Boarding group on economy basic fares
May 15, 2020, 3:41 am
#2
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,967
May 15, 2020, 3:47 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Newcastle UK
Posts: 1,114
May 15, 2020, 3:54 am
#5
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,967
I don't think it takes account of status, that is just the generic terms for a basic fare. Boarding groups have always recognised status on the bp even with basic fares.
May 15, 2020, 4:38 am
#7
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,814
At out stations this is what is happening now - boarding from the rear seat groups (in chunks of say 5 rows) forwards. At LHR they generally still do group boarding. At the moment it makes no material difference, if you've got 50 people going on to the A321neo it's a 3 minute job however you want to do it. Longhauls have fewer passengers.
May 15, 2020, 4:41 am
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Newcastle UK
Posts: 1,114
Yes, I get that may well happen, but I really do feel that in it's current form, social distancing on an aircraft is just not feasible, either practically or economically.
May 15, 2020, 5:39 am
#9
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: London, UK
Posts: 5,105
We flew to BGi in mid-March in CW, and even then we made sure we were the very last people to board - notwithstanding our Group 2 status.
May 15, 2020, 6:53 am
#10
Join Date: May 2016
Location: EDI
Programs: Was BA GGL but no longer travelling
Posts: 583
At out stations this is what is happening now - boarding from the rear seat groups (in chunks of say 5 rows) forwards. At LHR they generally still do group boarding. At the moment it makes no material difference, if you've got 50 people going on to the A321neo it's a 3 minute job however you want to do it. Longhauls have fewer passengers.
May 15, 2020, 7:01 am
#11
Join Date: Apr 2020
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 232
It'll be interesting to see how the pans out if the process (back rows first) continues and the loadings increase again, e.g. those at the front will board last. On most full UK flights, many pax dump their bags in overhead bins on the way down the plane, in case the bins near them are full, so that means the bins near the CE pax will be full long before the CE pax themselves board.
By having reverse grouped boarding, perhaps the CE/CW/F pax could be left in the lounge longer, and only called for boarding when it's their turn.
May 15, 2020, 8:41 am
#12
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: The Blackwater Valley (Berkshire/Hampshire/Surrey border area)
Programs: BAEC Silver, Hilton Gold, Bonvoy Gold, IHG Diamond, etc etc
Posts: 199
Equally, the bins should be only used by peeps in their own segment - eg ET in ET only
May 15, 2020, 8:49 am
#13
Join Date: May 2016
Location: EDI
Programs: Was BA GGL but no longer travelling
Posts: 583
May 15, 2020, 1:00 pm
#14
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 3,061
Only if accompanied by downsizing in allowances. The oft-quoted stat is that on a full A319, if everyone brought their full-sized allowance, only 49% would be able to stow it in the lockers. Thankfully many connecting pax check in bags for their full journey, and plenty like me just CBA carrying luggage any longer than absolutely necessary so leave ‘our’ space for others who can’t bear to be without their fridge and sink for 90 minutes, or wait an extra 5 mins at the other end to get them back.
May 15, 2020, 1:03 pm
#15
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Effectively grounded
Programs: BA GGL for a little while longer
Posts: 844
My partner was most impressed a couple of years ago to see FR CC guarding overhead bin space - as he said (more than once!) : "if bloody Ryanair can manage it, why can't BA!!!???"