Another Qantas enhancement? Q Reader

[nlagalle]

The trouble is that the 'email my BP' now sends a link and not the BP resulting in more faffing around. It used to be so easy...

you don't even need the BP, just scan your FF Card at the gate and collect the receipt.

 

[bismarck]

I use the app to check in as often select the exit row and so need to proactively accept the additional conditions. No need to then also use phone as BP. If phone dies, just hand over card for scanning and they'll print the little receipt.

Easy.

 

[opusman]

I am surprised at everyone using online checkin.
I never check in before I arrive at the airport in case I don't make it.

What difference does being checked in make? If you miss the flight you miss the flight.

 

[cwphoto]

You can change the booking for a start.

What difference does being checked in make? If you miss the flight you miss the flight.

 

[esseeeayeenn]

What difference does being checked in make? If you miss the flight you miss the flight.

As @cwphoto has already observed, you may be able to change your booking.
Essentially any flexibility available under your fare rules remains available - and easily accessible - until the moment you check in.
I have missed flights and simply been able to change my own booking online.
Once you check in that flexibility is no longer available, or, even if it is, it is not easily accessible.
If you can still change your booking you will need staff assistance to do so.

Of course if you are on a cheap fare with no flexibility you have no choice other than to throw yourself on the mercy of the airline staff.
Hopefully if you have status they will feel more motivated to help you out.
However even then not checking in online might assist.
I have heard that PAX who just miss the checkin deadline may blame a malfunction at the check-in kiosk.
This might encourage the airline to put them on the next available flight without penalty.
Of course this is just something I have heard and I couldn't possibly confirm it through personal experience.

 

[katiebell]

you don't even need the BP, just scan your FF Card at the gate and collect the receipt.

I like the BP as a visual reminder of gate closing time etc as phones die etc. Also good to check in on line so that if I arrive at teh airport after check in closes but before the gate closes I can still get my flight

 

[nlagalle]

I like the BP as a visual reminder of gate closing time etc as phones die etc. Also good to check in on line so that if I arrive at teh airport after check in closes but before the gate closes I can still get my flight

Boarding pass doesn't show the closing time.. just has the boarding time and flight time.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Yes. Well that's a pain then. We use them all the time. So now join the masses at the machines? I don't have my phone out at airport departure areas.

I find it quicker to spend 30 seconds doing the 3 step mobile checkin the night prior at home. Even if my phone is charging I can still do this. You could also do OLCI and save a pdf copy for your records however you don't have to print it out but instead can scan your frequent flyer card at the gate to board then take the chit that prints out.

If I'm in an exit row I can't use the Qcard reader anyway as there is no facility to click any button to accept the exit row T&C's. Haven't seen any pax use a QCR in ages.

I guess it's a personal thing so if you choose not to checkin at home for whatever reason then the other options available to are are to either checkin at the Premium checkin counter or scan your ff card in the slot on the front of the self service kiosk. The pax pfaffing around are generally always in the middle so either walk to the far right or far left where there are no queues.

I'm not sure but if you checkin online cant you just rock up at the gate and scan your card, No prior scanning anywhere else is needed if you dont like the kiosk.

Sure can. If you have bags with Qtags and have already checked in just enter the terminal and head directly to the auto bag drop scanning your ff card on the Q symbol at the bag drop.

It assumes that everyone has online access prior to check in or wants to spend the time doing so. Half the time he is driving himself to the airport post business meetings and barely gets time to check emails.

We usually have luggage so no lounge checkin.

We use the poles with checkin luggage. Swipe card on the pole then off to the luggage area. The main kiosks are always busy with people pfaffing around and luggage everywhere. Not much space.

It is a real downgrade to status passengers - not me so much but husband who just this week has four separate flights. Annoying.

But why remove them? They didn't take up much space and provided a service for those who do. They didn't require any human contact.
I am starting to feel like my mother when technology removes services that I find convenient. If travelling with someone else on the booking I'm guessing only one text received?

When they made mobile checkin much easier so many people used that option as you can check in multiple people on the one device receiving separate QR codes for each pax whereas the Qcard reader would only checkin the card holder which could be problematic as some people assumed them swiping the card would check in both parties only to find at the gate when trying to board that only one had been checked in.

I couldn't tell you the last time I saw someone checkin at the Q Card reader. People who want a record of their flights may prefer mobile checkin as they can save their QR codes to apps such as passbook so they have a record of when they travelled. Same for OLCI - you can save a pdf copy of your boarding pass to your pc for tax purposes etc. You can't do that checking in at the Q Card reader.

I believe I can recall checking my baggage in at the airport first and then officially checking in at the Qantas Club.
Others may care to comment on whether that is possible.

If Qantas say the poles were seldom used then I believe we can accept that statement at face value, and adapt to a changed method, that will then be the best to suit us.

