Priority boarding on QF domestic - what is the story?

[pshepvic]

Doesn't the boarding process take longer in the USA?

Not in my experience at all. And I've never been on an AA flight where they've used two airbridges, considering most of their aircraft only have 1 boarding door anyway (738, 757, MD80). But boarding always is faster when doing it by zones, which they do well. And honestly I don't care how long it takes, as long as I'm not standing in a queue and I get my locker space. Which the Priority AAccess system allows me to do every time.

 

[JohnK]

And honestly I don't care how long it takes, as long as I'm not standing in a queue and I get my locker space.

But you can have this right now on most flights. Be at the boarding gate when boarding is called and you will get your priority boarding and space for you to put the kitchen sink in the overhead bin as well.

 

[Timba-Jet]

Some people are not satisfied with priority boarding called first for 2-3 minutes but they want to have priority boarding throughout the boarding process. In SYD and BNE this would almost be impossible unless you had 2 aerobridges at every gate to cater for the 2 lines.

So unless there are drastic changes in equipment I would rather the current system where flights attempt to get away on time.

If the aerobridge is backed up to the gate how does priority boarding work? Push through everyone?

For domestic flights I would only expect priority at the gate when BP is scanned, if there is queue in the aero ridge so be it. People can then choose to be at the gate early and board first or at their leisure.

As others have said AA execute this well and so do LAN.

I don't see how this is any different to having dedicated business check in/service counters. Bypass the Y counters, then join the security line (let's assume there is no priority security lane).

For quick boarding, the key is to board by sections, back row first, and enforce this strictly.

 

[medhead]

Hasn't someone already posted a link in this thread to modeling that shows boarding by back rows first is actually slower than random boarding. Not sure what zone boarding is, but I assume this is the same thing.

 

[kirk7]

But you can have this right now on most flights. Be at the boarding gate when boarding is called and you will get your priority boarding and space for you to put the kitchen sink in the overhead bin as well.

Hi John,

I think your missing the point...if QF wants to publish this benefit then they should deliver it

 

[TonyHancock]

...if QF wants to publish this benefit then they should deliver it

That is exactly right. If QF simply say first come first served then I know where I stand. If I want to get on the plane early I turn up 40 mins before departure and get to the head of the queue.

It is a different story when they publish priority boarding as a benefit and then don't offer it.*

*I do not believe that calling rows 15-29...and J, WP, OWE FF's is priority boarding - I'm sure QF can argue legally it is!!

 

[Archphoto]

Priority boarding seems quite easy with other airlines:

1. Elderly, those requiring assistance and small children
2. WP/OW Sapphire, J, F SG/Emerald - and at any time using a designated queue
3. All other passengers

Most of the Asian airlines happily display the boarding cards that show who is boarding - CX, J* Asia, AirAsia etc and if you aren't one of those people - you're politely informed who is boarding and then asked to wait until called.

(If AirAsia can get it right on their el cheapo airfares (with their "HotSeat" passengers, surely QF can get it right for WPs??):shock:

 

[serfty]

It's not difficult to employ priority boarding at QF domestic gates.

I try to be at the gate just before boarding commences. I position near the front of the readers for easy access.

Once pre-loads have been completed organised and they announce¹ boarding - I board. Simple and no fuss. Never been knocked back, although once it was about to happen until they saw WP.

¹ Generally the back rows and sometimes Business/Emerald/Sapphire/Gold/Platinum concurrently.

 

[kirk7]

Sitting very comfortably in the premium economy section on the 744 service to the West.

This is the only time priority boarding worked (but via two doors)! Biz and status on the left door and general boarding via rows on the right.

Was tempered to upgrade my Y tix so I could get a seat in the F section... But saved the points

 

[djfuzz]

It's not difficult to employ priority boarding at QF domestic gates.

I try to be at the gate just before boarding commences. I position near the front of the readers for easy access.[/SIZE]

This is what I do too (often silly, because the boarding is delayed), but is not necessarily a function or benefit of status - the problem is when other people have the same idea and, priority call or not, simply line up in front making it difficult to tell whether or not they're actually proceeding or not without being at the front.

