What else is burning members about recent "enhancements" to QFF?

[Danger]

I'm in the Perth Qantas Club right now about to board the red-eye to Sydney to join the Platinum Anytime Access Wake (yes, all capitals; it's a big deal). I asked the lady at the front desk how priority boarding works. Her response floored me. "It means we call the flight in the lounge a little later, allowing you more time here before boarding". The oxymoron (priority boarding but call later) went over my head to begin with so I walked away dumbfounded. Then I decided to challenge her.

I went back and said "sorry, I had to be a pain but how does priority mean boarding later?" She said that's just how they do it here with one boarding line to which I questioned whether there were two aerobridges for the Airbuses. She said she didn't know but she'd check so she phoned the gate and said "Hi [whoever], it's [whoever] in the lounge. Mr Danger [winner] is wondering how priority boarding works for 568." A conversation ensued, she got off the phone and said there was indeed two lanes for this flight and that "Platinum and Chairmans Lounge can use any lane". Hmmmm, I thought and then further questioned "how is this priority?" Then the truth came out. "To be honest, I don't know how they do priority boarding".

And there it is. Another 'enhancement' on paper - priority boarding for Platinum (according to one part of the QF webpage but not another) - but how the hell it works is anybody's guess.

What an absolute crock. It's a complete fluff piece designed to make Platinums think they actually have benefits, that they are actually valued.

Seriously, I'm almost lost for words. I think JohnK's compiled list of 'enhancements' may soon prove to be worse than we thought.

 

[dfcatch]

I'm in the Perth Qantas Club right now about to board the red-eye to Sydney to join the Platinum Anytime Access Wake (yes, all capitals; it's a big deal). I asked the lady at the front desk how priority boarding works. Her response floored me. "It means we call the flight in the lounge a little later, allowing you more time here before boarding". The oxymoron (priority boarding but call later) went over my head to begin with so I walked away dumbfounded. Then I decided to challenge her.

I went back and said "sorry, I had to be a pain but how does priority mean boarding later?" She said that's just how they do it here with one boarding line to which I questioned whether there were two aerobridges for the Airbuses. She said she didn't know but she'd check so she phoned the gate and said "Hi [whoever], it's [whoever] in the lounge. Mr Danger [winner] is wondering how priority boarding works for 568." A conversation ensued, she got off the phone and said there was indeed two lanes for this flight and that "Platinum and Chairmans Lounge can use any lane". Hmmmm, I thought and then further questioned "how is this priority?" Then the truth came out. "To be honest, I don't know how they do priority boarding".

And there it is. Another 'enhancement' on paper - priority boarding for Platinum (according to one part of the QF webpage but not another) - but how the hell it works is anybody's guess.

What an absolute crock. It's a complete fluff piece designed to make Platinums think they actually have benefits, that they are actually valued.

Seriously, I'm almost lost for words. I think JohnK's compiled list of 'enhancements' may soon prove to be worse than we thought.

I'm with Drewbles and others on this... If AA can get it right - and they do a darn good job at it too, then it can't possibly be that difficult for QF!

 

[Oneworldplus2]

I'm with Drewbles and others on this... If AA can get it right - and they do a darn good job at it too, then it can't possibly be that difficult for QF!

+1
It can't possibly be that hard to introduce PB for DOM sectors.

 

[dajop]

The priority boarding thing is interesting, in that always the comparison is to AA. For AA its important - I've seen an AA 763 take 35mins to board, and by that - a continuous stream of passengers in those 30mins- but I've never seen a QF 767 take that long (maybe PER flights?, Even my last 744 flight only took about 20mins). The kitchen sink factor. But having said that on AA if you miss the chance to be first on board, and use priority at some time during the general boarding process, it doesn't make that big a difference, the hold up is in the airbridge and on board (OMG it can take forever), something I've never encountered to the same degree on QF.

Maybe the best QF implementation would be early boarding for WP's, for those already at the gate. For those in the lounge, it's often last to board anyway.

My idea of priority boarding is being last on board, especially if travelling in Y!

 

[Sequel]

I experienced QF's attempt at domestic priority boarding the other week in Sydney. I left the lounge a few minutes early to stretch the legs (and to see if this priority boarding existed). While the flight was on time, there was already a scrum forming around the gate.

They tried a three stage board, similar to INT flights, children/assistance/status pax, followed by those in rows 15-30, then all remaining.

Needless to say it didn't work. I think the two main reasons it didn't work were:

1: There was no explanation of the boarding process prior to boarding. They simply called children/assistance/status pax, quickly followed by those in rows 15-30 quickly followed by all remaining. I was keen to see if/how QF were going to do the priority boarding, hence the early arrival at the gate and listening with intent. I suspect most others just heard "now boarding" and followed like sheep, or more likely heard "15-30 first" and just plain ignored it.

