Qantas to Remove Domestic Boarding Pass Printing from Kiosks

[dk4]

I got told off for trying to check in at a Qantas Club front desk last year, after doing it for decades when flying HLO, I was advised she could only check me in to the lounge and not my flight, I needed to do it online next time, before I got to the lounge front desk.

IMO its time for QAN to go through voluntary administration, and get their costs under control with a massive overhaul (and staff&managrment wage reduction), rather than trying to do it one olive at a time.

 

[TheInsider]

IMO its time for QAN to go through voluntary administration, and get their costs under control with a massive overhaul (and staff&managrment wage reduction), rather than trying to do it one olive at a time.

Staff wage reduction. Please.
Most qantas staff are on very minimal money these days. Some haven't even had a pay rise in 3-4 years.
There is a reason why they are recruiting about 130 ground staff in Melbourne and about 60 in Sydney.
140ish Qantas link 717 cabin crew.
Extremely short on international cabin crew. No one wants to work for them any more. That's another reason why Qantas is giving a retention bonus next year for people that stay. They know they are screwed.

 

[love_the_life]

Well thanks for nothing QF. Whilst I have the App and check in using it, the daughter does not (does not download Apps at all) and has generally used a kiosk to print a BP and luggage tags. I can see this as problematic for her in the future.
The QF site mentions premium desks for eligible pax but then the actual link to the CBR airport (where she would depart) specifically says to check in before coming to the airport.
Has any one been through CBR recently and can advise if the premium check in has gone?

 

[RooFlyer]

They 'technically' haven't been doing this for quite a while.

I note the 'technically'. Haven't had a problem in getting an OLCI on my phone converted to a paper BP, ever. ADL, SYD, CBR, HBA, MEL in the past few months.

Or did you mean a primary check-in at the lounge, with a paper BP issued?

 

[kookaburra75]

Has any one been through CBR recently and can advise if the premium check in has gone?

The Bus/Plat/Gold Check-in counter is still there at Canberra, along with the other 2-3 Check In counters.

 

[RichardMEL]

I had a BP printed with a smile at SYD J entry a few weeks ago. I had thought there was a kiosk at the top of the escalator between the J lounge and the CL but nope so I had no choice except to scan my card, and they were totally fine to print my BP.

 

[drron]

Travelling to regional airports when its not a direct flight.

Twice when travelling with a friend (once to MQL via MEL and second time to MCY via BNE), friends Qtag bag didnt arrive (my bag with paper tags checked in at same did), both times it was left in MEL or BNE and because there was no label the numptie handlers couldn't work out where the bag was meant to be and only after lost luggage claim was logged were the bags found.

Been a long time since you could fly from BNE-MCY.
We used to start out DONE4s on Sunstate airlines MCY -BNE. That probably ceased when they were absorbed into QantasLink in 2001.

 

[Lynda2475]

May have been HVB not MCY it was about 5 years ago, a regional Qld airport none the less. Doenst change my stance I dont trust the Qtags and each time her bag has gone astray it has been on route to a regional airport. We coudlnt get award seats on a 'non stop flight so had to change in BNE.

IMO Qtags are most useful as a coaster for your coffee mug.

 

[RichardMEL]

yup. never bothered with the Qtags.. gave my P1 ones away to someone who really seemed to want them.. I dunno why you'd want to pretend to be a uber w**ker but eh... they were happy

 

[bPeteb]

Very clearly of the minority here (maybe I'm alone, even at close to 60) but I/we hate paper boarding passes and much prefer electronic.

I save them to my iphone 'wallet' after check in. We usually travel as a couple and I scan each electronic pass at the gate and then show the same when we enter the plane. I rarely even have more than one bag with me but even with pull along cabin bag and backpack having my phone in my hand is not ever an issue. If we ever have to make a retrospective claim (haven't had to for years) once we've flown I save images of the passes to photos (both apple and google).

I know some members save their boarding passes to pull them out, red wine in hand, to reminisce the golden days of travel but it's the 21st century. We try to live as paper free as possible.

If the world gets fried by some giant emp one day we're screwed (a paper boarding pass will the least of all of our worries), but if and until then, for us it's electronic only.

 

[madrooster]

SYD is supposed to be the first port (does that surprise anyone?) to see the new kiosks in late April apparently, with MEL and CBR to follow in May.

 

[oznflfan]

It's off topic here, but yes they are. Kiosks will be for bag tag printing only.
Everything else, will be a QR code on the screen to redirect to their own device.
Check in can be done 24hrs before, I guess they want to enable a change of behaviour. Obviously there will be exceptions, but they will be queuing and queuing for a long time.

