Virgin priority boarding fail

[Mattg]

Virgin Australia normally does an excellent job of priority boarding. So I was quite disappointed this morning to experience my first VA priority boarding failure ex BNE.

There were two queues formed at gate 38 - one general lane and one priority boarding lane, both of which were signposted - but only one person scanning boarding passes. This employee was not calling forward people from the priority lane first, and instead the two lanes were basically just merging (with people from the general queue basically being given right of way).

I brought this up with the gate agent when I (eventually) got to the front of the queue, who just told me that they were only using one scanner at that gate because the other one was broken. Now that's fine - in CBR, for example, they regularly just use one scanner. But the whole point of priority boarding is that the priority queue should have priority. In other words, surely the best practice would be to board everyone from the priority queue - and check they're supposed to be there - before starting general boarding?

I realise this is very much a first world problem and it didn't ruin my day. It was just disappointing as Virgin normally executes priority boarding perfectly. It's one of the things they've usually done way better than Qantas, but not this morning.

 

[jakeseven7]

VA2 were using 1 person at the scanner about 1.5 weeks ago in MEL, however there were 14 people on the plane so it didn't really matter that PB wasn't used.

I wonder if there is an operational change to how many people are boarding flights now...

 

[Must...Fly!]

Pre the administration days, I seem to recall discussion on the forum about regularly dropping to one scanning gate agent at VA?

But a difficult job for one person, that is for sure.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

They might say its "broken", but it could also be cost cutting, ie, only 1 scanner being used.
In real, who knows for sure.

 

[blackcat20]

Even with one scanner it's not hard to clear the priority lane first.

 

[BNEFlyer]

I flew BNE-SYD-MEL-SYD-BNE the weekend before last, BNE-SYD was full and PB worked brilliantly (including a courtesy announcement to non Priority pax trying to board), SYD-MEL-SYD worked equally as well (SYD-BNE I was one of the last to board). This could possibly just have been a one off, as even the past few VA flights I've had PB has always been adhered to.

 

[jakeseven7]

Boarded next to a VA flight in BNE today in the common terminal area, my QF flight was leaving next to the VA flight.

VA using one scanner again...... and a football scrum at the boarding gate. I couldn't see if they were processing PB passengers first, but another data point on just one scanner being used again.

 

[Astro]

PB was working as normal yesterday MEL-SYD. However I did notice they were checking bag weights - even for priority pax. It was a lunchtime flight which I don't normally catch.

There was some very funny DYKWIA moments.
One person had two bags and a large handbag. What did they expect?

I must say my experience flying through the past few months people have been getting away with more when it comes to carry-on luggage. I actually don't have an issue if they roll this out to all flights as I pack very light.

 

[jakeseven7]

PB was working as normal yesterday MEL-SYD. However I did notice they were checking bag weights - even for priority pax. It was a lunchtime flight which I don't normally catch.

There was some very funny DYKWIA moments.
One person had two bags and a large handbag. What did they expect?

Interesting and a good one for anyone who is left flying VA2 to be aware of.

They did go through a bag weighing stage, not that long before the collapse... interesting it has been resurrected.

 

[kookaburra75]

Last Thursday, flying CBR-BNE return, they made the Priority Boarding announcements and those people lined up in the priority queue.
There was only one scanner in use at CBR and BNE, but they did scan those from the priority queue first, and also when people turned up in that queue once general boarding had commenced. Didn't see any weighing of bags though.

 

[jase05]

Interesting and a good one for anyone who is left flying VA2 to be aware of.

They did go through a bag weighing stage, not that long before the collapse... interesting it has been resurrected.

Have only seen weighing on a couple of flights in the last couple of week and TBH I’m not too fussed as I think too many people try to cheat the system. Some of the sights you see are just ridiculous

 

[Astro]

PB was working as normal yesterday MEL-SYD. However I did notice they were checking bag weights - even for priority pax. It was a lunchtime flight which I don't normally catch.

An update on the above. I came through Sydney yesterday and they are weighing hand luggage. They were even doing it in the priority line at checkin.

I asked around if it was the new normal and the word is a business class customer caused someone to have their nose broken on a flight as they had a 15kg bag in the overhead locker. I didn't find out if it was staff or another customer.

Like I said above, I like this has it will be a nice change for people who do the right thing to actually have their bag above the row they are seated - not halfway down the plane which happens all the time on Virgin.

 

[jakeseven7]

An update on the above. I came through Sydney yesterday and they are weighing hand luggage. They were even doing it in the priority line at checkin.

I asked around if it was the new normal and the word is a business class customer caused someone to have their nose broken on a flight as they had a 15kg bag in the overhead locker. I didn't find out if it was staff or another customer.

Like I said above, I like this has it will be a nice change for people who do the right thing to actually have their bag above the row they are seated - not halfway down the plane which happens all the time on Virgin.

Are they charging people or just forcing people to check the overweight / oversize bags?

I actually haven't stuck around to see the outcome of the tears!

 

[Robert K]

Probably someone who use to work at qantas.

 

[lobo76]

Interesting and a good one for anyone who is left flying VA2 to be aware of.

They did go through a bag weighing stage, not that long before the collapse... interesting it has been resurrected.

Seems a bit silly since it's highly likely people in the PB queue will have free checked bags anyway. The only reason I don't check bags is for speed on arrival. Maybe I'll have to start now just in case, just more work for the VA staff....

 

[hydrabyss]

Seems a bit silly since it's highly likely people in the PB queue will have free checked bags anyway. The only reason I don't check bags is for speed on arrival. Maybe I'll have to start now just in case, just more work for the VA staff....

I wonder how many with status actually use any or all of their allocated checked baggage allowance. If not many use it then for the airlines it is a perk they can afford to give which does not cost them much at all. I used to only check a bag to carry our pillows but since found a cover which rolls up the pillow so now just take it on the plane with me.

 

[flyingfan]

I wonder how many with status actually use any or all of their allocated checked baggage allowance.

My guess is all not all that many, I don't tend to see many status pax at the baggage carousel - they probably try to carry on only.

Not including the priority tags bit, I can count on one hand the number of times I've started to use my extra allowance as a plat on both QF and VA (ISTR it was 96kg at one point?!?). There have been a few times I've been travelling with family and been able to put our entire group's baggage under my allowance, without tapping into their own non-status allowance.

Back to the topic at hand my recent experiences still see VA doing a much better job of enforcing priority boarding than QF.

 

[Stealthflyer]

Hobart airport was crowded enough last week that I didn’t even try to get through the masses when they announced PB. Instead I joined the regular queue much later once the area had cleared a little. The FA scanning said to me, “you can come straight to the gate next time. You don’t need to queue”. They’re definitely pushing the PB perk.

I don’t know about anyone else, but if I’ve missed the early boarding call and there’s only one lane and one person scanning, I just don’t feel comfortable barging through. Social distancing aside, I just feel rude.

 

[Mattg]

I don’t know about anyone else, but if I’ve missed the early boarding call and there’s only one lane and one person scanning, I just don’t feel comfortable barging through. Social distancing aside, I just feel rude.

I do agree with you there. Which makes it a little annoying when there's only one lane and they announce general boarding 10 seconds after announcing priority boarding.

 

[Stealthflyer]

I do agree with you there. Which makes it a little annoying when there's only one lane and they announce general boarding 10 seconds after announcing priority boarding.

This time I’m waiting right next to the gate, waiting to pounce. The FA is about to press the button to announce boarding... so tense.