In a quest to streamline its services and enhance customer experience, Qantas, is set to transform its boarding procedures from next week. The new approach, already adopted in Europe and the United States, promises to make the boarding process smoother and more efficient.
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Starting from Monday, July 31, Qantas will be introducing a 'group' boarding procedure. Rather than the traditionally random boarding method, passengers will now board based on the grouping of their seats, with the group numbers clearly indicated on their boarding passes. The primary goal behind this method is to optimise the boarding process and ultimately achieve faster boarding times, providing passengers with an improved overall experience. It is important to note that at this stage, passengers flying in Qantas premium classes will continue to enjoy dedicated priority boarding lanes.

Colin Hughes, Qantas's Chief Operating Officer, expressed his enthusiasm about the changes, stating that the new group boarding process was part of a series of innovative initiatives the airline is implementing – “(The) new processes (will) make boarding smoother and quicker for everyone,” he said.

In preparation for the rollout of the new process, Qantas has been conducting several successful trials with staff. In addition, the airline will also trial new gate infrastructure, signage, and announcements to back up its trial.

Qantas is keen to receive passenger feedback on the new procedure, with selected passengers who will partake in the initial trial being contacted in advance. They will be asked to complete a survey post-flight, with their feedback, alongside that of frontline staff, used to further improve the service.

The new boarding trials will first take off in Brisbane, with other airports around Australia scheduled to join from October.

In a world where time is more valuable than ever, these new boarding procedures from Qantas are set to alleviate stress and save precious time for passengers.