rumbataz

A funny moment this morning when the very long FastTrack queue started boarding and a few DYKWIA passengers couldn't be bothered to join the back of the queue so went into the empty non-FastTrack lane at the gate.

They were firmly told by the gate staff to go to the back of the FastTrack queue.

It was very entertaining. And well done to the gate staff!

On a secondary note, the FastTrack boarding queue is so long these days that many passengers start to queue up 10-20 minutes before boarding is even announced. I imagine it's to ensure overhead locker space.

ppp909

I partly queue early to get y bag in the locker, especially if I'm sitting at the front. That and if there are no seats around and I have to stand, I might as well stand in the queue.

If I've got bags checked in, I'll go off for a wander.

LondonElite

Was this on the TXL flight at 0705? I noticed that too, though the announcement at T-35 that boarding was from B44 was a bit poor.

Saltire74

Nothing like a bit of pre-flight entertainment. And good on the gate staff.

Safe & Happy Travels

S

HilFly

I don't think that's funny - I think it's pathetic that BA weren't using all available lanes for priority boarding before general boarding commenced. Boarding LHR - BOS a few weeks ago, they called fast track boarding using one lane, and immediately called general boarding. A problem with one passenger in the FT line delayed FT boarding - most of those in the general line boarded ahead of us.

The fact that you found this "funny" and "entertaining" speaks volumes.

rumbataz

NCL flight - Gate 9.

ratechaser

I had my first taste of a very long fast track queue at T5 last week. I had to ask someone in the line if that's what it really was, because it was close to 100 people deep and still a good 10 minutes from boarding. Honestly, what is this - easyjet? I felt like heading back up to the lounge, but I was in an exit row and didn't want to end up having my one small rucksack thrown in the hold.

Actually, easyjet would probably have been better, as they at least let all the speedy boarders on first. What happened last week was that they started letting the fast trackers on, and then called general boarding, so that line quickly formed and moved at the same pace. I would have been much much better off not bothering with fast track and just going the regular route... I'm assuming that this isn't SOP, but frankly, who knows...

rumbataz

General boarding wasn't announced. Only FT boarding. The DYKWIA PAX started to walk to the back of the FT queue initially, but decided to chance it by trying to board via the non-FT lane (which was empty).

The gate crew were simply not going to let them try it on, despite their repeated attempts at trying to explain who they were!

Well done to the BA staff.

windowontheAside

It does seem mad when they open FT at the same time as general boarding. Never understood that one. It's not as if it makes overall boarding any faster.

I think some FT queues are joined by people seeing a long queue for boarding and assuming that's the general line. Once it snakes away from the signage, it's hardly surprising.

WilcoRoger

At which point is it "well done"? At having only one lane open for FT? At making the adjective of "Fast Track" meaningless? I don't quite understand your enthusiasm.

dingobingo

I always hear FT announced first and then general boarding less than 1 minute later. Now, there's always a pre-queue anyway which is mixed between FT and non FT boarders. Because general boarding is announced so fast after FT the general boarders in this queue get let through and those FT boarders who waited until FT boarding was announced before joining the FT queue end up boarding after non FT boarders. Hope that makes sense :-)

There are too many FT boarders, there is little to no queue demarcation at most of the gates and the general boarding is announced too fast so there's no chance of that satisfying sight of seeing someone in the queue ahead of you being told to get back because they're not a Fast Tracker. This all tends to work better with bigger gates, bigger planes with more allotted boarding time. AGP to LGW it's just a big mess

HilFly

Or were they just decent premium passengers who expected Fast Track boarding to mean just that, with BA making some effort to expedite their boarding by using multiple lanes?

Why do you think it's worth congratulating BA on having staff and boarding gate(s) unused while their premium passengers are 1) waiting and 2) taking longer to board than necessary?

rumbataz

There are two lanes: FT and General Boarding. There are two facial-recognition scanners and two people checking BPs.

The single FT queue fully utilises both scanners and both BP checks. How would allowing FT PAX to use the General Boarding lane and the FT lane speed things up?

As for my enthusiasm, it's based on the gate staff clearly stating that FT passengers board via the FT lane only - and nearly all FT PAX followed these instructions, but some PAX decided they were more important than everyone else, so were put in their place by the gate staff.

edi-traveller

I imagine it was the FT queue being scanned by both the FT computer and also by the General boarding computer - I.e. Those at the front of the FT que go to either computer.

These chancers thought they could just go straight to the general boarding computer which at the time was also being used to process the fast track line. In which case the gate staff did the right thing.

WilcoRoger

OK, I see.

So it was just a simple case of when everyone is priority, noone is priority anymore - and some customers not appreciating/comprehending that.