cauchy

Unlikely to change, but if it did, I would bet:

Group 1 = CE
Group 2 = Status Pax ET (+ speedy boarding fee payers?)
Group 3 = ET
Group 4 = HBO

A selling point of CE is that you don't need the hassle of frequent flyer programmes to have a comfortable airport experience, and you can just shop on price+convenience alone. Chipping away at this would be a bad idea.

neofung

who is in group 2 for long haul? thx

woodey

It's Club World, Silver and other Oneworld Sapphires

steview111

Why not just board at the end if you’re that worried about a ‘scrum’ and ‘Covid friendly’.

You are not that important.

fruitcage

I am constantly amazed that this is so important to people. You get there at the same time anyway and there is no priority disembarkation, apart from being seated closer to the door.

corporate-wage-slave

Yes, I have just parked this off as "very important for other people", I just board as late as I can, they aren't going to leave me behind (are they?). But it really gets some people going.

pacenotes

The British love the class system.... This is a small extension, especially for the upper-middle class.

bd95

I was very conditioned into the BA priority boarding system.

I then flew VS from JFK in Upper Class. The lounge is on the level above the gates.

They assured me that they would call the flight in the lounge and to relax and enjoy a drink and a meal. I got restless as boarding time drew near and yet no announcement.

As boarding time passed without an announcement, I caved and marched down to the gate, only to see the tail end of the boarding queue.

I boarded into an empty Upper Class cabin, slightly confused. After 5 or 10 minutes the rest of the cabin boarded, evidently called from the lounge well after the hordes had boarded. All very civilised and changed my outlook completely….

I understand this won’t be possible from a large hub like T5 but worth mentioning for the outstations….

jayjaygee

I always try to board as late as possible, especially if I am in an aisle seat as I'd rather have another drink than have someones ar$e in my face as they're walking past or using the overheads.

Will100

Are people really that bothered about all of this?

Speedbirdsouth

Some good ideas here. To be honest however you board you’ll always disappoint a fair number of people, as they say you cant please all of the people all of the time.

In my mind the most important thing is the enforcement of whatever process is being used.

IAMORGAN

Group 1 me
Group 2 everyone else 🙂

kdhurst380

I sort of get it with PDBs on long haul flights, pointless in CE. It's just more time to sit there whilst everyone else boards obliviously hitting you with whatever luggage they have on their backs.

No ta, I'll have another G&T and board at my leisure.

mario

Wow, talk about being judgemental. I was actually sitting a few meters from the gate observing the show going on. I was probably the last person to board.

I just think that it really doesn't make sense to have roughly 50 percent of the plane in group 1.

WWChap

It’s weird how things change over the years. In the 80’s it was seen as a privilege to board last….certainly on BA. J and most certainly F were always the last to board. On recollection only American passengers would feel the need to board early. They often looked around in amazement, often asking if the flight was lightly loaded.
Re the once a year Hyacinths, why should they be penalised? They’re paying out of their own pocket. Those GCH with their corporate sugar daddies don’t have anymore right to board earlier, they just think they do.