Finally crossed over 1400 status credits to earn Qantas Platinum - Questions...

[Lynda2475]

The simple solution is already in place, that is to book preferred shower time from remaining slots on arrival.

Customers who have access go to F lounger precisely to avoid the circus that can sometimes exist in the J lounge given how easy the J is to get entry to, merging is a poor solution given the F showers are larger and have better products.

My experience in boarding QF at LAX was that OWE and Business passengers were called first; then OWS/PE and finally Y. Those in Business do have their own queue because they enter the aircraft via the front door, where as Y enter from the middle door (and if A380 then 3 different doors in play).

 

[kpro]

Aren't the showers at BA LHR T5 shared between F and J? Those always have a line, and are far from impressive for the wait.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Aren't the showers at BA LHR T5 shared between F and J? Those always have a line, and are far from impressive for the wait.

I think the lounges are on separate floors!

 

[MEL_Traveller]

The simple solution is already in place, that is to book preferred shower time from remaining slots on arrival.

Customers who have access go to F lounger precisely to avoid the circus that can sometimes exist in the J lounge given how easy the J is to get entry to, merging is a poor solution given the F showers are larger and have better products.

My experience in boarding QF at LAX was that OWE and Business passengers were called first; then OWS/PE and finally Y. Those in Business do have their own queue because they enter the aircraft via the front door, where as Y enter from the middle door (and if A380 then 3 different doors in play).

YMMV. For our flight, a 787, single priority queue. One boarding started all available channels were used for that queue, meaning it was processed in just a few minutes. We boarded through a single door, 2 left.

 

[downgraded]

if QF put the same effort into separating the travel classes in lounges

They wouldn't have let you into the J lounge to queue jump.

 

[serfty]

YMMV. For our flight, a 787, single priority queue. One boarding started all available channels were used for that queue, meaning it was processed in just a few minutes. We boarded through a single door, 2 left.

This is my experince as well ...

As for Qantas boarding at LAX it is rather eclectic these days.

Generally facial recognition (no scan of BPs) with two queues.

The queues are comprised of those who queue up in the priority queue and those who don't.

Queue eligibilty is not questioned.

 

[justinbrett]

At HNL a few weeks ago it was:
Group 1 - J seats only
Group 2 - Chairmans lounge, Platinum and Platinum One
Group 3 - Gold
Group 4 - Silver

I didn't hear the rest as I boarded in group 2 (they weren't numbered but that was the order they were announced)

Actually worked really well

 

[RichardMEL]

re boarding QF flights at LAX. Has been a bit of a shambles over the years in my experience. Most recent experience was earlier this year, but I do think half the problem (specially for A380's) is the gate areas are relatively small, and I found large numbers of pax usually crowded the gate areas making queue management a nightmare - and in fact often when I would arrive at a gate like 152 or something from the lounge, actually being able to easily see what queue was where could be a challenge to know where the right lane was. Now, several times there have been minders attempting to sort out the mess a bit.

Even so, usually calling specific groups like F, J and WP/P1 etc usually sorted things out reasonably (well I would board at one of those points of course).

I've found processes somewhat better at ports like DFW but it can also depend on the gate being used.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

At HNL a few weeks ago it was:
Group 1 - J seats only
Group 2 - Chairmans lounge, Platinum and Platinum One
Group 3 - Gold
Group 4 - Silver

I didn't hear the rest as I boarded in group 2 (they weren't numbered but that was the order they were announced)

Actually worked really well

That makes sense. J class pay the most, and no benefit of boarding early in terms of overhead space. Then by status where access to lockers might be more of an issue.

 

[RichardMEL]

That makes sense. J class pay the most, and no benefit of boarding early in terms of overhead space. Then by status where access to lockers might be more of an issue.

imo on widebodies, there are far less issues with overheads in J (and F where it exists). Both due to lower density of pax in J - so more space per pax in overheads, with the exception of first few middles on the 787 due to the crew rest and so on, and It would be very unusual to have Y (or W perhaps) passengers moving into J and putting bags in those overheads. (as opposed to so many that do on a 737 domestic service as they board and pass through J and some will take a space in an overhead before moving back (which really annoys me when I witness it).

However, having elites board before the hoi poloi definitely give that advantage in the Y cabin I agree.

