New Boarding Process- has anyone noticed an improvement?
Sep 25, 2015, 6:07 am
#211
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: London
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 3
worse than normal at AMS
Flew back from AMS yesterday. As normal, EC made up most of flight and formed a nice friendly queue. Muffled announcment and some people started leaving the queue to go to the front. Others followed. What had been a queue then turned into a scrum. Someone shouted for the BA staff to explain what was happening and the lady said "we are boarding CE and Gold - no-one else". Trouble was, any CE/Gold at the back of the scrum then had to pick their way through the mass.
I can understand why they would do it - but the queues are always so long for priority boarding that you generally have to take the word of the person in front of you as to what you are in the queue for.
I did experience in TLS last week but that seemed a bit easier.
Tweeted BA last night - i'm sure would be okay if everyone knew what the new procedure was and the airport staff would make clear announcements.
I can understand why they would do it - but the queues are always so long for priority boarding that you generally have to take the word of the person in front of you as to what you are in the queue for.
I did experience in TLS last week but that seemed a bit easier.
Tweeted BA last night - i'm sure would be okay if everyone knew what the new procedure was and the airport staff would make clear announcements.
Sep 25, 2015, 6:16 am
#212
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Krakow
Programs: BAEC Silver, Miles and More(FTL), IHG(Platinum), Accor, HHonors(Diamond), SPG, Hertz Five Star
Posts: 5,919
This situation is perhaps buried in the 14 pages of thread but I'm wondering if anyone has real experience of how the process works in this instance. Situation is 3 pax on same flight, in shorthaul Y:
Passenger 1: GCH
Passenger 2: SCH, on different PNR from Passenger 1
Passenger 3: no status, on same PNR as Passenger 2. Child.
All same family.
So - when is the earliest they can board? With passenger 1? Or do they have to board with passenger 3?
Passenger 1: GCH
Passenger 2: SCH, on different PNR from Passenger 1
Passenger 3: no status, on same PNR as Passenger 2. Child.
All same family.
So - when is the earliest they can board? With passenger 1? Or do they have to board with passenger 3?
I expect much if this is left to the gate agents discretion.
Depending on the age of the child, if its "passengers that need assistance" then I expect P3 + child, possibly along with P" and if lucky even P1
If it is an older child then following the rules P1 followed by P2 followed by P3 and the child. I am not aware of guesting in the priority boarding process. Lounge access does explicitly mention "you and a guest". priority boarding does not mention guests
http://www.britishairways.com/en-gb/...ilver-benefits
Sep 25, 2015, 6:33 am
#213
Join Date: Feb 2012
Programs: BA LifetimeGold GGL/CCR
Posts: 1,140
This situation is perhaps buried in the 14 pages of thread but I'm wondering if anyone has real experience of how the process works in this instance. Situation is 3 pax on same flight, in shorthaul Y:
Passenger 1: GCH
Passenger 2: SCH, on different PNR from Passenger 1
Passenger 3: no status, on same PNR as Passenger 2. Child.
All same family.
So - when is the earliest they can board? With passenger 1? Or do they have to board with passenger 3?
Passenger 1: GCH
Passenger 2: SCH, on different PNR from Passenger 1
Passenger 3: no status, on same PNR as Passenger 2. Child.
All same family.
So - when is the earliest they can board? With passenger 1? Or do they have to board with passenger 3?
Sep 25, 2015, 7:11 am
#214
Join Date: Apr 2015
Programs: BA GGL
Posts: 223
Really, how hard would it be to make an announcement a few minutes before boarding to the effect of,
"Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. My name is X, and I'll be helping you board your flight today. Please pay attention to this announcement, as our boarding procedures have recently changed. We will be boarding the aircraft today by class of service and elite status. If you are seated in our First/Club cabin you will be invited to board first. Once our premium cabin passengers are onboard, we will invite BAEC Gold members and Oneworld Emeralds to board, followed by BAEC Silver and Oneworld Sapphire, and then BAEC Bronze and Oneworld Ruby. If you are not seated in our premium cabins, please remain seated until premium cabin passengers have boarded, and wait until your group is called. Once all premium cabin and elite status passengers have boarded, general boarding will begin through the economy class lane. Thank you for flying with us today."
"Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. My name is X, and I'll be helping you board your flight today. Please pay attention to this announcement, as our boarding procedures have recently changed. We will be boarding the aircraft today by class of service and elite status. If you are seated in our First/Club cabin you will be invited to board first. Once our premium cabin passengers are onboard, we will invite BAEC Gold members and Oneworld Emeralds to board, followed by BAEC Silver and Oneworld Sapphire, and then BAEC Bronze and Oneworld Ruby. If you are not seated in our premium cabins, please remain seated until premium cabin passengers have boarded, and wait until your group is called. Once all premium cabin and elite status passengers have boarded, general boarding will begin through the economy class lane. Thank you for flying with us today."
Sep 25, 2015, 7:15 am
#215
Join Date: Feb 2012
Programs: BA LifetimeGold GGL/CCR
Posts: 1,140
Really, how hard would it be to make an announcement a few minutes before boarding to the effect of,
"Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. My name is X, and I'll be helping you board your flight today. Please pay attention to this announcement, as our boarding procedures have recently changed. We will be boarding the aircraft today by class of service and elite status. If you are seated in our First/Club cabin you will be invited to board first. Once our premium cabin passengers are onboard, we will invite BAEC Gold members and Oneworld Emeralds to board, followed by BAEC Silver and Oneworld Sapphire, and then BAEC Bronze and Oneworld Ruby. If you are not seated in our premium cabins, please remain seated until premium cabin passengers have boarded, and wait until your group is called. Once all premium cabin and elite status passengers have boarded, general boarding will begin through the economy class lane. Thank you for flying with us today."
"Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. My name is X, and I'll be helping you board your flight today. Please pay attention to this announcement, as our boarding procedures have recently changed. We will be boarding the aircraft today by class of service and elite status. If you are seated in our First/Club cabin you will be invited to board first. Once our premium cabin passengers are onboard, we will invite BAEC Gold members and Oneworld Emeralds to board, followed by BAEC Silver and Oneworld Sapphire, and then BAEC Bronze and Oneworld Ruby. If you are not seated in our premium cabins, please remain seated until premium cabin passengers have boarded, and wait until your group is called. Once all premium cabin and elite status passengers have boarded, general boarding will begin through the economy class lane. Thank you for flying with us today."
Sep 25, 2015, 7:43 am
#218
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: London
Programs: Mucci. Nothing else matters.
Posts: 38,644
Getting the passengers to listen, understand and comply is what is difficult. Especially when many of those who do listen and understand then believe that they are special enough to not have to comply.
Sep 25, 2015, 7:53 am
#219
Join Date: Feb 2012
Programs: BA LifetimeGold GGL/CCR
Posts: 1,140
Never blame the customer. A boarding procedure should be easy to understand, also by dummies and non FF's. Or BA will have to impose a minimum education level and refuse customers who are not clever enough to understand their complex boarding rules, complex hand baggage rules and ticketing rules (meaning of non refundable, non changeable,...).
Sep 25, 2015, 7:58 am
#221
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Seattle
Programs: BA GGL & LTG, EK Silver, HHonors Lifetime Diamond; Proudly Mucci Free - total nonsense
Posts: 862
I expect much if this is left to the gate agents discretion.
Depending on the age of the child, if its "passengers that need assistance" then I expect P3 + child, possibly along with P" and if lucky even P1
If it is an older child then following the rules P1 followed by P2 followed by P3 and the child. I am not aware of guesting in the priority boarding process. Lounge access does explicitly mention "you and a guest". priority boarding does not mention guests
http://www.britishairways.com/en-gb/...ilver-benefits
Depending on the age of the child, if its "passengers that need assistance" then I expect P3 + child, possibly along with P" and if lucky even P1
If it is an older child then following the rules P1 followed by P2 followed by P3 and the child. I am not aware of guesting in the priority boarding process. Lounge access does explicitly mention "you and a guest". priority boarding does not mention guests
http://www.britishairways.com/en-gb/...ilver-benefits
I wouldn't rely too much on that response though, seeing as how the initial response was totally incorrect...