You can't check a bag in without being checked in so you must've have already been checked in prior to doing luggage drop off then when you were in the QF Club they've just reprinted you a boarding pass which you saw as being "officially checked in."

If you have a q-tag, can you check-in at the bag drop point?? (A question- have only ever had domestic check once)

You must be checked in first prior to dropping a bag off as the auto bag drop point won't check you in.

I have heard that PAX who just miss the checkin deadline may blame a malfunction at the check-in kiosk.
This might encourage the airline to put them on the next available flight without penalty.
Of course this is just something I have heard and I couldn't possibly confirm it through personal experience.

You, *cough* that 'pax' was lucky as our friend Confucious says "the law may sleep but never dies." Better to check in ahead of time then no big deal if you arrive at the airport after checkin close off - assuming HLO of course.

 

[katiebell]

Boarding pass doesn't show the closing time.. just has the boarding time and flight time.

Just the boarding time which is what counts: a time to be at or going to the gate. It helps me so I like it.

 

[esseeeayeenn]

You, *cough* that 'pax' was lucky as our friend Confucious says "the law may sleep but never dies." Better to check in ahead of time then no big deal if you arrive at the airport after checkin close off - assuming HLO of course.

Not a safe assumption.

 

[jastel]

I must have missed this "enhancement" of being a lowly silver.
It was the best benefit I had not having to use the stupid kiosks with the "Brady Bunchers"
Just tap the card on the pole and then same again at bag drop.

Admittedly I have not flown much this year and there is no bag drop at my home airport so I dont bother using the pole here as I need to stand in line again to check in my luggage anyway.

Spent 10 minutes looking for them in BNE yesterday...there was no staff to ask as usual.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

I must have missed this "enhancement" of being a lowly silver.
It was the best benefit I had not having to use the stupid kiosks with the "Brady Bunchers"
Just tap the card on the pole and then same again at bag drop.

Admittedly I have not flown much this year and there is no bag drop at my home airport so I dont bother using the pole here as I need to stand in line again to check in my luggage anyway.

Spent 10 minutes looking for them in BNE yesterday...there was no staff to ask as usual.

Using the poles was a two step process as you'd have to tap the card first then proceed to the auto bag drop second.

If you do mobile checkin or OLCI it doesn't matter if your mobile phone goes flat or you don't print out your OLCI boarding pass you can just tap your frequent flyer card against the white Q symbol at the auto bag drop if your suitcase has the Qtag on it which it must have going by your above paragraph.

You don't need to "use the stupid kiosks with the Brady Bunchers" - just walk in the front door of the terminal and go straight to the bag drop.

You're also still eligible to use premium checkin which is to the left as you walk in the door which also has auto bag drops as well as a person who can put paper tags on your bag.

 

[jastel]

Online/Mobile check in Step 1
Bag Drop Step 2
Still 2 steps...

I dont check in until I am at the airport, put mobile, watch, wallet etc in hand luggage when I get out of the taxi/train for ease at security line and just used my Qantas Card.

I liked using it anyway...

I do use Business lines here where there is no bag drop, have to use it now at other places too.

 

[Pushka]

Online/Mobile check in Step 1
Bag Drop Step 2
Still 2 steps...

I dont check in until I am at the airport, put mobile, watch, wallet etc in hand luggage when I get out of the taxi/train for ease at security line and just used my Qantas Card.

I liked using it anyway...

I do use Business lines here where there is no bag drop, have to use it now at other places too.

I think we are in the minority. We miss it too.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Everyone has there own personal preference but I prefer mobile checkin so I can just head through security asap to the lounge or in case I'm running late for whatever reason I can just go directly to the gate. The more things I can do ahead of time that don't have to be done at the airport the better

Online/Mobile check in Step 1
Bag Drop Step 2
Still 2 steps...

I dont check in until I am at the airport, put mobile, watch, wallet etc in hand luggage when I get out of the taxi/train for ease at security line and just used my Qantas Card.

I liked using it anyway...

I do use Business lines here where there is no bag drop, have to use it now at other places too.

Two steps, yes but only one thing to do at the airport which would be bag drop if applicable. .

Just curious as to why you choose not to checkin ahead of time and leave it until the airport?

If you're on a changeable ticket it doesn't matter if you've already checked in - you can still be moved prior to checking in bags of course. I think VA is different though.

I think we are in the minority. We miss it too.

ISTR Mr P time was time limited but even if he (or a PA) had a spare 30 seconds he could do mobile or OLCI checkin the night prior then just head to the bag drop tapping his card on the Q symbol at the bag drop like he used to do but without having to tap the card on the pole which is no longer there.

The ff card can be used at the gate to boarding irrespective of which mode of checkin was used. Same for dropping off a bag - as long as you are checked in somehow prior to arriving at the auto bag drop you can just tap your card and send off your Qtagged bag.

A lot of people found the pole frustrating if they had pre-allocated exit row seats as they couldn't use the QCR as there was no way of acknowledging they met the exit row requirements.