Has VA given up on priority boarding?

[Aussie_flyer]

why not just group numbers and boarding pass is declined at scanner if not yet called. like Qantas and all major US carriers. Shouldn't be that hard should it

 

[MH_fan]

I agree. And you don't even need group numbers for VA. It's either priority boarding or not. Yay or nay. Priority: Business, WP, SG, Economy X. If scanner says no, back to the line of general boarding. They'll learn soon enough.

 

[PERLHR]

It's also lack of staff. They load pax at Gate X, then move to Gate Xx to load the next....then Gate xx_. And the more I think about it....the more the loading sequence is wrong as i mentioned yesterday.

 

[Equilibrium]

I was on BNE-MEL now in J and my observation:
Priority boarding announced. The line is about 10 ppl and I am pretty sure VA staff didnt turn away at least 1 person with no priority access.

Once priority line all boarded staff then announced priority boarding again for J, velocity WP SG and economy X. In the meantime general boarding started in 1 line but processed in 2 boarding machines as long as priority line is empty.

Overall boarding was quite efficient for me. I think in some cases people with general boarding flooded into priority line and people with actual priority boarding get stuck behind.

 

[justinbrett]

BNE last night - they just started boarding both the priority and general queues simultaneously.

Maybe they’ve adopted the old QF method?

 

[sven89]

Have never had an issue with VA Priority Boarding, until a really odd interaction last week.

Partner and I were flying SYD>MEL Friday morning. Gate agent was well and truly enforcing the priority lane, but with (what felt like) an unhealthy dash of social profiling thrown in.

As we walked towards the line, we watched a young man try to go through priority but get denied. They then proceeded to remain standing in the cue area. My parter (SG) and I (WP) came up and stood behind but to the side of the young man, so-as to be like “we’re not with him”. The attendant gave us a quick glance (actual turn of the head to our direction, not just flicking their eyes to the side) but didn’t acknowledge us and continued to scan the general line.

After 3-4 general boarding guests scanned through, someone in a suit came up behind us in the priority lane and the agent waved them forward, saying “come through sir”, scanned them and then returned to scanning general. Ultimately we got his attention by politely saying “excuse me” and holding up my digital boarding pass.

Was all fine. I’m the type of person who is like “we all get to the destination at the same time”. And I totally accept we could have said “excuse me” sooner…...but at first we thought we’ll just wait a moment, and it wasn’t until he so specifically called forward the older man in a suit that we realised something intentional was at play. We’re both in our 30’s and were in jeans and t-shirts. Felt very clearly that we didn’t meet the attendant’s idea of who might hold priority or status, which felt pretty gross.

 

[twinaisle]

Have never had an issue with VA Priority Boarding, until a really odd interaction last week.

Partner and I were flying SYD>MEL Friday morning. Gate agent was well and truly enforcing the priority lane, but with (what felt like) an unhealthy dash of social profiling thrown in.

As we walked towards the line, we watched a young man try to go through priority but get denied. They then proceeded to remain standing in the cue area. My parter (SG) and I (WP) came up and stood behind but to the side of the young man, so-as to be like “we’re not with him”. The attendant gave us a quick glance (actual turn of the head to our direction, not just flicking their eyes to the side) but didn’t acknowledge us and continued to scan the general line.

After 3-4 general boarding guests scanned through, someone in a suit came up behind us in the priority lane and the agent waved them forward, saying “come through sir”, scanned them and then returned to scanning general. Ultimately we got his attention by politely saying “excuse me” and holding up my digital boarding pass.

Was all fine. I’m the type of person who is like “we all get to the destination at the same time”. And I totally accept we could have said “excuse me” sooner…...but at first we thought we’ll just wait a moment, and it wasn’t until he so specifically called forward the older man in a suit that we realised something intentional was at play. We’re both in our 30’s and were in jeans and t-shirts. Felt very clearly that we didn’t meet the attendant’s idea of who might hold priority or status, which felt pretty gross.

Because you stood to the side it would have appeared to the staff that you weren't supposed to be in the line.

Also early AM means a lot more business flyers. Should have just made your way into the priority line.

 

[pointsgalore]

I can second this that Sydney is pretty good. But it seems like there are a lot more people using this who are eligible...the same trend of status being diluted slowly over time.