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
Jan 25, 2019, 3:04 am
#796
Join Date: Apr 2018
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 267
Before the call-out, there was a fairly orderly queue for Groups 1–3. Then they made the call and it seemed like everyone in the queue assumed that people in front of them were not group 1 and it was a total, chaotic scrum towards the boarding gates, not helped by the queue being on the right side and the gates being on the left side. I was probably around number 6 in the original queue, yet more than 20 people ended up boarding before me with no chance of me getting my bag anywhere near my seat.
And to make matters worse, the gate was changed from D34 to D41 ten minutes before the original boarding time…
Feb 17, 2019, 10:23 pm
#797
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 3,190
Feb 18, 2019, 11:45 pm
#798
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: London, ARN, HEL, ..... or MAN
Programs: BA GGL / GFL, Mucci Diamond!, HH Diamond, Radisson Premium, IHG Gold, Hertz Gold
Posts: 5,874
T5 to MAN this morning, the turnaround manager walked down the airbridge with the “Group 0” gate baggage checkers and ensured that they all left their bags at the right place to be put in the hold. Excellent work 👍
Feb 19, 2019, 1:59 am
#799
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold; FB Silver; SPG; IHG Gold
Posts: 2,981
They did that for BA717 on Sunday. What an utter disaster!
Before the call-out, there was a fairly orderly queue for Groups 1–3. Then they made the call and it seemed like everyone in the queue assumed that people in front of them were not group 1 and it was a total, chaotic scrum towards the boarding gates, not helped by the queue being on the right side and the gates being on the left side. I was probably around number 6 in the original queue, yet more than 20 people ended up boarding before me with no chance of me getting my bag anywhere near my seat.
And to make matters worse, the gate was changed from D34 to D41 ten minutes before the original boarding time…
Before the call-out, there was a fairly orderly queue for Groups 1–3. Then they made the call and it seemed like everyone in the queue assumed that people in front of them were not group 1 and it was a total, chaotic scrum towards the boarding gates, not helped by the queue being on the right side and the gates being on the left side. I was probably around number 6 in the original queue, yet more than 20 people ended up boarding before me with no chance of me getting my bag anywhere near my seat.
And to make matters worse, the gate was changed from D34 to D41 ten minutes before the original boarding time…
Mar 4, 2019, 11:23 am
#800
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: London, ARN, HEL, ..... or MAN
Programs: BA GGL / GFL, Mucci Diamond!, HH Diamond, Radisson Premium, IHG Gold, Hertz Gold
Posts: 5,874
Arrived at LHR T5 Gate 11 this evening with about 40 minutes before boarding. There was already a queue of 20 for Group 1, but no more queues for any other groups.
Made me wonder why.. Surely the Groups 4-5 are the only groups at significantly greater risk of not getting bag space, so even if you were a Group 1 and waited until every other passenger has boarded, there still shouldn't be a problem?
So, I tried it. I boarded at the end of Group 1 and easily found space for my bag where I wanted it.. experiment over
Made me wonder why.. Surely the Groups 4-5 are the only groups at significantly greater risk of not getting bag space, so even if you were a Group 1 and waited until every other passenger has boarded, there still shouldn't be a problem?
So, I tried it. I boarded at the end of Group 1 and easily found space for my bag where I wanted it.. experiment over
Mar 4, 2019, 11:51 am
#801
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Surrey, UK
Programs: BA Gold, *A Gold, IHG Platinum
Posts: 653
Arrived at LHR T5 Gate 11 this evening with about 40 minutes before boarding. There was already a queue of 20 for Group 1, but no more queues for any other groups.
Made me wonder why.. Surely the Groups 4-5 are the only groups at significantly greater risk of not getting bag space, so even if you were a Group 1 and waited until every other passenger has boarded, there still shouldn't be a problem?
So, I tried it. I boarded at the end of Group 1 and easily found space for my bag where I wanted it.. experiment over
Made me wonder why.. Surely the Groups 4-5 are the only groups at significantly greater risk of not getting bag space, so even if you were a Group 1 and waited until every other passenger has boarded, there still shouldn't be a problem?
So, I tried it. I boarded at the end of Group 1 and easily found space for my bag where I wanted it.. experiment over
Mar 4, 2019, 12:38 pm
#803
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: UK
Programs: BA Blue, IC Spire Ambassador
Posts: 5,227
1 March BA593 LIS-LHR
Boarding was marked as 1-3. The (automatic) call was “First class, business class, platinum, gold and silver”!
It was a bus anyway. I think one bus was a priority boarding bus. It all felt very Ryanair.
Boarding was marked as 1-3. The (automatic) call was “First class, business class, platinum, gold and silver”!
It was a bus anyway. I think one bus was a priority boarding bus. It all felt very Ryanair.
