CDG 2F - New Zone Boarding process - AF Medium-haul
#16
Join Date: May 2011
Location: OSL / PAR / BIA
Programs: FB Platinum
Posts: 307
From my past experiences, SP boarding is properly enforced every time I am flying out from CDG 2F, both with their automated boarding gate or traditional boarding stations.
Generally a GA stands at the entrance of the SP lane.
If they are not here early to remove the coach gate lices, a loudly and proper « Non mais il y a tout ça en SkyPriority?! » or « This lane is for SkyPriority only » is sufficient to rule the lane and generally 10-15 SP pax remain 🤓.
#17
Join Date: May 2011
Location: OSL / PAR / BIA
Programs: FB Platinum
Posts: 307
A lot of french domestic airports seem to enforce SP only on check-in... They could go to the effort of enforcing it at boarding, especially since smaller stations won't have priority security anyway.
#18
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: French based in PRG, CDG.
Programs: AZ Executive (STE+) - FB Silver (STÉ)- Lounge Key
Posts: 143
No SP boarding enforcement : Cut the line + DYKWIA
No SP holding pen, one line but an announcement was made for SP + STE card holder first, while Coach was rushing at the gate.
I just cut the line (the way Mr. Clooney did in HH) and pop up to the front.
Concept applicable with AF in provincial airport too maybe?
Last edited by catsniper75; Feb 25, 2019 at 7:38 am
#20
Join Date: Apr 2005
Programs: Eurostar Carte Blanche, SBB-CFF-FFS GA-AG, SNCF Grand Voyageur LeClub
Posts: 7,836
But effective, no. It doesn't move 80% of the people clogging up the SP line that shouldn't be there. Say your "Non mais il y a tout ça en SkyPriority?!" and the elder French couple who are on a plane for the first time in 8 years using their Cofinoga loyalty points + the un-washed hippie with a 30kg "hand luggage" back peach each on his back, torso and one around his neck + the Greek lady who only speaks Greek + the student on his way to a party with large noise-cancelling headphones on his ears... none of them will move. They won't hear what you say or not understand French or simply don't feel that it's them you're addressing because they simply have never heard of SkyPriority. There are of course different populations for different flights, you may have more luck on a Monday morning at a gate for a flight to Copenhagen (more Paris-based business travelers, familiar with the concept) than on a Saturday morning in July for a flight to Barcelona.
Still, the layout of 2F is such that most people simply congregate around the gate, aren't aware of which line is which and so simply stand there. My sense is that there aren't that many people who choose to stand in the wrong line (=know that they should be in the non-SP line but still use the SP line). For most, it is more a matter of cluelessness than deliberate cheating. If I could combat cluelessness in air travel I would, but realistically it is unfair to expect everybody to be as savvy and familiar with procedures as us FT frequent flyers are. Put most of us in a bus terminal in Bangui or Cochabamba and we'd be lost as well.
I'd also appreciate if they enforced it better, and sending people back to the end of the correct line is part of that ("What? But that means I have to stand in line all over again?" - "I am sorry Sir/Madam, but we made several announcements that boarding is currently only for Zone xx, and there are big signs that indicate which line is for which zone").
On "how to avoid standing in line at the gate and then in the jetway": forget about zones. Even as a zone 1 you have to be waiting at the gate a long time before they start boarding, which means idle time just waiting. Time that could be spent doing something more pleasant.
Instead, say to yourself that there always has to be one person who boards last and that before the screens say "Dernier appel" there still is time to take another coffee at the lounge. And then say to yourself that you could be that person. Unless you play it really risky you'll find yourself behind maybe 6 or 10 people in the jetway. More tricky if you have lots of hand luggage to stow, but then again if everybody is on board already nobody will mind if your put your stuff wherever there is space, including in the J class overhead lockers.
#21
Join Date: May 2011
Location: OSL / PAR / BIA
Programs: FB Platinum
Posts: 307
Instead, say to yourself that there always has to be one person who boards last and that before the screens say "Dernier appel" there still is time to take another coffee at the lounge. And then say to yourself that you could be that person. Unless you play it really risky you'll find yourself behind maybe 6 or 10 people in the jetway. More tricky if you have lots of hand luggage to stow, but then again if everybody is on board already nobody will mind if your put your stuff wherever there is space, including in the J class overhead lockers.
#22
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: French based in PRG, CDG.
Programs: AZ Executive (STE+) - FB Silver (STÉ)- Lounge Key
Posts: 143
Boarding zone 0 arrived - PRG
Picture taken in PRG on 08/03 attached.
PRG - zone 0
So on 08/03 you will have :
- Zone 0 : ladies
- Zone 1 : J , C2000, Ultimate
- Zone 2: STE+, Flex
- Zone 3: STE, Y
- Zone 4-5 : Y
« Excuse me Madam, I am only STE+, May I board with you today? »
😂
PRG - zone 0
So on 08/03 you will have :
- Zone 0 : ladies
- Zone 1 : J , C2000, Ultimate
- Zone 2: STE+, Flex
- Zone 3: STE, Y
- Zone 4-5 : Y
« Excuse me Madam, I am only STE+, May I board with you today? »
😂
#24
Moderator: Flying Blue (Air France & KLM), France and TravelBuzz!