I traditionally have not travelled with a mobile or a phone. Purpose of flying oversea's is to disconnect. Harder now with COVID. First trip outisde Oz being UK in June, will take daughters phone and get international SIM card before I leave.

 

[RichardMEL]

I traditionally have not travelled with a mobile or a phone. Purpose of flying oversea's is to disconnect. Harder now with COVID. First trip outisde Oz being UK in June, will take daughters phone and get international SIM card before I leave.

Well paper is still issued for OS. this is only talking about domestic issues.

I imagine international is a different kettle of fish in terms of a desire to remove paper BP's eg what about connections, different airline partners/systems etc etc etc

 

[TheInsider]

SYD is supposed to be the first port (does that surprise anyone?) to see the new kiosks in late April apparently, with MEL and CBR to follow in May.

It does, because it's usually PER with the trials of everything!!

 

[kookaburra75]

Very clearly of the minority here (maybe I'm alone, even at close to 60) but I/we hate paper boarding passes and much prefer electronic.

I save them to my iphone 'wallet' after check in. We usually travel as a couple and I scan each electronic pass at the gate and then show the same when we enter the plane. I rarely even have more than one bag with me but even with pull along cabin bag and backpack having my phone in my hand is not ever an issue. If we ever have to make a retrospective claim (haven't had to for years) once we've flown I save images of the passes to photos (both apple and google).

I know some members save their boarding passes to pull them out, red wine in hand, to reminisce the golden days of travel but it's the 21st century. We try to live as paper free as possible.

If the world gets fried by some giant emp one day we're screwed (a paper boarding pass will the least of all of our worries), but if and until then, for us it's electronic only.

MrsK and I are of the same mind, and make the most out of ditching paper if possible. I've been using the Q-Tags since their inception, and haven't had any issues with luggage going astray. For most trips, I use my Frequent Flyer card for accessing the lounge and boarding, although in the past couple of years have used the Boarding Passes on the App. Horses for courses I suppose.

 

[RichardMEL]

Sitting with old BP's to remember the good old days is one thing (I don't drink red wine btw ) but there is a serious issue with this for all those that do not have a digital device. Yes, many of us do and it is no issue - I totally understand that - but there are many who do not, or wish not to and so what are their options?

yes this will save $$$ on paper and ink for QF I am sure, but potentially pushes hassle and perhaps cost onto other areas - like gate agents/lounge staff. I wonder if it is really worth it? If the kiosks are already there to print bag tags then seems a bit strange to remove this functionality to me since the hardware won't be removed and one presumes when the bag tag is issued the kiosk will still spit out the paper confirmation with the Pax details and tag numbers anyway...

just seems to me to be something that may save a few bucks but be frustrating for customers - most specially those without a physical card to scan or mobile device. And you know who that is? the infrequent flyers, the (in general) elderly and others for whom the digital divide is real.

 

[NM]

When departing form my home port, I am happy to print my own BP at home so I have a hard copy. When departing for a return flight and not having a printer available, I can always print to PDF just in case I need it for missing points claim. So kiosks not printing a physical BP is of no consequence to me.

Do QF lounges still have computers with printers available to print you own BP in the lounge?

For last night's flight I checked in using the QF app on my phone and loaded BPs into Wallet on our phones. Upon arrival at ROK there are no kiosks and only counter "service" for bag drop. Very pleasant agent looked at out phone BPs, printed and attached bag tags and asked if we wanted printed BPs, which we declined as we had them on phone.

 

[RichardMEL]

I understand and appreciate most AFF members (including myself) are going to be technically minded and have the abilities to do all of these things.

I am not talking about "digital natives" here as potentially being affected.

I'm talking about people without access to the technology for whatever reasons.

 

[jrfsp]

If it aint broke dont fix it. Whats the cost saving, the domestic kiosk boarding passes must cost <1C

The app is great when it works. This week simple domestic flight, app said check in at the airport.

Went to board using boarding pass in app, status "flight closed" had to use the printed kiosk pass.

 

[bPeteb]

Sitting with old BP's to remember the good old days is one thing (I don't drink red wine btw ) but there is a serious issue with this for all those that do not have a digital device. Yes, many of us do and it is no issue - I totally understand that - but there are many who do not, or wish not to and so what are their options?

just seems to me to be something that may save a few bucks but be frustrating for customers - most specially those without a physical card to scan or mobile device. And you know who that is? the infrequent flyers, the (in general) elderly and others for whom the digital divide is real.

Yes Richard, accessibility is of course a major and valid issue that QF and other airlines must consider