The BA boarding process
Jan 28, 2014, 11:48 am
#76
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I have seen the gates used for SEN and C Passengers in GVA at the D Gates I think. It worked pretty well. If you can't get actual people to do this properly then an electronic solution is a pretty good idea I think.
Jan 28, 2014, 11:52 am
#77
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Glasgow, UK
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Yes they are only at some gates in the main terminal, i.e. not in the B gates where the London flights go from. And I would agree that it does seem to work quite well, though to be fair I don't actually ever have to use them….
Last edited by Captain Schmidt; Jan 28, 2014 at 2:29 pm
Jan 28, 2014, 11:53 am
#78
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: North Yorkshire, UK / Pasadena CA
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 1,311
Personally, I think priority boarding should be called in a prioritised order, that being:
With an extra category right at the top for me and my mrs.
- First
- Business and Gold members (and equivalent OW)
- WT+ and Silver/Bronze members (and equivalent OW)
- WT
With an extra category right at the top for me and my mrs.
Jan 28, 2014, 12:28 pm
#79
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Brighton, England
Programs: BA Silver, VS, Costa Coffee, My Waitrose
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Best way to fix the problem, is to stop priority boarding. And go back to basics, first come first boarded. A Q is a Q, stand and wait your turn. It,s not difficult !
Jan 28, 2014, 12:30 pm
#80
Join Date: Oct 2013
Programs: BAEC GCH
Posts: 29
Someone mentioned cost...this wouldn't cost anything. They already have two people (minimum)...they just need to take the BP and look at it and turn them away before scanning it. It wouldn't take that long for folks to catch on not to be in the wrong queue!
Jan 28, 2014, 12:58 pm
#81
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That's the thing - the gate agents start the process when they are ready. If you miss your gold slot, you join the back of the bronze section!
Someone mentioned cost...this wouldn't cost anything. They already have two people (minimum)...they just need to take the BP and look at it and turn them away before scanning it. It wouldn't take that long for folks to catch on not to be in the wrong queue!
Someone mentioned cost...this wouldn't cost anything. They already have two people (minimum)...they just need to take the BP and look at it and turn them away before scanning it. It wouldn't take that long for folks to catch on not to be in the wrong queue!
Jan 28, 2014, 1:34 pm
#82
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: London.
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How many people on that plane would have being even aware they were going to be on a "narrow-body aircraft" or even heard the term before ?
Jan 28, 2014, 1:47 pm
#83
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: UK
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Maybe I have that sort of face.
Seriously though - US boarding is nearly always quick and straightforward. People tend to know the rules and obey.
I think the trouble with being British is we think the boarding priority should be me first, then everyone else.
Jan 28, 2014, 1:54 pm
#84
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Jan 28, 2014, 1:55 pm
#85
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Looks to me that many of the priority boarding issues come from the design and logistics of the departing terminal. Over at T5C for these a380 flights, and T5B for 747's there is just no room for everyone to wait. Gate lice by default. So, F's and Gold's, CW's and Silver's have no choice but to deal with the scrum. Even well announced (and even adhered to Boarding instructions) are impossible when there is no where to go and stand and hear the announcements. You need to space for folks to work out where to go. I'll give BA a pass here and lay the blame with BAA.
My opinion is that the only way to maintain a premium boarding experience is segregation. But in T5 that is impossible without either separately driving F's to the plane, a la LH, or someone from the lounge leading a merry band of premiums from the lounge to the plane, a la VA at LAX. A sight to behold as we all follow some lady in VS kit ploughing her way through the lice through to the gate. But these ideas are impossible at T5 and it seems that I am in the segregation minority as it applies to the BA powers that be.
But agreed, adding Bronze to priority boarding has taken a bad state of affairs and made it worse.
My opinion is that the only way to maintain a premium boarding experience is segregation. But in T5 that is impossible without either separately driving F's to the plane, a la LH, or someone from the lounge leading a merry band of premiums from the lounge to the plane, a la VA at LAX. A sight to behold as we all follow some lady in VS kit ploughing her way through the lice through to the gate. But these ideas are impossible at T5 and it seems that I am in the segregation minority as it applies to the BA powers that be.
But agreed, adding Bronze to priority boarding has taken a bad state of affairs and made it worse.
Jan 28, 2014, 1:56 pm
#86
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Jan 28, 2014, 1:57 pm
#87
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Add that to the fact that the gate staff often board the other passengers in parallel rather than waiting for those entitled to fast track to board first.
Jan 28, 2014, 2:29 pm
#88
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Glasgow, UK
Programs: BA, UA, Marriot
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That's absolutely part of the issue. If they used all the gate staff to clear the priority boarding first then I think most of us would be happier.
Jan 28, 2014, 3:34 pm
#89
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BA need to simplify/enhance the process, I suggest
- Royalty
- Absolute dictators
- Elected heads of states
- UK government ministers
- Foreign government ministers
- MPs
- MEPs
- Local council CEOs (town clerks)
- First class
- Business class
- GGL
- GCH
- SCH
- People with double-barrelled names
- Penguins
- Bronze card holders
- Smelly people
- All other humans
- B List celebs
- Man Utd fans
- dogs and cats
That should do it.
Or they could outsource the process to Ryanair.
- Royalty
- Absolute dictators
- Elected heads of states
- UK government ministers
- Foreign government ministers
- MPs
- MEPs
- Local council CEOs (town clerks)
- First class
- Business class
- GGL
- GCH
- SCH
- People with double-barrelled names
- Penguins
- Bronze card holders
- Smelly people
- All other humans
- B List celebs
- Man Utd fans
- dogs and cats
That should do it.
Or they could outsource the process to Ryanair.
Jan 28, 2014, 3:37 pm
#90
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: MAN/BHX
Programs: ABBA
Posts: 6,027
I know some people like to settle down and get relaxed before the hoardes start rampaging on board down the back, but it really doesn't make sense at T5 if you are in First, CE and CW. With very few exceptions you are unlikely to have luggage issues (and if you did, they would be caused before any boarding....).
The way T5 works is that they can't close boarding before T-20. So if you sail in at T-22 you'll find an empty gate on longhaul (and sometimes shorthaul too), and you can walk in unimpeded. You simply time your departure from the lounge accordingly. You can get to any T5A gate within 6 minutes from the Concorde Room, 13 minutes for T5B and 16 minutes to T5C.
If you turn up early, you just add to Sheer Weight Of Traffic (SWOT), which is often re-intepreted as "everyone but me".
The way T5 works is that they can't close boarding before T-20. So if you sail in at T-22 you'll find an empty gate on longhaul (and sometimes shorthaul too), and you can walk in unimpeded. You simply time your departure from the lounge accordingly. You can get to any T5A gate within 6 minutes from the Concorde Room, 13 minutes for T5B and 16 minutes to T5C.
If you turn up early, you just add to Sheer Weight Of Traffic (SWOT), which is often re-intepreted as "everyone but me".
) to find boarding hasn't even started. When it does start, good agents board fast track via both lines. Bad agents board both lines together.