Why do some airlines put such little effort into boarding passes?

[seanq84]

As another data point, pre-COVID Rex flights from Mount Gambier had boarding passes printed on the same receipt paper as above, whereas the boarding passes printed in Adelaide were normally on card stock (with branding).

 

[Catweazle]

Perhaps Qantas could pay for a spruce up - by buying advertising space on the reverse.

A neat idea – I flew Jet Airways years ago and they did this. Nice and colourful, and gave you some inspiration for what to do with those 4+ hour long layovers at SIN, MAA or BOM. Meanwhile, I'm sure they gained something of an additional profit.

 

[jb01]

Boarding pass appearance would surely be way down the list, considering Rex haven't even removed the VirginAustralia WiFi access point name from the aircraft.

They probably had the access point password printed out on a boarding pass - now it’s faded and they can’t get in.

 

[kookaburra75]

Perhaps Qantas could pay for a spruce up - by buying advertising space on the reverse.

I was thinking that the other day when getting the boarding receipt printed out at the gate (I use my Frequent Flyer card). When Impulse Airlines started flying, they used the thermal paper boarding passes and we nicknamed them 'Shopper Docket' boarding passes. Like the supermarkets, they could put discount vouchers on the back - which means the airline could get the paper stock for free at a minimum. If the Rex or Virgin teams are monitoring our posts, I want a commission for the idea.

 

[harvyk]

I've always thought the nicely printed boarding pass was a marketing opportunity for the airline as much as anything else. Whilst yes, do a SYD-MEL weekly you're unlikely to care about a boarding pass from 3 months ago, they are often things which get placed into draws at home on return, only to be found 6 months later.

That would then trigger in your mind about the trip you'd been on, and would potentially even act as encouragement for you to start thinking about your next trip.

 

[henrus]

If any airline upgrades their boarding pass I'd love to see them get a designer to do it

Google Search

There are some really good designs but basically no airlines using them. Likewise there is information on the boarding pass that doesn't really need to be there, the Qantas one is good but the Virgin one contains things like a PNR, SEQ, fare all of which aren't really needed for the traveler (and before anyone says the airline staff my need it, they can look it up on a computer!).

 

[milehighclub]

things like a PNR

PNR should go. So easy if someone leaves behind a boarding pass for someone to pick it up and find out personal information. Same with PNR on luggage tags, I don't see why they need to be there, they can track with the barcode or tag number.

and before anyone says the airline staff my need it, they can look it up on a computer!).

SEQ: Actually this is really handy for certain situations onboard, as the printed lists, nor the iPad show this so I vote for it staying!

 

[dajop]

SEQ: Actually this is really handy for certain situations onboard, as the printed lists, nor the iPad show this so I vote for it staying!

Yes, and that aside, how else are you to know if you're the first or almost the last to check in (the latter on a full flight)

 

[harvyk]

<snip> (and before anyone says the airline staff my need it, they can look it up on a computer!).

Provided that their computer systems are up...

Right now if their computer systems go down, there are manual processes which they can revert to, which whilst is slower it means that they can still get flights underway.

 

[Quickstatus]

buying advertising space on the reverse

Just as well I don't want a paper boarding pass.

 

[jakeseven7]

Just as well I don't want a paper boarding pass.

Agree why cut down a tree when everyone has phones? I actually think all airlines should join together and charge for them

Sure keep them free for elderly / those unable to use a phone, but for the rest of us? - flying is dirty enough for the environment!

Anyway those face scanners they are trialling will replace phones soon enough too!

 

[bPeteb]

If we can avoid it we don't ever print our boarding passes. If we get them they get torn up and thrown in the recycling bin as soon as we get home. Any effort would be totally lost on us.

 

[Berlin]

Seems to also depend on what printing stock a particular airport has as it can vary widely between ports but on the same airline. With regards to Digital passes which generally I'd also prefer- two issues I've witnessed with those: First, some behind the times travel insurance companies insist on an actual physical boarding pass for any flight relating claims and second, for certain not so able people, these digital passes just create endless delays at the boarding gate (scratched phone screens, badly lit phone screens, empty phone battery dramas- you name it).

 

[SOPOOR]

The boarding passes of most airlines look reasonably good and, at a minimum, convey the most important information (flight number, gate, boarding time, etc.) in a way that's easy to read.