Mar 6, 2019, 12:28 pm
#804
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: London/Glasgow
Programs: BAEC Silver (lapsed HNL Gold), Avis Preferred, IHG Diamond Amb, Hilton Plat, Marriot Plat
Posts: 351
AMS last Wednesday, an absolute scrum. A full A321 and a tight gate area that really needed pre-boarding policing.
CPH last night, premium gate-entry, then a scrum to get through the door.
Both cases were possible to enforce but staff didn't do it.
CPH last night, premium gate-entry, then a scrum to get through the door.
Both cases were possible to enforce but staff didn't do it.
Mar 7, 2019, 6:13 am
#805
Join Date: Apr 2018
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 267
Last time I was there (on the 25th February) they even called out group 1 separately.
Mar 7, 2019, 6:36 am
#806
Join Date: Sep 2013
Programs: BAEC Gold, EK Skywards (enhanced Blue !), Oman Air Sindbad Gold
Posts: 6,395
It really isn’t difficult to call out individual groups by ascending number - but to wait until each group has filtered past the gate before calling the next. It’s the whole point of creating separate groups in the first place. If the correct process were applied consistently, then people would (eventually) get the message.
But yes ..... I can understand why you report it with an implied sense of surprise !
Mar 7, 2019, 12:35 pm
#807
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: London/Glasgow
Programs: BAEC Silver (lapsed HNL Gold), Avis Preferred, IHG Diamond Amb, Hilton Plat, Marriot Plat
Posts: 351
Unfortunately not this time. Announcement for Group 1, at which point the 40-odd folk gathered around the door and between the seats made a dash for it. No checks at the doors. I wasn't especially fussed, but on a busy flight the overhead situation would be concerning. And it wasn't 40 Golds given the 5 Blue app icons I saw, all of whom took the stairs to enter at the rear door so weren't in CE.
Mar 20, 2019, 12:20 pm
#808
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 304
MIA-LHR BA208 yesterday.
A380 - full - so plenty of people.
Before boarding even began, the roped off area for group 1-3 was jammed with passengers.
When group 1 boarding was called, had to find my way through the crowd in the roped off queue passage to be able to get on board. "Excuse me, excuse me...." People just standing in the queue leaving no room for anyone to pass.
I had a friend behind me in group 2. He told me later that they forgot to call group 2, went from group 1 to 3. And that's when everyone tried to board!!
Pointless exercise.
A380 - full - so plenty of people.
Before boarding even began, the roped off area for group 1-3 was jammed with passengers.
When group 1 boarding was called, had to find my way through the crowd in the roped off queue passage to be able to get on board. "Excuse me, excuse me...." People just standing in the queue leaving no room for anyone to pass.
I had a friend behind me in group 2. He told me later that they forgot to call group 2, went from group 1 to 3. And that's when everyone tried to board!!
Pointless exercise.
Aug 10, 2019, 9:45 am
#809
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: The North
Posts: 1,844
DYKWIA vs British disapproval
BA781 ARN-HEL just now. Orderly queues formed for group1, groups 2/3, and groups 4/5 by T-15.
Chap cuts across the middle of Groups 2/3 queue and says somewhat loudly (not sure if this is to a companion or no one in particular) something like “it doesn’t look like they’re using the groups” (?!)
British woman who had been cut in front of “I think you’ll find they are”. Cue a polite but somewhat passive-aggressive discussion with him assuring that he’ll just let people go past and her being sceptical but terribly British about it.
In fairness he was true to his word, but... needless drama?!
Chap cuts across the middle of Groups 2/3 queue and says somewhat loudly (not sure if this is to a companion or no one in particular) something like “it doesn’t look like they’re using the groups” (?!)
British woman who had been cut in front of “I think you’ll find they are”. Cue a polite but somewhat passive-aggressive discussion with him assuring that he’ll just let people go past and her being sceptical but terribly British about it.
In fairness he was true to his word, but... needless drama?!
Aug 10, 2019, 10:30 am
#810
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: JER
Programs: BA Gold/OWE, several MUCCI, and assorted Pensions!
Posts: 32,140
LGW remains useless as ever. Whether l/h or s/h, the desks are generally at the entrance to the holding pen. The only subsequent control of Groups is via almost inaudible announcements from those remote desks (to which the staff are presumably glued).
That’s from 2 trips so far this year (1 s/h and 1 l/h, both also with connections back to JER of course), with the same every time. Same with all of last year’s flights ex-LGW. They simply do NOT arrange for, or police, Priority Boarding ... they just trust pax to be obedient (if the pax can actually hear the announcements).
That’s from 2 trips so far this year (1 s/h and 1 l/h, both also with connections back to JER of course), with the same every time. Same with all of last year’s flights ex-LGW. They simply do NOT arrange for, or police, Priority Boarding ... they just trust pax to be obedient (if the pax can actually hear the announcements).