, agent offers or system automatically links the two boarding passes and that then automatically upgrades boarding priority. Allows SG one, WP two adult guests plus children if present.

I sense there’ll soon be a thread for spare priority boarding spot

The “ I’m in the QF Group 1 thread”

 

[serfty]

The US airlines, at least in the USA, at many airports display the current boarding group on the info screen belonging to the gate.

Outside of the USA, I don't think this usually exists, because the airlines can't take control of what they display on information displays. Happy to be wrong.

Don't forget that in the USA, airlines sell "priority boarding". With that the agents are really obligated to police it. "They are with me" doesn't cut it.

Such won't get you in front of elites and pointy end PAX though.

 

[jakeseven7]

Don't forget that in the USA, airlines sell "priority boarding". With that the agents are really obligated to police it. "They are with me" doesn't cut it.

Such won't get you in front of elites and pointy end PAX though.

Both VA2 and Jetstar have mulled selling priority boarding here too. I wonder who will break the ice first…

 

[malwcal]

But how much of the need for priority boarding etc a side effect of people bringing excessive amounts of cabin luggage? (It's not like you will get to your destination any quicker based on when you board!)

Why? Well the fact it often takes Qantas 30++ minutes to unload checked luggage certainly doesn't help!

 

[dylarr]

But how much of the need for priority boarding etc a side effect of people bringing excessive amounts of cabin luggage? (It's not like you will get to your destination any quicker based on when you board!)

Why? Well the fact it often takes Qantas 30++ minutes to unload checked luggage certainly doesn't help!

This is pretty much describes me. I value priority boarding for access to overhead bin space and I value carry on due to lengthy waits to get bags at the carousel.

If bags were consistently fast to the carousel then I wouldn’t be compelled to use carry on as much as I do.

 

[malwcal]

This is pretty much describes me. I value priority boarding for access to overhead bin space and I value carry on due to lengthy waits to get bags at the carousel.

If bags were consistently fast to the carousel then I wouldn’t be compelled to use carry on as much as I do.

Exactly! It's not like boarding earlier will get you to your final destination quicker.

 

[anat0l]

This is pretty much describes me. I value priority boarding for access to overhead bin space and I value carry on due to lengthy waits to get bags at the carousel.

If bags were consistently fast to the carousel then I wouldn’t be compelled to use carry on as much as I do.

Why have we come so far in all sorts of technology but no one has come up with an effective way to speed up checked baggage, both checking in and returning it?

The only mechanisms we have come up with in this area are tighter rules and more fees. And maybe faster luggage belts and bag scanning. Some innovation...