2: There was no enforcement at the gate.

 

[medhead]

DJ do early boarding well. First annoucement 'we'll commence boarding soon, in the meantime child/assistance/PE and status can board now'. Works well and trains people to not rush the gate.

 

[JohnK]

My idea of priority boarding is being last on board, especially if travelling in Y!

Exactly. There is no way I want to sit in aircraft seat for longer that I have to sit unless I am sitting in business class or first class.

I usually want to be one of the last board (if not the last) and many times I just hang around the gate and ask the staff how many more to board so they know that I am there and not to page me.

 

[Gremlin]

Flew DJ on Thursday night and had PB exactly as I think it should operate. Called for status pax to board first if desired. As I happened to be near the gate I boarded first.

In addition to that, the FA's were holding specific overhead luggage bays vacant for late boarding priority guests. There were a few grumbles from non-status pax (and those with QF baggage tags on their carry on) but it worked really well.

I hate being last to board by virtue of a late call from the lounge only to find my hand luggage is stored somewhere near the rear toilets while I'm seated up the front...

 

[DrAndyC]

I'm with Drewbles and others on this... If AA can get it right - and they do a darn good job at it too, then it can't possibly be that difficult for QF!

AA do an excellent job. Even when just a oneworld Ruby (QF silver) a year or more ago, the SFO desk attendant called AA and Oneworld sapphire/emerald and "the two oneworld rubys" to priority board. I was gobsmacked! They offered extra service when not required.

 

[Danger]

Well my curiosity with priority boarding got better. On arriving at the gate for my midnight flight to Sydney I asked the two gate agents how priority boarding works for platinum. To me there was a very clear look of 'we know it's supposed to exist but, um, how does it actually work?' So the bloke said that when there's dual aerobridges platinum can board in the business lane. I then enquired about situations where there are only one lane and he said 'when we board by rows, platinum can board anytime'. Well, I can count on one hand the number of times I've been on a domestic QF flight that has boarded by rows. Essentially, the gate agent was reaching for something but didn't quite get there.

Then yesteday, as I left the Melbourne J Lounge after the wake, I asked the agent how priority boarding worked. Her response was about the dual aerobridges and platinums boarding from the business lane. When I asked her how it worked for single aerobridges, she admitted she didn't know.

So in all it's pretty clear to me that priority boarding is a farce. It's another example of QF listing off a benefit to make platinums feel important when in reality it doesn't exist. In fact, you could probably put it up there with priority baggage in most ports.

Exactly. There is no way I want to sit in aircraft seat for longer that I have to sit unless I am sitting in business class or first class.

I usually want to be one of the last board (if not the last) and many times I just hang around the gate and ask the staff how many more to board so they know that I am there and not to page me.

All well and good but the fact remains domestic priority boarding is clearly listed as a benefit for Platinum members yet, by-and-large, it's not being provided. Simply, they've stated they'll provide a benefit but they're not. In fact, it's one of the very, very few parts of the QF website that doesn't have a "*, ^, +, @, ++, ~" etc alongside it. In other words, it has no caveat.

 

[medhead]

Exactly. There is no way I want to sit in aircraft seat for longer that I have to sit unless I am sitting in business class or first class.

I usually want to be one of the last board (if not the last) and many times I just hang around the gate and ask the staff how many more to board so they know that I am there and not to page me.

Perhaps I need to follow your fine example JohnK and check in luggage, then priority boarding would be meaningless. :-|

Well perhaps not given the 25 minute wait in SYD to collect last time I did that.

 

[JohnK]

Perhaps I need to follow your fine example JohnK and check in luggage, then priority boarding would be meaningless. :-|

Well perhaps not given the 25 minute wait in SYD to collect last time I did that.

Of course like anything it is hit and miss and does not suit everyone. For what it is worth I just checked-in 2 bags (23.9kgs and 5.9 kgs) and also have a laptop bag. I could have taken the smaller bag with me but then I have to take it everywhere with me and also look for overhead bin space.

Sure sometimes there is a wait at the luggage belt but on Friday night in SYD I waited ~5 minutes for luggage. Sometimes it is 10 minutes, 15 minutes and on the rare occasion it may be 25 minutes.

Personally it is a small price to pay than play the board first game and the fight for overhead space. It also helps that I do not carry too much around from check-in to lounge and then to gate.

 

[codash1099]

Of course like anything it is hit and miss and does not suit everyone. For what it is worth I just checked-in 2 bags (23.9kgs and 5.9 kgs) and also have a laptop bag. I could have taken the smaller bag with me but then I have to take it everywhere with me and also look for overhead bin space.

