Originally Posted by
andset1191
Implementation has been mixed. Some times they announce the old order and don't enforce it, sometimes they announce the new order and don't enforce it, and sometimes they do enforce it but usually I find not all the agents boarding the flight enforce the rules.
That would be a fair synopsis of my experience since the change over. In a way it is worse than before since you have no idea what to expect. E.g. at Oslo there is an airport recorded message asking for Business travellers to board first. Under the old rules you knew that also included Bronze and above, but now - well who knows?
Having said that, tonight's BA1486 LHR to GLA had the new system implemented with a rod of steel. As I arrived there were about 20 people queuing back from the entrance to Priority Boarding, 3 agents awaiting clearance to begin boarding. The lead agent made an announcement a few minutes before boarding stating that Business UK and Gold/Emeralds would be boarded first, then Silvers and Bronze, then by rows, and that could customers please follow the given sequence to facilitate the boarding process. About 3 people dropped out of the queue.
A few minutes later he announced "we are now boarding Business UK, Gold and Emeralds
only at this stage". Half the queue proceeded down priority queue lane, around 8 people , the other half hung back. The second agent then came forward and inspected boarding passes and told 4 passengers, one after the other, to stand to the side to allow the other 4 Emeralds to pass to agents 1 and 3. One person objected (I don't know on what basis) but it didn't cut any ice. As soon as the last waiting Emerald had been scanned (me) then Silvers were invited to come forward, I guess less than a minute after boarding started.