For QF and VA - a LATAM solution to boarding that WORKS!!

[mrsterryn]

This issue with boarding is mainly domestic? With Qantas ?
I usually only fly internationally or domestic with very limited hand luggage no checked
If I am flying 1st or business I don't tend to board early. Working on the premise that I going to be on board for a long time

Recently though I fly economy from Hawaii to Sydney .
I was waiting for the prority boarding which came after
People with disabilities
People with young children , age specified
Then Chairman's lounge , Platinium 1 and Platinium (when i boarded)

As I was sitting in the very last row I was very happy to have the priority boarding . Even with that people were struggling with carry on bags trying to put into over head lockers though

 

[pauly7]

This issue with boarding is mainly domestic? With Qantas ?

I’d say mostly domestic and both VA and QF can stuff it up pretty regularly. I fly both domestically, a lot, and VA execute better more times than QF. I’d say VA get it right 7/10 flights, QF more like 6/10. Neither of them are gold star but I have the feeling neither of them really care either!

 

[PumaPilot]

I flew from Sydney to Perth yesterday and was number 2 in the Premium queue (Plat). A member of the cabin crew came out to start boarding the pax starting with the Premium queue, all good so far then the first person in then in premium queue asked why the premium queue had priority. (Only one person processing pax to board the a/c). The cabin crew member apologised and asked both queues to merge to placate the whining pax.

Please Qantas, board the premium line first and eject NON Plat 1, Plat and Gold as well as Business Pax from the Premium lane, PLEASE. Virgin do it so can you please do it.

 

[dk4]

I’d say mostly domestic and both VA and QF can stuff it up pretty regularly. I fly both domestically, a lot, and VA execute better more times than QF. I’d say VA get it right 7/10 flights, QF more like 6/10. Neither of them are gold star but I have the feeling neither of them really care either!

I fly both airlines a reasonable amount (although, more on VA these days because as a whole, IMO they offer the superior domestic business class product) and my experience differs from yours!

I like to board ASAP once boarding commences, and can generally time arriving at the gate with the start of boarding. IME:

* QF domestic consistently boards both queues (priority and standard) at the same start time (when they have two staff processing boarding passes at the gate) AND they do not protect the priority queue for eligible passengers only. (They will make a standard announcement about priority boarding, but there is never any follow through.)

* VA consistently board all queued priority passengers (purple lane) at the commencement of boarding before opening general (red carpet) boarding AND they protect the priority queue for eligible passengers (sending ineligible passengers to the back of the standard queue), as well as keeping the priority lane empty for eligible passengers to use during general boarding, allowing them to skip to the front of the queue when they arrive at the gate.

So, my score is Virgin 10/10. (Qantas however, is consistent with offering priority boarding "according to its processes", which is - both queues board at the same time AND anyone can use either queue.)

In addition, Virgin FAs protect overhead bins in Business Class for Business Class passenger use during boarding, until all J passengers have boarded. Not only does Qantas NOT do that, but substantial overhead space on QF B737s above row 1 (and sometimes row 2 port side) is taken up by company items, leaving less overhead space for passengers.

YMMV

 

[drron]

I flew from Sydney to Perth yesterday and was number 2 in the Premium queue (Plat). A member of the cabin crew came out to start boarding the pax starting with the Premium queue, all good so far then the first person in then in premium queue asked why the premium queue had priority. (Only one person processing pax to board the a/c). The cabin crew member apologised and asked both queues to merge to placate the whining pax.

Please Qantas, board the premium line first and eject NON Plat 1, Plat and Gold as well as Business Pax from the Premium lane, PLEASE. Virgin do it so can you please do it.

You want them to exclude J pax.I'll tell you your'e dreaming.

 

[pauly7]

In addition, Virgin FAs protect overhead bins in Business Class for Business Class passenger use during boarding, until all J passengers have boarded. Not only does Qantas NOT do that, but substantial overhead space on QF B737s above row 1 (and sometimes row 2 port side) is taken up by company items, leaving less overhead space for passengers.

YMMV

YMMV, I haven’t experienced VA protecting my J class 737 overhead bin worse or better than a QF 737, both seem to be reasonably good in this area.

