c1223

I was enjoying the CCR earlier. The waiter asked if I'd like dessert or a top-up on the Champagne to which I had to say "no". It was 1345 and the gate for my flight (BA213 LHR-BOS) was due to shut at 1415. A nice amble on -4 to stretch my legs before a few hours sitting down.

Alas, the minute I stood up I got a notification from Flighty stating the new departure time was now in fact 1535 instead of 1435. I double checked the FID in the lounge and it agreed. I checked the BA app to be double sure and it also agreed. I even went to the desk just to see if they could let me know the reason for the delay and whether it might get worse (I have a connection at BOS).

I sat back down and duly ordered my dessert and another glass of champagne, much to the bewilderement of the waiter who I had just told I needed to run for a flight.

Twnety or so minutes later (1415) I thought I'd double check the delay much to my surprise and shock that the delay was now 10 minutes. So now I had to be at the gate by 1425. Cue a dash to -4 and a light sprint to T5C. I was the last to board.

All things considered, had I missed my flight LHR-BOS what would happen next? Is the advice that if it says "Go To Gate" and also "Now At" you should still go and sit by the gate...?

corporate-wage-slave

The "Go to gate" and "boarding messages" are well known for being less than accurate when there are short delays, ultimately it's your task to be at the departure gate in time, and not too far from it if there is a delay, so moving to T5B or C may have been a better idea than more CCR yummies. There is a pretty good lounge at T5B.

But if you had been nice and apologetic, BA would have moved you to the next flight in all probability.

c1223

Would you call a 1hr delay a "short delay"? In this instance it seems like BA was too quick to announce a delay. I guess the other way of phrasing the question is "how long does the delay need to be before you stay in the lounge rather than waiting at the gate?"

corporate-wage-slave

Depends on your risk appetite. One view, perhaps close to my own, is that you made the flight AND saved yourself from having to participate in the Group 0 why-oh-why, so it all sounds good to me.

abligh

I was waiting in the CCR for yesterday's 20:00 BA720 LHR->ZRH, and at 19:00 happened to notice the screen said "Boarding" from B35. "Well that sounds like the normal lie" I thought, and waited until about 19:15. As I left for the B gates, I reloaded (I think) Google which said the departure had changed to 19:50 (i.e. ten minutes early?!), and once I got to the gate I was nearly the last one to board. So it seems sometimes the "boarding" indicator is right, like a stopped clock! (I suspect they are nervous of the 23:00 ZRH curfew given it's meant to land at 22:45)

SKT-DK

Not BA , but last week at the MH Platinum lounge in KUL awaiting the evening flight to PER, it kept showing ‘gate open’ (which those familiar with KUL will know means they load you into a holding pen and keep you there until they feel enough time has passed). I asked at the lounge reception desk a number of times as departure time got closer and closer. The message was always that they were not boarding yet. Until 10-15 mins before departure when I asked again, and it was ‘oops, sorry mr. SKT-DK, but the flight has boarded and you are the last one they are waiting for’…. Mad dash to C27, at which point the security staff could not really be bothered, escorted onboard and doors shut. Lovely crew though!

Foofighter69

Group 0 why-oh-why 😂

Fritz

I have to admit to struggling with the benefit of group zero. Although if we are at the gate already when called I normally bite :-)

KARFA

depends what you are doing in terms of flying. I have found it a great benefit on short haul which I do a lot. There are certain places who don�t want to do it at all (looking at you MAD!) and there is still an issue sometimes at T5, but overall I prefer it.

now if you are talking of long haul I would agree i don�t find it as useful.

c1223

Yes I made the flight and happily walked straight up the jet bridge and into my seat without having to wait for anyone else, a quasi-Group 0 experience, however surely if all the information states a new departure time then one should be allowed to take said departure time as gospel?

Oxon Flyer

FWIW the flightstats log for this service shows :
10 May 14:01 Time Adjustment Estimated Gate Departure changed from May-10-2024 2:35 PM to May-10-2024 3:35 PM
10 May 14:08 Time Adjustment Estimated Gate Departure changed from May-10-2024 3:35 PM to May-10-2024 2:45 PM

The hour delay was only present for sven minutes.

c1223

Indeed. According to the IFL it was an MX issue (A380 - go figure) that they thought would take longer to resolve, but ended up taking 10 minutes.

tinkicker

insert �have you turned it off and on again� gif

seriously, my sympathies with the original poster as many of us (well me) could be caught by that little jink in timing.