Qantas to Introduce Group Boarding and Bag Tracking

[Quickstatus]

look like from the outside?

So why the hell does anyone need priority boarding?

 

[dairyfloss]

So why the hell does anyone need priority boarding?

I'm sure we could still come up with something!

Group 0 - passengers needing assistance + QF Chairmans Lounge
Group 1 - Platinum One + Platinum + OWE*
Group 2 - Gold + OWS*
Group 3 - Silver / QC + OWR*
Group 4 - non-Status revenue fares
Group 5 - QF staff deadheading
Group 6 - non-Status reward seats
Group 7 - QF staff leisure stand-by
Group 8 - QR/MH elites

 

[FL360]

Group 9 - pax who don't know how to complain on social media
Group 10 - non-English speakers

 

[SYD]

Let’s just hope we don’t start seeing “miracle flights”. 20 wheelchair PAX board but all miraculously walk off at the destination…

 

[encryptededdy]

It was a sight to behold. I've never seen such an efficient use of boarding groups and such efficient boarding pass scanners. Unlike the Qantas ones that take 2-3 seconds to scan and register, the JAL ones scanned and registered quicker than a grocery store scanner. Incredible stuff that shows you a better world is possible, but not one that'll ever come to QF.

You can also board with contactless NFC if you have an osaifu-keitai phone and your JAL Mileage Bank number loaded. Even faster than scanning barcodes.

Anyway, I find those scanners fun since they actually make a different tune for different status tiers

this video contains the automated boarding gate chime for
JAL (Sapphire or above)
JAL (General)
ANA (Diamond)
ANA (Platinum/SFC/Premium/*G)
ANA (General)

not included in the video is the chime for
JAL (Special Assistance)
JAL (Error)
ANA (Error)

 

[TheInsider]

Let’s just hope we don’t start seeing “miracle flights”. 20 wheelchair PAX board but all miraculously walk off at the destination…

Off topic but, over 65 wheelchairs came into SYD from India a few weeks ago on one flight...

 

[RooFlyer]

And the entire process will fall apart when the weather is poor. Who is actually going to board via stairs when it's raining?

Happens in Hobart all the time. And the stairs are just the last part of a 2 to 300 meter walk out in the open across the apron.

And what's the actual number of passengers who actually board and de-board via the stairs?. Often the stairs arrive after the aerobridge.

I think it’s quite a few, especially de-boarding. Many times while at the front waiting to disembark by the front stairs at HBA, we have to wait until at least a couple of pax at the rear stairs have gotten off, I guess due to some balance issue at the stand. @AviatorInsight , is that correct?

So why the hell does anyone need priority boarding?

Can't speak for anyone else, but I'm special.

 

[Daver6]

Happens in Hobart all the time. And the stairs are just the last part of a 2 to 300 meter walk out in the open across the apron.

At least Hobart has the second lowest average rainfall of all Australian capital cities

 

[AviatorInsight]

I think it’s quite a few, especially de-boarding. Many times while at the front waiting to disembark by the front stairs at HBA, we have to wait until at least a couple of pax at the rear stairs have gotten off, I guess due to some balance issue at the stand. @AviatorInsight , is that correct?

Generally in HBA I’ve noticed on deplaning it’ll be more people that get off via the rear stairs. If you’ve been told to wait at the front then yes it would be due to balancing of the aircraft. Normally the unloading begins with the front cargo hold and if they unload too quickly it could lead to a teetering issue with the aircraft sitting on the tail.

 

[Katie]

I guess I got it wrong, I must've been Group 2 as QF WP/OWE in AA Y.

Either way, it's always felt more efficient and more guarded with only boarding by whatever the groups are AND having the non-priority queue blocked off like AA do.

It was a contrast the other week to board AA at ATL (to LAX), yes, people were milling around, but I could get on when they called Group 2 vs. my QF SYD-BNE flight the next day, where the priority queue was huge, the non-priority queue was much shorter, and both queues were being boarded at the same time.

Though on board there were no announcements about gate checking bags. Just ones about it being a full flight and asking to put your personal item on the floor in front of you.

 

[jpp42]

Normally the unloading begins with the front cargo hold and if they unload too quickly it could lead to a teetering issue with the aircraft sitting on the tail.

Yep, it's happened a few times, here's a United 737-900 in 2021:

The stretch -900 variant (not found in Australia) is particularly susceptible and if they plan to unload the front cargo or passengers first, ground crews are supposed install a stand under the tail to prevent this. With a 737-800 or A320 the tilting is less likely but still can happen with improper unloading.

 

[BAM1748]

So why the hell does anyone need priority boarding?

The only people who want priority boarding are the people who know they are bringing to much onto the plane and worried about where to put it all.

 

[JessicaTam]

The only people who want priority boarding are the people who know they are bringing to much onto the plane and worried about where to put it all.

Or those who aren’t bringing too much but are worried about those who are.

 

[SeatBackForward]

I'm sure we could still come up with something!

Group 0 - passengers needing assistance + QF Chairmans Lounge

Given Chairmans Lounge is by invitation, I'd argue they're actually in the former group

 

[SYD]

Or those who aren’t bringing too much but are worried about those who are.

Especially that person in row 30 who chucks their cough above row 4 and saunters down…

 

[SeatBackForward]

The only people who want priority boarding are the people who know they are bringing to much onto the plane and worried about where to put it all.

Or those who aren’t bringing too much but are worried about those who are.

Right I have a solution!

The airline employs two people who board ahead of everyone else. All boarding is done by row number and only those two staff are allowed to put bags into the overhead bins, now imagine how efficiently they would do it. And they also have the right of denial if anyone has more than their allowance. They progressively work forward putting all bags into the overhead bins and any passengers who are left holdings their bags, either negotiate where there is space, or have to gate check it. Then those two alight from the plane and render their services onto the next flight.

Problem solved.

 

[jpp42]

Or they could work harder to convince people to use checked baggage and thus reduce pressure on overhead bins. Besides the bag tracking, which is woefully late given the underlying tech already exists and just wasn't shown to the passenger, the following should also be done:
* Ensure all fare types include at least one bag of checked luggage and commit to keeping this permanently as a marketing point (as Southwest does in the USA).
* Fix priority baggage - this will help encourage business and elite travellers not to go HLO . Contracts with baggage handling companies should incur a penalty if priority baggage is not handled correctly.
* Upgrade airports with technology to display at the carousels how long until the first bags arrive, updating when final bags unloaded etc - in use at other airports for many years now
* Go back to actually measuring bags at the gate when suspiciously large and force gate checking if over the size (rather than letting it continue "if there is room" which encourages scofflaws)
* Give flight attendants the authority/power to remove small items from overhead bins and direct passengers to put them under the seat - I know this is done to a limited degree, but if passengers refuse they should be ejected for interfering with a flight crew (or similar).

 

[Quickstatus]

Right I have a solution!

I have a solution.

At checkin, everyone has to demonstrate their carry on is within the weight and size and number limitation. Small bags tagged for under seat, larger bags tagged for overhead.

Passengers who don't tag their bags are allocated the last boarding zone - call it X
No tagged carry on, boarding zone X

to remove small items from overhead bins

SAS has basically 3 different fare types-
Carry on under seat
Carry under seat plus overhead carry on
Carry on under seat plus overhead plus checked

 

[RooFlyer]

* Fix priority baggage - this will help encourage business and elite travellers not to go HLO . Contracts with baggage handling companies should incur a penalty if priority baggage is not handled correctly.

 

[SeatBackForward]

I have a solution.

At checkin, everyone has to demonstrate ...

To whom?