Who has used QF Next Gen check-in Perth?

[ozbeachbabe]

Just curious as to who has used the QF Next Generation check-in at PER yet, particularly those AFFer's in the West.

How does it work, is it quicker, does it save you time etc?

If it doesn't work, what don't you like about it & what needs to be done to improve it?

 

[Flashback]

Just curious as to who has used the QF Next Generation check-in at PER yet, particularly those AFFer's in the West.

How does it work, is it quicker, does it save you time etc?

If it doesn't work, what don't you like about it & what needs to be done to improve it?

The one time I tried it, and the few times my father tried it, it gave an error so had to go to the desk and speak to a member of staff anyway. In that case, is currently not saving any time

 

[cove]

Yes I have a silver card that I slide into the check in machine and up comes the details.
We were a group of three and it came up quickly for getting our boarding passes.
The fast baggage tags print there as well.You then tag your own luggage and remove any old stickers with bar codes then go over to the baggage check in.There is an automatic scanner that reads your luggage tags after you have your boarding pass scanned.The bags then go off to be loaded.
And that is it. It probably saves 15 minutes on a busy Perth morning check in.

 

[opusman]

My mother has tried it. Let's just say it did not go well

 

[yohy?!]

Transferring to a domestic flight yesterday so I didn't need to use it but suffice to say the visual impression is cluttered and disorganised with many confused people standing around.

 

[lukemulligan]

I tried it a couple of weeks ago. I got as far as printing my boarding passes and baggage tag and then decided to go to the gold queue. I told the Qantas staff member on the counter that I was a gold member and fly enough with Qantas not to have to tag my own bag and check it in myself! There were people around having problems with it though. I personally can't stand the idea of having to do that but I'm sure it works well for some!

 

[cove]

My description was for our third go.
First go needed help at both points.
Our biggest issue was old bar code stickers on our bags that had to be peeled off before the luggage scanner could really work.

 

[Happy Trails]

I’ve used a few times with carry-on only and it’s worked as advertised, very quick – maybe 10 or 15 seconds.
Having said that, I don’t see any particular benefit over OLCI, and without a printed boarding pass in hand there’s always a nagging feeling that something might go wrong at the gate. But I expect that will pass with time and usage.

 

[dk4]

I don't check bags, but the people I know who do, generally see it as a negative experience. It is a Qantas ENHANCEMENT after all.


Comments include -

• "not enough assistance from the hosts"
• "the system is slow and unresponsive. the processing delay causes people to think that they have made a mistake, so they start pressing things instead of simply waiting a bit longer, which causes the system to stuff up."
• "it might be good for frequent fliers, once they get use to the system and learn what to do, but one novice in front of you in the queue and you've had it."
• "tagging and bagging yourself is getting more 'low cost carrier', than the low cost carriers."
• "i went to brisbane on the non-stop, my bag went to who-knows-where. but the qantas lost luggage people think it might be on holiday in BME, instead of with me in BNE"

 

[ozbeachbabe]

I don't check bags, but the people I know who do, generally see it as a negative experience. It is a Qantas ENHANCEMENT after all.

"i went to brisbane on the non-stop, my bag went to who-knows-where. but the qantas lost luggage people think it might be on holiday in BME, instead of with me in BNE"

I think your bag ending up in Broome (BME) instead of going with you to Brisbane (BNE) has more to do with the 3 letter city codes almost looking the same so any city who has departures to both of the above at similar times will have this happen. It used to happen ex ASP awhile back too.

The people I've heard are not fans of QF NG checkin are older folks who aren't as savvy with computers or haven't used them at all and like going to a real person same as they prefer teller service at banks.

Other people not overly fond of it are offshore workers who may get a text from the employer's travel agent with a flight departure time, sometimes a flight number but no booking reference number. These companies may need to address that problem with their TA so booking ref can be included in sms's or emails - it can't be that hard to do surely.

So at the moment the thing to do is either OLCI or mobile checkin and have no bags to drop off & you are laughing.

 

[ozonslo]

I used the machine recently and only having hand luggage it was OK. Touched my SFF card and it said I was checked in. Qantas say you then get a sms to confirm your details, I didn't. When entering the Qantas lounge,only having the SFF card the guy on the entrance asked if I received the sms, I didn't and never did. I was traveling business and I was a bit miffed when he reminded me that the SFF card didn't give me access. A bit obvious! Anyway as someone said here, I was a bit nervous not having a boarding pass when I went to the flight, but they scanned my card and a small printout was given to me with my details, seat no etc. So for me it was a reasonable experience. I have yet to try it with baggage to check in.

 

[codash1099]

I've used it once and needed some assistance (I am a senior, after all) but for the future, I see no problems and it has the potential to be quicker (although that may change when a majority of pax use it).

The overall advantage in the long run will belong to QF with some staff savings possible.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

I used the machine recently and only having hand luggage it was OK. Touched my SFF card and it said I was checked in. Qantas say you then get a sms to confirm your details, I didn't. When entering the Qantas lounge,only having the SFF card the guy on the entrance asked if I received the sms, I didn't and never did. I was traveling business and I was a bit miffed when he reminded me that the SFF card didn't give me access. A bit obvious! Anyway as someone said here, I was a bit nervous not having a boarding pass when I went to the flight, but they scanned my card and a small printout was given to me with my details, seat no etc. So for me it was a reasonable experience. I have yet to try it with baggage to check in.

I hope you still got to use the lounge though!

It sounds like the docket you get at the boarding gate for NG is the same kind that prints out (most of the time anyway) for mobile checkin when you scan the 2D bar code on your phone at the gate.

 

[Paul_PER]

I used it last week.

Saved time as there was no queue to drop bags off. Took a while to get the tag and put it on though.

Overall it was probably quicker.

Once everyone gets used to it I think it will be an overall improvement.

It's a lot like the self-check outs at Coles and Woolies - you save time with less waiting but scanning and packing your own groceries takes more time.

 

[dede]

Used it a few weeks ago. Didn't work. Travelling from PER-SYD-MEl (to get more SCs). Only checked me in as afar as SYD. CSO even couldn't generate a boarding pass for SYD-MEL. Had to get a boarding pass at SYD.

I'm sure it will work eventually.

 

[Cheesy]

Used it a few weeks ago. Didn't work. Travelling from PER-SYD-MEl (to get more SCs). Only checked me in as afar as SYD. CSO even couldn't generate a boarding pass for SYD-MEL. Had to get a boarding pass at SYD.

I'm sure it will work eventually.

This answers a question of mine a while ago in one of the original threads, as the majority of my travel from PER to the east coast is on two flights (SC's obviously!). Sounds like PER-ADL-MEL on Christmas Day is going to be fun!

 

[ozbeachbabe]

This answers a question of mine a while ago in one of the original threads, as the majority of my travel from PER to the east coast is on two flights (SC's obviously!). Sounds like PER-ADL-MEL on Christmas Day is going to be fun!

I guess being Xmas & all you will have luggage to check, however a couple of things to alleviate the 2 sector issue at present would be to:

a) Pre select your seats at 80 hours prior to departure for everyone travelling in your party. If you have separate pnrs eg 2 pax on a paid fare & 2 pax on an award ticket, ensure reservations link your bookings asap so when you come to choose your seats all of you will be able to view the seat map for QF SG if that is the highest level of f/flyer in your family group.

b) OLCI & print out boarding passes for all parties PER/ADL/MEL so all you need to do is the bag drop.

To Dede & all who have travelled ex PER on two sectors or more, a question:
is it only the boarding pass for the 2nd sector ex PER that is the problem or is getting a bag tag through to the final destination a problem also?

 

[oz_mark]

I've used it once, and while I got through it ok, and my bags arrived at the other end, I did notice the lack of hosts around.

 

[dede]

To Dede & all who have travelled ex PER on two sectors or more, a question:
is it only the boarding pass for the 2nd sector ex PER that is the problem or is getting a bag tag through to the final destination a problem also?

The bag was checked through okay - it was just the second boarding pass that couldn't be printed out. As it turned out the flight was delayed and I missed the connecting flight. I was put on a flight 30mins later but my bag missed the flight. They were delivered to me a few hours later.

The flight was an Anyseat Award and the new SYD-MEL flight I was put on didn't credit me any points. I rang FF and they put it right straight away, although they seemed to have trouble crediting the points as well.

 

[Cheesy]

I guess being Xmas & all you will have luggage to check, however a couple of things to alleviate the 2 sector issue at present would be to:

a) Pre select your seats at 80 hours prior to departure for everyone travelling in your party.

b) OLCI & print out boarding passes for all parties PER/ADL/MEL so all you need to do is the bag drop.

Will definitely have luggage, but travelling alone. Going for the Ashes Tests in Melbourne and Sydney amongst other things. The joys of being single ... but leaving PER at 0800 on Christmas Day took a bit of persuasion (read, sweetening) of the folks!

OLCI was probably going to be the safest option anyway, but everyone wants to try out the new toy!