Qantas priority boarding - crippled by Communists?

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juddles

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I know this topic is done to death, but I saw an outstanding fail yesterday that I wanted to share, as I just CANNOT comprehend it:

We all have witnessed the standard circus spectacle of a Qantas domestic boarding – where two queues pile up, priority and non-priority, and then the two streams are simultaneous released towards the plane. I haven’t read all the other posts on this topic, but to say I do not understand the QF “method” is an understatement.

To save a few characters, I will use PB for priority boarding (and those eligible) and NPB for all the others.

At Brisbane yesterday morning, I was about to board a flight to Sydney. I wandered down to the gate from the lounge, and being a Sunday morning there was a bit less general chaos. I arrived at Gate 16 to see just a couple of people already lined up in the PB queue, and no one yet in the NPB one.

As they announced boarding commencement, I was about the 5th person in the PB queue, and the QF lady started scanning pax and we started advancing. There was a young QF bloke manning the NPB scanner. He called out for NPB’s to his lane, as there were none yet. The gentleman in front of me in the PB queue did exactly what I would have, he stepped sidewards in front of the waiting QF bloke and presented his boarding pass (the non-PB’s were still about 10m away, not yet arriving).

Not only did the QF bloke not scan him in, he steadfastly refused to even look at him. The poor pax just stood there, arm outstretched, ignored. This went on for several very excruciating and embarrassing seconds. The QF lad, still without looking at the pax, said in a loud and irritated voice “This is the queue for NON-priority boarding”. (he, with his speech, emphasized the NON aspect) The first NPB pax eventually arrived and was happily scanned by the QF lad, and I paused and let the PB man back in front of me to get scanned back in the PB queue. As he did this I quietly said to him “That was a bit rude” to which he equally quietly replied “Yes it was.”

In hindsight I wish I had of “had a word” with the QF lad. Both me and the PB gentleman remained way too calm but we were both seething.

What is going on here? This whole “event” only lasted a few seconds. But it was appalling. I took the time to try to explain the situation, as there was no way other to interpret it as a very intentional snub by the QF lad.

But why would he act like that? It did not feel that he was under orders (ie “thall shalt never serve a PB customer whilst manning the NPB lane”) The QF lad emanated an attitude of “You may be a PB, but that doesn’t mean you can use something saved for the NPB’s”. Hence my Communist conspiracy theory. The young QF lad managed to convey almost a hatred of the PB pax.

I am sure his career will not last long in a customer service industry.

Unbelievable.
 
They're clearly intent on ensuring that they don't provide it domestically. There were a couple isolated incidents where it worked properly but that rebellion appears to have been squashed.
 
Maybe he was having a coughpy day. Not a good thing when in customer service but its not earth shattering either.

Maybe Juggles quite word and the guys acknowledgement was all the guy needed to straighten himself up for the day. We all have bad moments.
 
Maybe he was having a coughpy day. Not a good thing when in customer service but its not earth shattering either.

Maybe Juggles quite word and the guys acknowledgement was all the guy needed to straighten himself up for the day. We all have bad moments.

Denali, this is what really hurt - he seemed happy to pull off the snub.
 
You should have got the name of the "QF lad" and reported him. The only way to weed out this sort of behaviour is to escalate it. Quiet tolerance of poor service only serves to reinforce poor service standards.

Have sent a detailed email to the P1 team - they can send it to whoever cares about these things, if anyone.
 
Clearly he needs to be educated as to what the word "priority" means....
 
I dont mind a bit of BS so I would have stepped over,looked at his name badge and said "Good,my boss AJ will be very interested in this incident."
Might have given the lad a few nervous moments and think twice before doing it again.
 
The QF lad emanated an attitude of “You may be a PB, but that doesn’t mean you can use something saved for the NPB’s”. Hence my Communist conspiracy theory. The young QF lad managed to convey almost a hatred of the PB pax.

The proletariat making a stand against the bourgeoisie.

In all seriousness though, totally uncalled for if there was no-one in the NPB queue
 
I dont mind a bit of BS so I would have stepped over,looked at his name badge and said "Good,my boss AJ will be very interested in this incident."
Might have given the lad a few nervous moments and think twice before doing it again.