So I was surprised when flying Rex in business class last week how bad the boarding pass looked. It was printed on receipt paper, had no airline branding, did not mention the class of travel anywhere and I imagine most people wouldn't have found it very useful at all. (At least the check-in agent circled the boarding time!)

View attachment 242761

It reminded me a little of the LATAM boarding passes in Brazil which are printed on flimsy yellow receipt paper - although, at least those boarding passes contain all the relevant information and are easy enough to read.

At the other end of the spectrum, mind you, some of the US airlines (e.g. American Airlines) have way too much information (not to mention, the TSA agents also scribble all over them).

Compare this to a Qantas boarding pass, which is easy to read, has clear branding and looks nice.

View attachment 242763

Maybe most flyers don't really care what their boarding pass looks like, but at a minimum, surely they should be easy to read. So why don't some airlines make the effort - is it just expensive, is it laziness, or something else?

when I did my first ever F on Singapore airlines, I was expecting a nice boarding pass, but got one printed on what felt like reciept paper but had a few coloured stripes,

was disappointed, and threw it in the bin, as I was intending to keep and frame it

 

[Chicken]

It took REX 20 years to update their web site remember? The Y2K look is their 'thing'. Anyway, they have updated their web site, so I think they will change the font size and underline some words in the boarding pass design soon.

 

[Lat34]

The boarding passes of most airlines look reasonably good and, at a minimum, convey the most important information (flight number, gate, boarding time, etc.) in a way that's easy to read.

So I was surprised when flying Rex in business class last week how bad the boarding pass looked. It was printed on receipt paper, had no airline branding, did not mention the class of travel anywhere and I imagine most people wouldn't have found it very useful at all. (At least the check-in agent circled the boarding time!)

View attachment 242761

It reminded me a little of the LATAM boarding passes in Brazil which are printed on flimsy yellow receipt paper - although, at least those boarding passes contain all the relevant information and are easy enough to read.

At the other end of the spectrum, mind you, some of the US airlines (e.g. American Airlines) have way too much information (not to mention, the TSA agents also scribble all over them).

Compare this to a Qantas boarding pass, which is easy to read, has clear branding and looks nice.

View attachment 242763

Maybe most flyers don't really care what their boarding pass looks like, but at a minimum, surely they should be easy to read. So why don't some airlines make the effort - is it just expensive, is it laziness, or something else?

As a relatively infrequent FF, I like to collect boarding passes (and in the old days, printed multi-page paper tickets)
My question is WHY does QF and most other airlines print boarding passes with Date=DDMMM but leave off YY??
Frustrating for the "paper hoarders" if the stash is accidentally dropped!!

 

[Vic]

The boarding passes of most airlines look reasonably good and, at a minimum, convey the most important information (flight number, gate, boarding time, etc.) in a way that's easy to read.

So I was surprised when flying Rex in business class last week how bad the boarding pass looked. It was printed on receipt paper, had no airline branding, did not mention the class of travel anywhere and I imagine most people wouldn't have found it very useful at all. (At least the check-in agent circled the boarding time!)

View attachment 242761

Well I'm late to the party, but in fairness the example does have airline branding - Regional Express, boarding time and flight number. And I assume the circled 13 is the gate?

 

[Mattg]

Well I'm late to the party, but in fairness the example does have airline branding - Regional Express, boarding time and flight number. And I assume the circled 13 is the gate?

Well the branding is actually just the baggage receipt stuck to the back of the boarding pass

 

[Vic]

Well the branding is actually just the baggage receipt stuck to the back of the boarding pass

The name of the airline is printed on the boarding pass.

That is their brand - Regional Express.

 

[Vic]

Apparently there is something funny about saying the name is a brand... I'm lazy but to quote wikipedia.

A brand is a name, term, design, symbol or any other feature that identifies one seller's good or service as distinct from those of other sellers.[2][3][4][5] Brands are used in business, marketing, and advertising for recognition and, importantly, to create and store value as brand equity for the object identified, to the benefit of the brand's customers, its owners and shareholders.[6] Name brands are sometimes distinguished from Generic brand or store brands.

Bold Italics is my emphasis. The name is a brand.
Before anyone gets too excited about the rest of the quote, about creating value. Please note I never said "Regional Express" was a high value brand, just that it is a brand.