Qantas plans to halve check-in times

[Ash W]

Sound like a good idea, though I did think that Air New Zealand was doing something similar already.

[Gareth U]

I see Qantas is also introducing Priority security and boarding lanes also, as part of this project. Hopefully it works.

Though I do wonder the logic of allowing a separate boarding queue just for top level frequent flyers to get to the aerobridge quicker, to stand in it longer! :)

They need to fix the 737-800 experience, big time. Dual door operations and lessening the hand luggage allowance would help.

[Kelvin R]

I am usually down the back of a 767 twice a week and the boarding deboarding times are not that bad. The only practicle advice which would assist is if QF started to enforce carry on limits to the published limits. The flights I seem to have issues are the ones with a heavy load of international PAX trying to find space for their duty free, laptop bag and wheel aboard or the shopping flights with people who have two or three shopping bags in addition to the handbag, laptop and wheel aboard.

Oddly the flights with a significant amount of business flyers such as the 6am or 6pm flights are very quick to board and deplane.

The QF767 cabins are looking very tired however, as are a number of the 744 cabins. Often the sidewalls are loose or held on with tape and I have been tempted to bring my own dusting cloth, dustbuster and Mr Sheen to pick up the peanuts (yes really peanuts and we all know how long since QF served them), half eaten breadrolls and other misc food items like cutlery that can be seen hiding around the cabins and to give the plane a good clean.

[Gareth U]

737-800 isn't quite so bad as there are less people on it.

As someone who works on both aircraft types, let me assure you that the 737-800 is far worse in terms of queues and wait times for boarding and disembarkation. There is only one aisle and only one less seat per row.

Oddly the flights with a significant amount of business flyers such as the 6am or 6pm flights are very quick to board and deplane.

I have found these are the people who bring on ridiculous amounts of hand luggage or refuse to place any items under their seat (however small), placing more pressure on the locker space. These flights are by far the most stressful to board, from a flight attendant perspective. These 'business' people seem to lose the ability to look for any room other than above their own seat and leave bags in the aisle for cabin crew to stow themselves (including a certain MP who is known to say there is no room even before she turns down the aisle and leaves her bag at the front door).

The only practical advice which would assist is if QF started to enforce carry on limits to the published limits.

Flights would be severely delayed if that were to happen. I am not being cynical - it's the truth. Recently one of the two boarding flight attendants made customers weigh their bags using the scales on the test unit and 28 bags were over the limit. That's one flight attendant on one flight.

Most of the time hand luggage removed from the cabin during boarding does not make the flight and travels on a subsequent service - further delaying the customer. Eight excess cabin bags recently caused an 18 minute delay.

At what point does it come down to customers to obey limits and regulations and to consider people other than themselves?

[Jack B]

Flights would be severely delayed if that were to happen. I am not being cynical - it's the truth. Recently one of the two boarding flight attendants made customers weigh their bags using the scales on the test unit and 28 bags were over the limit. That's one flight attendant on one flight.

Most of the time hand luggage removed from the cabin during boarding does not make the flight and travels on a subsequent service - further delaying the customer. Eight excess cabin bags recently caused an 18 minute delay.

At what point does it come down to customers to obey limits and regulations and to consider people other than themselves?

Is it at the discretion of the boarding Flight Attendants as to what hand luggage is allowed onto the aircraft? Qantas seems to be the only airline that has Flight Attendants run the boarding from the gate. Virgin seems to only use ground staff, Jetstar I've never noticed to be honest.

[Gareth U]

Qantas seems to be the only airline that has Flight Attendants run the boarding from the gate... Jetstar I've never noticed to be honest.

Jetstar still has an FA at the gate.

Qantas FAs do not 'run' the boarding, as you put it. They only scan boarding passes (and mobile phones!), police hand luggage and assess passenger suitability to travel (sick, no footwear, hot drinks, intoxication etc.). Ground staff are very much in control of passenger acceptance, loading and upgrading.

Is it at the discretion of the boarding Flight Attendants as to what hand luggage is allowed onto the aircraft?

Qantas' policy regarding hand luggage is very clear. Common sense, rather than discretion (IMO), on the part of cabin crew is required. The level of conflict a flight attendant can handle sadly comes into play as well.

[Jack B]

Jetstar still has an FA at the gate.

Qantas FAs do not 'run' the boarding, as you put it. They only scan boarding passes (and mobile phones!), police hand luggage and assess passenger suitability to travel (sick, no footwear, hot drinks, intoxication etc.). Ground staff are very much in control of passenger acceptance, loading and upgrading.



Qantas' policy regarding hand luggage is very clear. Common sense, rather than discretion (IMO), on the part of cabin crew is required. The level of conflict a flight attendant can handle sadly comes into play as well.

Irrelevant to the topic at hand, but of curiosity, is there always a specific role the FA has on board which includes the assistance in boarding? on 737 flights they always seem to be two of the crew who are down at L/R 2, never a J class FA,

[Gareth U]

is there always a specific role the FA has on board which includes the assistance in boarding?

Yes. Everything we do is written in a manual somewhere. Although paxing crew will often board for the operating flight attendants. And extra crew (on dinner flights, for example) will often board for the FA that is supposed to be there as quite often the extras are doing just the one flight.

[Ash W]

Flights would be severely delayed if that were to happen. I am not being cynical - it's the truth. Recently one of the two boarding flight attendants made customers weigh their bags using the scales on the test unit and 28 bags were over the limit. That's one flight attendant on one flight.

Most of the time hand luggage removed from the cabin during boarding does not make the flight and travels on a subsequent service - further delaying the customer. Eight excess cabin bags recently caused an 18 minute delay.

At what point does it come down to customers to obey limits and regulations and to consider people other than themselves?

Sure there would be delays to start with, but once people are 'trained' and know the consequences then they would be minimised.