Originally Posted by
garykung
The key issue is CO GAs don't know a thing about boarding. Really.
Sarcasm or not, it's true!
CO staffs 5 GAs at a gate.
To FRA from EWR:
Only *one* GA manning the *single* turnstile/scanner/whatever. 3 are at the desk, furiously typing away, not interacting with *any* pax, so what are they doing there, really?
The other remaining one is simply there for what appears to be emotional support for the single GA at the actual entry point near the aerobrige, and flits around...
To BOM from EWR: Mass chaos.
No pre-check of pax's visa documents when checking-in, then at the last minute when boarding they have to *stamp* everyone's BPs after inspecting for visas, and I freak out, volunteering to fly on LH's flight to FRA, as the flight is now being delayed by 1 hour at least.
The line to get your BP stamped was at least a kilometer long. (same situation as the FRA flight, but this time the 3 characters were reportedly checking the visas at the desk there.
When I went through for visa verification at the end, the GA didn't even properly check the dates on the visa! What's up with that??
Also, this defeats the purpose of elite boarding, unless they *also* have an elite visa checking line!
Originally Posted by
tehiota
Slightly OT, but if you think CO's boarding process sucks, LH's makes it look organized. IAH-FRA on a 747-400, I was in F and the GA announces the boarding of First, Business Class, and *G at the same time without any breaks. Mass cattle call considering F & BF are well over 60 seats on a 747 not including *G that is in Y. Totally disorganized.
It might look disorganized, but it takes a fraction of the time that it takes to board a CO 777, in the cases I mentioned above. LH's 744 boarding at FRA and BOM have 2 aerobridges into the a/c. Cannot remember the LH EWR 744 aerobridge boarding situation, as I am now always taking the later night flights...which are airbuses out of Terminal B.
At least LH is professional enough to check visas at check-in, so that we don't have to queue at the gate to have it done like CO!