Jan 9, 2018, 5:46 am
Last edit by: Genius1
Please use this thread to document experiences of the new Group Boarding process in airports. I think it's well known how the previous boarding system works, so just the new process please, so that other travellers can gauge its effectiveness.
For discussion, conjecture and speculation about the scheme, please use this thread: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/british-airways-executive-club/1878043-boarding-group-introduced-general-discussion.html
For discussion, conjecture and speculation about the scheme, please use this thread: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/british-airways-executive-club/1878043-boarding-group-introduced-general-discussion.html
Group Boarding 2018 - first hand experiences
Aug 16, 2018, 10:42 am
#766
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: Brighton UK
Programs: BAEC-Silver, AMEX-BA Prem' Plus & Standard, Accor Gold, HH-Silver, IHG,IBIS On Business
Posts: 955
LGW-FCO 9TH Aug
Gate 12
Only two lanes out but then this came across the tannoy. Families with children and PRM boarded 1st, then G1 & 2 ( covering Gold-Bronze on short haul). Decided to wait a little just to see and indeed 5 people sent away at the end of the lane. The following was announced when they said they were about to start boarding.
"Please note we will be boarding strictly by boarding group numbers. Please do not approach the lanes if your group has not been called as you will be asked to take a seat again" - I actually stopped to thank her for being so proactive and enforcing the rules.
FCO-LGW 13TH Aug
Gate E14
2 LANES: 1 snaking line and 1 ( straight line) priority lane. Announcement made about boarding groups but simply that they existed nothing more. Families with young children and PRM 1st however in this case one extended family unit of 12 all allowed to board at once with children I'd guestimate to be between 14-18 and one old lady who I guess was the PRM. Boarded straight away after seeing that level of control so unsure on enforcement levels.
@Sealink maybe agent was on a summer job and was studying history so wanted to know about said archaic device
Gate 12
Only two lanes out but then this came across the tannoy. Families with children and PRM boarded 1st, then G1 & 2 ( covering Gold-Bronze on short haul). Decided to wait a little just to see and indeed 5 people sent away at the end of the lane. The following was announced when they said they were about to start boarding.
"Please note we will be boarding strictly by boarding group numbers. Please do not approach the lanes if your group has not been called as you will be asked to take a seat again" - I actually stopped to thank her for being so proactive and enforcing the rules.
FCO-LGW 13TH Aug
Gate E14
2 LANES: 1 snaking line and 1 ( straight line) priority lane. Announcement made about boarding groups but simply that they existed nothing more. Families with young children and PRM 1st however in this case one extended family unit of 12 all allowed to board at once with children I'd guestimate to be between 14-18 and one old lady who I guess was the PRM. Boarded straight away after seeing that level of control so unsure on enforcement levels.
@Sealink maybe agent was on a summer job and was studying history so wanted to know about said archaic device
Aug 16, 2018, 12:21 pm
#767
Join Date: Apr 2017
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 1,387
Total shambles returning from Nantes last week. The gate staff clearly didn't understand the system at all.
There was a tannoy announcement saying that families and priority passengers (no group numbers mentioned at all) would board first, followed by Group 4. All most people heard was something about Group 4.
Predictable result: a free-for-all.
There was a tannoy announcement saying that families and priority passengers (no group numbers mentioned at all) would board first, followed by Group 4. All most people heard was something about Group 4.
Predictable result: a free-for-all.
Aug 16, 2018, 5:21 pm
#768
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Cheddar
Programs: TG *G 20 years
Posts: 407
EDI-LHR last night. Gate 10. One combined line for Groups 1,2 and 3 - about 32 passengers in a narrow lane hemmed in by tensa barriers. Another for groups 4 and 5. Group 1 called and the Group 1 passengers tried to move forward but were defeated. Groups 2 and 3 then called. I suspect that Group 1 people would arrive only just in time for boarding so such arrangements would negate any potential priority.
Aug 17, 2018, 2:48 am
#769
Join Date: May 2018
Programs: BA Executive Blue
Posts: 140
Recent experience at STR: Ground staff were looking at BPs and directing people to the left if 1-3 or right if 4 and 5. The gate BA usually uses there is, essentially, two gates (343 and 344), each having a door leading down the same jetty. Opened the door for 1-3 first and once they were boarded they opened the other door for the rest of the passengers, as the majority of this flight was group 4+5 that became a free for all.
Sep 16, 2018, 10:44 am
#770
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 1,683
BA2708 LGW BCN Friday 14 Sept. Flight delayed by around 20 minutes. Boarding passes checked to allow access to a waiting area. Then boarding announcement along the lines of the flight is now ready for boarding please make your way onto the plane. One big rush for the jetway from all waiting.
