Article: When Priority Isn’t Really Priority

[AFF Editor]

When Priority Isn’t Really Priority is an article written by AFF editorial staff:

When Priority Isn't Really Priority

Priority check-in, security and boarding is normally a welcome reprieve from airport crowds. But sometimes, the "priority" queue is slower.

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

You can leave a comment or discuss this topic below.

 

[billmurray]

Yes this is true, though the article doesnt really add much value or provide remedy to a very common observance.

 

[eminere]

"If everyone has status, then everyone gets priority. Which means nobody actually has priority."

Yep. When everybody is somebody, nobody is anybody.

 

[RooFlyer]

Qantas 'priority bags' has never worked as far as I can recall even well before Covid.

 

[pauly7]

Virgin and Qantas very much struggle with this ‘benefit’.

I’ve always wondered why Jetstar never tried and charged for the pleasure for some extra $$… Too hard basket probably.

 

[sudoer]

I’ve always wondered why Jetstar never tried and charged for the pleasure for some extra $$… Too hard basket probably.

I rarely fly JQ so perhaps this wasn't standard procedure, but on a recent 787 SYD-MEL flight, those who'd paid for upfront seats in economy were given priority boarding at the same time as 'Business' class.

Despite the priority, all passengers arrived at their destination two hours late

 

[AIRwin]

I rarely fly JQ so perhaps this wasn't standard procedure, but on a recent 787 SYD-MEL flight, those who'd paid for upfront seats in economy were given priority boarding at the same time as 'Business' class.

Despite the priority, all passengers arrived at their destination two hours late

More time in F lounge?

 

[sudoer]

More time in F lounge?

Frustratingly no! We were only informed of the delay after boarding. Some sort of engineering issue with loading bags. Then we got stuck on the tarmac for 45 minutes as a storm rolled in along with lightning near the airport.

I would have been delighted by the two hour delay if I could have spent that time continuing to sample the F lounge menu...

 

[RooFlyer]

Virgin and Qantas very much struggle with this ‘benefit’.

Ha ha maybe, but we know that Qantas seems to struggle with it quite a bit more than Virgin does. In my 20 flights with Virgin since they made me platinum in January with the status match, I think there’s been a priority boarding fail just the once in that time, in Melbourne. My single Qantas flight during that time, Hobart to Melbourne well, have a guess

 

[Pushka]

Unless the standard line at security in Adelaide is unbearable, do not use the priority lane at Adelaide Airport. Their screeners are woeful. Take forever.

 

[dkr]

Excessive status extensions felt hard this week. SYD Dom J lounge was absolutely packed on Wednesday evening to the point I couldn't find a seat and walked out after a couple of quick laps. Felt like more than 30% of flyers that evening were in the J lounge alone.

 

[kgreenuq]

Unless the standard line at security in Adelaide is unbearable, do not use the priority lane at Adelaide Airport. Their screeners are woeful. Take forever.

Amen! I can attest to that.

 

[Vic]

Virgin and Qantas very much struggle with this ‘benefit’.

I’ve always wondered why Jetstar never tried and charged for the pleasure for some extra $$… Too hard basket probably.

Can only disagree about virgin. priority luggage and boarding almost always works.

Qantas - almost never

 

[Noah Count]

I have posted many times about the group/line that forms in the waiting area and out into the concourse. The group often starts about 3 meters back from the scanning area and there is the rush when board is finally called. For the past 10 years I have unashamedly walked up and bridged the 3 meter gap to be first on the plane. I have no issues with doing this and once I am at the front of the line a few PAX follow suit and the line starts to form. It is just human herd mentality to stand one behind the other.

 

[gaz0303]

I reckon the lack of effective PB is part due to our egalitarian nature. The mob at the gate says “stuff those elites, I’m boarding now”. QF announce PB at every flight, but nobody listens. If flights attendants rejected the queue jumpers and sent them back to the end of line, we would never board on time and they would get sprayed with abuse. Half the time I’m annoyed when PB doesn’t work, half the time I just smile at the mess. I’ve never not been able to fit my carryon in the overhead locker within a couple of rows of my seat.

 

[jase05]

If flights attendants rejected the queue jumpers and sent them back to the end of line, we would never board on time and they would get sprayed with abuse.

Yet VA often do this and there is no real delay.
It’s quite funny seeing them get sent to the back of the line with their tails between their legs

 

[drron]

When I boarded my SYD-MCY flight Wednesday last week I was a little late to the gate. There were at least 40 in the priority lane and a single person in the economy line. I guessed correctly that this being QF in SYD both lines would start boarding at the same time. Quite a few that were in that priority line I recognised heading up the back of the plane. The couple in the economy line behind me were obviously common sense people as I noted they took their J seats.

 

[justinbrett]

Considering the BNE premium entry security queue is literally 10 metres from the regular queue, and you have to walk past it to enter, you really can't complain if you chose to remain in the premium queue (if indeed the regular queue was in fact faster; which it may well not have been - the supermarket fallacy that every queue is faster than the one you're in).

I've certainly waited a lot longer in the standard queue than I ever have in the premium one.

 

[Jean Prouvaire]

Have also noticed the high number of people with priority in both security and boarding lanes recently, and have jumped over to the non-priority lanes when it was clear they were going to get me through faster. The advantage of having priority is that you have a choice of lanes, where as those without priority don't.

The other circumstance where it can make a noticeable difference is if you get to the gate after the initial priority queue (however long it may have been) has been taken care of and it stands empty. People without priority will still (in my experience) form a long queue in the non-priority lane (and then be served by both scanners), so if you have priority you can just waltz past them and jump to the head of the queue.

 

[elanshin]

It was really amusing at t3 Sydney going into security recently that the normal line had about 10 or so people (and more machines to split into) and the priority had 30+. Given that the lines are visible next to each other, you'd think at a glance you'd just waltz straight into the normal line, but no people continued to go into priority.

Also peeked into syd dom J lounge one evening and bolted over to club. One was packed to the rafters and the other was completely quiet and empty. Was a little bit miffed that flight was minorly delayed and they moved us over as qantas club was closing to the "better" lounge that you could barely find a seat in.