Sitting very comfortably in the premium economy section on the 744 service to the West.

This is the only time priority boarding worked (but via two doors)! Biz and status on the left door and general boarding via rows on the right.

Was tempered to upgrade my Y tix so I could get a seat in the F section... But saved the points

Good call on saving the points - not really worth it for that flight, unless they bring some F-like service to the transcon.

Out of interest, which gate did they use? It was SYD T3, right?

 

[pshepvic]

Sitting very comfortably in the premium economy section on the 744 service to the West.

This is the only time priority boarding worked (but via two doors)! Biz and status on the left door and general boarding via rows on the right.

Was tempered to upgrade my Y tix so I could get a seat in the F section... But saved the points

I hadn't thought about this - does this mean that WP/CL's get seated in Y+ when on a Y ticket, or F on a J ticket?

 

[ozmille]

I hadn't thought about this - does this mean that WP/CL's get seated in Y+ when on a Y ticket, or F on a J ticket?

Include SG to that list. They have a mix operating on the route so there are also 2 class 747 servicing the route.

 

[serfty]

OJQ got the gig today which is a 4 class kangaroo configuration.

J gets rows 1-4 (F seats), 11-13, 16-18 & 23-26 (Skybeds)

Y gets rows 34-37 (PE seats), 40-56 & 58-74 (WHY).

 

[sambo517]

Have you tried catching a 737 in the Friday peak hour lately?

Friday peak,boarding 737's....Ah yes...Great fun.....

 

[Warks]

Here's my experience from Tuesday when boarding SYD-CNS (a 767). I didn't hear any announcement in the QP but went for a wander down near the gate and just happened to stroll near the gate when they announced boarding saying that pax with kiddies and oldies could start boarding then said they'd start boarding by row and "Platinum and Gold FFs (and OW equivalents) could board at any time" I was nearby so I thought I'd try it. They then announced rows at the back of the plane (can't recall the numbers) could board.
A couple of people went through and then they knocked back a couple who obviously had seats up front. I got to the front of the line and got knocked back but I said "I heard you say Gold could board any time."
The FA then let me through with a laugh and said "I should pay attention to my own announcements next time!"

So I wouldn't have cut in at the head of the line just to sit there and have everyone bang their bags on my shoulder but seeing as I was down there anyway I went on - and for a change I'd chosen a window - 23A - so it shows you that there weren't a lot of WPs on this one - had no one in 23B.

 

[kirk7]

It was T3 at gate 10

 

[aurora]

Hasn't someone already posted a link in this thread to modeling that shows boarding by back rows first is actually slower than random boarding. Not sure what zone boarding is, but I assume this is the same thing.

not sure about the previous link (could look, i suppose...) - anyway, this site sums up the different boarding methods pretty well (with animation!): leeds-faculty.colorado.edu/vandenbr/projects/boarding/boarding.htm

boarding from the back of the plane is actually slower than random boarding, because of the increased chance of aisle and seat interference. but zone boarding can be faster, depending on how you divide up the zones. say, for example, that all window seats = zone 1 with middle = zone 2 and aisle = zone 3 - that model should work faster than random. of course, people travelling together will board together, so that will throw out the maths a bit, but still... (here endeth the av-geek spiel... )

Sitting very comfortably in the premium economy section on the 744 service to the West.

This is the only time priority boarding worked (but via two doors)! Biz and status on the left door and general boarding via rows on the right.

Was tempered to upgrade my Y tix so I could get a seat in the F section... But saved the points

how was the priority boarding "policed"? was it signed, or just announced? *curious*

 

[MatF]

Not really that hard, is it?

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....ocity/priority-boarding-lane-photo-30637.html

 

[dfcatch]

Exactly!

Every other airline in the world that's offers "priority boarding" understands what it is and can offer it with ease.

No reason QF can't.

 

[ozmille]

Exactly!

Every other airline in the world that's offers "priority boarding" understands what it is and can offer it with ease.

No reason QF can't.

I think there are just too many people who would have accee to the priority boarding lane (I am just thinking about the last time I went from the QC to a flight to MEL in peak hour, we could have walked in formation).Then it would probably faster to board through the non priority lane ;-)