Does BA manage to achieve Priority Boarding at KUL?
Mar 2, 2019, 6:01 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2009
Location: UK
Programs: BA GGL For Life: Hilton Diamond: IHG Platinum
Posts: 263
Does BA manage to achieve Priority Boarding at KUL?
I fly through here 3 / 4 times a year - currently on last leg of a MEL - KUL- PVG - KUL - PVG in J - and the utter chaos at the security screening at each individual gate never ceases to amaze me.
At least on every MH flight I have taken there is NO Business or Prority Boarding.
Coupled with the fact that they have the body scanners set so ludicrously "sensitive" that 95% of passengers require a secondary pat down makes for a VERY tedious experience.
I am flying out of here on BA for the first time ever in a few months and wondered if they manage to enforce Priority Boarding for J class or Gold?
We all know that this can be achieved even when screening is done the gate as is the case at SIN....
At least on every MH flight I have taken there is NO Business or Prority Boarding.
Coupled with the fact that they have the body scanners set so ludicrously "sensitive" that 95% of passengers require a secondary pat down makes for a VERY tedious experience.
I am flying out of here on BA for the first time ever in a few months and wondered if they manage to enforce Priority Boarding for J class or Gold?
We all know that this can be achieved even when screening is done the gate as is the case at SIN....
Mar 2, 2019, 7:45 pm
#3
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 1,674
I fly through here 3 / 4 times a year - currently on last leg of a MEL - KUL- PVG - KUL - PVG in J - and the utter chaos at the security screening at each individual gate never ceases to amaze me.
At least on every MH flight I have taken there is NO Business or Prority Boarding.
Coupled with the fact that they have the body scanners set so ludicrously "sensitive" that 95% of passengers require a secondary pat down makes for a VERY tedious experience.
I am flying out of here on BA for the first time ever in a few months and wondered if they manage to enforce Priority Boarding for J class or Gold?
We all know that this can be achieved even when screening is done the gate as is the case at SIN....
At least on every MH flight I have taken there is NO Business or Prority Boarding.
Coupled with the fact that they have the body scanners set so ludicrously "sensitive" that 95% of passengers require a secondary pat down makes for a VERY tedious experience.
I am flying out of here on BA for the first time ever in a few months and wondered if they manage to enforce Priority Boarding for J class or Gold?
We all know that this can be achieved even when screening is done the gate as is the case at SIN....
It's probably just bad luck for you and good luck for me
Mar 2, 2019, 8:40 pm
#4
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 2,573
Not sure if BA gate varies but the last time I took the flight the entrance to the jetbridge was right by the security exit / BP scanner (with the seats beyond) . This made managing the boarding very difficult as people were clearing security directly into the queue and it was easier to just let them board ! Though the premium heavy config 787-9 means there aren't as many passengers as say an ex-SIN flight, so not a big deal
Mar 2, 2019, 11:21 pm
#5
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: London
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 2,644
The last time I flew KUL-LHR I got to the gate fairly late, and there was no queue for security. Nearly everyone was already in the holding area as the screens had been saying "boarding" for at least 15 minutes. Group 1 started boarding a few minutes after I arrived.
I would say don't turn up early for boarding. It's max 5 min walk from the MH lounge to the gate.
I would say don't turn up early for boarding. It's max 5 min walk from the MH lounge to the gate.
Mar 2, 2019, 11:52 pm
#6
Join Date: Jan 2017
Programs: BA SL, CX GR, IHG Plat Amb
Posts: 576
Had some experience with MH J departing at KUL. I think the problem is not about boarding by groups, but the lack of designated gate for premium pax. When premium pax / status holders arrive after the general crowd started boarding, that’s the time for chaos.
Mar 3, 2019, 12:57 am
#7
Join Date: Feb 2014
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 263
There is little point in my view getting to the gate early in KUL. Once through the security point it is just a holding area. I tend to leave the lounge about 25 mins before departure and it typically means that I can just walk straight onto the plane after going through security.
Mar 3, 2019, 1:42 am
#8
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BKK
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Posts: 3,691
I agree with the previous posters that you should just leave it to the last minute at KUL. Spend more time in the lounge and be able to walk straight into the plane.
My last flight in MH F saw us and J class being told (actually barked at!) to wait until Y has boarded, so anything can happen in KUL..
My last flight in MH F saw us and J class being told (actually barked at!) to wait until Y has boarded, so anything can happen in KUL..
Mar 3, 2019, 1:55 am
#9
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
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And the reason for waiting is that the sticky bit is security, not boarding. If you are determined to exercise your group 1 privilege then that will come at the likely cost of a potentially long but avoidable wait in the security line. BA always leaves from the Satellite and the shopping experience there isn't amazing, so people drift to the gate well ahead of departure time. Leaving it to 25 or 30 minutes should mean most people are through security, even if boarding hasn't started.
Mar 3, 2019, 2:53 am
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2009
Location: UK
Programs: BA GGL For Life: Hilton Diamond: IHG Platinum
Posts: 263
Thanks for al the replies and happy to take them all on board.
The title of my original post was poorly chosen as my "gripe" is with the at gate SECURITY SCREENING rather than priority boarding so apologies if I gave anyone a "bum steer"
It's the shambles at the security screening that I was hoping to be better managed by BA than MH, hence my comparison to SIN T1 where although security screening also takes place at the gate there is at least a priority line which (more or less) feeds into its own scanner line.
i've never seen that on MH at KUL and today with just ONE security scanner being used for a full A330 it was a tedious process exacerbated by the "sensitivity" setting of the walk through scanner which I referred to in my original post (which I have rarely encountered elsewhere)
Anyhow I'll see how it goes in a few months on BA and had already resolved to follow the advice given by many here to rock up 25 mins or so and have a clear run Into the pointy (ish) end.
