Jan 9, 2018, 5:44 am
Last edit by: KARFA
Please use this thread for discussion, conjecture and speculation about the Group Boarding Process.
Experiences of the actual process in airports should be made in the dedicated thread:
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/brit...periences.html
Group Boarding Summary (courtesy chris1979)
NB. Customers with additional needs will be offered pre-boarding ahead of all the groups listed above.
Boarding priority for Executive Club Gold, Silver or Bronze Members or oneworld equivalents, will automatically be reflected in the group number given on their boarding pass. If they arrive after their group has been called, they can use the priority boarding lane to go through before the flight closes.
Please note that priority boarding will not be reflected for any other people travelling with an Executive Club Member on the same booking at the moment, but will be introduced in the coming months. In the meantime, the whole party can use the priority boarding lane and our staff will endeavour to board everyone together.
Pre-boarding
Families with small children
We invite families with infants under two and young children in pushchairs to board first, so that the whole family can settle in. Customers must arrive by the time specified on their boarding pass so that they are ready to board and we have enough time
to load their pushchair into the hold.
Customers requiring disability or mobility assistance
We will assist customers on to the aircraft ahead of other passengers so that they have time to settle in and get comfortable. Please contact us at least 48 hours before their flight so that we can make the necessary arrangements.
Experiences of the actual process in airports should be made in the dedicated thread:
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/brit...periences.html
Group Boarding Summary (courtesy chris1979)
NB. Customers with additional needs will be offered pre-boarding ahead of all the groups listed above.
Boarding priority for Executive Club Gold, Silver or Bronze Members or oneworld equivalents, will automatically be reflected in the group number given on their boarding pass. If they arrive after their group has been called, they can use the priority boarding lane to go through before the flight closes.
Please note that priority boarding will not be reflected for any other people travelling with an Executive Club Member on the same booking at the moment, but will be introduced in the coming months. In the meantime, the whole party can use the priority boarding lane and our staff will endeavour to board everyone together.
Pre-boarding
Families with small children
We invite families with infants under two and young children in pushchairs to board first, so that the whole family can settle in. Customers must arrive by the time specified on their boarding pass so that they are ready to board and we have enough time
to load their pushchair into the hold.
Customers requiring disability or mobility assistance
We will assist customers on to the aircraft ahead of other passengers so that they have time to settle in and get comfortable. Please contact us at least 48 hours before their flight so that we can make the necessary arrangements.
Boarding by group to be introduced [general discussion]
Nov 20, 2017, 12:11 pm
#271
Join Date: Mar 2005
Programs: BA Bronze, Hilton Gold, IHG Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 454
cayman4522 ... Will there be updated signage / use of the information screens to help support gate staff enforce the process?
AA's process works well because they use the information screens at the gate, to visually show who can board and who should wait. This helps avoid any accidental mistakes (e.g. not understanding English announcements), but also gives the gate staff something physical to point at, to help enforce the stage of the process and outline when they should come back to board. This is more effective than verbal only enforcement, which can lead to arguments and the gate staff relenting on process.
Maybe take some gate agents over to T3 and watch AA in action?
AA's process works well because they use the information screens at the gate, to visually show who can board and who should wait. This helps avoid any accidental mistakes (e.g. not understanding English announcements), but also gives the gate staff something physical to point at, to help enforce the stage of the process and outline when they should come back to board. This is more effective than verbal only enforcement, which can lead to arguments and the gate staff relenting on process.
Maybe take some gate agents over to T3 and watch AA in action?
Nov 20, 2017, 12:41 pm
#272
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2017
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 325
I'm sure someone will jump in and correct me if I'm wrong here, but isn't there a oneworld rule saying status passengers should be allowed to board in hierarchy order, not just Golds/plebs?
Nov 20, 2017, 1:00 pm
#273
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: YYC
Programs: BA bronze, Aeroplan peon
Posts: 4,746
Nov 20, 2017, 1:00 pm
#274
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 6,349
Doing LHR-INV recently there was the pre-departure text offering checked hang luggage as the flight was busy, there was then an prompt for this on the auto bag drop machine and the gate announcement for people to check it in return for priority boarding.
Seemed to to work well in the end without any drama on board.
However invite the question of whether those checking hand luggage will continue to be offered priority boarding in the new system?
This was on an A319 which already has some of the most dense seating. Cabin densification will make this harder to manage. Can’t help thinking that BA must be thinking about whether HBO fares are really worth all the hassle for the extra revenue.
Seemed to to work well in the end without any drama on board.
However invite the question of whether those checking hand luggage will continue to be offered priority boarding in the new system?
This was on an A319 which already has some of the most dense seating. Cabin densification will make this harder to manage. Can’t help thinking that BA must be thinking about whether HBO fares are really worth all the hassle for the extra revenue.
Seriously it isn't hard. You set hand baggage levels at a level that can be contained in the plane, and then enforce it. At that point priority boarding ceases to be an issue as there is room for everyone's baggage.
Where there is a will there is a way and all that. However it won't happen as with BA (and most airlines to be honest) the will isn't there. Staffing on the ground is agency staff who are paid peanuts and really don't give a stuff what happens inside the plane. Just keep that buck moving on down the line.
