Priority Boarding Line Etiquitte

[Danp]

I've found PB works well in HKG for QF as then gate attendants check boarding passes and turn unworthy people away to the large Y line

 

[ReLoad]

When flying an airline like AA, where carry on space is limited/in demand its a cool thing to have, but realistically on QF who gives a flying tossbag if you board before everyone else, it makes squat all difference at the end of the day.

Priority de-boarding is much more important

 

[Storyteller]

Recently in the US got to the plane minutes before boarding was due to start, only to find they were well into it. Sallied on down the priority queue to beat the remaining throng. Onboard, my seat was row 8, finally found space for my small wheel aboard back at row 24. After landing I had to swim upstream to get my bag. Good reason to get there earlier than the designated boarding time.

 

[Flying mermaid]

Must admit this was the first thing that came to mind for me. While I may think some people most likely shouldn't be in the priority line, how would I actually know? I wouldn't make any assumptions, and if by some chance I did know for some reason, I'd probably just wait in line and when it got to me, have a (polite but exasperated) crack at the staff member who was boarding the pax. Then later on do the same formally to Qantas.

this was the first thing that occurred to me as well - you can look pretty tacky/young/family and still be entitled to PB...... Short of inspecting the boarding passes of everyone ahead of you, it seems a pretty arrogant assumption.

 

[Longrass]

this was the first thing that occurred to me as well - you can look pretty tacky/young

The few on here that know me will attest to the fact that I am often spotted ex Darwin in J and arriving into the BNE J Lounge in little more than a high vis singlet, stubbies and thongs. This isn't mine site attire like the Port Headland QP is so famous for lol...

This is not because of a lack of style/respect, more so that work commitments usually have me checking in and walking straight onto the plane. I always laugh when the FA looks at me rushing down the air bridge in work clothes and immediately, whilst donning the "your late" face, points to the back of the plane, they change tone really quick when spotting that I am in fact in J and not somewhere south of row 6 or the cargo hold.

I have been bailed up numerous times by the BNE QP naz_'s, who when seeing me heading towards J usually shout, "mate, your boarding pass please, QP is this way." Once again, spotting the little black business word at the top usually makes them choke on words.

 

[coyote25]

this was the first thing that occurred to me as well - you can look pretty tacky/young/family and still be entitled to PB...... Short of inspecting the boarding passes of everyone ahead of you, it seems a pretty arrogant assumption.

Agreed, I've seen some very 'interestingly' dressed pax who had WP status. You never know for sure, well except for those wearing sandals/thongs but they mostly fly JQ

 

[Flying mermaid]

The few on here that know me will attest to the fact that I am often spotted ex Darwin in J and arriving into the BNE J Lounge in little more than a high vis singlet, stubbies and thongs. This isn't mine site attire like the Port Headland QP is so famous for lol...

This is not because of a lack of style/respect, more so that work commitments usually have me checking in and walking straight onto the plane. I always laugh when the FA looks at me rushing down the air bridge in work clothes and immediately, whilst donning the "your late" face, points to the back of the plane, they change tone really quick when spotting that I am in fact in J and not somewhere south of row 6 or the cargo hold.

I have been bailed up numerous times by the BNE QP naz_'s, who when seeing me heading towards J usually shout, "mate, your boarding pass please, QP is this way." Once again, spotting the little black business word at the top usually makes them choke on words.

It is kind of fun isn't it to challenge preconceptions. I always refuse to wear black to business meetings - in fact I avoid them like the plague, but occasionally I have to go to one and usually feel like a bird of paradise among all the black clad ladies....

 

[Storyteller]

? holler "Make way for Priority Boarding passenger - coming through ...", repeat every few seconds till you get to the front.
Most of us would be too reserved / polite to do that, but it would allow people to either fall back or hold their place. On a bad day I would be sorely tempted to do this. :shock: But then I would need to maintain the attitude - too hard!

Still, the best way is for the Staff to do it by having the signs clear, 2 lanes, clear announcements, & regretfully sending people away when they are in the wrong queue.

One airline in the US puts a tape across the priority queue, and you have to know to walk up to the tape. They serve you next, check the BP, & only then lower the tape. It has taken me a few years to find this out, and get the guts to use it.