 

[Silvia]

YMMV, I haven’t experienced VA protecting my J class 737 overhead bin worse or better than a QF 737, both seem to be reasonably good in this area.

Same here, even with economy X where they advertise that you have a dedicated overhead bin... didn't work twice when we got it. Ended up giving my money back to QF.

 

[Himeno]

Japan and Scandinavia are two places in my experience that board flights the most quickly and efficiently. Both have automatic scanners/turnstiles at the gate. That way one turnstile can be programmed to only allow priority pax through and the other for general boarding.

I actually think Qantas do a decent job of loading a full 737 in 20 minutes or so.

JAL does pre boarding (families with small kids, elderly, wheelchairs), then premium (either F/Emerald and J/Sapphire together or separate), then general starting from the rear.
JAL can fully board their domestic 767s and 777s and be ready for push back in 20 minutes. Even at gates that don't have the pax scan fare barrier like gates.
If JAL can board a full 777 in 20 minutes, I don't understand want Qantas needs 20-30 to board a 737.

 

[drron]

But JAL fails when you have to board at a remote stand.
premium pax join bus first,then everyone else so premium pax last to board.
RJ does it well.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

travel companions should always get the perks of the traveller with the highest status. for example, the spouse/companion of a platinum FF can check in with their companion at the First class counter.. etc.

I realise they should however I was querying whether this would happen if using automated gates because if the gate reader goes by the info on the boarding pass then the non-elite travelling companion would be rejected.

If JAL can board a full 777 in 20 minutes, I don't understand want Qantas needs 20-30 to board a 737.

It only takes about 10 minutes to scan everyone through the gate reader. The rest of the time is pax dilly dallying onboard putting all their carry on away causing a line in the aerobridge. Using both forward a rear doors for boarding helps a little bit with congestion in the aerobridge but once onboard you still have the issue of stowing the carry on.

 

[Forg]

If JAL can board a full 777 in 20 minutes, I don't understand want Qantas needs 20-30 to board a 737.

It’s only about double the passengers, and it’s across double the aisles, therefore with twice as much access to luggage bins?
Plus the QF 737 door is only at the front, whereas if a JAL 777 has only one door in use it’s between J & Y allowing people to go both forward & backward?

 

[Himeno]

Boarded a domestic JL 767 twice in the last 4 days. F5 J42 Y205. Single door 1L each time.
20 mins from boarding start to push back.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

YMMV, I haven’t experienced VA protecting my J class 737 overhead bin worse or better than a QF 737, both seem to be reasonably good in this area.

Boarded a domestic JL 767 twice in the last 4 days. F5 J42 Y205. Single door 1L each time.
20 mins from boarding start to push back.

Are pax economical with their carryon in Japan ie don't carry everything but the kitchen sink?

 

[Volando]

Are pax economical with their carryon in Japan ie don't carry everything but the kitchen sink?

Yes, in my experience travelling in Japan, there’s a lot less silly amounts of carry on. And just a whole lot more courtesy and consideration.

As for automatic gates recognising companions travelling with a passenger with status, I guess it wouldn’t be too hard to program the BP code to allow someone through if travelling on the same PNR. If separate PNRs, staff intervention might be required. Even with automatic gates, there’s at least one gate agent on hand monitoring.

 

[jb747]

So, if I understand this correctly, it works by ensuring that much of the overhead space is taken before the people with bigger bags have a chance to board. So basically, by ensuring maximum inconvenience to those with larger bags. And yet, we have another thread discussing how the airlines will make enemies by weighing luggage, which is designed around ensuring such luggage doesn’t exist at all.

I still think my idea of banning anything with wheels works.

One thing I do see, and which I would stamp out, is the habit some have of leaving their luggage in business as they walk through. The LATAM method would also do this. Of course the best way, would be to use two boarding streams, but the smaller jets can never have more than one bridge attached.

Perhaps we could physically divide the overheads, so that each seat has its allocated storage, and that’s it.

 

[stm1sydney]

I’d say mostly domestic and both VA and QF can stuff it up pretty regularly. I fly both domestically, a lot, and VA execute better more times than QF. I’d say VA get it right 7/10 flights, QF more like 6/10. Neither of them are gold star but I have the feeling neither of them really care either!

