Air NZ and the *Alliance welcome our Koru, Gold and Gold Elite customers to board...
Jun 14, 2016, 1:18 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 778
Air NZ and the *Alliance welcome our Koru, Gold and Gold Elite customers to board...
This is often heard followed by every man and his dog getting to the front of the queue before the general boarding call is announced. As a Koru member my understanding is that we should get Priority Boarding but I literally never experienced this when flying domestically / regionally with Air New Zealand.
Anyone else? I imagine the situation is different flying internationally somehow, but Air NZ don't make this clear.
Anyone else? I imagine the situation is different flying internationally somehow, but Air NZ don't make this clear.
Jun 14, 2016, 1:21 am
#2
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 31
This is often heard followed by every man and his dog getting to the front of the queue before the general boarding call is announced. As a Koru member my understanding is that we should get Priority Boarding but I literally never experienced this when flying domestically / regionally with Air New Zealand.
Anyone else? I imagine the situation is different flying internationally somehow, but Air NZ don't make this clear.
Anyone else? I imagine the situation is different flying internationally somehow, but Air NZ don't make this clear.
I flew Virgin domestically in Australia last week and the lady manning the gate was sending non qualifying people to the back of the que - I was impressed!
Jun 14, 2016, 1:31 am
#3
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Usually Auckland, NZ
Programs: NZ Elite (*G), QF S (OWR), UA 0.14MM
Posts: 690
I think most gate agents try to avoid confrontation... and usually let those people board even if they're not "eligible".
On my most recent trips to the US and UK, I noticed the order for International widebodies now goes:
- Business Premier and Airpoints Elite members
- Premium Economy, Airpoints Gold, Star Alliance Gold & Koru members
- Everyone else
It's nice that they are now boarding Elite with Business Premier, however at Heathrow and LAX I have seen Gold members (NOT Elite) joining the queue and they were allowed to board as well...
On my most recent trips to the US and UK, I noticed the order for International widebodies now goes:
- Business Premier and Airpoints Elite members
- Premium Economy, Airpoints Gold, Star Alliance Gold & Koru members
- Everyone else
It's nice that they are now boarding Elite with Business Premier, however at Heathrow and LAX I have seen Gold members (NOT Elite) joining the queue and they were allowed to board as well...
Jun 14, 2016, 1:51 am
#4
Join Date: Feb 2007
Programs: NZ Koru
Posts: 6,414
Priority boarding on Domestic is an joke in AKL, the mere 45seconds they seem to give you before it become an free for all. They really needed to make an priority line at each gate, they seem to forget that the 'priority boarding' type are still in the lounge when they make the call. My understand is that it should be an separate line that one can go straight up too at any time during boarding.
I'd love to see automate ticket gates at AKL,WLG,CHC domestic that self enforce the boarding patten.
AKL Insertional has the ability for an priority lane, problem being half the time there isn't an staff member on it.
I'd love to see automate ticket gates at AKL,WLG,CHC domestic that self enforce the boarding patten.
AKL Insertional has the ability for an priority lane, problem being half the time there isn't an staff member on it.
Jun 14, 2016, 12:59 pm
#5
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: BLQ / TRG
Programs: NZ*E, UA*1K, QF Plat
Posts: 1,071
Priority boarding is Air NZ giving lip service to Star Alliance benefits.
It is non existent domestically. They take one breath between mentioning priority boarding and general boarding.
It is non existent domestically. They take one breath between mentioning priority boarding and general boarding.
Jun 14, 2016, 1:15 pm
#6
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: New Zealand (most of the time)
Programs: Air NZ Elite *G, Honors Gold, IHG Platinum Elite
Posts: 6,114
Auckland trialled seperate queues for a while on all jet services last year. Based on my experience a few times there were more people in the priority queue than the normal one.
Yes some of them would have been people in the wrong queue, but it wouldn't surprise me is 50% + of pax on a peak time jet service have HVC status.
Yes some of them would have been people in the wrong queue, but it wouldn't surprise me is 50% + of pax on a peak time jet service have HVC status.
Jun 14, 2016, 2:40 pm
#7
Join Date: Dec 2014
Programs: NZ*Elite *G, QF*G, SPG*Platinum, Accor*Platinum, Hilton*Gold
Posts: 1,006
The type of priority queue I've seen work better are ones that are perpendicular to the normal boarding queue, with the priority one to the side. There are simple and effective approaches using visual queues rather than audio like a larger signage and distinction of the boarding process. Majority of passengers ignore boarding calls and just follow and join a queue.
