Brisbane Domestic

[TonyD]

Anybody else experienced delays checking in at Brisbane?
Monday 15th. Walked thru Qantas doors at 6.10am for a 6.50am flight, a little tight for check in bags but stuff happens! Had OLBP. 20 minutes to get to QC bag drop. Where I was advised cut off was past, (apparently there had been a call to come forward - not audible from back of queue, so dufus here thinks its all ok.) - must get next flight. go to ticket counter - Top blokes here put me on 7.50 flight and provide good seat!! They advised that 85 ground staff have quit in last 12 months and none replaced.
Further observations and chats reveal that there were only 2 staff covering all of QC & Bus. Check Ins and similar wait time for both bag drop and full check In. Apparently Economy Check in was over 1 hour.:shock:

 

[aus_flyer]

It has been pretty bad for a while now.... J and QC checkin lines seem to take forever!

 

[IainF]

I have noticed a few of the QP staff coming down to lend a hand when it gets really busy....
The checkin staff are really on the frontline and Qantas should make sure that they (A) have enough and (B) they are looked after......
I have also noticed that they have moved the checkin line for economy more towards baggage claim, and that the line looks a lot longer....

 

[bigmal]

I've missed a couple of flights now. I only take carryon now and check in at the QF club. Being short of staff is one thing, having incompetant and rude staff is another!!

 

[QF WP]

TonyD, you've had a very similar experience to Nathan75 in his thread and many others here who use BNE regularly.

I've even had to consider getting there well before my previous 45 mins before departure :shock: .

As reported by IainF, the last two CS staff I've had on check-in were both fill-ins from the QC.

 

[TonyD]

Well, I'm a dufus. I looked for a thread to suit my comment and missed his altogether - guess i should have read it before I went!
Thanks for the tip Lindsay - I have now read through BNE QF Check in?? and suggest that thread be renamed " Dont drink with Lindsay" !!

 

[QF WP]

Hang on - that's a bit unfair ....he was the one "buying" me the beers and we only had two . Still, lucky he made his flight - I've been the last person on many a flight and has the dagger eyes from other pax.

 

[littl_flier]

It seems to be a bit and miss. Last Tuesday evening it was an absolute zoo with only two staff running the QP, Business and QP Bad Drop lines. On Sunday pm there was 4 staff and I was checked in within 3-5 minutes. The economy wait was about 25-30 minutes though.

 

[Yada Yada]

I only go through BNE a few times a year, usually with a bag to check, and it's almost always on Virgin Blue these days. To date I have not had any problems at their end of the terminal.

I'll be flying in/out of BNE Monday & Tuesday next week (Virgin Blue). Are the queues still reasonably fast there?

 

[MelUser]

QANTAS CLUB: BRISBANE AIRPORT

Flying JQ today from BNE to Prosperine/Airlie Beach on jetstar.

Qantas club was very particular checking JQ boarding pass/QC Card and writing all details down. When I queried why, chap on desk said "to make sure you're not flying Virgin". Strange I thought - is more like a survey - there seems to be white board. Not the usual welcome to QC I receive.

Then JQ flight is called at lounge. We wait 15 minutes and then walk to gate. Plane is only at stage of letting off passengers from incoming flight, let alone boarding.

This is the rudest I have been treated at QC Brisbane ever. It seems they wanted us out of there ASAP.

Is anyone else finding rudeness at Brisbane QC and/or is the reason related to flying Jet*? There is no QF option to Airlie Beach (only alternative is Virgin). Any thoughts?

 

[serfty]

In the BNE QP at the moment; about 20 minutes ago (6:15pm) a JQ flight was announced, "pax please go ... etc."

10 seconds later the PA fire up again with an apology, "Sorry boarding will not be until approx. 7pm; we will advise when boarding has commenced".

So, if related, then perhaps MelUser's post has changed BNE QP JQ boarding announcement policy today?

 

[straitman]

Hang on - that's a bit unfair ....he was the one "buying" me the beers and we only had two . Still, lucky he made his flight - I've been the last person on many a flight and has the dagger eyes from other pax.

Lindsay,

It seems that your reputation is finally catching up with you :!:

 

[TonyD]

With the recent media spotlight on Qantas Check-In woes.
Check out this story from news.com.au Reader's Comments: Brisbane queues 'worst' in Australia | News.com.au
and the subsequent blog. from 16/11

 

[littl_flier]

And one from today's Courier Mail.

