Originally Posted by
Frequent flyer 101
Often there is some trickery with the boarding times / screen announcements. They say boarding to get people to go to the gate. If you aren't familiar with this and follow instructions then it's very likely you'll find yourself at the gate early in most airports.
In most cases when I've been last to board, there is a long line in the jetbridge as people take their time to get on. I think it would be difficult to time it so that this didn't happen, but you didn't miss your flight. If you have any tips, do share.
I know a few people who work on airlines such as Ryanair and this is one major reason why so many miss their flights. "Gate closing" means they can still waltz up a minute before the departure time (there's no way the plane would possibly leave without them), spend 5 mins looking for their passport and trying to get the phone app to open when the captain has had his final figures 10 mins before that and they've already before offloaded. £100pp change fee because they had that last beer or visited duty free.
I personally want to be there early and get settled in even if it does mean sitting around for 20 minutes or so.
I've been last twice and only just made it (drinking in the lounge + toilet trip and forgetting a bag) and wouldn't want to risk a hefty bill for new flights because of something trivial.
JFK T7 is somewhere where you're better waiting. Last time I was in the CCR, they announced boarding, so we all got up and got to the gate where half the plane were already boarding and you were barely on the airbridge in a queue.
Had a Virgin flight at LGW before where they announced "gate closing now" nearly an hour and a half before boarding started and loads of people made a run for it.
I've waltzed past people on AA a few times, Virgin UC before etc.