Originally Posted by
pntherpaw86
Generally if I'm in an unknown situation, I tend to hang back and listen closely to announcements (i.e. "We board by zone number, which can be found on your boarding pass" ... and a lot of GAs even walk through the whole order of pre-board, FC, Sky, etc., too).
This is exactly the problem why people crowd the gate area. The GA starts a long convoluted speech that mentions everybody's zone at some point. The PA systems are poorly designed and cannot always be heard beyond 20-30 feet from the GA. Add in the continuous "Attention airport security alert" and "Hello I am mayor Greene" airport announcements, plus the extraordinarily loud BEEP BEEP of the electric carts. Oh and maybe 2 other gates in the area also loading pax.
Just look around during the boarding announcement for the the dozen or so pax who obviously travel rarely. Observe their asking each other "what did she say?" and "Who are they boarding now?". OF COURSE they will crowd the GA trying to figure out what they are being asked to do.
Try to have a little empathy...
/RANT