I suppose for narrowbody ops (and trans tas and other international narrowbody routes) the group boarding being implemented should, in theory, assist with this issue somewhat - though it just may mean more status pax sitting in Y will attempt to put their bags in J if there's space.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

imo on widebodies, there are far less issues with overheads in J (and F where it exists). Both due to lower density of pax in J - so more space per pax in overheads, with the exception of first few middles on the 787 due to the crew rest and so on, and It would be very unusual to have Y (or W perhaps) passengers moving into J and putting bags in those overheads. (as opposed to so many that do on a 737 domestic service as they board and pass through J and some will take a space in an overhead before moving back (which really annoys me when I witness it).

However, having elites board before the hoi poloi definitely give that advantage in the Y cabin I agree.

I suppose for narrowbody ops (and trans tas and other international narrowbody routes) the group boarding being implemented should, in theory, assist with this issue somewhat - though it just may mean more status pax sitting in Y will attempt to put their bags in J if there's space.

Yes. I should have been a bit clearer in my post. Allowing J class to board first doesn’t disadvantage status pax in Y, as J have plenty of their own overhead space, and won’t be taking any bin allocation from Y.

 

[kpro]

I think the lounges are on separate floors!

Yea they are - but the showers in Galleries South lounge complex are outside the lounges themselves and within a common area.

Drifting off topic now but this review describes it well.

The British Airways Galleries South Club Lounge shares shower access with the rest of the lounges in the area. The showers are located next to the entrance to the Concorde Room, so you’ll have to go down the escalators to use them.

In any case my point was that the shared showers don't necessarily shorten the wait time, and you may end up with a worse experience.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Yea they are - but the showers in Galleries South lounge complex are outside the lounges themselves and within a common area.

Drifting off topic now but this review describes it well.


In any case my point was that the shared showers don't necessarily shorten the wait time, and you may end up with a worse experience.

Ooo! Classy! Getting shared facilities with real F pax

Thanks for the data point. Obviously I had no idea!!

 

[Princess Fiona]

Ooo! Classy! Getting shared facilities with real F pax

Thanks for the data point. Obviously I had no idea!!

Yep and they have all the ambience of a Residential Aged Care Facility

 

[tdimdad]

My argument is that if you don't have systems in place to enforce things like priority and status you run into issues.

There are, plenty. Different airlines or airport do it slightly differently but there's segmentation. E.g. you have a clear separation of J and F lounges (and also public paid lounges or credit card lounges in many airports). Some are based on status (e.g. OWE vs OWS) and some on travel class, some accept a permutation (e.g. OWE's allowed into an F lounge).

Many airlines do queue management and boarding sequence well. And being high status or high class does not automatically result in a high boarding group - e.g. recently I travelled in J and was in group 3 (after their own high elites and certain high-value credit cards). Separating shower / spa facilities into F and J or dining areas are also ways to segment the group.

There are many systems in place for priority and status. Some efficiencies are gained by grouping them together (e.g. run two or three lounges instead one for each sub-segment) and that's a good thing because it makes it more possible to offer those services and service the segments in a reasonable manner.

[edit: typos]

 

[Matt_01]

Welcome to the world of WP and it is not as flash as QF makes out. I am on the way down the status pole and could not help but notice the image in your first post. When did that 'World Platinum' come into play, I must just be standard 'Platinum' or possibly only a domestic 'Platinum'

 

[fly2earth]

Indeed, when I tried securing a shower ahead of my flight, I was told it was not possible as there was a 40 minute waiting list for it. Frustrated, I headed to the OneWorld Business lounge, cut in front of everyone and explained my situation (yes this was justified as I'm Platinum and therefore have higher priority over all of them). Within 5 minutes I had a shower. Whilst the water pressure wasn't ideal, the temperature control was good.

Can't get along in the big leagues so you "downgrade" yourself to bully the MGs (Mugblood Gold). Savage but I like it (as in find it funny)

 

[fly2earth]

We had two queues for my flight a couple weeks ago, although once they started they channeled the priority queue through all available kiosks to get them processed as quickly as possible, before general boarding.

While they said ‘no boarding passes’ a particularly officious young chap *was* checking boarding passes for anyone he *thought* didn’t belong in the priority queue. He didn’t turn a single passenger back, suggesting he was somewhat over zealous.

Reflecting back, it was actually fairly rude.

It was more than made up for by the crew on board however

Young chap just asserting his dominance...the real WWP (Wooking the Wooking Platinums)

 

[fly2earth]

The tags have arrived! A part of the new, speedy priority service from QFF.

Does WP status also come with the WG status?