Group 1
Apr 6, 2019, 9:49 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Tel Aviv, Israel
Programs: BA, LY, QF, UA, HH
Posts: 182
Group 1
GGL flying CW on a 3 class flight, boarding pass shows Group 2. In fact it looked like the entire cabin was in Group 2.
I was under the impression that Group 1 was First, GCH and OW Emerald members - did the policy change?
Sorry if this is covered elsewhere - I did check the Group Boarding thread first.
I was under the impression that Group 1 was First, GCH and OW Emerald members - did the policy change?
Sorry if this is covered elsewhere - I did check the Group Boarding thread first.
Apr 6, 2019, 10:49 pm
#2
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Stockholm, Sweden.
Programs: BA, JAL
Posts: 689
there are always people who would otherwise become stragglers without ready assistance and they are given early boarding before 'priority boarding'.
typically this includes anyone with kids as well. in my experience, there's no age limit - they just say 'anyone with kids'. i recall a forty year old gentleman and several generations benefiting from this arrangement.
after this becomes the status and premium passengers. i don't know if they've formalised this arrangement but it always seemed moot to have priority boarding when early boarding is trumped by these other passengers. this is probably as annoying as the boards saying 'last call' when the flight hasn't even been called yet.
typically this includes anyone with kids as well. in my experience, there's no age limit - they just say 'anyone with kids'. i recall a forty year old gentleman and several generations benefiting from this arrangement.
after this becomes the status and premium passengers. i don't know if they've formalised this arrangement but it always seemed moot to have priority boarding when early boarding is trumped by these other passengers. this is probably as annoying as the boards saying 'last call' when the flight hasn't even been called yet.
Apr 6, 2019, 11:58 pm
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2008
Programs: AA EXP/LTP, BA GGL/CCR/GfL, HH D/LTD, SPG/MR Plat/LTP
Posts: 10,075
Both by status and flying class you should have been Group 1. There is, however, an increasing lot of of pax joining in for pre-boarding. IME, there can be 6 or more joining the assistant taking a disabled person to the ac in a wheelchair. A family, seemingly of three generations, in all 11 persons, joining the visually abled 6' teenager, eagerly playing some wargame on his iPhone. But for sure, he was 'a kid' so rules were followed. 
Not to speak of the outrageous routine that BA has adopted of letting all pax traveling HBO gate-check their bags AND pre-board. AA has a better routine, as gate-check is tagged and left, the pax going back to wait for his/her group to board. My saddest memory of BA short-haul was 32 pax in the pre-boarding group, of which all but three were in the gate-check group
Not to speak of the outrageous routine that BA has adopted of letting all pax traveling HBO gate-check their bags AND pre-board. AA has a better routine, as gate-check is tagged and left, the pax going back to wait for his/her group to board. My saddest memory of BA short-haul was 32 pax in the pre-boarding group, of which all but three were in the gate-check group
Apr 7, 2019, 1:46 am
#5
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Plymouth, UK
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 1,159
I don't have a problem with gate-checked bags joining pre-boarding. If their hand baggage is in the hold then them pre-boarding will mean that the locker space is still available when the group boarding starts. For me, getting priority access to the locker space is the main benefit for being in an early group. It does give people a small incentive to check the hand baggage if they can board early.
Apr 7, 2019, 1:56 am
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2008
Programs: AA EXP/LTP, BA GGL/CCR/GfL, HH D/LTD, SPG/MR Plat/LTP
Posts: 10,075
I don't have a problem with gate-checked bags joining pre-boarding. If their hand baggage is in the hold then them pre-boarding will mean that the locker space is still available when the group boarding starts. For me, getting priority access to the locker space is the main benefit for being in an early group. It does give people a small incentive to check the hand baggage if they can board early.
Apr 7, 2019, 2:20 am
#7
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: somewhere north of stateside...
Posts: 4,146
On a few occasions, I've found that ground staff boarding a three class aircraft call both Groups 1 and 2 at the same time. This results in the entire Club World cabin, plus Silvers/Sapphires being invited to board at exactly the same time. IME, I've only seen this at outstations, and no from London.
I'm pretty sure they are not supposed to do this, but they do...
I'm pretty sure they are not supposed to do this, but they do...
Apr 7, 2019, 2:21 am
#8
Join Date: Jan 2017
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 461
Telling HBO pax the flight is full, and lack of over-head space is predicted, offering a FREE gate-check, instead of paying for it should be incentive enough. The overhead bin space would still be available for any priority boarding pax, without a bunch of non-priorities being pre-boarded
Apr 7, 2019, 2:21 am
#9
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,888
To get back to the OP's question yes you should be in group 1 as a OWE as shown in the wiki here Boarding by group to be introduced [general discussion]
Was your BAEC number in the booking? If so I am not sure I can explain it, perhaps as there is no F on this flight group 1 was not used.
Was your BAEC number in the booking? If so I am not sure I can explain it, perhaps as there is no F on this flight group 1 was not used.
Apr 7, 2019, 3:09 am
#12
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: YEG
Programs: Table scraps from Aeroplan and AmEx Plat
Posts: 895
My 5-year old has been through almost 40 different airports on 70+ segments, and doesn't really require special assistance, so we put another one in the oven last year in order to continue to be able to take advantage of this with a relatively clear conscience. We're quantity over quality flyers, so usually in the last boarding group.
Apr 7, 2019, 3:20 am
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Tel Aviv, Israel
Programs: BA, LY, QF, UA, HH
Posts: 182
@KARFA not only does my boarding pass have GGL on it, I’ve just received a pass for the second flight which also says Group 2, Club World, Emerald and GGL in various places.
This is a 4 class flight, which leads me to to wonder if it’s a glitch or a change of policy.
Not that I’m worried about getting on the flight, one way or another everyone (usually) gets on board.
This is a 4 class flight, which leads me to to wonder if it’s a glitch or a change of policy.
Not that I’m worried about getting on the flight, one way or another everyone (usually) gets on board.
Last edited by expataus; Apr 7, 2019 at 3:26 am
Apr 7, 2019, 4:05 am
#14
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,888
@KARFA not only does my boarding pass have GGL on it, I’ve just received a pass for the second flight which also says Group 2, Club World, Emerald and GGL in various places.
This is a 4 class flight, which leads me to to wonder if it’s a glitch or a change of policy.
Not that I’m worried about getting on the flight, one way or another everyone (usually) gets on board.
This is a 4 class flight, which leads me to to wonder if it’s a glitch or a change of policy.
Not that I’m worried about getting on the flight, one way or another everyone (usually) gets on board.