QF's system for priority boarding on domestic flights

[RooFlyer]

There seems to be some difficulty conceptualising how one person can process 2 lines based on reports of staff refusing PB because there is only one person doing the scanning.

<snip>.

The way to do it with one FA as we know is for the single FA to stand on the PB side. Calls forward the PB line, sending those not entitled to the other line. Finish those in PB line. Move to non PB line. As PB pax enter the PB line, process them.

I believe (just a hunch) that the reason PB isn't usually enforced is that FAs have complained that PB leads to aggravated pax if they have to send some-one to the other line, then they have to deal with them on the aircraft. I suspect they probably have union support in this, and management therefore isn't pressing the issue.

If FAs are OK with doing it, it happens. If not, no-one is going to call them on it.

Unfortunately no-one has told the passengers.

 

[medhead]

The way to do it with one FA as we know is for the single FA to stand on the PB side. Calls forward the PB line, sending those not entitled to the other line. Finish those in PB line. Move to non PB line. As PB pax enter the PB line, process them.

I believe (just a hunch) that the reason PB isn't usually enforced is that FAs have complained that PB leads to aggravated pax if they have to send some-one to the other line, then they have to deal with them on the aircraft. I suspect they probably have union support in this, and management therefore isn't pressing the issue.

If FAs are OK with doing it, it happens. If not, no-one is going to call them on it.

Unfortunately no-one has told the passengers.

I thought about mentioning the glaring difference between VA and QF being who does the boarding scan. Ground crew probably aren't too concerned about aggravated pax.

 

[clazman]

CX and AC board by classes / status and kick people out of the queues if they are not supposed to be there

 

[madrooster]

The way to do it with one FA as we know is for the single FA to stand on the PB side. Calls forward the PB line, sending those not entitled to the other line. Finish those in PB line. Move to non PB line. As PB pax enter the PB line, process them.

QF seems to be one of the few carriers that uses FAs to do the boarding process. As such unfortunately priority boarding is likely to suffer until this changes (if it ever does)...

 

[Oneworldplus2]

I thought about mentioning the glaring difference between VA and QF being who does the boarding scan. Ground crew probably aren't too concerned about aggravated pax.

My employer has a contract with VA, so I've been flying with them a bit lately.
There is a massive difference between QF and VA in boarding.

VA just do it.
QF, no idea

 

[eastwest101]

I believe (just a hunch) that the reason PB isn't usually enforced is that FAs have complained that PB leads to aggravated pax if they have to send some-one to the other line, then they have to deal with them on the aircraft. I suspect they probably have union support in this, and management therefore isn't pressing the issue.

I would be betting that your 'hunch', is 100% correct. Lots of posturing and talk about it by QF managemant and PR but little progress or visible enforcement, there is no way that QF management want the costs to employ ground based gate agents to assist/enforce it, so I predict no progress on this ever, until management or the unions agree on a plan involving extra staff/re-allocation of staff/change in work practices and allocating resources to do it properly.

 

[wanderer_au]

But is it really worth the effort? A velvet rope? Really? I'd rather they spent the money that would need to go on more staff, on better F&B offering on the plane...

 

[RichardMEL]

Unless I know there will be a glass of champers waiting for me on the plane - I'm in no hurry to board! Might as well chill out in a less cramped environment for as long as possible...

Tend to agree EXCEPT for the issue of storing one's hand luggage and that is the only reason (for me anyway) to board earlier. If I have something small that can go under the seat in front then no issue. Anything that I want overhead space for then PB helps. The worst thing is getting on a packed narrowbody with no space near your seat and having to figure out a place to put something. Worse still when you see Y pax shoving their stuff in J overheads, but that's another issue.

Also as a courtesy to others as I usually have a window seat, so if I board and am seated in that window that reduces (slightly) delay for others as I'm not then disrupting seated people(hopefully!) to get into my window.

 

[RichardMEL]

The other problem QF faces, specially at major hubs like MEL/BNE/SYD and I suspect CBR too (for obvious reasons) are that often the number of SG/WP/WP1/CL's may be huge so those with entitlement for priority could well be half (or more) of the aircraft. It's like a US major carrier, eg: United at DEN or AA at DFW or whatever.

 

[wanderer_au]

Exactly. There's a reason why there's more people in the lounges in the QF domestic terminal in SYD and CBR than out of them...

 

[trippin_the_rift]

The other problem QF faces, specially at major hubs like MEL/BNE/SYD and I suspect CBR too (for obvious reasons) are that often the number of SG/WP/WP1/CL's may be huge so those with entitlement for priority could well be half (or more) of the aircraft. It's like a US major carrier, eg: United at DEN or AA at DFW or whatever.

Having an aircraft full of elites is a great business problem to have but its no excuse for not providing a written benefit.

I suspect this isn't too high on the QF radar because you're all complaining about QF but still blindly pay to fly them... And since most wouldn't see PB as a deal breaker it means QF can put fixing PB on the back burner.

It's not like this is a new problem. It's been going on for over a decade.

 

[macca99]

Slightly different gripe from me...... flying syd-bne yesterday, left the lounge as soon as flight called and by the time I arrived at gate 13, priority borarding lane is 20 deep.... only thing was a large proportion of the people in the priority boarding lane weren’t eligible to be there.... the 3 people in front of me for example weren’t even FF and the attendant just processed them as normal. Why not just refer them to the back to the general boarding lane..... they won’t be doing that again. By the time I got past checkin, they were 40deep at the aerobridge and so not surprising no room in the overhead by the time I got on board. Qantas need to have a look at this system - not hard to fix I wouldn’t have thought givenothers do it well.

 

[Comoman]

Canberra yesterday - no priority boarding at all for my flight to Melbourne. Signage wasn't even there.

Total rugby scrum.

 

[tmdellit]

I'm a fairly regular BNE-TSV flyer with QF and strangely never have an issue with PB when QF1788 departs from Gate 25, but, if you're up on one of the "finger" gates (16-21) PB is complete nonsense. I don't know whether this is due to layout or what, but without fail it's 2 very different experiences.

Mind you, TSV doesn't even have a PB lane...

 

[eminere]

the 3 people in front of me for example weren’t even FF and the attendant just processed them as normal.

That's what pisses me off, they just don't care! And if there are no consequences then people will just do it again and again!

 

[Danger]

Priority boarding on QF domestic - what is the story?

 

[GoldCanyon340]

I had a flight from SYD T3 a few weeks ago where the priority line was combed before boarding opened and someone was actually turfed out. It does happen!

And yes I did leave the lounge early to get to the gate. I don't ALWAYS leave it the last minute

 

[monoccular]

I am sure if the QF staff said "not this one - head to the end of the other queue" a few times it would stop.
Only very rarely, including today MEL PER QF 485 did there seem to be any value in the priority line.

 

[Mattg]

I do wonder why QF boards both the general and priority queue simultaneously for domestic flights. Would it be that hard to board everybody in the priority queue (ensuring they are supposed to be there), before the first person in the general queue is boarded? The current system simply doesn't work.

 

[eddie 73]

AA do it best indeed. Print groups on tix or digital boarding passes, based on status/class, and assertively announce each group, clearly stating leapfroggers will be turned away.