Qantas priority boarding - crippled by Communists?

[PineappleSkip]

I love CX in HKG. Three queues, with priority access rigorously policed. Present as a WP at the J queue and get escalated to an unsigned F queue. Putting the W back in WP!

And some more data points. Three queues week before last in BNE, SYD and MEL. In every one but SYD the 'priority' queue was the longest. Lemming like we duly waited on our 'priority' queue.

Cheers skip

 

[Beano]

When there has been no attempt at a PB line (ie no signs) and I have for some reason wanted to get on board I have approached from the side and been called forward by the staff scanning BP's and processed. Sorry - I thought it was the convention when there were no signs up.

Being a P traveler I too have notcied that on domestic flights there is no distinction between the priority and non-priority queues. But to be fair to Qantas, they have to board a plane and take off in 20 minutes, so they want to get passengesr on board quickly. I have seen the non priority queue go faster than the P queue and have used the non-P queue with success. Internationally to NZ, priority boarding is after families with small children and those requiring assistance and before non-priority.

 

[aggie57]

What in the heck has this got to do with politics? Communism? Hardly. More like lazy workers.

BTW, priority boarding works well in the US but they board 30+ minutes before departure. People line up anywhere up to an hour before.

 

[PineappleSkip]

What in the heck has this got to do with politics? Communism? Hardly.

I would have made the thread title 'coughised by buffoons' or similar.

Cheers skip

 

[blaz]

I personally couldn't care less...if priority is available, and the line is shorter, I go for it, but I have never been denied access to the general boarding, simply because that is what it is...general. Seems this young fellow has not understood the meaning of "general", because it is not the same as non -priority. Maybe they had a different sign , because it usually just says "economy boarding".

 

[xtfer]

I was with you, right up until "Communists".

 

[kermatu]

My experience with Qantas elsewhere is when the priority lane gets long like that the non priority desks will call for priority passengers first, but not this day. Anyway not a big deal seeing it was 5:45 in the morning and first bus was 6, but just a bit odd that the extra desk that opened didn't call priority passengers first.

It is OT but I have noticed this a lot more lately, especially in PER and CBR domestic. One person manning the priority desk and no attempt by staff manning the Y desks to process priority pax unless the Y queue is empty. I now just look at the pax at the desk or in the queue and go to whichever one has fewer bags and young kids and if the Y desks have more staff I always go there. Much quicker.

 

[Leroy87]

But to be fair to Qantas, they have to board a plane and take off in 20 minutes, so they want to get passengesr on board quickly.

Maybe this is a bigger part of the problem than it would seem? Profitability in aviation is a game of hedging costs and minimising lost minutes - other Australian domestic airlines have longer boarding calls, maybe QF have their utilisation so tight that the orders from on high are just to load people on and clear the gate.

(Though this still doesn't make sense of the behaviour seen in the OP, so maybe I'm making excuses where there are none to be found)

 

[PJF]

Maybe this is a bigger part of the problem than it would seem? Profitability in aviation is a game of hedging costs and minimising lost minutes - other Australian domestic airlines have longer boarding calls, maybe QF have their utilisation so tight that the orders from on high are just to load people on and clear the gate.

(Though this still doesn't make sense of the behaviour seen in the OP, so maybe I'm making excuses where there are none to be found)

No excuse for bad attitude and behaviour no matter how many lines of status you have. If QF just want to get people on board then the young QF fellow should of just simply scanned the passenger and let him go down the ramp.

 

[Waypoint]

Departing Canberra last year there was a new FA doing boarding. The more ‘experienced’ FA mentioned to the new FA that “we’re meant to board priority first but I don’t bother” so it’s just lack of care by the staff and lack of enforcement by senior staff

Imagine that attitude in the coughpit, "we are supposed to put the undercarriage down, but really I can't be bothered" ....

 

[andye]

The auto gates in EU work well. You scan your own BP and it opens if your class of service or status is boarding. If not, red light and stand aside.

How does that work for accompanying family members.....or doesn't it?

 

[juddles]

What in the heck has this got to do with politics? Communism? Hardly. More like lazy workers.....

I was with you, right up until "Communists".

xtfer, I assume your post was directed at me. Apart from many other things, I was never looking for support. If you are "not with me", so be it.

My use of the term Communists was because of the distinct flavour of the lounge guys attitude - it felt like hatred of priority travellers (even though we pay for that "privilege")

I am not into politics, but it felt a fair term to use "communism" to portray a system where elites are bad people.

 

[TheRealTMA]

I am not into politics, but it felt a fair term to use "communism" to portray a system where elites are bad people.

LOL. That last statement is pretty political. I would argue for the French view, but that’s another thread.

 

[JessicaTam]

How does that work for accompanying family members.....or doesn't it?

That was asked a couple of days ago:

Would this mean if a couple or family tried boarding but only one had status, the other(s) would be denied?

With a couple of answers:

Quite possibly. LH tried this on me in FRA. Was boarding for Y with my partner, I was Star Gold. I was scanned and then told "you can go, he can wait". I said "ok no problem, I'll wait as well, just quickly change my status to "not on board". We were both let on with a German sigh of disapproval. I can't imagine it would work well with a self boarding machine.

There was always (IME) a person standing at a manual reader, so they could be approached for intervention.

 

[Isochronous]

xtfer, I assume your post was directed at me. Apart from many other things, I was never looking for support. If you are "not with me", so be it.

My use of the term Communists was because of the distinct flavour of the lounge guys attitude - it felt like hatred of priority travellers (even though we pay for that "privilege")

I am not into politics, but it felt a fair term to use "communism" to portray a system where elites are bad people.

The use of the term communists is perfectly apt - it is the same as the situation with the unionised grunts who deliberately throw bags a bit harder if they have F priority tags on them or happen to be a nice brand of luggage. It is the aspect of Australian culture that is most embarassing compared to other countries - the lack of respect for achievement, success, and those who pay their own way in life.

 

[JessicaTam]

it is the same as the situation with the unionised grunts who deliberately throw bags a bit harder if they have F priority tags on them or happen to be a nice brand of luggage.

What a crock.

 

[serfty]

What a crock.

Actually I saw a memo in CBR addressing such deliberate activity as well as ground crew not recognising priority luggage. It was back in the late 90's.

 

[JessicaTam]

Actually I saw a memo in CBR addressing such deliberate activity as well as ground crew not recognising priority luggage. It was back in the late 90's.

I am not sure that a memo from 20 years ago is relevant now.

 

[drron]

Though it may explain how poor QF are at priority baggage.

 

[serfty]

I am not sure that a memo from 20 years ago is relevant now.

I was working with the industry ... it was the start of me being wary about checking luggage ... You seriously believe things have changed?