Qantas extends priority boarding to SG frequent flyers

[Moody]

Tough one. Probably better if they were positioned in front of the PB queue and "invited" GB pax across in a ratio of 1 to every 2 or 3 PB pax.

But in the end - everyone feels they are important so the whole PB thing grates [ I say this whilst happily using it where appropriate ].

 

[aaflyer]

Sounds about what's expected

Yet Virgin manage this process with ease, as do American....

 

[pauly7]

Yet Virgin manage this process with ease, as do American....

I find Virgin hit and miss.
AA though I agree with you.

 

[Hvr]

Tough one. Probably better if they were positioned in front of the PB queue and "invited" GB pax across in a ratio of 1 to every 2 or 3 PB pax.

<snip>

And I disagree. PB should mean that all passengers who are entitled to use it should be boarded before general boarding.

Once the original PB line has been boarded then commence the general boarding line. If a PB pax enters the PB line they should be boarded before any remaining GB pax.

 

[ashleyn]

I find it amusing that people jockey to get to the front of the boarding lane to invariably queue up again in the airbridge with the same people from the boarding lanes !

 

[jt1983]

Well AA (at least in 2012) gave priority boarding for all passengers with OW status.... Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald.

I don't see how this is SUCH a big deal. In essence, QF wasn't providing SGs with services that even a PS could expect on some OW brands and what SGs DEFINITELY receive on most others.

WP and WP1 get everything else... let's be honest, it's not likely that QF is going to suddenly make SG more attractive than WP.

 

[Moody]

And I disagree. PB should mean that all passengers who are entitled to use it should be boarded before general boarding.

Once the original PB line has been boarded then commence the general boarding line. If a PB pax enters the PB line they should be boarded before any remaining GB pax.

Spoken like a true Wenkar Plutinam - and the inner Wenkar in me agrees with you .... but in my fantasy world only CL paxs get a PB queue. Everyone else (i.e. riff-raff) is accommodated in the GB queue and can only board once every CL is seated and has a glass of champagne in their hand.

[If you are going to play the elite card then you might as well take it to its ultimate conclusion]

 

[medhead]

I find Virgin hit and miss.
AA though I agree with you.

Really? VA have failed once since I became platinum about 3 years ago. QF have failed so many times I've given up keeping track.

I find it amusing that people jockey to get to the front of the boarding lane to invariably queue up again in the airbridge with the same people from the boarding lanes !

That's not right. Usually one of the first to board and I never have to queue in the aerobridge. Can't believe this furphy keeps coming up.

 

[pauly7]

Really? VA have failed once since I became platinum about 3 years ago.

Yup - 2015 flights so far (6) and PB on VA has been executed well on (4). So a bit better than my 2014 travels with them.

QF about similar so not claiming they are any better. Pretty much similar in my opinion.

 

[Aussie_flyer]

I find it amusing that people jockey to get to the front of the boarding lane to invariably queue up again in the airbridge with the same people from the boarding lanes !

yet you are still ahead of all the others that were waiting in the general queue... still ahead. Not really that amusing.

 

[QPProletarian]

About time this was done really..

But they should take a leaf out of the AA book and board by group number instead of the 500m long snakey line that QF flights usually have for boarding.

 

[michaele]

About time this was done really..

But they should take a leaf out of the AA book and board by group number instead of the 500m long snakey line that QF flights usually have for boarding.

I find on international flights it works well because people (GB) dont associate it with "I am important therefore I go on first", but rather, this is important 'aeroplane stuff' so I better go to my zone!

As a reference point, last year in LHR T5 on a BA flight it worked very well through the boarding gate - I walked straight up to the PB line, and the BA staffer finished scanning that pax and said just one moment to the next person and scanned me through. It really was done with a minimum of fuss.. I don't see why anything else is such a challenge.

 

[medhead]

Yup - 2015 flights so far (6) and PB on VA has been executed well on (4). So a bit better than my 2014 travels with them.

QF about similar so not claiming they are any better. Pretty much similar in my opinion.

VA are significantly better in my opinion. They actually control boarding. QF certainly failed to have 100% successful premium boarding in 2014, in my experience. Unlike VA.

 

[markis10]

VA are significantly better in my opinion. They actually control boarding. QF certainly failed to have 100% successful premium boarding in 2014, in my experience. Unlike VA.

Agree, VA pax seem more used to how it works, as do obviously the crew.

 

[medhead]

Agree, VA pax seem more used to how it works, as do obviously the crew.

Which is suggest is due to consistency of the boarding process. A consistency that I don't experience with Qantas.

Not saying it's wrong, just an observation.

 

[ashleyn]

Really? VA have failed once since I became platinum about 3 years ago. QF have failed so many times I've given up keeping track.



That's not right. Usually one of the first to board and I never have to queue in the aerobridge. Can't believe this furphy keeps coming up.

It keeps coming up because it keeps happening. 2 out of 2 of my most recent flights. Just because it doesn't happen to you, doesn't mean it's a furphy.

 

[RichardMEL]

More bemusement than amusement from me with the idea that if the PB's, ie elites thus apparently seasoned pax board first, there should rarely be a queue in the air bridge (short of some issue at the a/c door like a mechanic or catering or something, but then boarding shouldn't have started imho) since if you've flown more than a few times you'd have a fair idea how to get your stuff stowed and in your seat pretty quickly hopefully.

The group system does work to a degree yes and I see the merit of this, but given QF's current set up - which IS an improvement over the free-for-all zoo it was (domestic anyway) prior where avery man and his emotional support dog would queue up, I do agree that if a pax is in the pb line they should be scanned (AS LONG AS THEY REALLY QUALIFY FOR PB) before anyone in the GB queue.. otherwise the PB line has limited usefulness. I have seen QF do this more often than not when they have had 1 agent working the egr (but it's usually 1/line, so that works ok, though in theory if you're going to do PB this way you should be taking ALL PB's via both EGR's ahead of GB, but reality is this is likely never really an issue unless it's a widebody on a route with high elite volumes.

imho

 

[medhead]

It keeps coming up because it keeps happening. 2 out of 2 of my most recent flights. Just because it doesn't happen to you, doesn't mean it's a furphy.

So twice out of twice you've been at the front off the boarding queue and you've had to queue in the aero bridge? Maybe you've have to queue in the air bridge when boarding later in the process, but extremely unlikely if you've boarded right in the beginning. It is furphy.

 

[Danger]

I find it amusing that people jockey to get to the front of the boarding lane to invariably queue up again in the airbridge with the same people from the boarding lanes !

yet you are still ahead of all the others that were waiting in the general queue... still ahead. Not really that amusing.

What Aussie_flyer said.

 

[tomo69]

Albeit only SG, it doesnt faze me that SG get priority boarding with WP/Business/etc. I tend to stand back and usually I'm one of the last to board. I cant stand sitting in my seat for 20 minutes or more being bummed by 200 people while they squeeze past.