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Paris, France, AF F+ Rouge pour toujours, Flying Blue whatever, LH FTL, HHonors Gold, formerly proud SCC Executive, now IC Ambassador, BA down to nobody, Grand Voyageur Le Club
Posts: 12,403
#26
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Boston, MA, USA
Programs: FB LTPE, BAEC GGL, EK Blue, SK Gold, Marriott Amb+LTT, IHG Diamond Amb, Accorhotels Silver
Posts: 1,953
I am sorry not to be aligned with most OPs there, but I do believe that Zone boarding is a great way to simplify things. But it should definitely come with some public address from the gate agents to reinforce the process. Just relying on signage will not work.
Something like :
" We will start boarding flight AFxxxx in the next 5 minutes. We will start pre-boarding assisted passengers and families with children under 2 years old then we will board : Zone 1 passengers through SkyPriority lane and then Zone 2 passengers through SkyPriority lane. After that process, Zone 1 and 2 passengers will be able to board whenever they want through the SkyPriority lane. Then we will board Zone 3 then 4 then 5 passengers through the General Boarding lane. As our flight is full, all carry-on rollerboards for Zone 4 and Zone 5 passengers will be checked in. If you deserve to check your bag in proactively, it will be get a priority tag and you will be able to board after zone 2 through the SkyPriority lane"
With clear, dynamic signs and dynamic announcements all the way through.
Something like :
" We will start boarding flight AFxxxx in the next 5 minutes. We will start pre-boarding assisted passengers and families with children under 2 years old then we will board : Zone 1 passengers through SkyPriority lane and then Zone 2 passengers through SkyPriority lane. After that process, Zone 1 and 2 passengers will be able to board whenever they want through the SkyPriority lane. Then we will board Zone 3 then 4 then 5 passengers through the General Boarding lane. As our flight is full, all carry-on rollerboards for Zone 4 and Zone 5 passengers will be checked in. If you deserve to check your bag in proactively, it will be get a priority tag and you will be able to board after zone 2 through the SkyPriority lane"
With clear, dynamic signs and dynamic announcements all the way through.
#27
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: French based in PRG, CDG.
Programs: AZ Executive (STE+) - FB Silver (STÉ)- Lounge Key
Posts: 143
#28
Join Date: Apr 2005
Programs: Eurostar Carte Blanche, SBB-CFF-FFS GA-AG, SNCF Grand Voyageur LeClub
Posts: 7,836
I am sorry not to be aligned with most OPs there, but I do believe that Zone boarding is a great way to simplify things. But it should definitely come with some public address from the gate agents to reinforce the process. Just relying on signage will not work.
Something like :
" We will start boarding flight AFxxxx in the next 5 minutes. We will start pre-boarding assisted passengers and families with children under 2 years old then we will board : Zone 1 passengers through SkyPriority lane and then Zone 2 passengers through SkyPriority lane. After that process, Zone 1 and 2 passengers will be able to board whenever they want through the SkyPriority lane. Then we will board Zone 3 then 4 then 5 passengers through the General Boarding lane. As our flight is full, all carry-on rollerboards for Zone 4 and Zone 5 passengers will be checked in. If you deserve to check your bag in proactively, it will be get a priority tag and you will be able to board after zone 2 through the SkyPriority lane"
With clear, dynamic signs and dynamic announcements all the way through.
Something like :
" We will start boarding flight AFxxxx in the next 5 minutes. We will start pre-boarding assisted passengers and families with children under 2 years old then we will board : Zone 1 passengers through SkyPriority lane and then Zone 2 passengers through SkyPriority lane. After that process, Zone 1 and 2 passengers will be able to board whenever they want through the SkyPriority lane. Then we will board Zone 3 then 4 then 5 passengers through the General Boarding lane. As our flight is full, all carry-on rollerboards for Zone 4 and Zone 5 passengers will be checked in. If you deserve to check your bag in proactively, it will be get a priority tag and you will be able to board after zone 2 through the SkyPriority lane"
With clear, dynamic signs and dynamic announcements all the way through.
What I am wondering:
- How long has it taken the American flying public to get used to these proceudres, which are almost identical across all carriers?
- Would this work with Air France in Europe, where you have many people from many cultures and languages going through CDG, including many for whom such an organized process is something they are not used to, don't understand, think it doesn't apply to them, think that they can sneak through, don't speak French/English well enough...?
- Would strict policing and sending people back to the end of the line/their respective boarding group educate people?
#29
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: French based in PRG, CDG.
Programs: AZ Executive (STE+) - FB Silver (STÉ)- Lounge Key
Posts: 143
CDG 2F non-status pax line looks more like an « ŕ l’abordage » mess.
For my EU airports experiences, I only saw these gate lices situations when it has to do with French pax / carriers.
For my EU airports experiences, I only saw these gate lices situations when it has to do with French pax / carriers.
#30
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Valencia, Paris
Programs: FB Gold, IB Plus Plata
Posts: 164
French pax are generally very anxious to board the plane as quickly as they can, I don't know why. Spanish pax too