Qantas to Introduce Group Boarding and Bag Tracking

[Beano]

MEL, ADL, SYD INT last week. Only MEL group boarding.

 

[RSVKanga]

MEL, ADL, SYD INT last week. Only MEL group boarding.

Group boarding is only for A330 and 737 domestic flights at Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth.

 

[Beano]

Group boarding is only for A330 and 737 domestic flights at Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth.

Thanks

 

[Cognac]

Ex-PER yesterday for domestic, worked pretty well. I saw multiple people get rejected by the computer as Group 1 was boarding. No one seemed to upset by it. Qantas also had a staff member walking along the line letting everyone know that it was Group 1 boarding only.

Side Note: Perth T3/T4 is just so not fit for purpose anymore. The move to T1 can't come soon enough.

 

[elanshin]

Yeah the common problem for many airlines on trunk.or hub to hub routes high in Premium and elite flyers.

Last momth I flew SFO-ORD on UA on an A321, and the Elite boards (and upgrade WL) were probably half or more of the aircraft...

Yeh similarly at DFW to DCA. Kind felt pointless when a third of the plane or more was group 0 or group 1. (and non AA OWE isnt even group 1 regularly).

 

[Lynda2475]

First experience of group boarding at SYDd tonight. Announcement made prior to boarding commencing, no one crowding the gate. Being in J and WP (Group 1) was able to walk straight on.

 

[RooFlyer]

My first experience of group boarding yesterday early evening, SYD-MEL, as noted in my TR. Boarding commenced 15 mins late, by which time the gate area was a zoo. I mean an almost shoulder to shoulder gaggle 5-10 deep.

When Group 1 with its listed pax categories called, naturally everyone stepped forward and it was just a clog of status funneling into the gate ropeline.

Not sure if the old way would have been any better, or worse - in this case the load was so status top-heavy that it seemed half the plane was Group 1. Reading comments above, that doesn't seem uncommon.

How can they stage it down further when there are so many status pax? On certain routes/timings when they know its be status heavy, have an ad-hoc Group 0 of CL, WP1 and Business with WPs in whY bumped to Group 2?

 

[justinbrett]

How can they stage it down further when there are so many status pax? On certain routes/timings when they know its be status heavy, have an ad-hoc Group 0 of CL, WP1 and Business with WPs in whY bumped to Group 2?

On AA, OWE is group 2 unless flying in J (domestic F).

But even then with executive platinum added there can be a sizeable group 1.

 

[WLGFlyer]

Appreciate that this is overall a good new system, but how can they not have the ability to manually override and board passengers? Does QF not trust their staff enough?

Had a family ahead of me in BNE the other day where the parent was Group 1 and the kids Group 6. Kids got rejected by the scanner and the agents solution was to point them towards the regular counter to have their bookings linked (or wait). Created a bit of an unpleasant situation for everyone (the parent had gone first and was a rightfully upset to be initially told to leave the kids behind).

 

[Dmac59]

Appreciate that this is overall a good new system, but how can they not have the ability to manually override and board passengers? Does QF not trust their staff enough?

Had a family ahead of me in BNE the other day where the parent was Group 1 and the kids Group 6. Kids got rejected by the scanner and the agents solution was to point them towards the regular counter to have their bookings linked (or wait). Created a bit of an unpleasant situation for everyone (the parent had gone first and was a rightfully upset to be initially told to leave the kids behind).

A very bad look for QF.
Surely common sense can prevail and the staff can override. Isn't this the case for customers "with special needs"?

 

[RichardMEL]

That sounds like separate bookings to me. However, I dugress.

Personally had smooth boarding experience in BNE the other day and saw nobody rejected before I boarded.

Of course, the weird decision to only use groups for mainline flighrs manifested boarding A220 service to BNE which was old style semi free for all, despite group signage.

Didn't bother me too much, but as usual creates an inconsistent travel experience. Not just between mainline and QFlink, but of course that group boarding is only at the major terminals. If I board mainline at CNS or OOL no groups. It's silly imo. Either appky to all, or none. Typical QF consistent Inconsistency(tm). Starting to get the feeling they do this stuff now on purpose as an exercise in branding

 

[henrus]

Had a family ahead of me in BNE the other day where the parent was Group 1 and the kids Group 6. Kids got rejected by the scanner and the agents solution was to point them towards the regular counter to have their bookings linked (or wait).