Agree, DJ does it well, as we found out the day of the DJ Appreciation Do with 4 boardings that day.

 

[jamesatfish]

My approach is #4 - just chill out in the queue and wait. When flying domestically within Australia I typically use the regular boarding queue as I don't like the idea of jumping ahead of people who have been waiting in line longer than I have - it just seems rude in a society which isn't used to priority boarding in the same way as the Americans are.

I take the same approach internationally, especially the times where boarding on an A380 is split into upper and lower deck such that F and Y passengers board using the same aerobridge and aircraft door. Rather than jump to the front of the queue as per the entitlements of cabin or status it's far more enjoyable to stand in line quietly and watch the DYKWIA types barge in front of you with WP card in hand only to turn right at the aircraft door as you head left.

 

[Katie]

It is kind of fun isn't it to challenge preconceptions. I always refuse to wear black to business meetings - in fact I avoid them like the plague, but occasionally I have to go to one and usually feel like a bird of paradise among all the black clad ladies....

I never wear black. Grey sometimes, but not black. Doesn't suit my colouring.

 

[Storyteller]

.. Snip ...
it's far more enjoyable to stand in line quietly and watch the DYKWIA types barge in front of you with WP card in hand only to turn right at the aircraft door as you head left.

Yes, this is enjoyable. So many tales to tell about this behaviour! When people are tired, frustrated, inebriated they become caricatures of themselves. Sometimes it doesn't make any difference to me when I board. However I don't want to send the message that I don't value the Priority Boarding, for the times where it does matter.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Solution = don't bring carry-on luggage! Or, have a small enough bag that will fit under your seat.

I always travel with carry on that can go under the seat in front of me however after recently flying QF, DJ & JQ all in whY I found that if you have an aisle seat on QF (latest version of the 738 with the AVOD in the seatback - but not BSI) or DJ & you cannot fit any carry on under the seat in front of you as there's only enough room for your feet.

I would definitely opt for a window if travelling whY on a DJ or QF 737. JQ had slightly more room for under seat stowage on the A320 however not as much as the window or middle seats.

I've found PB works well in HKG for QF as then gate attendants check boarding passes and turn unworthy people away to the large Y line

I think if the airline is going to have someone from verify the bonafides of who should be in what queue it should be someone other than the flight attendants. That way they can be directed to the correct queue earlier rather than get all the way to the gate reader only to be knocked back. It shouldn't be up to the flight attendants & IMHO is a potential ground rage situation waiting to happen.

The F/A's job should be to board pax asap not have to get into a deep discussion with pax who feel they're entitled to use the PB lane but have been told they can't.

As someone already said AA isn't perfect either as I found out. The airport where I feel PB was best handled was Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic as they had a gate agent on both the PB & general boarding queue the entire time plus an additional person standing at the front of the queue who who check for the 'Priority AAcces' on the boarding passes & if it wasn't there direct those pax to the general boarding queue.

All other AA ports there were two gate agents only at the beginning of boarding which was usually around 45 minutes prior to boarding & after the initial flow of PB pax that gate agent would bugger off back to the counter which left laterunners (anyone who arrived around minus 30) to be ignored in the PB queue as no-one was manning it while the gate agent on the general queue kept processing pax in that line.

There was one exception where the gate agent in the general queue halted the boarding & called us across but I now adopt the principle of being at the gate at minus 45 & use the PB queue or turn up at minus 30 & if only one gate agent, just board via the general queue.

this was the first thing that occurred to me as well - you can look pretty tacky/young/family and still be entitled to PB...... Short of inspecting the boarding passes of everyone ahead of you, it seems a pretty arrogant assumption.

Exactly! You cannot prejudge anybody these days. Australians in general do not like dressing up particularly when they travel so just because someone doesn't appear 'well heeled' doesn't mean they're not WP - hello FIFO workers!

 

[medhead]

I take the same approach internationally, especially the times where boarding on an A380 is split into upper and lower deck such that F and Y passengers board using the same aerobridge and aircraft door. Rather than jump to the front of the queue as per the entitlements of cabin or status it's far more enjoyable to stand in line quietly and watch the DYKWIA types barge in front of you with WP card in hand only to turn right at the aircraft door as you head left.