BA2707 BCN LGW Sunday 16th Sept. 3 muddled queues, uncertain what was what as the signage was poor and the queues confused. Announcement went something like we board by group number, and now I’d like to invite our premium passengers to board. Completely illogical, by group, premium passengers. I watched around 60 people board whilst the 2 main queues, I think 3 and 4/5 waited.
I don’t much care how they do it, but I do dislike this pretence that they board by group and care about it.
BA2707 BCN LGW Sunday 16th Sept. 3 muddled queues, uncertain what was what as the signage was poor and the queues confused. Announcement went something like we board by group number, and now I’d like to invite our premium passengers to board. Completely illogical, by group, premium passengers. I watched around 60 people board whilst the 2 main queues, I think 3 and 4/5 waited.
I don’t much care how they do it, but I do dislike this pretence that they board by group and care about it.
Oct 14, 2018, 7:39 am
#771
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: North East - UK
Programs: Exec Club - Gold, HH - Diamond, Club Carlson - Gold, IHG - Spire
Posts: 39
Is there any updates on how it'll reflect within groups?
I wonder how well this is being handled in practise, quoting from the main priority boarding wiki.
"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."
I have a party of 6 flying a domestic connection onto a euro traveller fare with a 1 night stopover in London on the outbound. We have one gold member, one silver and 4 blues. Any guesses as to how the priority boarding groups will be allocated for my travelling party? I only really travel with a +1 at most!
Not the best number to have either for lounge access, although 2 will be in the priority pass lounge, 2 in the club galleries and 2 in the first galleries! I can use the first class check in at T5, however i assume 4 will have to use the standard security lanes.
I wonder how well this is being handled in practise, quoting from the main priority boarding wiki.
"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."
I have a party of 6 flying a domestic connection onto a euro traveller fare with a 1 night stopover in London on the outbound. We have one gold member, one silver and 4 blues. Any guesses as to how the priority boarding groups will be allocated for my travelling party? I only really travel with a +1 at most!
Not the best number to have either for lounge access, although 2 will be in the priority pass lounge, 2 in the club galleries and 2 in the first galleries! I can use the first class check in at T5, however i assume 4 will have to use the standard security lanes.
Nov 6, 2018, 12:25 pm
#772
Join Date: Jul 2013
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, Hilton Diamond *, IHG, Couples Romance Rewards
Posts: 2,351
Now the IT system has been fixed so passengers on the same PNR no matter their status now all get the group number of the highest ranked passenger I wonder if the group boarding process will be tightened up to prevent anyone who is not in the right group from boarding...
Nov 6, 2018, 12:47 pm
#773
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: UK
Programs: BA GGL, BA LTG/GFL, Honors Diamond, Accor Platinum, Bonvoy Silver
Posts: 718
My Latest experience:
T5A, Gate A15, domestic flight. A Tensa barrier closed off the entrance to all lanes, so everyone was stood/seated around the A15/A16 area outside of the lanes. A call of “it’s a busy flight, please check your bags for free and pre-board” was made.
Then, no children under 2, no mobility restricted persons calls were made. “Boarding is now open.” The entrance to the lanes was then opened but all lanes permitted through BP scanners at once. Predictable scrum. Flight then departed late.
I made a polite .com complaint that the investment in group boarding IT and boarding lanes, was nullified if gate agents chose not to use the group system, it slowed boarding and resulted in a delayed departure. I received a call apologising and stating that the gate team would receive appropriate retraining.
Whether that retraining has any basis in reality, who knows, but if the company has spent cash on the group boarding system, why not use it. Maybe the gate agents have authority to say “it would be slower” so we chose not to.
T5A, Gate A15, domestic flight. A Tensa barrier closed off the entrance to all lanes, so everyone was stood/seated around the A15/A16 area outside of the lanes. A call of “it’s a busy flight, please check your bags for free and pre-board” was made.
Then, no children under 2, no mobility restricted persons calls were made. “Boarding is now open.” The entrance to the lanes was then opened but all lanes permitted through BP scanners at once. Predictable scrum. Flight then departed late.
I made a polite .com complaint that the investment in group boarding IT and boarding lanes, was nullified if gate agents chose not to use the group system, it slowed boarding and resulted in a delayed departure. I received a call apologising and stating that the gate team would receive appropriate retraining.
Whether that retraining has any basis in reality, who knows, but if the company has spent cash on the group boarding system, why not use it. Maybe the gate agents have authority to say “it would be slower” so we chose not to.
Nov 16, 2018, 7:48 am
#774
Join Date: Nov 2017
Programs: BA, Hilton
Posts: 2,091
Now the IT system has been fixed so passengers on the same PNR no matter their status now all get the group number of the highest ranked passenger I wonder if the group boarding process will be tightened up to prevent anyone who is not in the right group from boarding...