On one hand I agree but also what did they expect. More recently entering lounges they’ve linked people I’ve been travelling with and I didn’t ask.

 

[justinbrett]

Appreciate that this is overall a good new system, but how can they not have the ability to manually override and board passengers? Does QF not trust their staff enough?

Had a family ahead of me in BNE the other day where the parent was Group 1 and the kids Group 6. Kids got rejected by the scanner and the agents solution was to point them towards the regular counter to have their bookings linked (or wait). Created a bit of an unpleasant situation for everyone (the parent had gone first and was a rightfully upset to be initially told to leave the kids behind).

Personally I like the way QF implemented this.

With the sound knowledge the computer will say no, people will eventually stop trying to jump the queue and hassle staff about it. We are such an egalitarian society this was always going to be difficult to implement, and removing discretion from the agents makes this a bit easier.

Sure there’s fallout like in your example but that should have been picked up at check in. I imagine once everyone is used to the system they can reintroduce staff discretion.

 

[BenP]

Had a family ahead of me in BNE the other day where the parent was Group 1 and the kids Group 6. Kids got rejected by the scanner and the agents solution was to point them towards the regular counter to have their bookings linked (or wait). Created a bit of an unpleasant situation for everyone (the parent had gone first and was a rightfully upset to be initially told to leave the kids behind).

I'm trying to work out how this would be solely Qantas fault although they should cop some of the blame depending on the age of the kids. When I flew on the weekend I'm pretty sure there was signage saying they are using group boarding and to check your group. Why didn't the parent who I'm assuming is a pretty regular traveller to be in group 1 and deal with when they checked in

Side note I like the group boarding as it gives me something to do whilst I'm waiting for my flight, see how many people the computer says no to

 

[Dmac59]

Why didn't the parent who I'm assuming is a pretty regular traveller to be in group 1 and deal with when they checked in

Valid point @BenP , and welcome to AFF.

Side note I like the group boarding as it gives me something to do whilst I'm waiting for my flight, see how many people the computer says no to

Agree, it can be entertaining watching the “turn backs”

 

[RealtimeY]

Why didn't the parent who I'm assuming is a pretty regular traveller to be in group 1 and deal with when they checked in

I don't think the ability to link bookings is widely advertised and it's reasonable to expect that they could manually make an exception.

Moreover, a group 1 traveller could theoretically be completely oblivious to the new boarding process because they can board whenever they please anyway. Well, that's until they try to board with group 6 companions.

 

[Kangol]

I'm trying to work out how this would be solely Qantas fault

It's not, it's solely the parent's fault.

Recently I boarded in SYD on what was probably a flight with few group 1 and 2 pax, because they were boarded together.
Don't recall that in MEL, which started with group 1 only.

 

[tdimdad]

I don't think the ability to link bookings is widely advertised and it's reasonable to expect that they could manually make an exception.

Moreover, a group 1 traveller could theoretically be completely oblivious to the new boarding process because they can board whenever they please anyway. Well, that's until they try to board with group 6 companions.

At the same time, the family certainly was aware that they are on different groups. You'd think that the group 1 pax would also realise that the process has changed recently. It's pretty old school to presume that while they could all have walked through before, that the updated process would by default still allow that from here on.

A simple prompt for guidance would be an extra sentence in the annoucements: "If your travelling party has different groups, please board with the last of those or see the service desk."

 

[justinbrett]

I'm trying to work out how this would be solely Qantas fault although they should cop some of the blame depending on the age of the kids.

If the kids are under 12 they’re unaccompanied minors and would have required QF to know the bookings are travelling together.

If it’s 13+, I reckon those kids are smart enough to find their own seats.

 

[exceladdict]

I maintain we need a manual (or automatic at lounge entry WITH confirmation) way of linking bookings. It feels yucky to leave work colleagues for example and board before them, even after you've brought them into the lounge. But it's not quite the same as it being a spouse or family member in terms of asking staff to let them board with you.

If you guest someone into a lounge the bookings should be linked and the boarding group updated on the electronic boarding pass of the guestee.