Seriously Qantas!

[Rayesfeg]

The different terminology used across different airports doesn't help.

In Sydney (at least on the centrally controlled FIDS) they only display 'Gate Open' and then 'Boarding'. There is no 'Go to Gate' message in between.

Yes, I thought I was going crazy because I can’t remember the last time I had seen a “go to gate” status.

As someone who falls victim of going to the gate when “gate open” is displayed, waiting at the gate I notice the status changes from “gate open” to “boarding”.

 

[Flyfrequently]

Yes, I thought I was going crazy because I can’t remember the last time I had seen a “go to gate” status.

"Go to Gate" recently was on the Melbourne Airport Departures page @Rayesfeg
Now they have "Closing"

 

[Seat0B]

100% this. I just wish that they were able to properly predict their boarding times and provide us with the information. If they know when boarding will start and even if they give a generous estimate of the walking time to the gate it would be much better than the current system. Then again I have had the opposite issue at times overseas where I have been boarding group 1 (or pre-boarding) but I have left the lounge when advised and by the time I got to the gate (I am a very quick walker) they were already boarding the last groups. That can also be pretty annoying.

This happens to me a lot - even on domestic flights.

 

[SYD]

The different terminology used across different airports doesn't help.

In Sydney (at least on the centrally controlled FIDS) they only display 'Gate Open' and then 'Boarding'. There is no 'Go to Gate' message in between. And often they'll display the 'Gate Open' message well before the aircraft has even arrived, so it's hard to tell when you actually need to go to the gate.

SYD uses “Go to Gate”.

Well, at least the QF F departure board does. Pretty sure I’ve seen it around the terminal (T1) also as well as T3.

 

[Harrison_133]

SYD uses “Go to Gate”.

Well, at least the QF F departure board does. Pretty sure I’ve seen it around the terminal (T1) also as well as T3.

That's more the exception though. The digital screens throughout all three terminals are controlled by SACL which doesn't use 'Go to Gate' in it's terminology.

In T3, virtually all of the Qantas branded screens have recently been removed (apart from the ones in the lounge) and replaced by the generic SACL ones.

 

[burneracc]

When in a Qantas lounge at a Qantas hub you can safely wait in the lounge until they tell you to go ... that's what it's there for

They also explicitly say that they will NOT notify you where applicable too, so that there is no doubt.

 

[jb747]

So, Im sitting at sydney airport awaiting QF81 to Singapore. Left the lounge as the flight was listed as 'gate open'. Arrived about 1 hour ago. Flight staff still sitting at the gate. No plane parked at the gate.

Well, if the flight crew were there, why didn't you ask them?

As they don't normally hang around at the gate, it tells you that the airline expected the aircraft to be there, and that it has disappeared into the black hole that exists (at all airports) when an aircraft is being towed around.

 

[Vic]

My approach to deciding when to go to gate is multi-factorial. Gate-open means someone has logged onto the computer at the gate, definitely not notice to move...
My points of review:

• Can I see the gate? Is there a plane there? Is it the right type of plane?
• Check the arrivals board has the previous arrival at my departure gate arrived?
• How long before my departure did it arrive? Note it takes about 20 minutes to unload and maybe 10 more to turn around. This one especially useful for virgin where arrive is often 10 minutes before departure time.
• Do I feel like going for a walk? Then leave early.
• "Go to gate" - think about moving, pack up chargers etc.
• Boarding called in lounge - move.

Well, if the flight crew were there, why didn't you ask them?

As they don't normally hang around at the gate, it tells you that the airline expected the aircraft to be there, and that it has disappeared into the black hole that exists (at all airports) when an aircraft is being towed around.

My first A321 flight from Sydney was classic. No plane at the gate, thought I'd wander down early to scope it out. Got there in time to overhear the Captain on his mobile asking 'Where is my plane?' lol
It was towed over about 10 minutes later....

 

[SYD]

My approach to deciding when to go to gate is multi-factorial. Gate-open means someone has logged onto the computer at the gate, definitely not notice to move...
My points of review:

• Can I see the gate? Is there a plane there? Is it the right type of plane?
• Check the arrivals board has the previous arrival at my departure gate arrived?

The QF app even tells us now if the plane has arrived (at least for domestic).

For non-QF international flights ex SYD, I won't budge from the lounge until about 1 hr after I've seen the inbound aircraft touchdown.

 

[tomlee1986]

My approach to deciding when to go to gate is multi-factorial. Gate-open means someone has logged onto the computer at the gate, definitely not notice to move...
My points of review:

• Can I see the gate? Is there a plane there? Is it the right type of plane?
• Check the arrivals board has the previous arrival at my departure gate arrived?
• How long before my departure did it arrive? Note it takes about 20 minutes to unload and maybe 10 more to turn around. This one especially useful for virgin where arrive is often 10 minutes before departure time.
• Do I feel like going for a walk? Then leave early.
• "Go to gate" - think about moving, pack up chargers etc.
• Boarding called in lounge - move.

My first A321 flight from Sydney was classic. No plane at the gate, thought I'd wander down early to scope it out. Got there in time to overhear the Captain on his mobile asking 'Where is my plane?' lol
It was towed over about 10 minutes later....

Sometimes the app checking if the incoming flight had arrived method would not work in the case of towing aircraft as those flights - we won’t know until later… if overseas ports - it works well as they tend to be the return flight

 

[markis10]

Sometimes the app checking if the incoming flight had arrived method would not work in the case of towing aircraft as those flights - we won’t know until later… if overseas ports - it works well as they tend to be the return flight

Often where there is two Australian bound flights, the inbound will not be the outbound as they do a swap, that’s assuming it’s the same type.

 

[tomlee1986]

Often where there is two Australian bound flights, the inbound will not be the outbound as they do a swap, that’s assuming it’s the same type.

I know that too - especially the likes of SIN, HKG