I had done a TCP and made a seat request via the Gold line, but I was surprised to see him inherit my group as well. Nice touch by BA if this is deliberate rather than their legendary IT...
Nov 16, 2018, 8:00 am
#775
Join Date: Jul 2013
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, Hilton Diamond *, IHG, Couples Romance Rewards
Posts: 2,351
I dont know if this has been observed before, but I noticed that when travelling with a friend (Blue) on different bookings, he had been given Group 1 status. (ET/WTP class)
I had done a TCP and made a seat request via the Gold line, but I was surprised to see him inherit my group as well. Nice touch by BA if this is deliberate rather than their legendary IT...
I had done a TCP and made a seat request via the Gold line, but I was surprised to see him inherit my group as well. Nice touch by BA if this is deliberate rather than their legendary IT...
Nov 16, 2018, 8:15 am
#776
Community Director
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Norwich, UK
Programs: A3*G, BA Gold, BD Gold (in memoriam), IHG Diamond Ambassador
Posts: 8,477
I dont know if this has been observed before, but I noticed that when travelling with a friend (Blue) on different bookings, he had been given Group 1 status. (ET/WTP class)
I had done a TCP and made a seat request via the Gold line, but I was surprised to see him inherit my group as well. Nice touch by BA if this is deliberate rather than their legendary IT...
I had done a TCP and made a seat request via the Gold line, but I was surprised to see him inherit my group as well. Nice touch by BA if this is deliberate rather than their legendary IT...
Nov 16, 2018, 8:45 am
#777
Join Date: May 2016
Location: London WC1
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 437
Now the IT system has been fixed so passengers on the same PNR no matter their status now all get the group number of the highest ranked passenger I wonder if the group boarding process will be tightened up to prevent anyone who is not in the right group from boarding...
Nov 16, 2018, 10:42 am
#778
Join Date: Jul 2013
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, Hilton Diamond *, IHG, Couples Romance Rewards
Posts: 2,351
As you are gold you can phone up to get her ticket TCP'd with yours and it looks from a previous post like the group she gets will be the same as yours...
Nov 22, 2018, 8:29 am
#779
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Lincolnshire, UK
Programs: BA GGL - maybe only briefly!
Posts: 1,378
Just had this happen to us, gold and silver but booked by me in economy, and we both have Gp1 BPs. Is this a new initiative, or was it the intention when group boarding was introduced but the IT has only just caught up? BA website still talks about different groups within one booking.
Dec 11, 2018, 11:01 am
#780
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Frozen north
Programs: BAEC Silver, HiltonH
Posts: 49
Travelled to Rome last week with a group of friends on the new LCY>FCO>LCY route and was quite impressed with the boarding experience at FCO..
At FCO, although Group 2 on my boarding pass, I waited to board with the only member of our group who was in Group 4 so I got to see the process.
There was one Priority Lane marked out at the right hand side of the gate and a General Boarding "snaking" line marked out with tensa barriers on the left.
The gate area was pretty spacious so most of the passengers were seated, except for one gentleman who stood at the front of the general boarding tensa line. As the flight was delayed by 20 minutes he stood for quite a while.
The announcements about boarding appeared to be pre-recorded and I was amazed at how clear these were and at a volume sufficiently loud to be heard above the general background noise. I am not sure how feasible it would be to do the same elsewhere as it was so much easier to understand what was going on. The recorded announcement to call Group 1 was made first and a few people went through the priority lane on the right. Group 2 and 3 were then called and the rest of my colleagues boarded. By this time, the general boarding queue had built up, however, my friend and I waited until most of them had gone through before we joined the end of the queue.
This was my first visit to Rome and overall I was pretty impressed with FCO. Through security and passport control at departure in less than 5 minutes, and clear, organised boarding. Amazing.
At FCO, although Group 2 on my boarding pass, I waited to board with the only member of our group who was in Group 4 so I got to see the process.
There was one Priority Lane marked out at the right hand side of the gate and a General Boarding "snaking" line marked out with tensa barriers on the left.
The gate area was pretty spacious so most of the passengers were seated, except for one gentleman who stood at the front of the general boarding tensa line. As the flight was delayed by 20 minutes he stood for quite a while.
The announcements about boarding appeared to be pre-recorded and I was amazed at how clear these were and at a volume sufficiently loud to be heard above the general background noise. I am not sure how feasible it would be to do the same elsewhere as it was so much easier to understand what was going on. The recorded announcement to call Group 1 was made first and a few people went through the priority lane on the right. Group 2 and 3 were then called and the rest of my colleagues boarded. By this time, the general boarding queue had built up, however, my friend and I waited until most of them had gone through before we joined the end of the queue.
This was my first visit to Rome and overall I was pretty impressed with FCO. Through security and passport control at departure in less than 5 minutes, and clear, organised boarding. Amazing.