Assistance check in
 

On a recent return flight in CE, bit peeved when patiently waiting at check in that a lady in a wheelchair travelling in ET was pushed to the front of our queue just in front of us. Why is that and not to the front of one of the 2 ET queues, as she was booked in that cabin bearing in mind CE is a premium product and smaller check in queue is a selling point? Understand of course she needs assistance and can't queue up but time taken to explain her woes and details of accident on holiday to agent was a hold up. Was this correct procedure? Thanks

Cutting those travelling in a wheelchair or having problems standing some slack?

PS: What if the passenger in question held status?

As I said yes cut them some slack but in their correct queue for their cabin booked?

We weren't the only people commenting.

I am reading the OP's post to say:
To me, it wasn't about not cutting slack for anyone in a wheelchair. It was a question on appropriate procedure in terms of picking the queue.

I think I know where the OP is coming from, and I say this as someone with a problem standing for an extended period due to a long-standing injury but not utilising airport assistance, and someone who tends to be in CE queue...

Exactly LTNPhobia, I saw her BP so knew she was ET, sticking my neck out too I would say she did not have status. So do they always choose the CE queue, if so I'll wind my neck in next time?

ET or CE wouldn't really matter.

She would have been a pre-boarder which trumps CE or ET able passengers waiting in the normal group boarding way. Cutting some slack and showing patience would have been wiser.

NOW realise that it is at the check in and not a boarding related issue. Sorry for me being thick. :-)

was this actually at check-in or at the gate?

Which airport was this at?

There's no way of knowing, given the lack of details. CE lines tend to move a little quicker than ET lines. The ET desks may have just called new passengers whereas the CE desk was nearly done and ready to call the wheelchair. The access to the front of the ET lines may have been obstructed by luggage standing around and waiting to be dropped off, making it easier and simpler to use the CE lines. Assistance staff is not clairvoyant and can predict that the passenger will talk endlessly to the check-in agent.

It certainly doesn't justify going mildly DYKWIA and peek on the wheelchair passenger's boarding pass to check travel class and status.

Unable to provide any insight on procedure, but to avoid talking at crossed purposes the OP referred to queues for checking in, not boarding

Ahhh Now I see that it is CHECK IN. No this is not normal. Normally, people wait their turn. Only, get to the front at boarding.

Yes I now realise my mistake. Well read.

As would reading what the OP said?

Nothing to do with group boarding I would suggest?

I agree on that count.

However, some airports seem to have their 'policy' (not sure about their official policy but based on consistent observation) of consistently bringing everyone with wheelchair assistance to the CE check-in queue, and that can actually have quite a bit of an effect on the queue if there are many people being brought to the front of the CE line when there is only one CE check-in desk.

In fact, often there are people in any queue who are less likely to be able to wait in the queue comfortably than someone in a wheelchair such as those who are frail etc., so the situation really needs to be looked a bit more holistically than a simple matter of "Cut some slack for those who are unfortunate enough to need a wheelchair" etc. As far as I can see, no-one is begrudging their right to be brought to the front of a line, but merely questioning the procedure of using the CE queue in particular in the OP's case.

As with what I have seen at certain airports, since it's unlikely that everyone in a wheelchair is in CE or have status, it seems a little strange to concentrate it on a single CE check-in desk when there are multiple lines to choose from.

While I may sound rather unsympathetic, I can assure you I'm not. I was told to expected to have been in a wheelchair by now, and I do face that prospect in not too distant a future even though I am still fully mobile. However, even from that point of view I do not think it would be procedurally right to consistently pick a single line rather than spreading the effects, particularly when the line consistently affected is a premium one, unless there is a good reason to do so such as the affected passenger in premium cabin or status, or using the premium check-in brings practical benefit to the assistance system or the passenger..