QF enhancing again

[TonyHancock]

Well I agree in principle but I guess those in control of such things get upset at the "optics" of that because it give a negative connotation ("removing" vs "enhanced").

Again I am all for being up front and honest in life. That's how I like to operate but in the real world..... or at least the world through the eyes of marketeers......

It's a bit like me wishing my ex would have told me for real why she broke up with me. Instead, she enhanced her personal situation

just to be pedantic, these are not the kiosks (ie: self check in units) that are going, but the QCard reader check in poles at most domestic QF terminals. they wouldn't accept your uber BA status card anyway

One man's kiosk is another man's pole.

Perhaps one day we will build very large spaceships and send our all of the worlds marketing people out in search of a new planet...............

(Apologies to Douglas Adams.)

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Maybe they are removing them because they are hardly used? I'm guessing many people just check in online..

I think mobile checkin is even more popular than OLCI. In the past year they've streamlined (won't say enhanced in case people take it the wrong way ) the mobile checkin experience so it's much quicker. QF can always analyse what form of check pax use so I would guess the done the numbers and let the facts speak for themselves.

Not sure if this is really a QF "enhancement" as has become our understanding, I've found the poles to be a gimmick and haven't used them for years. Mobile checkin really is the way to go.

Totally agree. Save the "enhancement" theatrics for things like removal of JASA's or anytime lounge access. I don't think the poles will be missed at all. I either do mobile or OLCI ahead of time at home where possible or use the SSK at the airport. I've never used the QCR myself so won't miss something I never used.

With mobile checkin you can save the QR codes to the passbook app so you have a record or flights taken. With OLCI is that you can save a pdf copy of your boarding pass for tax purposes of if you have to show the company a copy of your boarding pass with your expense claim.

Mobile check in requires too much juggling of devices at the gate. I find the card much easier to slip into a pocket.

You can do mobile checkin (or kiosk, OLCI or with a CSA) and still use your card to board. Even if you checked in at the lounge and get a cardboard boarding pass you can still use your card to board.

I would have used it, head out not cost $50 for a q tag. Hubby made status and was sent two, and I thought great! I fly Qantas much more often than he does, I'll use one of those. But Qantas informed me they were non-transferable.

You can use anybody's Qtag on your bag so with the removal of the QCR if you do mobile checkin or OLCI, just arrive at the airport and head straight to the bag drop. You can either tap your ff card (with the chip) on the Q symbol at the bag drop or scan the QR code or OLCI boarding pass and send your bag off into the sunset.

 

[BD1959]

You can use anybody's Qtag on your bag so with the removal of the QCR if you do mobile checkin or OLCI, just arrive at the airport and head straight to the bag drop. You can either tap your ff card (with the chip) on the Q symbol at the bag drop or scan the QR code or OLCI boarding pass and send your bag off into the sunset.

Would be nice if you could do this at CNS (perhaps one port where there is likely to be a plethora of suitcases).

Regards,

BD

 

[RichardMEL]

One man's kiosk is another man's pole.

This line here may explain my ex's issues!! bwhahaa

Perhaps one day we will build very large spaceships and send our all of the worlds marketing people out in search of a new planet...............

(Apologies to Douglas Adams.)

nice reference

back to being a bit on topic

it occurs to me in the newsletter email that mentioned the poles going and right under it the loss of QFF points on EK V and X fares it suddenly came to me a difference..

- they (QF) are up front about the EK earn change - this suggests this is EK driven, not a QF choice
- they spin a QF decision in a positive ligt

 

[medhead]

Couple of points:

How much (if anything) do the airports charge to have them on the floor, plus power and maintenance costs?

They are a two step process, one check in via the pole and then at the plane wait while a print out of your seat number is given to you.

Only ever used it a few times for the novelty factor and found it coughbersome when boarding.

So IMHO it seems a good idea to move on.

You have to wait for a print out if using mobile check in and phone BP as well. Much more coughbersome to juggle a phone, make sure it's turned on to scan, turn off before putting away, than just slipping a card into your pocket.
I reckon all check in is a two step process, BTW. Check in - scan at gate. Not sure of how that is bad for one particular method of getting on a plane and not others.

 

[under the radar]

maybe they are being removed because so many people were 'walking into them' with their heads down looking at their mobile phones. (not focused on the basic task of walking etc). As well all know, whenever a human hits/walks/crashes into an inanimate/fixed object, it's ALWAYS that objects fault

 

[ozbeachbabe]

You have to wait for a print out if using mobile check in and phone BP as well. Much more coughbersome to juggle a phone, make sure it's turned on to scan, turn off before putting away, than just slipping a card into your pocket.

You would still need to wait for the print out at the boarding gate if you checked in at the pole/QCR as you would be scanning your ff card to board.

You can do mobile checkin at home with your smart phone & get the QR code etc however you do not need your phone at the boarding gate - you simply scan your ff card and take the docket that prints out.

It wouldn't even matter if your phone is turned off and in your carry on because you can use your preferred method of checkin then scan your ff card to board (as long as your ffn is in the booking).

 

[medhead]

You can checkin on your phone and still use your card at the gate.

Yeah, I know. But I can't swipe a pole as the enhanced security queue in ADL winds it's way around the terminal.

But Qantas informed me they were non-transferable.

whoever told you that has NFI.

Yes, some posters here use them, and no doubt be sad to see it go, but is it really that much of an issue?

and calling the spin a lie is a bit rich I think. I don't quite see how it's a lie in any way. There are many reasons to bag QF but this? I don't quite see it.

just my 2 cents.

