Codeshare grizzle
 

Me at SYD Priority checkin (relaxed, polite, smiling): Hi, I'm checking in for QF375 to Port Vila. (booked in Y)
Checkin1 (grim and sullen): You can't check in here, you need to go over to Air Vanuatu checkin.
Me: Yes, I understand this is a codeshare flight with NF11 on the Air Vanuatu plane, but I have checked in at this area for this same flight three times in the last year or so without any problem.
Checkin1: That's impossible. They are on a different computer system. Even if I wanted to check you in here, it physically can't be done. And anyway that flight doesn't open till 2.5 hours before departure so you'll have to wait till then and go over to Air Vanuatu.
Me: Thanks, I'll check back once the flight opens.
---
Me back at SYD Priority checkin (still relaxed etc.): Hi, I'm on QF375 to Port Vila.
Checkin2 (no eye contact, no welcome, no smile, weary, in a loud voice to nearby colleague): What's 375, is that Vietnam?
Me: It's to Vila, Vanuatu.
Checkin3 (puzzled): Oh, not sure, yeah could be Vietnam.
Checkin2 (looking at a printed list, no eye contact): Where did you say you are going?
Me: I'm on QF375 to Port Vila, Vanuatu. You might find it listed as codeshare with NF11.
Checkin2 (grimace to let me know that she's had nothing but know-it-all premium customers all morning): NF11 is operated by Air Vanuatu. You will have to checkin over at their area.
Me: (same story about last three flights).
Checkin2 (another level of annoyance): I'm sorry, you must be mistaken, because for that flight you can only checkin over at Air Vanuatu.
Me: (keeping cool) Oh, I wonder if there has been a change in the system. (But not moving away)
Checkin2 (sigh, loud call to colleague): We can't do Port Vila here can we. It's not on our system is it?
Checkin3: Ah, yeah, I think so, it's on "CM". We can do it here. But he should do it over at Air Vanuatu.
Checkin2 finally gets onto the computer and it's all done. All very stressful it seems, and results in both of us forgetting baggage tags which she has to run after me with.

I guess I should be happy as got Priority labels, 30kg allowance, and Express card, and didn't have to queue. But not an enjoyable experience and I wish checkin agents didn't have this infallible air about them -- two out of the three here were emphatic, but wrong.

Unrelated to this, the poor lady at Immigration desk was quietly sobbing, and when another officer came to start at the next desk he queried her and she said I've been sitting here for four hours straight with no relief and I'm bursting to go to the loo, so he said to her Look, just go, I'll take care of your line, if they ask you when you go past the control desk just tell them you've gotta go. She stamped my passport and headed off wiping away her tears. Amazing. Something very wrong as to how that could ever happen.

And now my next grizzle about codeshare: on boarding, the QF agents carefully set up two lines, putting the usual large Qantas sign pointing economy to the left and business/premium categories etc. to the right, and then announced that boarding was commencing and invited business class passengers to board at the right, and other boarding on the left. After the two bonafide business class pax had boarded (only 4 J seats on the 737), a couple of other Golds and myself in Y went to that line, and were refused admission and sent to the back of the long Y line. I commented that this was contrary to the very clear sign they had put up at the head of the queue. Another snooty response that the line was only for business class passengers.

I know there is lots of fineprint about codeshares using non-QF metal, especially with non-OW carriers, but I think QF could still do more to ensure that:
1. checkin staff are knowledgeable about what their computer systems can and can't do in relation to codeshares (this flight operates on an almost daily basis from SYD to VLI)
2. partner airlines in codeshare with QF allow priority boarding.

Did they say "Enjoy your journey" in the QP?

The check in agent quite correctly informed to check in with the operating carrier

OW benefits ( of which priority boarding is 1) is only to be expected when travelling on a flight which is both marketed and operated by a OW airline

The only minor thing I can see is that maybe they could have covered over the part of the sign that indicated that the boarding line was for Gold/Platinum or just had their own sign

As Qantas Plat have checked in for this exact flight at the premium check was not given any hassle also they organized with the sales desk to print out the e-ticket as I always forget that some places might require it for immigration etc

This post reads as a DYN...IA, was that the intention? You really have to learn to relax more, after all you catch more flies with honey than lemons. I would save you angst for when you need it the most, that is when everything goes to custard and you have to get somewhere and need all the help you can get.