Then when I flew the route yesterday, they called the new process. At which point EVERYONE who was already in line (gold, silver, bronze) went to board and the boarding agents didn't enforce the process at all. Bit of a shambles really.
Sep 25, 2015, 8:07 am
#222
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: UK
Programs: British Airways Gold, IHG Spire Elite, HHonours Gold.
Posts: 403
Once again the BA1334 LHR to NCL is a free for all. Announcement made for business UK, gold and emerald but bronze and silver boarded at the same time. Queue for miles with people on row 1 struggling for bag space.
I asked the gate staff why, and they knew it wasn't right but said I should complain. I asked why I should complain when they've made an announcement and know that they should be making certain people wait when they approach. I was told they needed another member of staff to enforce it which is ridiculous. It's every single week now - not once have I seen it implemented on this route.
I asked the gate staff why, and they knew it wasn't right but said I should complain. I asked why I should complain when they've made an announcement and know that they should be making certain people wait when they approach. I was told they needed another member of staff to enforce it which is ridiculous. It's every single week now - not once have I seen it implemented on this route.
Sep 25, 2015, 9:12 am
#223
Join Date: Apr 2015
Programs: Some
Posts: 5,252
LHR-OSL on BA761 last week - CE and Gold called first and I witnessed two interlopers ahead of me being turned away, not sure what happened after that as was in CE and boarded before any other group was called. Thumbs up.
LHR-OSL on BA761 last week - CE and Gold called first, whilst I was boarding Silver/OWS also called, thumbs up again.
OSL-LHR on BA766 last week - CE and Gold called in an attempt at priority boarding, but only given in English for some time. The entire waiting flight surges towards the gate and no one is turned away, thumbs down.
OSL-LHR on BA769 this week - no attempt at priority boarding, instead 'we would now like to call boarding for flight BA769'. Fortunately, the flight was at most half full so there wasn't too much in the way of chaos.
All in all, a mixed bag.
LHR-OSL on BA761 last week - CE and Gold called first, whilst I was boarding Silver/OWS also called, thumbs up again.
OSL-LHR on BA766 last week - CE and Gold called in an attempt at priority boarding, but only given in English for some time. The entire waiting flight surges towards the gate and no one is turned away, thumbs down.
OSL-LHR on BA769 this week - no attempt at priority boarding, instead 'we would now like to call boarding for flight BA769'. Fortunately, the flight was at most half full so there wasn't too much in the way of chaos.
All in all, a mixed bag.
Sep 25, 2015, 9:53 am
#224
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 220
Once again the BA1334 LHR to NCL is a free for all. Announcement made for business UK, gold and emerald but bronze and silver boarded at the same time. Queue for miles with people on row 1 struggling for bag space.
I asked the gate staff why, and they knew it wasn't right but said I should complain. I asked why I should complain when they've made an announcement and know that they should be making certain people wait when they approach. I was told they needed another member of staff to enforce it which is ridiculous. It's every single week now - not once have I seen it implemented on this route.
I asked the gate staff why, and they knew it wasn't right but said I should complain. I asked why I should complain when they've made an announcement and know that they should be making certain people wait when they approach. I was told they needed another member of staff to enforce it which is ridiculous. It's every single week now - not once have I seen it implemented on this route.
Sep 25, 2015, 10:50 am
#225
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Bristol
Programs: BA GGL, UA Plat, DL Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,380
Also it would not be unreasonable for gate staff to assume, based on past experience, that management support would be sorely lacking if push came (perhaps literally) to shove.
If you're earning average wage or below, are you really going to put yourself at risk of abuse or even assault to operate a process which doesn't help you do your job any better ?
If you're earning average wage or below, are you really going to put yourself at risk of abuse or even assault to operate a process which doesn't help you do your job any better ?