QANTAS has called back its customer services manager from annual leave as the staffing crisis at Brisbane Airport deepens.

Marilyn McKenzie was yesterday ordered to return to work after reports in The Courier-Mail highlighted the impact understaffing was having on services at the airport's Qantas terminal.

Passengers have branded it the worst in Australia because of lengthy delays at the check-in counters where staff regularly cop abuse, including being booed and spat at for leaving their posts.

<snip for potentially emotional material>

She said staff rostered on that day had pleaded with management to find more workers when six employees called in sick.

Yesterday Qantas released a press release blaming "infrastructure issues" for contributing to passenger congestion.

Regional manager Andrew Hogg said "recent rapid passenger growth in Queensland had put a strain on airport processes".

Mr Hogg said the airline was recruiting 35 permanent customer services staff for Brisbane Airport in the lead-up to Christmas and to cater for growth in 2008.

"We are constantly monitoring staff levels to ensure we are operating as effectively and efficiently as possible," he said.

 

[pauly7]

QANTAS CLUB: BRISBANE AIRPORT

Flying JQ today from BNE to Prosperine/Airlie Beach on jetstar.

Qantas club was very particular checking JQ boarding pass/QC Card and writing all details down. When I queried why, chap on desk said "to make sure you're not flying Virgin". Strange I thought - is more like a survey - there seems to be white board. Not the usual welcome to QC I receive.

Is anyone else finding rudeness at Brisbane QC and/or is the reason related to flying Jet*?

No rudeness for me, maybe you caught a bad day...

But to your post, I have heard that QC/QFF holders being forced to fly Virgin through work policies are trying to use the QF club still and it is a real issue (I don't blame them for trying!).

Apparently QF are working on an automatic swipe system for the QF clubs that sit on terminals where DJ customers can access.

I must admit increasingly, my card is being taken by the Melb QF club staff and swiped at busier timers....

 

[JohnK]

Something is not quite right with this story.

She said staff rostered on that day had pleaded with management to find more workers when six employees called in sick.

Forgive me if I am wrong but Qantas has something like 12 staff for checkin and QC duties in BNE and 6 of them called in sick on the same day! They must have had the same tuna baguette that I had in SYD T2 Qantas lounge a couple of week ago.

Sack everyone of them and hire a new set of staff. There are plenty of people looking for work who are prepared to work!

 

[oz_mark]

Something is not quite right with this story.


Forgive me if I am wrong but Qantas has something like 12 staff for checkin and QC duties in BNE and 6 of them called in sick on the same day! They must have had the same tuna baguette that I had in SYD T2 Qantas lounge a couple of week ago.

Sack everyone of them and hire a new set of staff. There are plenty of people looking for work who are prepared to work!

It is quite plausible they were all sick on the same day. I don't think sacking people for having a day off sick is good industrial relations policy.

 

[serfty]

... I must admit increasingly, my card is being taken by the Melb QF club staff and swiped at busier timers....

This automatic swipe system has been in effect for close to this entire century!

As far as MEL using it they have basically been diligent. My SG years 'til '05 this century had a swipe to front ratio of between 95%-98%, the none swipes were extremely rare.

BNE are a laugh, they look at yon gold/plat/qp card and wave you through.

 

[Mal]

Forgive me if I am wrong but Qantas has something like 12 staff for checkin and QC duties in BNE and 6 of them called in sick on the same day!

I believe a number of staff are on stress leave or similar types of leave.

It is quite common in a demoralised work environment for large numbers of staff to call in sick at the same time. It's not co-ordinated normally, but people just wake up in the morning and decide they can't face the work they have to face. If I worked in an environment where I copped physical and mental abuse from irate customers each day, I don't think I'd be that happy with going to work each day (although for me, I'd probably just get a new job instead!)

 

[JohnK]

I believe a number of staff are on stress leave or similar types of leave.

It is quite common in a demoralised work environment for large numbers of staff to call in sick at the same time. It's not co-ordinated normally, but people just wake up in the morning and decide they can't face the work they have to face.

Maybe I was little harsh on them but it still is a little strange to have 6 people, which is a high percentage of staff, calling in sick the same day.

If I worked in an environment where I copped physical and mental abuse from irate customers each day, I don't think I'd be that happy with going to work each day (although for me, I'd probably just get a new job instead!)

In this type of situation a change of job is the only solution. The migranes ans stress are just not worth it.