A Sign of Things to Come ?

[Jama]

Just checked in on a flight in Brisbane and there was a long queue at priority whilst literally not a single pax at regular check-in.

Arrived in Sydney and went to the lounge where I found dirty toilets. They were about to be cleaned, but obviously well used and evidently by people who just don't care and don't appreciate the facilities. People the lounge is sacred treat it like your own.

 

[smit0847]

It's because they allow Flexis to use priority check in. It's often more than 50% of the flight!!

Those allowed to use priority check-in, security screening and boarding should all be the same - Gold, Platinums and PE/Business only.

 

[haydensydney]

Were the standard checkin desks calling over the pax in the premium queue to help?

I blame the pax in the premium queue because they must be unobservant... I've often skipped the premium checkin desks in favour for a quicker checkin experience via the Y desks...
....though by doing so, you don't get "seen" in the premium queue and therefore no one knows how really important you are

 

[casanovawa]

How odd in the extreme to line up in a queue for a perceived benefit when you could walk down the terminal a few metres i imagine to where the sweaty masses usually slum it and walk right up...

 

[Jama]

Were the standard checkin desks calling over the pax in the premium queue to help?

I blame the pax in the premium queue because they must be unobservant... I've often skipped the premium checkin desks in favour for a quicker checkin experience via the Y desks...
....though by doing so, you don't get "seen" in the premium queue and therefore no one knows how really important you are

When I walked up there was one person being served already in the premium queue so. But, by the time I finished there was a significant queue standing behind me. And yes they were being waved over. I agree, very strange that people need to been seen in a status queue when they could be served straight away elsewhere. However, I wasn't posting to comment to highlight peoples quirks it was just to share an observation on the percentage of apparent status members.

 

[koonyaflyer]

I haven't yet had too many delays in the Priority check in, but the lounges are certainly not coping. The past month or so I have had problems finding a seat, lots of dirty glasses and plate and the food areas have looked very unloved, no ice...just the leftover melted stuff! I have actually gone straight to the gate on 2 occasions as the Lounge was simply too busy to be pleasant. I know I have to get used to more people in the lounge, but the caterers also need to get it right.

 

[opusman]

no ice...just the leftover melted stuff

That's called water I believe :mrgreen:

 

[pshepvic]

It's because they allow Flexis to use priority check in. It's often more than 50% of the flight!!

Those allowed to use priority check-in, security screening and boarding should all be the same - Gold, Platinums and PE/Business only.

I thought with the removal of Corporate Plus fares that Flexis were supposed to be removed from the priority check in queue? Not that I would know as I check in at the Sydney Premium lounge entry or in the Melbourne lounge all the time anyway, but I could have sworn it was mentioned in another thread that this did not apply for Flexi fares anymore?

Previously it was only on Corp Plus Y fares, but Flexi includes quite a lot of fare buckets, so if Flexis can use PCI the numbers would be a lot more than before, without even including all the status matches.

 

[777]

I went through Mel late this morning. Main queue was practically out the door but priority only had 3 or 4 people in it. YMMV though.

 

[koonyaflyer]

That's called water I believe :mrgreen:

I knew there was a name for it ! I actually typed "melted water" first off, and realized that made no sense at all!

 

[Noob]

If this is a trend they're going to have to:

• Expand their lounges
• Remove Flexi ticket holders from priority check in
• Update and encourage electronic/kiosk check in

And I would think they would already know this! Unlike other airlines *wink wink* Virgin isn't blind.

 

[ric_melb]

Do we have to have the Virgin fan club in action again?
Virgin were blind to being pro active to the consquences that now seem to be occurring.

 

[haydensydney]

Do we have to have the Virgin fan club in action again?
Virgin were blind to being pro active to the consquences that now seem to be occurring.

I would rather these consequences than having a Virgin underdog in the Australian market. Time for Qantas to be the underdog, so they can regroup, compose themselves and actually a deliver thats relevant to a 2011 market. Bring on the Virgin fan club I say

 

[greenfish]

Can't see I've seen much difference in the CBR / SYD / BNE lounges - CBR is far too full between 4:30 to 5:00pm - but this was the case a couple of months ago. Sydney Lounge is OK when I arrive (6pm ish). Only see the BNE lounge on Monday mornings, and plenty of room at 5am!

 

[lovestotravel]

I've often skipped the premium checkin desks in favour for a quicker checkin experience via the Y desks...
....though by doing so, you don't get "seen" in the premium queue and therefore no one knows how really important you are

You should have seen the death stares and comments I heard when I used the premium check-in at CHC airport the other morning..

There was a queue of about 90 people, most of whom had been waiting in the line for an hour.. I was upstairs getting something to eat... and relaxing on the soft chairs up there!

Walked downstairs a few mins before check-in opens, no-one else in the premium queue, and was served and on my way to the lounge in 2 minutes!

 

[Noob]

Do we have to have the Virgin fan club in action again?
Virgin were blind to being pro active to the consquences that now seem to be occurring.

Sorry, but the "consequences that now seem to be occurring" would have been foolish to predict - The amount of people who applied for status match "vastly exceeded expectations" according to Virgin, and the extent of the events of late regarding the qantas workforce/management could not have been foreseen.

Hence, why would have they invested millions in infrastructure to support a much larger market share than foreseen by analyst independent to Virgin?

 

[Reggie]

Apparently Virgin have signed up a further 30000 Platinum / Gold / Lounge Members in the past month.

 

[straitman]

Sorry, but the "consequences that now seem to be occurring" would have been foolish to predict - The amount of people who applied for status match "vastly exceeded expectations" according to Virgin, and the extent of the events of late regarding the qantas workforce/management could not have been foreseen.

Hence, why would have they invested millions in infrastructure to support a much larger market share than foreseen by analyst independent to Virgin?

Agreed.

The important question is how many of the matched people will stay on?

I have read of one here today who said they will not.

 

[oz_mark]

Agreed.

The important question is how many of the matched people will stay on?

I have read of one here today who said they will not.

Some will use and abuse the privileges. Some will do nothing. Some will move some of their spend across to Virgin. Problem is, I doubt there is an easy way of working out who falls into which group, so best to cast the net wide.

 

[MarkD]

Some will use and abuse the privileges. Some will do nothing. Some will move some of their spend across to Virgin. Problem is, I doubt there is an easy way of working out who falls into which group, so best to cast the net wide.

Agreed, it will start to become obvious to them after 6 months or so, but in reality, some people fly so much, Virgin really wont have any idea how many will stay until 12 mths down the track. Why spend heaps of extra $$$ expanding lounges etc (Even if they can get the space) when half the people they would be expanding them for would defect back to QF anyway.
Of course it gets complicated by the "soft landing" whereby some of the status matched Platinums will become Golds, so in effect have 2 years to work out if they want to try Virgin. I feel they should have scrapped the soft landing for status matches, basically if they have a year of the privelliges and dont spend with the airline, then, why should they continue to recieve benefits. SOmeone who has spent $$$$$ to reach platinum, then has a slow year, has shown their loyalty, and remember, these are "Loyaly programs".