The BA boarding process
Jan 28, 2014, 2:28 am
#16
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: London
Programs: BA BLUE BADGE
Posts: 1,323
Whilst boarding at Milan a while back I noticed a fairly elderly woman who I guessed was the nan of a small group of kids who were jumping all over her as she laughed and play fought with them. She was very agile and held her own in the melee.
Cue boarding calls and the next time I caught sight of her she was in a wheelchair, doing a fantastic impression of a dying swan, being shuffled forward to board first - followed closely by around a dozen members of her family. Genius!
Cue boarding calls and the next time I caught sight of her she was in a wheelchair, doing a fantastic impression of a dying swan, being shuffled forward to board first - followed closely by around a dozen members of her family. Genius!
Jan 28, 2014, 2:52 am
#18
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: MAN and LON
Programs: Mucci, BAEC LT Gold, HH Dia, MR LT Plat, IHG Diamond Amb, Amex Plat
Posts: 13,765
I agree, it is annoying having to wait in line, but I think it's impractical to have yet more queues for different levels of fast track. I flew the same route in F just last week and I could tell from the number of people leaving the lounge that it was going to be busy, so I stayed there a little longer, then wandered down to the gate via the shops. By the time I got there the fast track queue still had a few people in it, but the standard queue was empty, so I went through without waiting. As it happened, we were bussed to the gate, so it didn't make much difference.
To be honest, I'd much rather BA spent some money developing the lounge in JNB. It really is quite poor! The F lounge is always over crowded and the quality of food is very low. It's one of those routes with more GCH than SCH, so I think they need to re-design the lounge and take that into account.
To be honest, I'd much rather BA spent some money developing the lounge in JNB. It really is quite poor! The F lounge is always over crowded and the quality of food is very low. It's one of those routes with more GCH than SCH, so I think they need to re-design the lounge and take that into account.
I think priority boarding with BA is becoming like priority baggage pretty much non existent. There was no priority boarding at all ex MAN yesterday but priority boarding of all F, J, emerald, sapphire and ruby all at the same time is laughable. Look at how AA manage this process. They have a single priority boarding lane. No non priority passengers can board whilst priority boarding is being called. You then have a strict F and emerald, followed by J and sapphire followed by ruby. This isn't rocket science if there is a will.
You don't delay boarding either to make this work. Once each tranche has no waiting passengers you call the next tranche.
Whilst on this subject I have no issue with passengers with restricted mobility boarding first and have frequently held back hordes of passengers behind me to allow the wheelchair assistants to do their thing when priority boarding has been called too quickly and boarding early would interfere with the wheelchair bearers getting on, through and off the plane. I don't see why a family in Y though should board before F PAX especially when the F PAX will be on a wholly different airbridge away from the family. Also when did having one toddler mean that 5 teenagers in the party also get prioritised over F PAX?
I typically go to the gate early and like to board quickly to avoid 15 minutes waiting on the airbridge so will leave before the flight is flagged for boarding which gives more time to observe the process.
This is something that BA could address really easily if there was a will.
Jan 28, 2014, 2:55 am
#19
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 4,647
I'm sure that those in CW would say that it should be for CW and F pax and not status pax traveling in Y and W. Prems would probably have a different view too.
Jan 28, 2014, 2:59 am
#20
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: UK
Programs: Virgin Flying Club Red, Emirates Skywards Blue, BA Executive Club Blue, Amex BA
Posts: 2,374
This will make me sound like a ***hole but I ask people in the fasttrack queue if they are Golds or travelling in F. if they are not I skip past them (as I have a F ticket).
Jan 28, 2014, 3:01 am
#21
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: MAN and LON
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Posts: 13,765
I wouldn't do this personally but BA should make it happen in practice by only calling F and Gold.
Jan 28, 2014, 3:03 am
#22
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA GfL, Marriott PlatfL/Ambassador, TP Gold, IHG Spire
Posts: 1,656
I honestly hope that you're just winding us up.
Jan 28, 2014, 3:09 am
#23
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: UK
Programs: BA Silver, EK Silver, ABP ;)
Posts: 1,631
The BA boarding process
Boarding in the US is much more organised - First Class is called first, then platinum double tiara, then gold, then rust, then zone 1, then plebs by row. And be assured if you try and get through at the wrong time the gate agent will refuse you.
Jan 28, 2014, 3:18 am
#24
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: London
Programs: Hilton, IHG - BA, GA, LH, QR, SV, TK
Posts: 17,005
Jan 28, 2014, 3:22 am
#25
Join Date: Feb 2003
Programs: Sir CT-UK - Streaker pour les autres.
Posts: 5,899
Jan 28, 2014, 3:24 am
#26
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 4,647
Jan 28, 2014, 3:35 am
#27
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: not far from MUC
Posts: 6,620
Jan 28, 2014, 3:51 am
#29
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: North West, UK
Programs: BA GfL (GGL/CCR), Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,998
That gives me an idea. I'm sure my wife wouldn't complain about suddenly becoming incapacitated...
