New Boarding Process- has anyone noticed an improvement?
Oct 12, 2015, 12:07 am
#301
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: BHX
Programs: LH FF, BA Blue these days, Marriott Lifetime Platinum Elite, Hilton Diamond, Radisson VIP
Posts: 87
We're a (generally) well trained set of pax at BSL! There are separate holding 'bays' for Gold, Silver and Bronze but with so many people with status on the flight the queue extends well beyond the end of those bays leading to a bit of confusion and some generally light-hearted banter.
Oct 12, 2015, 2:14 am
#302
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: JER
Programs: BA Gold/OWE, several MUCCI, and assorted Pensions!
Posts: 32,146
It was a shambles boarding BA269 to LAX at the C gates today. The access points were jammed with passengers blocking the way before boarding started. They called First, Club and Gold cards and it was a struggle to get through. They then almost immediately called everyone else. No row numbers. Boarding 350-400 people onto a packed A380 really ought to be done with a little more order and decorum.
I will allow the fact that they didn't have a lot of space to work with, but that should have inspired a better form of 'crowd control' instead of an apparent 'hands off' attitude. Deeply disappointing.
Oct 12, 2015, 3:55 am
#303
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Here or there abouts...
Programs: BA LTG, Defender of the turnip.
Posts: 708
One comment I would make is that I've seen much the same behaviour when boarding internal US flights including on AA which is often held up as a good example of how this should be done! So I think there are limits to how much things can be improved.
Oct 12, 2015, 4:42 am
#304
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: BHX
Programs: BA GGL CCR GfL, SQ Gold, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond, Marriott Plat, Cafe Nero Loyalty Card (7 Stamps)
Posts: 7,330
Flew LHR-CDG a couple of weeks ago and priority was being enforced with military precision.
At least ten people in front of me were sent back into the terminal area (as in, sent completely out of the queue). Some people who clearly didn't speak great English were a little confused, but there were also a lot of huffers and puffers shuffling back down the line.
At least ten people in front of me were sent back into the terminal area (as in, sent completely out of the queue). Some people who clearly didn't speak great English were a little confused, but there were also a lot of huffers and puffers shuffling back down the line.
Oct 12, 2015, 7:58 am
#305
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: MSN
Programs: AA, BAEC Gold
Posts: 3,933
I have generally found AA pax pretty good but it probably depends on the physical layout and how many infrequent flyers are boarding.
Oct 12, 2015, 8:48 am
#306
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 4,029
Thursday, LHR-PMI - enforced perfectly, interlopers sent away from the queues, no yellow tag put on Mrs lem's handbag when she pointed out she was in an exit row seat.
Sunday, PMI-LCY - a shambles. Most second bags not yellow tagged, Club, Gold and OWE called first but everyone just got up and went to the gate where they were just let through without checking - including a very rude woman who actually pushed between Mrs Lem and I while we were handing over boarding passes and then tried using the emailed boarding pass (as PMI doesn't support mobile ones) without success, causing a big hold-up behind her
Sunday, PMI-LCY - a shambles. Most second bags not yellow tagged, Club, Gold and OWE called first but everyone just got up and went to the gate where they were just let through without checking - including a very rude woman who actually pushed between Mrs Lem and I while we were handing over boarding passes and then tried using the emailed boarding pass (as PMI doesn't support mobile ones) without success, causing a big hold-up behind her
Oct 12, 2015, 8:53 am
#307
Suspended
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 4,959
Oct 12, 2015, 8:57 am
#308
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,821
Sunday, PMI-LCY - a shambles. Most second bags not yellow tagged, Club, Gold and OWE called first but everyone just got up and went to the gate where they were just let through without checking - including a very rude woman who actually pushed between Mrs Lem and I while we were handing over boarding passes and then tried using the emailed boarding pass (as PMI doesn't support mobile ones) without success, causing a big hold-up behind her
Oct 12, 2015, 9:40 am
#309
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 4,029
Weird - I checked in using the app and it wouldn't let me download a boarding pass, said it was unavailable on that route
Oct 12, 2015, 10:25 am
#310
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,821
Well my boarding pass is still on the gadget - however it is PMI to LHR in CE, but I really can't see that being the difference (?). Android 3.10 d/b 4.9
Oct 12, 2015, 11:22 am
#311
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Here or there abouts...
Programs: BA LTG, Defender of the turnip.
Posts: 708
Oct 12, 2015, 11:55 am
#312
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Glasgow / London
Programs: BA GGL
Posts: 3,457
Oct 12, 2015, 12:23 pm
#313
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Surrey, UK
Programs: BA Gold, *A Gold, IHG Platinum
Posts: 654
Boarding a delayed flight from ARN on Saturday night, it was just the "all aboard" given out. Hence a whole load of gate lice who I suspect didn't have any status and were most definitely in Y stormed the gate and therefore a lot of the fast track who were already queuing lost out.
Oct 12, 2015, 1:33 pm
#315
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Seattle
Programs: BA GGL & LTG, EK Silver, HHonors Lifetime Diamond; Proudly Mucci Free - total nonsense
Posts: 862
another failure
LHR-AMS today. When boarding announced, they explicitly called out twice the process and said this is a new process please be aware.
3 silver card holders in front of me were laughing with each other and saying nobody checks this lets just board when fast track opens.
Sure enough, fast track opened and it was a free for all. The lady who made the announcement about the new process was the same person doing fast track boarding and let everyone board at the same time without enforcing.
BA should either enforce the process especially at their base, or else forget it and go back to previous approach. It's a complete parody at this point.
3 silver card holders in front of me were laughing with each other and saying nobody checks this lets just board when fast track opens.
Sure enough, fast track opened and it was a free for all. The lady who made the announcement about the new process was the same person doing fast track boarding and let everyone board at the same time without enforcing.
BA should either enforce the process especially at their base, or else forget it and go back to previous approach. It's a complete parody at this point.