Qantas to Introduce Group Boarding and Bag Tracking

[kookaburra75]

Qantas launches ‘group boarding’ on Sydney flights

Qantas is now boarding domestic flights by passenger groups: here’s what you need to know.

www.executivetraveller.com

According to this article -

Announcements will be made at the gate when it is time for each group to board, and the boarding pass scanner will only permit travellers to board once their group has been invited, so there’ll be no jumping the queue.

This is an interesting development. So if I'm WP and Mrs Flying Fox is NB and we are both in Y, we will be boarding separately.

I'll let you know at the end of the month how MrsK (NB) and me (WP) go - if they have introduced the new scheme to Canberra by then. We'll always be travelling like that, as I'm now LTG.

 

[tdimdad]

I can’t remember reading if travelling groups on the same PNR will automatically get the priority of the highest status pax? And if you’re travelling with someone in a different group and different PNR, you’ll either have to board separately or at the time of the lowest priority?

This is where the old-fashioned manual sorting of queues is handy: you can ask the gate agent if your travelling companion can join you in a higher queue. If it's fully handled by the system, then the system will (or should) say 'no' by default.

 

[TheInsider]

This is an interesting development. So if I'm WP and Mrs Flying Fox is NB and we are both in Y, we will be boarding seperately.

If you are on a different booking that hasn't been linked up, then yes.

 

[Flying Fox]

If you are on a different booking that hasn't been linked up, then yes.

Ah yes, that would make sense. I guess everyone on the same booking inherit the highest level of boarding group?

 

[drron]

it better be so as I have easily requalified BA gold with Mrsdrron flying exactly the same flights being well short of getting back to WP. She wouldn't be impressed not being in the same group for boarding.

 

[tdimdad]

From a Fairfax article. Somehow a certain group many of us would know of has been singled out. Us the bottleneck? Really???

Will the new system help reduce boarding times? Merkert says yes.
Chiefly, it will address boarding delays caused by a recent surge in Qantas high-priority status frequent flyers – a hangover from COVID-19 status extensions and status matching exercises with Virgin Australia.
“Those passenger can board the plane first, regardless of the cabin they are booked in, which can lead to long queues and inefficient boarding,” said Merkert.

Qantas makes major change to how passengers board domestic flights

Qantas passengers will now be assigned group numbers that will determine when they can board.

www.smh.com.au

 

[dairyfloss]

Ah yes, that would make sense. I guess everyone on the same booking inherit the highest level of boarding group?

Yes - if on the same booking, then the highest status pax in the group determines the group for all

 

[RichardMEL]

I bet there have already been DYKWIA types causing a fuss with this at the gate...

 

[Pushka]

And it seems Gold will be in Group 2, not 1.

 

[Mattg]

I just boarded a flight in BNE and I can’t say I’m too impressed with the new system.

There were two clearly marked boarding lanes, for Groups 1/2 on the left and Groups 3-6 on the right.

Groups 1 & 2 were called together to board first. This was followed by groups 3 & 6, with passengers from those groups just lining up in both lanes. So, anyone who arrived at the gate at this point who was entitled to priority boarding would not just be able to walk down an empty left lane. Finally, groups 4 & 5 were called to board together.

I watched the entire process and boarded last. During the entire boarding procedure I did not see anyone turned away for being in the incorrect boarding group. So, either everyone boarded in the correct group (I somehow find this unlikely) or the system did not reject them and staff said nothing.

The only difference I can see between this and the old system is that passengers sitting in the middle of economy now board before those sitting at the front and back of economy (when both doors are used for boarding).

 

[Fifa]

Why am I not surprised?

 

[moa999]

will address boarding delays caused by a recent surge in Qantas high-priority status frequent flyers – a hangover from COVID-19 status extensions and status matching exercises with Virgin Australia.

Not sure how a surge in high status FFrs slows down boarding.

Many FFrs are the last to board as they stay in the lounge.

 

[Berlin]

Not sure how a surge in high status FFrs slows down boarding.

Many FFrs are the last to board as they stay in the lounge.

And they also tend to know how to board and where to find their seat. The ones REALLY holding up things are those people who stare at Row 1 or 2 wondering whether that might be their row 28 seats…

 

[SeatBackForward]

I bet there have already been DYKWIA types causing a fuss with this at the gate...

"*I* don't know who you are, but apparently the machine does, sorry back of the line for you".

 

[SeatBackForward]

I did not see anyone turned away for being in the incorrect boarding group.

They've already found the override button! The ingenuity when it comes to not doing the right thing is amazing!

 

[Daver6]

If you are on a different booking that hasn't been linked up, then yes.

How does one "link" the different bookings?

 

[dairyfloss]

How does one "link" the different bookings?

You need to call up... though I've also asked the question of @TheInsider about this, as there was murmurings of being able to do/request this via the app, but I have a feeling it was something else, like adding someone else's booking via MMB... which won't help!

Cheers.
Matt.

 

[Berlin]

How does one "link" the different bookings?

Ah, don’t you worry- Qantas won’t be able/willing to police the new boarding policy anyway so nothing to worry about

 

[tdimdad]

Many FFrs are the last to board as they stay in the lounge.

Besides, especially the business travellers who spend half of their time at 30k ft tend to be efficient in their moves: bag up, backside down, and ready. No fuss, no kitchen sinks, or ten shopping bags to sort through before stepping out of the way.

 

[Fifi2207]

My experience in the US as qantas platinum in economy has been boarding group 1. Recent experience in Europe, boarding group 1, again platinum. But on a business award with the second leg in economy. So not sure if business on the first flight kicked in or status.
Singapore airlines was interesting being business class and VA platinum, but group 2. When I asked they said 'the group was determined by seat row (18 in my case), but you're business so you board first anyway.'

Recent BA boarding group experience in London. J and WP row 2 on Qantas ticket I was boarding group 3 on boarding pass but they did call business passengers forward first so off we went out of our group 3 corral