Priority boarding
 

If I am not incorrect, priority boarding for *A Golds isn't called separately on A3 flights, other than a general announcement that "Golds can board anytime they wish", or something like that. I take this to mean that you can cut to the front of the line of queued up passengers, and that's what I do, if there is only one agent boarding passengers. What do you guys do?

Same thing :)

Yep go to the front and just show your *G boarding pass and they scan and wave you through. ^

I so much hate doing this, and getting all those angry faces, but then again, I can't think of another way of (almost) preboarding...

I wish there was a separate queue..

It much depends on the location. At most outstations for example Business and Gold members are called first.

Doesn't A3 have separate line ups for C/Gold and Y? Or am I thinking this because I was sleeping walking on the plane?

Of course, I decided to be the last one to board that DH4. What's the rush to get on a prop?

Yes, that's the problem, it makes us look like we are rude, the kettles don't know that we are just special...:)

I have to say, out of the grand total of 4 times I've boarded at ATH -

2 flights to LHR: massive scrum at the gate with people pushing around a statusless pax who is stuck at the front blocking the gate but unable to move back - agents were checking BPs carefully and only let *G / business through

to SKG and LCA: there were more or less 2 huddles of people (not going to call it a queue) and the *G / J huddle boarded first.

For people waiting for something (e.g. boarding a plane, buying a ticket for the movies, etc.) you can have two extreme behaviours:

1) Queueing every time possible: as George Mikes writes in his book "How to be an alien", in England you even see a single person actually queueing!

2) Greeks waiting: even with only two of us waiting, we all want to be the first one.

I remember this guy at Punta Arenas in Patagonia pushing his way through the people standing in line and continuously loudly complaining in Greek because the line was moving slowly (details: 5:30 am, ~60 passengers for an A320, GA was visually checking the BPs).

Do people that bord the aircraft as first ones also arrive earlier at the destination than the other passengers?

Yes, if you are in 1A. But only by a second. ;)

They always (well, mostly) used to enforce priority boarding at ATH but on my last four flights it has been the same: They make the regular announcement that Golds, Business class etc. will board first and then completely ignore that and just allow a scrum without enforcing anything. At the upstairs (jetbridge) gates I think there is usually a "separate queue" (a sign at one sides indicates C class and gold) but they still ignore this. Downstairs at the bus gates it's just the scrum... Why do they even bother to make the announcement I wonder.

TBH I have given up trying as it doesn't really matter I suppose. I was actually going to email and complain but would that really do any good? Maybe if many of us complain at the same time?

At outstations (NOT domestic!) things are much more orderly and the pririty boarding has always been enforced so far as I can remember (my recent flights were from LHR, BEG ARN, BHX)

I've noticed the same and doing very little trying to enforce anything.

Although at the Jetbtidge i prefer to queue 5-10 mins before the actual boarding at the Priority sign but as soon as boarding starts you do get pushed even from other *G trying to cut you and board first, as if there are the only ones getting priority boarding. People that would be sitting before the boarding announcement would walk up front trying to cut the line, assuming all the other people there must be wrong for standing at the priority queue.

Yeah, this happens all the time, and it's why A3 need to properly enforce priority boarding, rather than leave it up to us to cut in line. I usually approach the queue with my gold card clearly visible in my hands, with my boarding pass. Stops other golds from jumping in front of me (well, sometimes it does :P).

Exactly! I always experience the same thing!

There must be a reason that made them not wanting to enforce the policy. I wonder what that may be..