Drron, as I said, I wish I had said something. But I was on edge, and I knew if he was anything but meek and apologetic I would have gone apeshit. And I really needed to travel ;)
 
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I know this topic is done to death, but I saw an outstanding fail yesterday that I wanted to share, as I just CANNOT comprehend it:

We all have witnessed the standard circus spectacle of a Qantas domestic boarding – where two queues pile up, priority and non-priority, and then the two streams are simultaneous released towards the plane. I haven’t read all the other posts on this topic, but to say I do not understand the QF “method” is an understatement.

To save a few characters, I will use PB for priority boarding (and those eligible) and NPB for all the others.

At Brisbane yesterday morning, I was about to board a flight to Sydney. I wandered down to the gate from the lounge, and being a Sunday morning there was a bit less general chaos. I arrived at Gate 16 to see just a couple of people already lined up in the PB queue, and no one yet in the NPB one.

As they announced boarding commencement, I was about the 5th person in the PB queue, and the QF lady started scanning pax and we started advancing. There was a young QF bloke manning the NPB scanner. He called out for NPB’s to his lane, as there were none yet. The gentleman in front of me in the PB queue did exactly what I would have, he stepped sidewards in front of the waiting QF bloke and presented his boarding pass (the non-PB’s were still about 10m away, not yet arriving).

Not only did the QF bloke not scan him in, he steadfastly refused to even look at him. The poor pax just stood there, arm outstretched, ignored. This went on for several very excruciating and embarrassing seconds. The QF lad, still without looking at the pax, said in a loud and irritated voice “This is the queue for NON-priority boarding”. (he, with his speech, emphasized the NON aspect) The first NPB pax eventually arrived and was happily scanned by the QF lad, and I paused and let the PB man back in front of me to get scanned back in the PB queue. As he did this I quietly said to him “That was a bit rude” to which he equally quietly replied “Yes it was.”

In hindsight I wish I had of “had a word” with the QF lad. Both me and the PB gentleman remained way too calm but we were both seething.

What is going on here? This whole “event” only lasted a few seconds. But it was appalling. I took the time to try to explain the situation, as there was no way other to interpret it as a very intentional snub by the QF lad.

But why would he act like that? It did not feel that he was under orders (ie “thall shalt never serve a PB customer whilst manning the NPB lane”) The QF lad emanated an attitude of “You may be a PB, but that doesn’t mean you can use something saved for the NPB’s”. Hence my Communist conspiracy theory. The young QF lad managed to convey almost a hatred of the PB pax.

I am sure his career will not last long in a customer service industry.

Unbelievable.
Yes unbelievably bad behaviour and I hope that QF lad gets to read your comments. I have read on other threads here (can't remember which ones) that QF staff have been told that they are to accept any passenger from any boarding area for the aircraft. As people had complained that PB no longer exists with QF even though they have lines. IE: If a NPB person is in a PB line its business as usual and process him send him down the ramp.
 
Have sent a detailed email to the P1 team - they can send it to whoever cares about these things, if anyone.
Good idea but I wouldn't hold your breath but will look forward to seeing a post from you if you get a reply.

Also IMHO in the current Aviation environment I think people are more weary about speaking up and probably think twice about confronting such behaviour in the chance that if let get out of hand you could be denied boarding and being labelled as a disruptive passenger.
 
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Good idea but I wouldn't hold your breath but will look forward to seeing a post from you if you get a reply.

Also IMHO in the current Aviation environment I think people are more weary about speaking up and probably think twice about confronting such behaviour in the chance that if let get out of hand you could be denied boarding and being labelled as a disruptive passenger.

Actually PJF, it is now about two hours since I sent the email to the P! team. They are usually on the ball, responding within minutes any time of the day. Nothing yet. I will advise....
 
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Yes he could have been having an off day or an off morning but it doesn't excuse his demeanour. If that is his usual behaviour then his path will eventually cross with a CL and I can't imagine that would end happily.
 
Makes me wonder though what sort of Quality assurance and policies that QF have in place. Also would QF get any benefit from using something like Mystery shopper (plenty of big business already use this facility) or some other private auditing company and have external people do incognito trips and then report on the service back to QF Or do they already do that themselves.?
 
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That is pretty poor I would have stood my ground and then had a word with CSM when on board.
 
Qantas have received huge amounts of feedback from customers re PB and other service issues adding more to it in my opinion would have no positive effect. If they cant make things work now with all the feedback they are given then it never will, unless QF Take meaningful and effective actions to eliminate the issues.

Quite clearly QF just are not interested other than blowing smoke and trying to make it look like they are with the use of the likes of Bigger Signs for example.

If the staff are not driven to provide the service by management then Game Over.
 
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