Qantas has continued its run of punctuality, being the most on-time major Australian domestic airline for an 10 months in a row, despite facing challenges from severe weather conditions in June.
It’s the first time since records began in November 2003 that Qantas has recorded 10 consecutive monthly wins, and also means Qantas has been on top for 11 of the past 12 months based on federal government figures released today.
June performance
For the month of June, Qantas and its subsidiary QantasLink recorded an on-time departure rate of 71.4 per cent, surpassing its major competitor’s rate of 67.6 per cent. This translates into thousands of additional on-time flights for Qantas passengers.
Despite the exceptional performance, Qantas fell slightly short of its internal target of achieving an on-time departure rate above 80 per cent for June.
This was primarily due to adverse weather conditions experienced at major airports on 19 out of 30 days during the month. Additionally, staffing shortages at AirServices Australia also had a notable impact on Qantas’ on-time performance.
However, despite these challenges, Qantas managed to achieve a notable feat of having more than 94 per cent of its flights taking off within an hour of their scheduled departure time.
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New boarding procedures
In a move to lift customer satisfaction, Qantas is implementing new boarding procedures to further enhance the travel experience for its passengers.
Starting from next week, the airline will conduct customer trials for these new procedures, which aim to streamline boarding processes and expedite the boarding time for all passengers.
Under the trial, customers will be grouped based on their seating arrangement on the plane, and the group numbers will be included on their boarding passes.
Premium customers will continue to benefit from a dedicated priority boarding lane, ensuring their boarding process remains efficient and hassle-free.
Drawing inspiration from successful practices in Europe and the US, Qantas has been conducting trials with its staff to fine-tune the new boarding process.
This will not only reduce the time spent by customers queuing at the gate but also contribute to a smoother and quicker transition from boarding to take-off.
Customer-centric approach
Understanding the significance of customer feedback, Qantas will actively involve its passengers in the trial process. Those who are part of the trial will be contacted beforehand and invited to participate in a survey after the boarding experience.
The combination of customer feedback and frontline employee insights will be utilized to optimize and tailor the new boarding process.
The trials will initially commence on flights departing from Brisbane over the next two weeks, followed by other major airports, with a comprehensive implementation scheduled for October 2023.
Insights from Qantas’ COO
Colin Hughes, the Chief Operating Officer of Qantas, expressed his gratitude to all employees who have contributed to the airline’s outstanding on-time performance over the past 10 months.
He acknowledged the frustration that cancellations and delays can cause for travelers and emphasized the dedication of the airline to improve continuously.
Highlighting the initiatives underway, Hughes shared that Qantas is redesigning its mobile app to allow customers to track their baggage and manage bookings with greater flexibility.
Furthermore, the airline has introduced new menus featuring larger portions across all cabins, and a substantial $100 million investment has been allocated for the expansion and upgrade of both domestic and international lounges.
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