Reverse priority boarding ...

ferntree

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Has anybody else encountered Qantas' latest attempt to address the symptoms while ignoring the causes of their ever and ever increasing flight delays?

Returning from Cairns a week or so ago, our connecting flight from Hobart was running about an hour late. That's actually not bad by Qantas current MEL-HBA standards. When eventually we came to board (by now 75 minutes late) we were told that to "save time" instead of normal priority boarding (which is often not implemented anyway), we would be boarding by row number, starting at the back.

Whether or not this did reduce boarding time I doubt, but if it did it just meant that pax had more opportunity to wiggle their bums on their seats for longer while we waited first for the bags to be loaded and then for the catering, eventually getting away some 90 minutes late.

Back in the old country we have a saying about straining at the gnat while swallowing the camel ...
 
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Has anybody else encountered Qantas' latest attempt to address the symptoms while ignoring the causes of their ever and ever increasing flight delays?

Returning from Cairns a week or so ago, our connecting flight from Hobart was running about an hour late. That's actually not bad by Qantas current MEL-HBA standards. When eventually we came to board (by now 75 minutes late) we were told that to "save time" instead of normal priority boarding (which is often not implemented anyway), we would be boarding by row number, starting at the back.

Whether or not this did reduce boarding time I doubt, but if it did it just meant that pax had more opportunity to wiggle their bums on their seats for longer while we waited first for the bags to be loaded and then for the catering, eventually getting away some 90 minutes late.

Back in the old country we have a saying about straining at the gnat while swallowing the camel ...

This isn't new. I've seen this tried multiple times over the last few years, even before covid.

To be fair, boarding priority customers first who are generally seated at the front is one of the slowest methods.
 
This isn't new. I've seen this tried multiple times over the last few years, even before covid.

To be fair, boarding priority customers first who are generally seated at the front is one of the slowest methods.
True, but those going to the rear of the aircraft tend to dump their bags in the first available luggage rack, which creates a drag once dis-embarking. That’s been tried before…
 
They only would've wanted to reduce the turn around time, most likely due to crew hours or making a slot time.
Sure, but my point is that given the long wait after boarding and before departure I don't see how it could have saved them any time! 😉
 
Sure, but my point is that given the long wait after boarding and before departure I don't see how it could have saved them any time! 😉
Maybe becuase it had a slot time and they were trying to achieve that, it didn't, therefore the long wait. I've got no idea for that particular scenario, but who knows.
 
Good point. We should be thankful for small mercies ,,,,
\
That's right! These days we should be really thankful to Qantas management that things simply went as they should - although the way to make up for lost time - things done in series, rather than parallel seems odd. Probably not their fault, though.
 
The fact that Qantas loading bags is a notable event, is not a good thing. How far have they sunk if doing the basics needs to be commented on? An off topic comment as well...
Have you seen other airlines around the world?
As much as people like to bash Qantas here, it really is an industry wide problem.

What you don't hear is that hundreds of bags from EK, QR, SQ are missing daily for flights coming into Australia.
 
Have you seen other airlines around the world?
As much as people like to bash Qantas here, it really is an industry wide problem.

What you don't hear is that hundreds of bags from EK, QR, SQ are missing daily for flights coming into Australia.
well you know, if it's about my experience. At Easter Virgin managed to get our bags to and from the destination ok.
In March, I had an extremely bizarre experience with an arriving bag in Canberra. Arrived at baggage collection ~15 minutes after getting off the plane after a short stop in the lounge. The collection hall was deserted. I was literally the only person there.
Another 20 to 25 minutes and the staff member says it's downstairs on the carousel. Yep, my bag was the only one there, doing laps.
Qatar managed to get my luggage to Europe and back ok.

Maybe we don't hear about those other airlines because the 100s of missing bags you claim is a small fraction of the total pax/bag numbers for those other airlines. Compared to multiple entire flights...
But I guess the more interesting point is being told, all good Qantas did the bare minimum. When Qantas actually loading the bags is a reason to celebrate, I'm not sure we really need to compare to other airlines...
 
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Have you seen other airlines around the world?
As much as people like to bash Qantas here, it really is an industry wide problem.

What you don't hear is that hundreds of bags from EK, QR, SQ are missing daily for flights coming into Australia.

Actually, we do hear about that, but its Qantas domestic we are talking about here and as you know, its not just about bags.

We've heard this 'Qantas bashing' stuff before. When the airline manages to just do the basics (as it still promises to do on its web site), consistantly, while charging a premium, then maybe the criticism will stop or at least go down to its 'normal' level. Edited.
 
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The fact that Qantas loading bags is a notable event, is not a good thing. How far have they sunk if doing the basics needs to be commented on? An off topic comment as well...

It's not notable and it doesn't need to be commented on. In fact, this entire thread is OT - question was is it normal to suspend the usual boarding process for a tight turn around - answer, yes, it is.

Post #1 makes it quite clear what OP thinks of QF and in actual fact has demonstrated QF being proactive in trying to minimise delays. Unless people want to criticise them for that as well... :rolleyes:
 
Nor do you hear about the thousands that safely complete their journey.
Well that's what we expect, isn't it? The news doesn't report a car journey begun and ended without incident, but it does report hassles and crashes.

It's when they stop reporting such transport hassles and crashes, because they are the norm, that I'd be concerned.

We are in a period of really significant numbers of problems with Qantas' performance and it's being reported and discussed in here. Yes it's happening with other airlines but this happens to be the Qantas forum.

If it wasn’t for the fact that the Qantas CEO agitated for the return to normal flying and now being seven months in and they obviously haven't prepared enough for the demand that he wanted, and the fact that he blamed the customers on several occasions for problems, we may just be prepared to suck it up.
 
Well that's what we expect, isn't it? The news doesn't report a car journey begun and ended without incident, but it does report hassles and crashes.

It's when they stop reporting such transport hassles and crashes, because they are the norm, that I'd be concerned.

We are in a period of really significant numbers of problems with Qantas' performance and it's being reported and discussed in here. Yes it's happening with other airlines but this happens to be the Qantas forum.

If it wasn’t for the fact that the Qantas CEO agitated for the return to normal flying and now being seven months in and they obviously haven't prepared enough for the demand that he wanted, and the fact that he blamed the customers on several occasions for problems, we may just be prepared to suck it up.
Bags delivered securely and in time is on our contract with the airline. So no, delivering in the contract as paid for shouldn’t make news.

It becomes a problem when airlines can’t deliver their contractual obligations. Taking them to court is expensive or difficult. There’s very little airline consumer compensation in AU. So the only choose we really have is to use fora such as these to (a) seek advice and (b) warn others.
 
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