Originally Posted by Dirty_Idea

I don't LIKE boarding early, and I don't LIKE standing round the gate like a loser. I just have to make a choice. If I don't want to add 30 minutes to my journey time waiting for bags at AMS (having already taxied from Haarlem to the gate, thereby successfully burning another 20 minutes of my oh-so abundant time on this planet) I don't check-in my very modest roll-on. That means it needs to go in the lockers. The LHR staff don't police the luggage policy, so I need to be one of the first on board. The LHR staff don't offer priority boarding, therefore I must arrive at the gate early and get glares from the gate staff who seem to take offence to the fact that I'm not sat down, waiting for the plane like a good boy.

With delays and general messing around I can often find myself stood at the gate for 20 minutes (there goes another 20 of those precious minutes) before boarding. I'd MUCH prefer to be in the lounge - that's another glass of champagne I could enjoy. I'm not, though. I'm at the gate, waiting to get on the plane so my bag doesn't get displaced by someone's oversized suitcase being wedged in the locker, so I can get home this side of midnight and see my partner before she falls asleep in bed - tired from waiting through inbound aircraft delays, ATC slots, Polderbaan taxis and priority baggage coming out last. If you can grab 30 minutes back, you do it.

The extra row on the A320 is just going to make this worse. BA need to sort this out or they'll have gates swarming with GCH and SCH commuters who KNOW they won't get their bag on if they don't get on first.