AnneRamsay

Flew DUB-LHR-YUL yesterday. On both legs I was at the receiving end of an angry, impatient “the general boarding queue is over *there*!” (complete with the finger pointing), despite having every right to use the fast track lane. In both instances it was simply assumed (possibly on the basis of my appearance? A young woman traveling by herself and dressed casually but not scruffy) that I am either (1) too feeble-minded to understand which queue it is that I am using, or (2) someone who is cheating their way into fast track. No apology was offered after the issue has been cleared - just a grunt.

The more I think about this, the more annoyed I feel. I understand that fast track lines sometimes need to be policed. I do not understand, however, why it needs to be done in a manner that is more suitable for a schoolteacher handling his or her unruly pupils. I find it absolutely irritating to be treated in this manner, especially being put on the spot like that in front of others. Is it worth sending a word to BA on the matter, or should I just drop it?

corporate-wage-slave

You should have tried to fix it on the spot, to be honest, by challenging the behaviour at the time. But at this stage it will be the airport authorities at DUB and Heathrow you need to liaise with. If they said that with your boarding pass clearly visible then go ahead and complain. If they were trying to stop people thinking it was the only way in then I'm less sympathetic, there are so many chancers that I can understand (rather than endorse) their lack of patience.

thegreatmrsj

Happens all the time to me when I am going from international to domestic at T5 - I never look great after a long haul overnighter and I suppose I am now beginning to look like that age where you could consider me to be "doddery and confused" I am now so used to it I do not bother which is probably wrong

SukiB

Not sure about this one - I would find it difficult to complain, since I always complain when things aren't policed effectively. On a recent journey from T3 (I was very dressed down in appearance), I was aggressively challenged by one of the dragons who shouted "CLUB??? SILVER??? GOLD???" I must admit that rather than being offended, I was glad to see this challenged and enforced. I wasn't really bothered about the yelling.

Swiss Tony

BA could always use something that has a clear indication of what cabin you're travelling in, visible from 10 paces. Here's a genius idea - a BP with a colour coded strip across the top. Unfortunately the bean counters in waterworld can put a £ on a bit of cardboard, but I guess a passenger's dignity/embarrassment is seen as a freebie.

shorthauldad

...sounds just like the "Premium Terminal" BP wallet that QR give out at check-in to J and F pax

peck

Happens to me all the time, probably because I'm a scruffy bugger. Just smile, nod, show your boarding pass and be on your way. Life really is too short to be offended by something like this

denhaagflyer

Some US airlines have a big, bold PRIORITY written on the boarding pass. And I think ST uses something similar, like Skyteam Priority or so. Would certainly help. At some point UA had differently coloured BP.

I have often seen a GA walk along the line forming in front of priority boarding gate, asking about COS and status, but in a polite manner. I think shouting and yelling should not be part of the boarding process!

johnnie69

I agree, on a recent F trip from T5 I was told as approaching First Check In 'This is for First Class passengers only', I showed my boarding pass with seat 1K on the JNB route and was let through without another word. Same happened again at the magic door to the CCR. Hardly welcoming or premium but not worth stressing about IMO

paulwuk

Some responses

"FRANKINCENSE??? MYHRR???"
"PREMIER"
"YOU NEVER KNOW"

I've had people tell me "this is the business class line". I respond "yes, I couldn't find the first"

The best tale I've heard on here is that of the Ragamuffin though.

af101

Interesting several folks have all said it's happened to them. I'm generally rather scruffy when travelling (ok, not just when travelling), and nobody's ever tried to stop me going into Fast Track. I think a lot of it is just down to striding with confidence

HighLife

I think that's what a lot of one's success in life ends up boiling down to

Lioneye

Just return in kind with "I'm sorry I must be at the wrong desk - this is obviously ryanair"

AnneRamsay

I'm not sure. I might be overthinking this, but I have a certain firsthand experience of the "female invisibility syndrome" which means that I sometimes find myself being treated differently to other passengers, especially those who travel at the front of the plane. Yesterday's flight was again another instance - I was never asked if I want my coat to be taken and hanged; I wasn't offered a newspaper; with an empty seat next to me (I sat in 5A on a 3-class 777) I received even less attention than I do when 5B is occupied, even by a total stranger (who is sometimes mistakingly assumed to be my husband), etc.

So, with years of this lesser visibility, things like being misidentified as an ineligible fast track user and being ordered to go to the *right* (that is, the wrong) queue kind of add up. It's not a huge tragedy, obviously, but it's annoying and should not be part of the process. There must be a more civil and friendly way to treat passengers, premium and otherwise.

dylanks

I was going to post something similar. Generally if you seem confident in where you are going, people assume you are in the right place.

Yesterday on a US flight from PHX-BOS they boarded a few minutes late so I was casually standing near the priority area after exiting the lounge too soon. A few people rushed ahead of me to get their place in the queue. When it was time to board, they all started talking about how they didn't get upgraded. I said, oh, I'm in first and started to walk by them. They asked how I got an upgrade, and I casually mentioned that I bought a ticket in F. They were dressed in suits, and I was wearing shorts (it's hot in PHX still).

Anyway, the point is, many people make assumptions based on your appearance, body language, age and gender, and I wouldn't take it personally.