Qantas plans to halve check-in times

[Gareth U]

Originally Posted by Jack Brownbill

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]

Originally Posted by Gareth U

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]

Originally Posted by Jack Brownbill

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.