It would seem Air NZ does not care given there is no added value to their business operations and unlikely to affect OTP
It would seem Air NZ does not care given there is no added value to their business operations and unlikely to affect OTP
Jun 14, 2016, 3:29 pm
#8
Join Date: Aug 2014
Programs: NZ Elite (*G)
Posts: 82
As much as I loath flying domestically in the US, I do prefer the boarding lines most airlines have in place for HVC passengers. The zoned boarding lines UA have seem to do the trick.
However, I'm pretty sure zoned boarding is one of the least efficient ways of boarding aircraft passengers, with free-for-all, unallocated seating actually being the most efficient. Source needed.
But as most have pointed out here, ANZ can be pretty poor with policing and providing priority benefits. Hell, even *A Silver gets priority boarding and baggage on UA.
The number of Koru customers certainly doesn't help IMO.
However, I'm pretty sure zoned boarding is one of the least efficient ways of boarding aircraft passengers, with free-for-all, unallocated seating actually being the most efficient. Source needed.
But as most have pointed out here, ANZ can be pretty poor with policing and providing priority benefits. Hell, even *A Silver gets priority boarding and baggage on UA.
The number of Koru customers certainly doesn't help IMO.
Jun 14, 2016, 5:36 pm
#9
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 2,645
Mythbusters did it
http://mythresults.com/airplane-boarding
Free for all was fastest. Though with free for all satisfaction was lower. Makes it more stressful.
Back to front slowest.
Window then Middle then Aisle derivatives (reverse pyramid) all about the same. Basically stop people having to get out of seats once there.
Though they didn't do the front and rear boarding. Though there is always that person at the back who wants to get off the front and battles their way forward rather than waiting for everyone to get off the rear first. I'm surprised they don't do front and rear boarding on TT A320s to save time.
http://mythresults.com/airplane-boarding
Free for all was fastest. Though with free for all satisfaction was lower. Makes it more stressful.
Back to front slowest.
Window then Middle then Aisle derivatives (reverse pyramid) all about the same. Basically stop people having to get out of seats once there.
Though they didn't do the front and rear boarding. Though there is always that person at the back who wants to get off the front and battles their way forward rather than waiting for everyone to get off the rear first. I'm surprised they don't do front and rear boarding on TT A320s to save time.
Jun 14, 2016, 6:35 pm
#10
Join Date: Feb 2011
Programs: NZ*E
Posts: 808
trust me, they would not stop you if you are in the queue..
speaking of which, i am very disappointed with many people queue jumping... I know they must be GE/E/G and I did see them coming out from the lounge at domestic lounge (AKL), but so did myself, when will people learn how to queue?
and internationally, sorry to go off-topic
I have seen recently that SQ put *G economy back to the main gate and reserve the other for PPS/First/Business....
speaking of which, i am very disappointed with many people queue jumping... I know they must be GE/E/G and I did see them coming out from the lounge at domestic lounge (AKL), but so did myself, when will people learn how to queue?
and internationally, sorry to go off-topic
I have seen recently that SQ put *G economy back to the main gate and reserve the other for PPS/First/Business....
Jun 15, 2016, 3:26 am
#11
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 87
I've seen a few altercations on Southwestern flights with zoned but unallocated seating as people fight for an aisle or window. It was simultaneously entertaining & disturbing.
Jun 15, 2016, 3:30 am
#12
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 87
I think most gate agents try to avoid confrontation... and usually let those people board even if they're not "eligible".
On my most recent trips to the US and UK, I noticed the order for International widebodies now goes:
- Business Premier and Airpoints Elite members
- Premium Economy, Airpoints Gold, Star Alliance Gold & Koru members
- Everyone else
It's nice that they are now boarding Elite with Business Premier, however at Heathrow and LAX I have seen Gold members (NOT Elite) joining the queue and they were allowed to board as well...
On my most recent trips to the US and UK, I noticed the order for International widebodies now goes:
- Business Premier and Airpoints Elite members
- Premium Economy, Airpoints Gold, Star Alliance Gold & Koru members
- Everyone else
It's nice that they are now boarding Elite with Business Premier, however at Heathrow and LAX I have seen Gold members (NOT Elite) joining the queue and they were allowed to board as well...
Three weeks ago NPL boarded passengers with status first, but I'm not sure whether this was policed. Most of my turbo-prop domestic sectors never even announce priority boarding, so this was a surprise.
Jun 15, 2016, 1:20 pm
#14
Join Date: Feb 2007
Programs: NZ Koru
Posts: 6,414
Jun 15, 2016, 2:39 pm
#15
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: New Zealand (most of the time)
Programs: Air NZ Elite *G, Honors Gold, IHG Platinum Elite
Posts: 6,114
Is there a need though - steps on domestic are there primarily to meet the tight turnaround between many flights.