Nov 20, 2017, 1:24 pm
#275
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: JER
Programs: BA Gold/OWE, several MUCCI, and assorted Pensions!
Posts: 32,145
cayman4522 ... Will there be updated signage / use of the information screens to help support gate staff enforce the process?
AA's process works well because they use the information screens at the gate, to visually show who can board and who should wait. ...
Maybe take some gate agents over to T3 and watch AA in action?
AA's process works well because they use the information screens at the gate, to visually show who can board and who should wait. ...
Maybe take some gate agents over to T3 and watch AA in action?
And signage that is at least at shoulder height, so that people can see it through the throng ... stuff at knee level in small fonts, which is the BA norm, simply doesn't help.
That would be great. I often find it difficult to understand the announcements due to poor PA system quality and high ambient noise at the gate. If the screens could be linked to the process, so they could show "now boarding group 2" that would help. Sort of like taking a number at the grocery store deli - now serving #23 ...
Clear Communication is an essential component, along with robust Enforcement until the Great British Public get used to the idea. If Americans can cope, and comprehend, surely the British can?
Nov 20, 2017, 1:38 pm
#276
Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club, easyJet and Ryanair
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: UK/Las Vegas
Programs: BA Gold (GGL/CCR)
Posts: 15,926
MAN is one of the best stations for turning the aircraft around and boarding procedures are enforced. Only gate 141 poses difficulties, but that's due to an Airport/gate layout issue, not the airlines/handling agents fault. Perhaps you could elaborate as to what you found diabolical ?
Nov 20, 2017, 1:39 pm
#277
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 2,235
That would be great. I often find it difficult to understand the announcements due to poor PA system quality and high ambient noise at the gate. If the screens could be linked to the process, so they could show "now boarding group 2" that would help. Sort of like taking a number at the grocery store deli - now serving #23 ...
With regard to the screens, it needs to be ensured that the information displayed coincides with the announcements. I have more than once witnessed the confusion if there are discrepancies.
Nov 20, 2017, 1:45 pm
#278
Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club, easyJet and Ryanair
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: UK/Las Vegas
Programs: BA Gold (GGL/CCR)
Posts: 15,926
Good evening all
Many thanks for all your feedback, and I am pleased to hear that the general consensus is that it is worth a try and it should be an improvement
. The media have been all over it, saying the cheap tickets board last, but actually HBO fares can be expensive ! I will pass on all the comments about enforcement and agree this will be the key to it's success. Having said that, because of the simplicity of the announcements, and the customers being now told to remain seated (BA have never done this in the past) I am hopeful. ..
Many thanks for all your feedback, and I am pleased to hear that the general consensus is that it is worth a try and it should be an improvement
. The media have been all over it, saying the cheap tickets board last, but actually HBO fares can be expensive ! I will pass on all the comments about enforcement and agree this will be the key to it's success. Having said that, because of the simplicity of the announcements, and the customers being now told to remain seated (BA have never done this in the past) I am hopeful. ..Last edited by Tobias-UK; Nov 20, 2017 at 1:51 pm
Nov 20, 2017, 3:10 pm
#282
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 1,624
Nov 20, 2017, 4:53 pm
#283
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold; FB Silver; SPG; IHG Gold
Posts: 2,985
One big problem is the crowding at the gate, as well as announcing for people to remain seated (which they often do even now) an announcement needs to be made for everyone to move away from the boarding area until their group is called. I've been at T5 and heard the call for First Class to board but have been prevented from being able to board because the gate area is blocked by those waiting to be called. If passengers are not repeatedly told to keep a clear path to the boarding area then these changes are bound to fail and remain as ineffective as Fast Track boarding is today.
Nov 20, 2017, 4:58 pm
#284
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 2,676
Totally agree. I've experienced this a few times, and you really stand no chance. I do try and gently ease myself through the throng, but it's pretty pointless, and I'm not going to start shouting for people to move out of my way. To be fair, whilst the AA boarding process is praised, I've seen this exact problem on a recent AA flight. If the gate agents can't be arsed then the whole thing breaks down pretty quickly.
It's worse for me with BA because the way the gates are arranged means someone who reaches the front of the priority queue (when they shouldn't) can only be sent back through the zig-zag of the economy queue (which most don't want to do) so they stand to the side in the way of everyone. When someone is sent away from AA - they take one step to the left/right and three or four steps out of the other queue.
If BA switched to adopt the same kind of 'group 1' here, 'group 2' here etc arrangement that AC use (for example) - that works quite nicely from my experience of AC flights. Sure - queues form - but it's a queue for your group. So yes - there's a queue for group 3 and group 4 before group 1 has boarded, but it doesn't matter. And crucially - if you get in the wrong queue - you're going to the back of the queue you should have been in :-)
Nov 20, 2017, 7:52 pm
#285
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: VPS
Programs: IHG Diamond, Delta PM, Hilton Gold, Accor Gold, Marriott Silver
Posts: 7,266
Delta's pylon system works pretty well as long as you're in the elusive gate area that seems to have adequate room for all passengers on the flight. The problem comes in small gate areas. The first time I was part of the process was at a wee gate and, my queue ended up forming through the adjacent Hudson News, which was not terribly useful for either passengers trying not to take out a display area with bags or for the shop clerk trying to sell goods in an area now blocked by people who weren't interested in a last second purchase.
