Qantas to Introduce Group Boarding and Bag Tracking

[TheInsider]

Absolutely agree, very overdue and no reason it can't be done now.

It will be happening, but still a matter of airport authorities, airport IT infrastructure that's not QF run or owned and testing for different aircraft types

 

[elanshin]

It will be happening, but still a matter of airport authorities, airport IT infrastructure that's not QF run or owned and testing for different aircraft types

But don't other airlines already segregate customers like F, J, W, Y.

Then you can subdivide among that with status pax.

 

[Lynda2475]

Surely allocating a boarding group on a boarding pass is solely within QFs control.

For flights departing for the US passengers are held back from the actual gate so no real reason why they can't call by class and boarding group within class. And on return, all the US airports are more than familiar with the group boarding concept.

Imo should have started with A380, bigger the plane more chaotic the boarding without proper priority.

But good to hear much needed

 

[tdimdad]

It will be happening, but still a matter of airport authorities, airport IT infrastructure that's not QF run or owned and testing for different aircraft types

It won't need any IT but can be run on a manual process, just like JL and CX do it: have an agent comb the queues and guide people into the right ones. It's about the want, not the tools. The tools will just automate parts of it and take manual effort off the process.

 

[TheInsider]

It won't need any IT but can be run on a manual process, just like JL and CX do it: have an agent comb the queues and guide people into the right ones. It's about the want, not the tools. The tools will just automate parts of it and take manual effort off the process.

So basically, what it has been since forever, a manual process. We know how well that has worked and is working.

 

[justinbrett]

For flights departing for the US passengers are held back from the actual gate

On my last flight to the US (QF11) the helpful agent (not in QF uniform - the guys that check for the US screening stickers) didn't want to let me through because he was just checking for business class, despite the agent with the PA also calling for WP/OWE.

 

[Daver6]

Group boarding is sorely needed on international - especially A380s.

QF1 just boarded at SYD gate 8 with "Premium Boarding" instead of separate First & Business lanes. The following categories all converged simultaneously once they called this.

First
Business
Premium Economy
Qantas Platinum One
Qantas Platinum
Qantas Gold
Oneworld Emerald
Oneworld Sapphire
Emirates Platinum
Emirates Gold

It is a full flight. F+J+W combined is 144 people. With status pax, I would estimate somewhere between 250 and 300 people in total, filtered down a single boarding lane. Total coughshow as you'd imagine.

Imagine you'd paid QF1 First prices...

I don't understand why they regressed. They used to have four clear boarding lanes for the A380 based on cabin. Worked well.

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

I don't understand why they regressed. They used to have four clear boarding lanes for the A380 based on cabin. Worked well.

I think you will find this is an "enhancement" and you've simply misunderstood it to be a regression. It's OK, you're forgiven, and you're welcome.

 

[itsjackson]

I've always done the trick of having my OWE ff number attached to my booking and getting my boarding pass with priority printed on it, then changing the ff number to my QF one right before boarding. I'm guessing, under the new system, that would no longer allow me to board with group 1?
In this case, would I have to choose from either priority boarding or getting my flights credited to my QF account, my understanding is once you are scanned at the gate, you can't change the ff number on the booking.

 

[RealtimeY]

In my experience it's been once you hit the scheduled departure time of the first flight that those online FF number change options close

 

[dairyfloss]

I've always done the trick of having my OWE ff number attached to my booking and getting my boarding pass with priority printed on it, then changing the ff number to my QF one right before boarding. I'm guessing, under the new system, that would no longer allow me to board with group 1?
In this case, would I have to choose from either priority boarding or getting my flights credited to my QF account, my understanding is once you are scanned at the gate, you can't change the ff number on the booking.

There's a way (or at least used to be a way) to indicate a seperate FF account for airline status vs the FF program to credit to on a booking, but apparently it's not something you can easily do on your own. I think it needs a skilled & willing agent (not QF ) to help with this.

An older article from AFF explains, here: Using Status Benefits & Earning Points with Different Programs

Cheers,
Matt.

 

[RealtimeY]

Apparently not with QF