Qantaslink Premium Hand Luggage Tags

[simongr]

Just seeing AC's thread on new QF luggage tags reminded me that yesterday in teh lift in our builing I saw a QF Gold gettig into the lift with some paper luggage tags attached that were labled "Qantaslink Premium Hand Luggage".

Any idea what that would indicate?

I assumed he was QF SG as he had QF SG plastic tags but obviously he could a QF WP incognito or even a lapsed Gold

S

 

[serfty]

Maybe they were tagged thus as they were two big for a Dash-8 and need to be checked at the gate or on boarding.

 

[aus_flyer]

Just seeing AC's thread on new QF luggage tags reminded me that yesterday in teh lift in our builing I saw a QF Gold gettig into the lift with some paper luggage tags attached that were labled "Qantaslink Premium Hand Luggage".

Any idea what that would indicate?

If you are taking a large cabin bag onboard a Qantaslink flight, sometimes they will take it off you and put it in the luggage hold. They give you a "Premium Hand Luggage" receipt tag. You bag is then available for collection when you step off the plane.

 

[Dave Noble]

premium hand luggage service is available on some (all?) Qantaslink dash 8 services. I have cme across it on SYD-CBR/MEL-CBR services; if you have hand luggage that would normally be ok for a flight but is too big for the crash-8, just get a tag at the boarding gate and leave the bag at the bottom of the aircraft stairs; bag is then put in hold and returned to the steps of the plane at the destination

Dave

 

[simongr]

Thanks - thought it might be that but couldn't remember whether Qantaslink was the regional flights (been a while since I flew them). Though quite why you get premium hand luggage tags seems a little strange ...

 

[aus_flyer]

Yes, there is nothing premium about it.

 

[qf unfort]

Yes, there is nothing premium about it.

Maybe nothing premium about the luggage handling, but certainly about the service. I was on QantasLink from LST-MEL last week and it was fantastic service - some of the best crew I've ever had (even compared to QF biz class), nonstop topups of wine and super efficient with any request. Would always try to choose QLink over QF on any overlaping service from now on if that's the case, even if the dash-8's are a bit smaller than the mainline services.

Excuse my ignorance, but is QLink operated by QF or just a 'franchise'? like BA operate? Might explain much.

 

[Fluid-Flyer]

QantasLink from LST-MEL last week and it was fantastic service - some of the best crew I've ever had (even compared to QF biz class... Might explain much.

Competition, may explain a lot as well... if flying from Tullamarine to Launceston there are jet services offered by Tiger, Jetstar & Virgin Blue... plus, expand a "Bass Strait crossing" to meaning any Melbourne Bay Area airport to any Northern Tasmanian airport, and you can add Rex & Airlines of Tasmania to the mix!

Excuse my ignorance, but is QLink operated by QF or just a 'franchise'?

QantasLink is a franchise brand, used to delineate services on many "Qantas regional routes". There are a number of airlines that operate under this banner e.g. Sunstate, Eastern & National Jet... Most are wholly owned subsidiaries of Qantas Group, however National Jet is an independently owned franchisee.

 

[qf unfort]

Competition, may explain a lot as well... if flying from Tullamarine to Launceston there are jet services offered by Tiger, Jetstar & Virgin Blue... plus, expand a "Bass Strait crossing" to meaning any Melbourne Bay Area airport to any Northern Tasmanian airport, and you can add Rex & Airlines of Tasmania to the mix!

QantasLink is a franchise brand, used to delineate services on many "Qantas regional routes". There are a number of airlines that operate under this banner e.g. Sunstate, Eastern & National Jet... Most are wholly owned subsidiaries of Qantas Group, however National Jet is an independently owned franchisee.

Thanks for that - Qantas has always impressed me compared to the BA/BD services I was used to when I lived in the UK, but QLink was the first time on this service and I was very impressed with the service... albeit maybe because I wasn't expecting much. I guess, however, on a much smaller plane it's easier to offer much better personal service?

 

[Fluid-Flyer]

I guess, however, on a much smaller plane it's easier to offer much better personal service?

While I also like “the QantasLink Dash8 service”, comparing the (Australian) airlines really requires a definition of what “service” is!

Getting specific, if we are just talking about “On-Board Food&Beverage service” for a LST-MEL type flight, then I would expect 3 serves of wine on QF and only 2 serves of wine on the jet services (i.e. TT, JQ & DJ).

To expand a bit; on the jet airlines, I could order a wine during the trolley service run, and if drinking reasonably quickly could probably press the call button or catch a FA on their way through the cabin, to get a second prior to descent. But… on the jet airlines, I would also receive a small bottle each time, about twice the serving size of the direct bottle to cup pour on the QF flight.

The next aspect of service is the delivery (rather than the physical product). On Qantas the FAs will probably deliver some sort of “physical item” to every customer on board. (This limits the amount of "FA interaction time available per customer" on QF.) Whereas on the jet services, not everyone will want a F&B serving, however those that do have a lot more “choice” on offer. (The jet operators have menu cards, as opposed to QF’s [take it or leave it] offer of just wine + cheese’n’crackers.) So, although those ordering a F&B service, on the jets, interact longer with the FA, the number of passengers choosing not to interact, means that FAs move through the cabin about as quickly as those on the Dash8s. (Of course, comparing 2 trolleys working forward and aft on the jets, to the single service operation on the Dash8.)




Thus, in terms of personal service, it can be argued that the jet operators are offering a “better service” or “fuller service” in two ways –

• They spend more time interacting with customers who do order. This generates a better impression of service for the customer, than the briefer/regimented (best described as – the chicken or beef toss style) interaction on QF. (Virgin Blue staff are particularly good at leveraging this extended interaction opportunity, but so too are Jetstar & Tiger staff. Although, valuably - Dash8 staff actually take the time to pour, as opposed to just hand over a small bottle.)
• Choice! There is a much greater range of F&B options on the jet services, rather than the take it or leave it QantasLink F&B offer. Surely having a choice is a better service? (Do I need a wine today, or rather a coffee or sandwich, or did I stuff my face full in the lounge/terminal?)

Of course the F&B is pre-paid/bundled in the ticket price on QF, where as the competitors are pay-on-board.

I believe that Qantas has successfully manipulated market perception in Australia that “full service” equates to not paying-on-board for F&B. (My view, For better or worse, and what its worth.)

 

[bambbbam2]

Flew PER-ASP on a Qantaslink 717 recently and the service was fantastic... really friendly, no Qantas coughiness and no VB barbie dolls.

 

[Groundfeeder]

Yes, there is nothing premium about it.

In my experience it appears to be a glorified "HEAVY" label that I used to get occasionally to hand to the loaders at the Crash-8 and retrieve as posted.

 

[baswitzer]

Recently flew from Sydney to Albury and basically the service is available to take smallish hand luggage items and store them in the hold and then leave them at the foot of the plane when you land as the luggage is too big for cabin storage on the Dash 8.

I like the service on these planes but coming into Sydney the other day, about 20 minutes out from landing, the cabin got unbelievably hot. So much so that people were sweating and struggling with the heat. Then the light fitting fell on someones head so not a good landing (it was not bumpy at all though).