Qantas Trials Automated Boarding Gates

Qantas has begun trialling automated boarding gates at Sydney Airport, in an experiment that will run for the next three months.

The automated gates, supplied by SITA, have been installed at Gate 10 in Terminal 3. This is the Qantas domestic terminal at Sydney Airport. Passengers boarding domestic flights at this gate will scan their own boarding pass at the automatic gate, which will then open to allow the passenger through.

The gates themselves are fitted with cameras. However, Qantas is not collecting biometrics or using facial recognition for boarding at Sydney Airport at this stage.

Why is Qantas trialling automated boarding gates?

Qantas is using this trial as an opportunity to better understand the potential benefits of rolling out automated boarding gates across its network.

It expects to see a reduction in boarding pass errors, as well as a faster and smoother boarding experience.

Qantas currently uses ground staff and flight attendants to board domestic flights. There are usually two staff members boarding each flight. These staff must manually scan (or watch the passenger scanning) each boarding pass.

AFF members point out that this can slow down boarding when there is an issue with someone’s boarding pass. One wrote on our forum:

Several times on flight departures I noticed we started with two queues with two staff supervising scanning, then a passenger or passengers has/have a question or problem which reduces scanning down to one while the staff member and problem passenger is moved to a service desk to sort out. Meanwhile, the plane boards a lot slower and on-time departure is threatened.

If these automated gates allow for scanning and entry to proceed both queues at once even though one staff member has been sidelined with a problem then the new gates have to be an improvement to the process.

AuSammy on the AFF forum

With the use of automated boarding gates, staff members will be able to provide customer support when needed – without slowing or stopping the boarding process.

No changes to boarding groups

Qantas will continue to board flights in six groups. The automated gates will continue to prevent people from boarding before their group number has been called.

That said, there will be less flexibility for manual overrides when there is no staff member to talk to. For example, I occasionally travel with a family member who has a lower group number than mine – we have been able to board together, but the gate staff normally has to manually board the family member as the gate will automatically reject them. This will no longer be a simple process.

Smart boarding gates are already used at other airports

I’ve already seen smart boarding gates being used at many airports around the world, including in places like Frankfurt, Munich, Amsterdam, Vienna, Helsinki and London Heathrow.

Hong Kong and Los Angeles are also among a growing list of airports that now use facial recognition for boarding through automated gates. Qantas already uses this technology at those airports, although passengers still have to show their boarding pass to a flight attendant when entering the aircraft. (I once saw a passenger refuse to do this when boarding a Qantas flight in Hong Kong… which led to an argument, followed by their prompt removal from the flight!)

All boarding gates at the new Western Sydney International Airport will be automated. This trial could also help iron out any issues with the technology before Western Sydney’s new airport becomes operational later this year.

Qantas will collect customer and staff feedback

Qantas will ask customers and staff for feedback on the automated boarding system. That said, it doesn’t have to look much further than the AFF forum to find out what customers think!

One AFF member has already posted about their experience with the automated boarding gate at Sydney Airport. Perhaps it’s a coincidence, but this person says they didn’t receive the points & status credits for their flight.

Used it the other day and what was different is that no SC have posted to my a/c at all for that sector
However flights following day were in QFF a/c shortly after landing (as is usual).

funnymummy on the AFF forum

You can share your thoughts and read what other people have to say on the AFF forum. There, you can also see a photo of the new gate design: