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Are you tired of seeing ineligible travellers sneak into the priority boarding lane? Qantas’ new group and priority boarding system has that sorted. At the nation’s four busiest domestic airports, passengers are now assigned to one of six boarding groups. Interlopers who come forward before their group is called are now turned away.
The new priority boarding system doesn’t require intervention by Qantas staff. Instead, those who board before their group is called are now rejected – quite literally – by the boarding pass scanner. Rather than the usual green light to pass on through, the scanner turns red and emits a loud buzzing sound. In other words, thou shall not pass!
Personally, boarding domestic flights by group number is something I’ve been hoping to see for a while. After all, Point Hacks made this recommendation to Australia’s domestic airlines last year – and it’s great to see the nation’s largest carrier roll it out. While it’s early days, I’ve already taken a couple of flights that followed the new group boarding process. Here’s how it all went.
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Qantas priority boarding is now by group number
Qantas’ new group and priority boarding process now covers most domestic flights from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth. This includes all domestic Boeing 737 and Airbus A330 departures. Travellers are assigned to one of six groups, and boarding is sequential by group number.
Groups one and two are assigned to travellers previously entitled to generic priority boarding. Groups three to six are for all other Economy passengers, depending on their seat number. On the priority front, here’s how high flyers are split.
- Group one: Qantas Business, Chairman’s Lounge, Emirates iO, Qantas Platinum One, Qantas Platinum, Emirates Skywards Platinum and oneworld Emerald.
- Group two: Qantas Gold, Emirates Skywards Gold and oneworld Sapphire.
In other words, premium cabin passengers and top-tier frequent flyers board first. Mid-tier frequent flyers board next, and then everybody else in Economy.
Whether you use a physical or digital boarding pass, you’ll spot your group number alongside the gate number and boarding time. For instance, as a Qantas Platinum / oneworld Emerald member, I’m assigned to group one, whether flying Economy or Business. Group numbers are only displayed when group boarding is in use.
What happens when you’re travelling with a +1, though? Easy. Qantas assigns the ‘lowest’ (best) group number to all travellers on the same reservation. For instance, on a booking with two passengers – where one has Qantas Platinum status, and the other is Bronze – both travellers are assigned to group one and can use priority boarding.
It’s a new system, so it’s not yet clear whether staff in the lounge can ‘edit’ the group number of a companion. For instance, when travelling with a higher-tier member on a separate booking. If you’ve encountered that scenario, let us know!
At the boarding gate
Here’s how everything works at the gate under Qantas’ new group and priority boarding process. There are still two lanes. One, with signage in black and white, is marked ‘priority’ and for groups 1-2. The other, with signs in red and white, is for groups 3-6.
In a move that may be slightly confusing given the signage, boarding begins exclusively with group one. When group one is boarding, travellers assigned to groups 2-6 aren’t able to board. If they try, the boarding pass scanner will turn them away. I’ve seen this on every flight I’ve taken under Qantas’ new group and priority system.
Some travellers look confused – typically, those assigned to group two who are attempting to board during priority boarding out of habit. Others seem a bit more sheepish or a tad embarrassed, having been ‘detected’ trying to sneak through. It’s early days, but it’s fair to say the travelling public will quickly learn and adapt.
Group boarding on short-haul flights is already commonplace overseas. It’s particularly popular with airlines in North America and Europe. Qantas also isn’t the only carrier to automatically have ineligible passengers rejected by the scanners. I saw the same happening when boarding a Finnair flight recently from Helsinki. There, the boarding gates also have physical barriers – much like a train station – and simply won’t open if your group hasn’t been called yet.
As for Qantas’ approach, I do appreciate Platinum and Business being able to board before Gold. On flights where almost half the plane can be ‘priority’ these days, it makes boarding noticeably faster – and storing cabin bags even easier.
Also read: Should Australian airlines board flights by group number?
Photography by Chris Chamberlin, who travelled at his own expense.
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I’ve found when getting exit row seats, this also puts you into Group 2.
I’m looking forward to leaving my non platinum toddler at the gate until it is her turn to board.
Can you tell me if it will be boarding first if disabled has been
Where do fams with infants and those requiring special assistance (WCHR noted on BP) fit in under the new regime?
Does being a Qantas Club member influence the boarding priority under this new system?
No change there – Qantas Club lounge memberships don’t include priority boarding.
Now I can see some payback for the kids 🙂
Be good to see cabin bag size and quantity enforced. Some entitled people take up more than their share of overhead locker space which is why others want to board early.
100% agree with you Mike G.
I’ve never really understood wanting to get on the flight as early as possible. I’ve always chosen to board later even when holding a priority pass. I don’t want to sit on the plane any longer than I need to.
Generally, it’s to ensure that any cabin baggage flies with you in the cabin rather than the lockers being full and bags having to be checked in, especially on domestic flights where cabin baggage storage is significantly more limited than on a long-haul flight in a premium cabin.
The irony is though, is that have you actually seen those people who fly Business / First ? They are usually the ones with carry on only, or some tiny little rollaboard. They don’t NEED the overhead bins, let alone 50-70kg of checked baggage. You can literally put rocks in your suitcase and still make it…why ?!
Short of carrying an extendable company banner / poster fitout, I’ve counted on one hand those in Business who genuinely need more than one rollaboard’s worth of room in the bin.
I always try to get on as early as possible – it ensures my carry on is above me and I can settle in and read my book. I’m ‘only’ 5’8″ so I don’t have any issues with space and I find the seats comfy enough. I’d much rather take my plane seat ASAP than stand in line pointlessly waiting for people to seemingly take forever stowing their carry-ons and find their seats.
Hilariously this group boarding is one of the slowest methods for boarding a plane.
It’s statistically slower than just throwing everyone on at once.
There’s a cgp grey video about it, and this precise group boarding method is basically the worst method outside of methods intentionally designed to be as slow as possible.
Even if you’re platinum and travelling with your family under one booking, your family will still get rejected. I was travelling from Melbourne to Perth this Monday and it didn’t work for my family. The staff at the boarding gate has to manually alter the details on their computer in order for the boarding passes to work.
Was on seperate tickets with my elderly mum. I’m group 1 and she was group 6. Rejected at the gate. Stuff were unable to fix, but politely advised to book together next time. As I scanned first, I had to continue to the plane. Mum boarded on her own.
Hmmm…
SYD to BNE on Wednesday, saw a Group 2 board well before Group 2 was called.
Green light and she walked right on in.
Group x tried as well. Couldn’t see but the BP was red.
Red light – rejected!
Perhaps early days yet
If she had a red boarding pass she must have been travelling in Business Class & entitled to board in group 1, otherwise her boarding pass would have rejected at the gate.
How does it work if you are Oneworld emerald with say Qatar, but your booking is using your Qantas frequent flyer that is silver.
The group number is based on what you have linked to the booking. If you want to board with group one, your Emerald number would need to be on the booking (or you’d need to be flying Business).
The ‘ problem’ is when u are on priority boarding and your family isn’t. I suppose we won’t die.