I would guess that under the old system QF may well have been able to easily check guests in for Air Vanuatu but under the new system it sounds like it is not so easy. Likewise previously you may have been able to board as a QF Gold in Y down the business class line but perhaps Air Vanuatu complained to QF about service delivery and this has been halted (and just the sign has not been changed)?

Really though, does it matter? What would have been the issue checking in at the correct counter and boarding using the economy line? It is all for the same plane ! Once you are onboard you are just another Y class PAX, just like every other Y class PAX.

Where did the departure board monitors at the T1 entrance tell you to check in?

Sounds like Quality Sydney airport Qantas ground staff check-in experience.
Some of the staff on premium desk should only be allow Jetstar Flights!

On Monday these are the only words that the QF Staff member maning the premium check-in for NZ said to me!

Me "Hi"
Check-in "Flight"
Me "NZ108"
Check-in "How Many Bags"
Me "2"
Check-in "Gate 58 Seat 10A"

Atleast you got an express pass, I didn't even get one this time around. Lucky that customs was quiet.

If not issued an express pass and you are entitled to one, always ask before you leave the check-in counter.

I totally for got about it till I arrived at the entrance, it didn't look to busy. So I didn't go alway the way back to Zone J to get one!

Nor would I!

At least in MEL they don't discriminate; PAX from all airlines now have to traverse a 200 metre duty free arcade after passing emigration before getting to the gates/lounges :(

@SYD note for the Pier C gates, there is a shortcut straight after you come out of security. It is two the right hand side, with screen with flight numbers saying passengers on these flights must proceed this way now!

Thanks for feedback. Yes, when you are booking the QF flight on the QF website the mouse-over on the QF flight number tells you that it is operated by QF's partner airline, Air Vanuatu. But you are going to get QFF points, SCs, and access to QP if QClub member, and I think those benefits are worth more than Priority Checkin, so why the problem with Priority Checkin?

I wasn't thinking of it in OW terms, but just as QF SG on a QF flight number. If you look at http://www.qantas.com.au/fflyer/dyn/...at-the-airport
you will see that while Priority Baggage, Extra Baggage, and Priority Boarding are all asterisked with the proviso of QF flight number + QF metal, Priority Checkin is not. It is a reasonable inference that non-asterisked benefits should be available when you are on any QF flight.

Regarding the priority boarding line, your solution is that they could maybe tape a piece of cardboard over certain parts of the sign, or maybe not use it at all. My point is that I feel QF should do more to preserve these benefits even on codeshare flights so that that wouldn't be necessary. Last I remember, Qantas is a big shareholder in Air Vanuatu, and surely this wouldn't be too hard. For one thing, there are only 4 J seats on the plane, and on any given flight probably just a handful of extra premium QFF, so it's no big deal.

I know, not a big deal for me too having to stand in the Y line for a few extra minutes for boarding a smaller plane, but my grizzle was the point you have commented on: don't put up the big sign promising something and then make people feel foolish by denying them what you have offered, and sending them back to the end of the Y line.

Thanks for feedback. No, none of it really mattered. I got home safely. The same applies to a great number the points/issues that are raised here. Yes, I am nearly always just another Y pax, so perhaps I am more attuned to appreciating the benefits I do get when managing to acheive SG, and I am sorry if it came over as you mentioned. That was not my intention, as I know that I am very very far down the totem pole alongside all the highflyers here! However, part of the point of my narrative was that if there was any self-importance going on, it was coming in my direction from the checkin staff and the boarding gate staff who were all very snooty in making me (and others) feel like we had no right expecting the services which we had good reason to believe we were entitled to.

Regarding checkin for the codeshare flight at the Premium Checkin, there appears to be no difficulty in doing this for checkin staff who know their job. The problem was that I had two in a row who didn't, and then didn't like being proven wrong.

Thanks for feedback. No different to any other flight. The QF and NF logos scroll over and pax are directed to the relevant checkin areas. The notice also directs QF premium pax to the Premium Checkin area. Isn't this where an SG with QF flight number should be made to feel welcome?

Only if flying Qantas

If not flying Qantas, then check in is with the operating carrier. e.g. Fly BA and it is BA where check in is performed ( and as a OW Emerald will be able to use business line ) and , iirc, the check in signs above the desks show both BA and QF numbers or fly JQ and JQ will handle check in

QF check in desks are for checking in for QF flights