Qantas doesn't care about priority boarding

[nerdag]

The “board everyone from the lounge before anyone else” seems a bit silly when the flight is already delayed

That's silly at the best of times. There are usually plenty of keen beans already in the queue (often when the lounge is busier than the terminal), and once the initial PB queue is cleared, or at least well underway, by all means, start boarding everybody else.

I just appreciate being able to skip the queue if I am arriving from the lounge.

 

[downgraded]

Zero attempt at enforcing priority boarding on a range of recent flights ex-SYD, PER and ASP. What gets me most is that it wouldn’t slow down boarding to actually enforce the priority rules; it just means the priority pax get on first.

It probably does. Letting those at the front of the plane get on first and block the aisle to those who need to go down the back of the plane really isn't efficient. A380s board in rows from the back to the front for a reason.

 

[RooFlyer]

No PB at HBA Wednesday at 5:45am. HBA isn't an 'official' PB airport, but they've done it for years and the signs are there.

Single agent & queue only and of course those with BPs on their phones regularly had to stop and fiddle, refresh screens or whatever they do and generally balls around.

Connecting flight at MEL, PB started first, then second lane opened for others. Would have worked well except - again - the guy with the digital boarding pass had to muck around to get his code scanned. The other agent called the line behind him over until he got his sh*! together.

 

[Quickstatus]

priority lane is still there for latecomers

No, they should shut it after a few minutes just like they do in the US

 

[Cognac]

Interestingly, PB was enforced(implemented?) by Qantas at Vancouver for our YVR-SYD flight earlier this week.

Our subsequent domestic connection though, the PB lane was full and the regular lane was empty. A lot of status QFFers on early morning weekday flights out of Sydney it seems.

 

[blackcat20]

No, they should shut it after a few minutes just like they do in the US

The whole point is it's there so you get priority whatever time you arrive at the gate?

 

[Quickstatus]

so you get priority whatever time you arrive at the gate

Sure the airline can define PB any which way it wants. However, PB is not consistently working, so IMO it should be zoned.
Zone 1 Children and assistance passengers
Zone 2 Premium cabins
Zone 3 FF
Zone 4/5/6 general boarding.

That way both lanes are used all the time.

 

[bladeau1981]

The whole point is it's there so you get priority whatever time you arrive at the gate?

Exactly. Do it like Virgin, the PB lane is for priority guests, you can join that lane anytime and whoever is in the lane just goes ahead of the other lane doesn't matter when they join the line. They can start the normal pax just hold them back when a new person joins the PB line.

 

[nerdag]

PB lane was full and the regular lane was empty. A lot of status QFFers on early morning weekday flights out of Sydney it seems.

In this situation, I ignore the PB lane and go regular. Since it isn't reliably enforced VA style anway.

 

[OZDUCK]

The only time that I have flown Qantas in the last 12 years was Per-Sin and the PB lane was probably the same as the other. But I assumed that it was simply because so many people have achieved status because of their FIFO flights out of Perth.

 

[kermatu]

I’ve always thought priority boarding and enforcement worked well at Cairns. The new layout at the gates can make it a bit hit and miss. But worked well this week with clear communication and a staff member checking eligibility and directing people to the priority line straight to the door or the general line which snaked around behind the desk.

On this occasion I was at the gate when boarding commenced but had I waited until the boarding call in the lounge the priority line would would certainly have been of benefit to avoid a long line-up in the general queue — so I’m all for it remaining open the whole time.

 

[henrus]

Interestingly, PB was enforced(implemented?) by Qantas at Vancouver for our YVR-SYD flight earlier this week.

International flights are usually quite good. YVR would also be contractors who have been told to follow the process strictly which also helps as they feel as if they don't want to lose the QF contract.

 

[Cognac]

International flights are usually quite good. YVR would also be contractors who have been told to follow the process strictly which also helps as they feel as if they don't want to lose the QF contract.

I was wondering about that.

Explains why it's always strictly enforced at SIN as well.

 

[RealtimeY]

In recent experience it's also been enforced at MEL and SYD international

 

[downgraded]

Exactly. Do it like Virgin, the PB lane is for priority guests, you can join that lane anytime and whoever is in the lane just goes ahead of the other lane doesn't matter when they join the line. They can start the normal pax just hold them back when a new person joins the PB line.

Customer, client, passenger? But not really guests. That implies a relationship with the airline that just isn't there.

 

[RooFlyer]

Customer, client, passenger? But not really guests. That implies a relationship with the airline that just isn't there.

Oh I dunno. I guess if the airline thinks of it's customers as guests, then the term is appropriate.

 

[Virgin Bart]

QF9 ex MEL yesterday. No care about PB, and not even mentioned in the announcement! Just 'now boarding '

 

[bladeau1981]

Ex Mel Qf679 PB non existent because they didn't call boarding from the lounge until everyone else was on board. Got to the gate and thought it was an empty flight, nope it was just the handful that came from the lounge didn't make it until everyone else was seated. Annoying because every row up front has a spare seat but as usual the bins are chockers and up the back empty. Qantas really needs a bin naz_ keeping an eye on people up the back who dump there bags as far forward as possible instead of above their own seats .

 

[kermatu]

Well I saw an excellent example of it out of Sydney the other day. I left the lounge early but there was already a queue forming as priority pax were just being called. So I sat down and just decided to wait (and also avoid having almost every single passenger walk past my seat). Clear announcement that the priority lane was only for such pax. General boarding by rows would commence in a few minutes. The staff member then checked everyone in the queue to ensure eligibility. When the maybe dozen priority pax were through, they called general boarding through the left lane, back half of the plane only. Announced that priority pax could board any time through the right lane. Then the rest of the plane was called.

I was the last to go through. Fully expected to be in the aerobridge for several minutes but walked probably 70% of the way through and was in my seat 2 minutes later. Obviously an efficient way to board when the rear stairs aren’t an option.

 

[stm1sydney]

Well I saw an excellent example of it out of Sydney the other day. I left the lounge early but there was already a queue forming as priority pax were just being called. So I sat down and just decided to wait (and also avoid having almost every single passenger walk past my seat). Clear announcement that the priority lane was only for such pax. General boarding by rows would commence in a few minutes. The staff member then checked everyone in the queue to ensure eligibility. When the maybe dozen priority pax were through, they called general boarding through the left lane, back half of the plane only. Announced that priority pax could board any time through the right lane. Then the rest of the plane was called.

I was the last to go through. Fully expected to be in the aerobridge for several minutes but walked probably 70% of the way through and was in my seat 2 minutes later. Obviously an efficient way to board when the rear stairs aren’t an option.

Yeah, my preferred strategy and works well, unless its a narrowbody and you have a bag for the overhead lockers.