Sure sometimes there is a wait at the luggage belt but on Friday night in SYD I waited ~5 minutes for luggage. Sometimes it is 10 minutes, 15 minutes and on the rare occasion it may be 25 minutes.

Personally it is a small price to pay than play the board first game and the fight for overhead space. It also helps that I do not carry too much around from check-in to lounge and then to gate.

Don't try it flying into PER.

 

[cove]

Talking about checked luggage I dont have JohnK's success at collecting baggage at PER,MEL or SYD in a few minutes.John are you a slow walker to the baggage carousel because we dont get record speedy baggage so it pays to wander through the terminal to lower the wait time?
Codash1099 I am there waiting with you!

 

[JohnK]

Don't try it flying into PER.

I was in PER international earlier this month and no real issues with luggage and I will be in PER domestic end of March.

Talking about checked luggage I dont have JohnK's success at collecting baggage at PER,MEL or SYD in a few minutes.John are you a slow walker to the baggage carousel because we dont get record speedy baggage so it pays to wander through the terminal to lower the wait time?
Codash1099 I am there waiting with you!

I am not the fastest walker but I am always one of the first at the luggage carousel as I get a good jump disembarking the aircraft.

Just to give you an idea we live about ~15 minutes from SYD airport and I call home as soon as we touch down and dad gets in the car within 5 minutes of my call. He gets to the airport within 25 minutes of my call and most times I am waiting for dad at least 5 minutes.

In BNE tonight touched down at 7:38pm and disembarked a few minutes later. Got to lounge quickly and had a diet coke and went downstairs where the luggage was already doing the tour of the luggage belt. I could see both my bags and collected them and walked to Coachtrans kiosk and I was there bying a ticket at ~7:56pm as I thought the next one was leaving at 8:00pm but it was leaving at 8:20pm.

Now I do not consider myself lucky by any stretch of the imagination but from a few instances of luggage not making onto the same flight I usually do not wait for luggage very long at the luggage carousel.

 

[Aussie_flyer]

All well and good but the fact remains domestic priority boarding is clearly listed as a benefit for Platinum members yet, by-and-large, it's not being provided. Simply, they've stated they'll provide a benefit but they're not. In fact, it's one of the very, very few parts of the QF website that doesn't have a "*, ^, +, @, ++, ~" etc alongside it. In other words, it has no caveat.

Yes it's quite misleading isn't it. Perhaps we could form a class action lawsuit. Slater and Gordon have a no win no pay policy.

 

[oz_mark]

Talking about checked luggage I dont have JohnK's success at collecting baggage at PER,MEL or SYD in a few minutes.John are you a slow walker to the baggage carousel because we dont get record speedy baggage so it pays to wander through the terminal to lower the wait time?
Codash1099 I am there waiting with you!

I find MEL the worst - last couple of time have involved waits of 40 minutes or so, and several apologetic announcements over the PA. PER can be slow, especially when they decide to use only one belt for every flight!

 

[Oneworldplus2]

I find MEL the worst - last couple of time have involved waits of 40 minutes or so, and several apologetic announcements over the PA. PER can be slow, especially when they decide to use only one belt for every flight!

+1

PER is a clasic example, but can you also include SYD. They have a ton of options for baggage delivery, but only use 2 belts. 4-6 flights, 2 belts operating. WTF?

 

[Danger]

(I notice medhead has been blogging about this here.)

I boarded a SYD-PER flight last week (A332) and was blown away when they actually announced priority boarding. There was the usual long line of passengers at the gate prior to boarding commencing (gate 10, I think) then they called passengers with young children and those needing extra time as well as ". . . we also invite our Business Class passengers, Qantas Frequent Flyer Platinum and Gold members and oneworld Emerald and Sapphire members to board at this time".

Since when has Gold got the privilege? Now, please let me be clear, I'm not having a got at SGs or saying they're not worth their weight but what I am saying is domestic priority boarding is a prvilege for Platinum, not Gold. How on earth can Qantas continually get it so buggered up? Often we hear of them not enforcing/offering their stated benefits (like the recent thread of a user who had an overnight delay in LAX then had great issue with his 'extra' baggage allowance on the domestic sector) and now this. How is it they can't hit the nail on the head, rather than go one side or the other? It truly amazes me.

 

[medhead]

Since when has Gold got the privilege?

It's actually a benefit for oneworld sapphire. So in providing oneworld benefits qantas is devaluing Platinum. But they have to follow through on their oneworld agreement. So the whole question of priority boarding is at an impasse really. I'll continue to enjoy whatever they do in Sydney for now.

And I'll continue to fume about the situation in ADL. It was an absolute zoo this morning. They didn't even bother with a boarding call at all! The hordes just rushed the gate. Totally feral. Even more reason to fly DJ out of ADL at least their boarding is orderly and civilised.