PoincianaKings

Having flown AA domestically in the US recently for the first time in ages I was impressed with how well managed the system was.

It was so very clear- no crowding around the entry to the air bridge, everyone was just sat waiting and as the relevant boarding group or status was called the correct people got up. This happened on all of my flights on that trip.
I do wonder if the AA policy of printing a boarding group in the boarding pass assists. It wouldn't be too hard for BA to do this- group one could be rows 20 plus, group two rows 15-20 and so on. Clearly CE and status passengers, as on AA, would board according to status ahead of the group boarding.
The printing of groups on the boarding pass would make it easier for staff to manage. I know it may seem rather LCC like for European carriers but given the comments in this thread some tweaks need to be made to the current arrangement.

CKBA

Indeed - boarding by Group seems to work pretty well - and the one that SouthWest uses where you board according to when you checked in (although they don't have seat reservations - generally).

At TLS this morning the 'ordinary' passengers (as often) got in the way of the 'premium' passengers - with some trying to board at the same time (and being turned away).

hbtr

The boarding by group probably helps some, but I must say that for many flights I see plenty of crowding in the U.S. when AA flights are about to board. Seems particularly noticeable at certain hub airports.

T8191

Having just completed a trip with BA and AA/US, I found it worked pretty well everywhere (JER, LHR, LGW, DUB, CLT and SAV). I agree completely with the "Boarding Group" concept, which always worked well for us (Premium cabins, OWE status).

My only complaint [and it may be partly due to my slightly deficient hearing] is that the majority of announcements by Gate staff are almost inaudible. Poor microphone technique, talking too fast and lousy loudspeakers are all a factor here. If people [especially the inexperienced] can't hear what's being said clearly, it's no wonder there tends to be a surge towards the gate when announcements start being made. ... although, as noted up-thread, this seems less of a problem in the USA.

littlefish

So far, so good for the updated BA 'system'. Certainly ex-LHR its worked nicely. From outstations its been a bit variable but a net improvement (eg. VIE just don't do consistent boarding ... though I do tend to find myself one of the first 30 or so to board).

Agree with T8191 on the AA/US system.
Oddly, I find it breaks down on long-haul (and sometimes the 3-class t'cons). The domestic regulars get all confused by the 'F' only call, and thus when the Biz/Emerald group is announced (mumbled poorly) there is an unholy scrum and Sapphires, Rubys, Bank super-plutonium's, ACME credit card holders and the like in Group 2 need fishing out.
Indeed at LHR T3 AA are 0 for 2 in my experience this year in even announcing Emeralds. At DUB, they get it right .

jjgau

This week I flew from LHR to ARN and back on BA. In T5 there was a sign about the new baggage size and there was an announcement on how the new process should work. There were two counters letting people in, one of them (the announcer) did as she announced and made sure silvers/bronzes stayed waiting before club/gold while the other employee just let everyone through.

In ARN it was even worse. I missed the announcement, but everyone was let through on both 'club' and regular queues. People were also bringing multiple bags, some with all of them oversized and not putting them under their seat as needed. Because of this, about 10 people had to check in their luggage and the flight wasn't even full! Horrible control from BA


It seems they've stopped handing those yellow tags for bags to go under your seat with the new process, so people just stuff everything in the overhead lockers. Something about not following clear processes (BA side, customers probably didn't know) that makes me tick

Xordan

Experienced the new boarding process BUD-LHR last week, which only half worked - they called everyone in to queues about 15min before boarding started, so we had the entire plane standing up for no reason for a while. Actual boarding was smooth and cabin baggage restrictions were enforced.

Nothing was done LHR-BUD - one guy's hand luggage was so big he had to break the overhead locker to get it out again (the door came off entirely)!

Physci

No new boarding process for BA2773 JER to LGW today. After pre-boarding, announcement was for a CE, and BAEC Gold, Silver and Bronze members .....

Mind you we were 45 mins late so the ground crew may have been just trying to get everyone on board as fast as possible.

Flexible preferences

You have a point here, I've noticed this too.

rpjs

BA1399 MAN-LHR Sat Sep 21: wheelchair users proactively brought forward to the gate and pre-boarded, then priority boarding called for BAEC gold/silver/bronze and Oneworld equivs, no mention of Business UK. Very proactive bag tagging at both bag-drop/check-in and checking pax waiting at gate well ahead of boarding.

BA0181 LHR-JFK Sat Sep 21: F/CW and gold/OWE called first, then silver/OWS and finally bronze/OWR invited to use fast track lane as general boarding began by rows in normal lane. No bag tagging of any kind in evidence.

binman

At DUS tonight there was no priority boarding at all. My self and a family of 4 waited in a lengthy single queue. I asked at the boarding point and was told there had been a call but I certainly never heard it. My flight on Saturday from LHR was rigorously enforced and worked well.

T8191

JER boarding has been a mess for over a year or two, ever since they stopped using Stand 3 (with boarding from the Lounge). It is simply scribble these days from Stabd 2, with 'premium pax' ending up standing on the aircraft steps at 1L for 5 minutes, having been fed into the middle of general boarding (must be lovely when its raining, we've been lucky).

Once upon a time ... ET boarded at 2L, and CE/status were called to board at 1L once the majority had gone to the ramp. Now we get any variation on tbe theme, usually with everyone using 1L and with no attempt to prioritise CE/status at all.

I don't think anyone here has a clue about what they're supposed to be doing, TBH. I would be grateful if someone at BA would grip this one ... it's a complete joke, and has been for far too long.

Richmond_Surrey

I don't believe I experienced new rules, but I experienced usual chaos from Heathrow, Oslo, Seattle and some other places.

AA and Delta are handling boarding quite well, they also very punctual and know what priority sticker on baggage means.

I decided to rethink my flying patterns and try other airlines because I'm fed up with chaos and poor hard product in business.

FlyerTalker6245

Glasgow have given up on new boarding procedures, it seems after a promising start and new signage.

London Heathrow T3 on Saturday, tannoy broken and just a single call for Gold/Silver/Bronze/Emerald/Sapphire/Ruby.

Deckard

Flew back from DUB today and a member of ground staff asked me to check my bag in the gauge behind the boarding desks before boarding had even started. My bag fitted fine as I expected but not wishing to DYKWIA her I just complied.

As I returned from the "walk of shame" we asked where we should be queueing. As GCHs we were advised to queue by the window. (This intersects the "priority line" at the beginning). We complied and when boarding was called (Club Europe/ Au/Ag/Br and OW equivalents all at the same time) we merged into the heaving masses.

Someone came steaming from the back of the main queue to berate us for not joining the back of the main queue despite our simply complying with ground staff instructions. Apparently we considered ourselves special, didn't understand queues etc etc. Said gentleman continued with his declamations as we stood on the airbridge waiting to board.

All in all a thoroughly unpleasant experience and to top it all we were somehow nearly 90 minutes late arriving at LHR. The captain was positively grovelling apologies and made sure he was visible at disembarkation...