It may not be an issue for you. But it is for me, I actually use them. The need to dismiss the way I work is much like the use of Enhance by Qantas. They're not enhancing my experience. If they really want to enhance the terminals and save space - get rid of the kiosks. Hell most people OLCI or SMS check in or Mobile check in, don't they? No need for kiosks.

My preference to sit in an exit row. Unlike mobile check-in, the posts wouldn't allow you to check-in if seated in exit rows.

Stopped using them after discovering this.

Is anyone else having issues with Apple Wallet? I use it for Amex/ANZ cards but not for BPs. If I try to board using my iPhone, the phone seems to switch to the wallet as it's taken into proximity of the reader. Had a game of tag with the FA a couple of weeks ago as I returned the screen to the BP but it reverted to Wallet as passed under the reader.

I've resorted to using my card instead after checking-in on the mobile.

Regards,

BD

Just send the BP to the apple wallet. Easy process.

maybe they are being removed because so many people were 'walking into them' with their heads down looking at their mobile phones. As well all know, whenever a human hits/walks/crashes into an inanimate/fixed object, it's ALWAYS that objects fault

Well they shouldn't put pokemons there.

 

[harvyk]

I don't know why some people get uppity about this and call it a "lie" - all companies spin things as best they can, even with the dreaded "e" word - that's what PR and marketing is all about.

Marketing isn't all about spin, it's about putting out the right message for your customers. Calling taking a feature or function away from your customer and calling it an "enhancement" is poor form.

Why try and make it sound like they are doing it as a favour? Why not simply say "Due to low utilization and high maintenance costs, we're discontinuing the Q Card readers at check in, we apologize for any inconvenience caused and invite you to ask one of our friendly ground staff about our other check in options. We thank you for choosing to fly with us"..

 

[medhead]

You would still need to wait for the print out at the boarding gate if you checked in at the pole/QCR as you would be scanning your ff card to board.

Yes, I know. The post I quoted attacked the pole check in because of having to wait for a print out. I'm making the point that waiting for a print out at the gate is not unique to check in with the pole.
I was directly addressing the post I quoted. No real need to repeat back something that has already been established

 

[UP4014]

Marketing isn't all about spin, it's about putting out the right message for your customers. Calling taking a feature or function away from your customer and calling it an "enhancement" is poor form.

Why try and make it sound like they are doing it as a favour? Why not simply say "Due to low utilization and high maintenance costs, we're discontinuing the Q Card readers at check in, we apologize for any inconvenience caused and invite you to ask one of our friendly ground staff about our other check in options. We thank you for choosing to fly with us"..

Agree, hence making their comment on improvement a lie. Sorry RichardMEL.

Matt

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Yes, I know. The post I quoted attacked the pole check in because of having to wait for a print out. I'm making the point that waiting for a print out at the gate is not unique to check in with the pole.

I was directly addressing the post I quoted. No real need to repeat back something that has already been established

Apologies. I thought maybe I hadn't been clear enough on my previous post.

 

[njba]

Is anyone else having issues with Apple Wallet? I use it for Amex/ANZ cards but not for BPs. If I try to board using my iPhone, the phone seems to switch to the wallet as it's taken into proximity of the reader. Had a game of tag with the FA a couple of weeks ago as I returned the screen to the BP but it reverted to Wallet as passed under the reader.

Out of curiosity, did you encounter the problem at gate 21 in T1 at MEL?

 

[RichardMEL]

Marketing isn't all about spin, it's about putting out the right message for your customers. Calling taking a feature or function away from your customer and calling it an "enhancement" is poor form.

Why try and make it sound like they are doing it as a favour? Why not simply say "Due to low utilization and high maintenance costs, we're discontinuing the Q Card readers at check in, we apologize for any inconvenience caused and invite you to ask one of our friendly ground staff about our other check in options. We thank you for choosing to fly with us"..

I agree totally with what you're saying here

but it's still not a "lie" as some have suggested it is. That is all my point was.

I suspect the reasons to remove them are not really about space in the terminal or removing an obstruction but probably the technology, low utilisation and probably just the infrastructure to keep it going (power, cabling/network, backend(if any), whatever).

 

[RichardMEL]

Agree, hence making their comment on improvement a lie. Sorry RichardMEL.

Matt

Guess we'll have to agree to disagree on this I can see the point, but I just see it as spin rather than a outright lie.

To me a lie would be "We're removing this because the pokemons need space to move"

to some people, removing the poles *is* an improvement (I don't care either way personally but some would no doubt be happier if they weren't there "cluttering up" the check in area) so to those people it's not going to seem a lie.

To those who this isn'a an improvement then it probably does seem like a lie - I get that

it's all about, as was stated earlier, the message QF wants to get across, hence the "enhancement" BS.

anyway it's just a different way of viewing the situation I guess.. we have different "optics"

 

[docjames]

Wow, the extra space in the shopping centre, i mean terminal, will make all the difference to the flying experience.


Perhaps they can relocate them to Longreach and use them for checkin to the museum....

 

[medhead]

Just on the "old technology" argument. Why do they even still have printed BPs I remember having those way back in the 1980s. That's Sooooo old. Surely time to enhance printed BPs away.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Just on the "old technology" argument. Why do they even still have printed BPs I remember having those way back in the 1980s. That's Sooooo old. Surely time to enhance printed BPs away.

Oh please never do away with printed BPs - those GOLD SQ R BPs are to die for!

 

[eminere]

Oh please never do away with printed BPs - those GOLD SQ R BPs are to die for!

I certainly kept mine, along with the matching TPR invitation.

 

[medhead]

Oh please never do away with printed BPs - those GOLD SQ R BPs are to die for!

Do you know when they invented printing? Sorry but it's "old technology". Seems like reason enough to get rid of it.