In my experience, VA is about 9.5/10 and QF (dom) is 1/10.

 

[serfty]

I’d say mostly domestic and both VA and QF can stuff it up pretty regularly. I fly both domestically, a lot, and VA execute better more times than QF. I’d say VA get it right 7/10 flights, QF more like 6/10. Neither of them are gold star but I have the feeling neither of them really care either!

I fly both airlines a reasonable amount... and my experience differs from yours!
...
* QF domestic consistently boards both queues (priority and standard) at the same start time (when they have two staff processing boarding passes at the gate) AND they do not protect the priority queue for eligible passengers only. (They will make a standard announcement about priority boarding, but there is never any follow through.)

* VA consistently board all queued priority passengers (purple lane) at the commencement of boarding before opening general (red carpet) boarding AND they protect the priority queue for eligible passengers (sending ineligible passengers to the back of the standard queue), as well as keeping the priority lane empty for eligible passengers to use during general boarding, allowing them to skip to the front of the queue when they arrive at the gate.

So, my score is Virgin 10/10. (Qantas however, is consistent with offering priority boarding "according to its processes", which is - both queues board at the same time AND anyone can use either queue.)
...

In my experience, VA is about 9.5/10 and QF (dom) is 1/10.

My experience is QF get it right 5% and VA 90%.

 

[Silvia]

This issue with boarding is mainly domestic? With Qantas ?
I usually only fly internationally or domestic with very limited hand luggage no checked
If I am flying 1st or business I don't tend to board early. Working on the premise that I going to be on board for a long time

Recently though I fly economy from Hawaii to Sydney .
I was waiting for the prority boarding which came after
People with disabilities
People with young children , age specified
Then Chairman's lounge , Platinium 1 and Platinium (when i boarded)

As I was sitting in the very last row I was very happy to have the priority boarding . Even with that people were struggling with carry on bags trying to put into over head lockers though

I have to say, I experienced that as well from HNL-SYD and was impressed on how well-organised that was (even for economy passengers with no status). It was quick and efficient. That wasn't the case when I went from MEL-LAX (Y but upper deck, gold status). I think how they do it in HNL should be the way it should be for all flights.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I know this is not a QF fail thread, but as a comparison to the OP, I had a QF flight yesterday. It was a success only in the sense that we took off and landed on time. QF had a number od delays out of BNE yesterday afternoon, so while they were announcing all the delayed flights in the lounge, they forgot to call the non-delayed CNS flight. I noticed the board change to "boarding now" so made my way to the gate scrum. A lady then had 2 big and heavy carry ons that a male flight attendant struggled to lift into the overhead bins. A total joke for hand luggage limits. Then to complete, all the non-status luggage came out before the "priority" luggage.

I agree with serfty, VA get it right frequently, QF get it right rarely.

 

[maaz]

Group 3.- Non-status pax who only have HAND ARTICLES. This is where to me they have nailed it. If you do not have a major carry-on item such as a roll-on you get to board in a queue before EVERY SINGLE PERSON WHO HAS A ROLL-ON.

Group 4.- Non-status pax with carry-on bags.

We have travelled on several domestic and international LATAM flights in the past few weeks and the system that juddles describes is how it should be done if executed properly. Our experience is that if you do not join the huge queue that forms at least 20 mins before boarding begins, so that you are near the front of the "non-status pax who only have hand luggage" then you have nowhere to put your backpack (smallish) when you get on the plane.
We had the experience just a few days ago where the plane was delayed by more than an hour and mr maaz and I remained seated at the departure gate. When the plane eventually boarded - the elite, pax with children etc went first and then both lines - carry on or no carry on - went together. When we got on the plane there was no room for my back pack so I had to travel with it at my feet so that those who travelled with two or three bags got to put them in the luggage bins. I was a little miffed. First world problem I know, but we paid for our suitcases to go in the hold and only carried our essentials in our backpacks.
LATAM have been the winner in all this actually because we have upgraded all our flights from now on so that we are not squashed in the seats or the luggage.
The system with LATAM is a good system if it is executed properly.