Qantas has announced a major change aimed at addressing passenger “pain points” by shaking up the boarding process in a first for Aussie airlines.
Qantas has rolled out a new boarding procedure for domestic travellers to improve on-time performance.
Under the new system, passengers will be assigned a number from one to six on their boarding pass and asked to board when their number is called.
It’s hoped to reduce the amount of time passengers spend queuing.
Passengers at Brisbane Airport will be the first to use the new procedure on Monday.
The fresh boarding process, dubbed ‘Group Boarding’ will allow passengers in four of the country’s biggest airports to board their flights in larger groups, rather than queuing up individually.
The method is currently utilised internationally but is a first for Aussie airlines.
Qantas has introduced its “most significant change” to its boarding process in ten years with ‘Group Boarding’. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard
Qantas will first roll out the new boarding process in Brisbane, followed by Perth, Melbourne and then Sydney Airport before expanding to smaller airports.
Passengers flying out of the four major airports for domestic travel on Qantas’ Boeing 737 and Airbus A330 aircrafts will be assigned to one of six boarding groups which will be displayed on their boarding pass.
The airline’s announcement comes after successful trials in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth which showed the new process facilitated flights to depart on schedule.
An example of a new Qantas boarding pass featuring a new spot for Group Boarding allocations. Picture: Qantas.
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Qantas Domestic CEO Markus Svensson said Group Boarding was “the most significant change to the airline’s boarding processes in a decade”.
“We’re continuing to look for ways to respond to pain points and improve the travel experience for our customers,” Mr Svensson said
“Group Boarding is designed to minimise the time our customers spend waiting to board and allows them to get settled more quickly.”
“We know how important on time departure is to our customers, so this process is also about doing everything possible to ensure we depart on time.”
Qantas App users and text or email subscribers will be alerted if Group Boarding is in place for their flight and an announcement will be made at the gate when it is time for each group to board.
Passengers in Brisbane will have group boarding available from Monday, June 3, Perth from June 10, Melbourne from June 17, and Sydney from June 25.