Do think it's a ludicrous system for security screening which even if there is some (unbeknownst to me) valid reason for could be managed a bit better.
But I'm over it now. 😀
The title of my original post was poorly chosen as my "gripe" is with the at gate SECURITY SCREENING rather than priority boarding so apologies if I gave anyone a "bum steer"
It's the shambles at the security screening that I was hoping to be better managed by BA than MH, hence my comparison to SIN T1 where although security screening also takes place at the gate there is at least a priority line which (more or less) feeds into its own scanner line.
i've never seen that on MH at KUL and today with just ONE security scanner being used for a full A330 it was a tedious process exacerbated by the "sensitivity" setting of the walk through scanner which I referred to in my original post (which I have rarely encountered elsewhere)
Anyhow I'll see how it goes in a few months on BA and had already resolved to follow the advice given by many here to rock up 25 mins or so and have a clear run Into the pointy (ish) end.
Do think it's a ludicrous system for security screening which even if there is some (unbeknownst to me) valid reason for could be managed a bit better.
But I'm over it now. 😀
Mar 3, 2019, 4:19 am
#11
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Beijing
Programs: SK EBG, BAEC Gold
Posts: 932
Gate security screening at KUL can indeed be a right royal pain in parts unmentionable ...
My particular bug-bear is that for some flights at the main terminal they can have just one security channel open for two flights (feeding into different holding areas after security on the left and right sides).
This means that taking the very sensible approach of leaving the lounge as late as possible you can find yourself at the end of long queue for the gate security, when most people (but not all - some like you are caught up in the mixed queue) are there for the later flight. Never missed a flight because of this yet, but had a few stressful moments. Eventually an MH employee comes to check for late arrivals in the queue, but in my experience only well after the posted "20 minute before departure" time.
Never seen this though at the main terminal, happily not relevant I think for the BA flight.
For what it is worth I reckon I set off the secondary check light about 75% of the time at KUL. Inside China it is 100% of the time!
My particular bug-bear is that for some flights at the main terminal they can have just one security channel open for two flights (feeding into different holding areas after security on the left and right sides).
This means that taking the very sensible approach of leaving the lounge as late as possible you can find yourself at the end of long queue for the gate security, when most people (but not all - some like you are caught up in the mixed queue) are there for the later flight. Never missed a flight because of this yet, but had a few stressful moments. Eventually an MH employee comes to check for late arrivals in the queue, but in my experience only well after the posted "20 minute before departure" time.
Never seen this though at the main terminal, happily not relevant I think for the BA flight.
For what it is worth I reckon I set off the secondary check light about 75% of the time at KUL. Inside China it is 100% of the time!
Mar 3, 2019, 4:24 am
#12
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: UK
Programs: BA Blue, IC Spire Ambassador
Posts: 5,227
From memory, there isn’t a priority queue at KUL for the gate security check. It always strikes me as being incredibly thorough. That said, the people doing the screening have always been nothing other than polite & courteous.
Mar 3, 2019, 4:35 am
#13
Join Date: Nov 2013
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 203
KUL is a very regular airport of mine. I get a secondary screen approximately 99% of the time but it doesnt take long.
I tend to leave lounge for Main Terminal flights about 30mins prior to departure and normally sit at gate for anything from 5 to 20minutes! Leaving earlier means more security queue, leaving later gives me no buffer and makes me nervous. Once or twice had the multiple flight at same gate issue and had to politely cut the queue.
I tend to leave lounge for Main Terminal flights about 30mins prior to departure and normally sit at gate for anything from 5 to 20minutes! Leaving earlier means more security queue, leaving later gives me no buffer and makes me nervous. Once or twice had the multiple flight at same gate issue and had to politely cut the queue.
Mar 3, 2019, 4:38 am
#14
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Singapore / Bangkok
Programs: SQ, BA, QR, Marriott Titanium & LT Plat, HH Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Accor Plat, AmEx Cent
Posts: 444
Being a regular at SIN, usually observing a screening set up that is not particularly thorough or efficient, I think the main justification is keeping people in jobs. Even more annoying is the amount of times you have to show your passport and boarding pass. For what it's worth, I have usually found KUL to be better, not only at gate screening, but immigration too ... not forgetting those awful carpets at Singapore that make pulling along your carry-on as hard as possible 
The secondary screening rate doesn't bother me, it's usually very quick - better safe than sorry. The most annoying of all (quite often at SIN, less so KUL) is the secondary screening on arrival - that can take a good 20-30 mins to clear and is usually late night or early morning arrivals...
The secondary screening rate doesn't bother me, it's usually very quick - better safe than sorry. The most annoying of all (quite often at SIN, less so KUL) is the secondary screening on arrival - that can take a good 20-30 mins to clear and is usually late night or early morning arrivals...
Last edited by EGW1; Mar 3, 2019 at 4:51 am
Mar 3, 2019, 4:42 am
#15
Join Date: Mar 2007
Programs: BAEC GFL, GGL, CCR; Marriott PFL, Ambassador; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,068
Just boarded at KUL and it reminded me of Singapore awhile back. They seem to have improved there with a 'priority' line for security but even there the priority line seems to disintegrate for convenience at any time.
Security at the gate is just a bad idea in my opinion but having said that, my least favorite place in the world is LHR Terminal 5 Flight Connections.
Security at the gate is just a bad idea in my opinion but having said that, my least favorite place in the world is LHR Terminal 5 Flight Connections.