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ThatT1Feeling

Flew back to LHR from CHQ (Chania - Crete) yesterday. As it's a seasonal route, there was a large group of passengers with babies and infants who went through first (nearly 30 people in total), but then they called groups strictly in group number order. This meant that pre-boarders, along with Groups 1,2 and 3 made it onto the first bus to the plane. (all of a 30 second bus journey!)

Very efficient for a seasonal route and boarding by stairs into front and rear doors made it a super quick boarding process.

Lolbert

Why do so many airports persist in calling Groups 1, 2 and 3 together? Really annoying as results in a needless huddle

ThatT1Feeling

To be fair, Chania was very good and did it to the letter. It's just a shame that we all then ended up on the same bus

ttama

YVR: Although the boarding pass doesn't indicate Fast Track Security, as CW passengers we were allowed through the Fast Track entrance to security. Once through the entrance we were funnelled to the back of the normal security line. It was a very short line with just one scanner operating, so perhaps Fast Track offers an advantage at busier times. At quiet times it's a disadvantage to use this, but you can't tell how busy it is until you've committed to a lane.

At the boarding gates there were separate signs for Groups 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 to queue behind. It seemed, for this 380 flight, that over half the passengers were in Group 2. There were no line markings behind the signs and the Group 2 sign was in front of an area that included seating. A number of different queues formed around the seats, and obviously very few people joined the back of the longest (original) queue. Group 1 passengers were having problems identifying their queue because of the multiple Group 2 queues. Once Group 2 was announced, all the Group 2 queues surged forwards and those who'd joined the back of the original queue were overtaken.

There were very short queues for Groups 3, 4 and 5, and no obstacles in the way, so I imagine that worked much more smoothly than the Group 2 boarding.

Wiki updated

Bossarb

I'm flying LHR-YVR on BA next week with wife and two of our University-age kids. One of the kids is in Y (or actually L) because he is on the first leg of a RTW ticket. The other kid plus wife and me are in WT+. I've got a BA Silver card (Gold next month!). What can I get away with in terms of lounge access and priority security/ boarding? I believe I am entitled to one guest for the CW lounge. Might they allow more guests or allow me to rotate my guests? Unfortunately the kids aren't exactly cute 3-year olds so I'm guessing that playing the family card isn't really going to work, which is fair enough.

What about priority boarding? Can all 4 of us just go in with Group 2 if I boldly place my boarding card on the top of the pile? It would be useful for the son in the back of the plane since he is in Row 70 of the A380 which I don't think has any overhead locker space, so he will benefit from getting on board early.

From reading the thread it sounds as if even taking one person with me in priority security is pushing it, so I suppose we will have to do the normal security, which will be good for the soul. (Had to do that myself at Helsinki this afternoon, after a really excellent flight on Finn Air in business class from BKK in their lovely A350, on my way to a more mundane flight to LHR on an A321.)

ringingup

makin'miles

Calgary offers priority security for CW (I'm not sure about status members), as well as priority boarding.

They have not used Group One signs the few times I've boarded in the last couple of months. No first class on the route, but Golds are funnelled in with CW and Silvers making it a large group. (I'm guessing this isn't really the way things are supposed to work, as Group One is separately boarded on other three class long-haul routes).

It's also my experience that TLV offers priority security to F and CW (both for the interview at check-in as well as the screening point). Wiki updated.

fireanwater1

Flew HAJ-LHR last week in CE. Coming out of the lounge that is landside I saw a massive queue for security. Despite what I read on here before my trip, I had a go at scanning my boarding pass at the priority security lane and it worked.

Priority boarding was active, but groups 1-3 were called up at the same time which I found slightly annoying, given there was no airside lounge and not enough seats at the gate.

Row9

Flew from BCN last week as a Silver with Mrs Row9 (Blue). No "Fast Track" on the e-boarding pass, but at check-in Mrs Row9 was given a bit of paper and we were both directed through the Fast Track.

ringingup

Ticket in CE from OLB does not grant access to fast track security.

fireanwater1

Swissroll

Returning from Kalamata last Saturday, call went out for families to board - every single person on an A320 bar the 8 or so I counted at the end was part of a family with young children.! I boarded group 1 - plumb last. Short stroll across the tarmac with stairs for and aft That's seasonal holiday flights for you

nordic

aardvarkdave