Talk about empathy Who is the bigger DYKWIA? The person who knows they are in for a cough flight (A380) over many hours and uses their benefits to make the best of a bad lot. Or the person who has the luxury (or work bank account) to be able to stand back and laugh at their expense.


Sent from the Throne (80% chance) using Aust Freq Fly app

 

[dfcatch]

I'm going to echo what I've always said about PB....

Either offer it or don't.

If you're gonna offer it - do it properly.

AA, DJ, and QFi all do it well.

Yes - there are occasional slip-ups, but IME almost all of my AA, DJ and QFi flights have handled PB well.

When this happens - PB dilemmas simply don't exist.

Those who want to be first on - can arrive at the gate early and either pre-board or use the dedicated lane.

Those who want to arrive at any stage of the boarding process can do so, and use the PB lane.

And those who want to be incognito (I sometimes do that if I have no carry on and the general line is not too big) can do so too.

I had no choice once on BA F transatlantic - we all got shoved in the bus together. At the top of the air stairs though it was a different story as the FA spotted my F BP, whisked me out of the throng and personally escorted me to my seat before he went back to the riff raff.

 

[Moopere]

I've pretty much fixed things with QF by not travelling J with them any more. They are way overpriced anyway, and seem to struggle to provide commensurate, end to end, consistent service.

DJ's good days are not as good as QF's good days (in J) for sure, but they are cheaper and by some measure, and seem to me to be pretty consistent.

So the QF/PB thing is not really an issue for me, I'm not a WP, and if I'm on QF these days it means I'm a Y pax, so I wait in the scrum, or wait at the lounge.

 

[Berlin]

Flying First with AA recently had me amazed, seated, with wine and nuts served, before they let Y passengers on board.

I was stoked!!!

First class was full and happily watching TV, whilst drinking and eating before the american scrum for Y class began

Mhm- this has been pretty much my standard experience lately flying AA First class. As old their planes might be- I actually think their image is solely based on Y class (and the occasional dragon on check in or as cabin crew but really, you got those on almost all non-Asian "legacy carriers"). Have had some much more shocking experiences in premium classes on other airlines, QF included.

 

[rmflinders]

I recently sent QF a long email about priority boarding and how it is not working! I made suggestions and pointed out the places I find worst, Wellington in particular.
I gave up bothering a while ago and just join any queue, usually the shortest one which is often not the PB!
I like to put my bags up top so always leave the lounge early, often for a walk aroud the airport before having to sit for hours. Try to board as soon as they call so I can get my bag close to me.
I find AA generally works OK but haven't tried VA yet as generally we fly QF.
From the response from QF I don't think they want to resouerce the gates so it probably will stay as just lip service except for Sydney incase a QF exec gets caught with the unwashed!

 

[TheInsider]

I'll say it again, it's not QF that make PB fail, it's the staff down on the domestic concourse that make it fail.
The majority of these staff just do not care, they are past their expiry date and just not interested. The only issue that QF has got is that they don't put new/fresh people in different areas, it's all the same ****!

 

[JetLagged]

Boarding on CX once in HKG the CSA spotted I was WP when I was just getting to the priority lane and then marched me and my companions to the front of the aerobridge and presented us to the attendants at the door of the plane.... that is priority boarding.

Had the same happen to me in December - was happily waiting in the priority line when one staff member came up checking boarding passes etc - saw that I was WP/Emerald (travelling in J) and brought both of us straight to the front of the line and then beckoned us through the glass doors before anyone else. One English passenger who had rushed to be at the head of the line was not mightily impressed - but we didn't mind as we certainly hadn't asked for or expected such treatment. Though it was mightily nice to receive, just wish QF look care of all their WP passengers the same all of the time!

 

[ozbeachbabe]

I'll say it again, it's not QF that make PB fail, it's the staff down on the domestic concourse that make it fail. The majority of these staff just do not care, they are past their expiry date and just not interested. The only issue that QF has got is that they don't put new/fresh people in different areas, it's all the same ****!

Although from the customer's point of view, staff on the domestic concourse wear a QF uniform so are QF. If's up to the managers of these particular staff to address any performance issues & ensure they are doing what they're paid to do.