New ‘group 1,2,3’ pillars
Nov 24, 2022, 6:11 am
#46
Join Date: Apr 2014
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 397
BA0830 LHR-DUB this morning.
When ready to start boarding one of the Gate Agents approached the "new pillar" and invited Group 1s to approach the gates very clearly. I heard her turn back a couple of Group 2s. 2nd domestic flight in a row where Group 1 boarding was properly managed!
When ready to start boarding one of the Gate Agents approached the "new pillar" and invited Group 1s to approach the gates very clearly. I heard her turn back a couple of Group 2s. 2nd domestic flight in a row where Group 1 boarding was properly managed!
Nov 24, 2022, 7:43 am
#47
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 2,220
my recent experience is it's been done well on long-haul (Group 1 first) and badly on short-haul ("Groups 1, 2 and 3 - which is so many people it's just not worth bothering). It's definitely annoyingly inconsistent. The "pillars" don't help, because they encourage Groups 1, 2 and 3 to queue up / mass by the priority lane, which means even if Group 1 is then called first it's often impractical to make your way through.
Nov 24, 2022, 7:58 am
#48
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 411
I would prefer if they had separate pillars/queues for groups 1, 2 and 3, but if there is a single G1-3 queue I wish they would just board it all together. I'm not bothered if that means a few group 2 and 3 customers get to board before me.
Nov 24, 2022, 10:59 am
#52
Join Date: Nov 2014
Programs: IHG Spire Elite,Star Alliance
Posts: 121
I assume part of the problem is that in my experience BA always start boarding so late that it's clear an on time departure is already impossible, so then there's a rush to get everyone on asap. In that situation to be fair it's pretty frustrating for everyone watching the top groups trickle in while the clock ticks by - while it shouldn't be one or the other, I imagine when it reaches that point most people would rather depart on time than maintain clear separation of boarding groups and extend the boarding process.
No idea why this is, late boarding happens without fail on my BA flights, noticeably later than any other airlines I fly, to the point it almost seems deliberate. But I guess more likely is they're just stretched so thin they're always playing catch-up, in which case priority boarding becomes one of the easiest sacrifices to gain a bit of time.
No idea why this is, late boarding happens without fail on my BA flights, noticeably later than any other airlines I fly, to the point it almost seems deliberate. But I guess more likely is they're just stretched so thin they're always playing catch-up, in which case priority boarding becomes one of the easiest sacrifices to gain a bit of time.
Nov 24, 2022, 1:45 pm
#53
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: UK
Programs: BA GGL, BA Amex Prem, Amex Plat, Hilton Diamond, Sir Crazy8534 de l'ordres des aides de Pucci
Posts: 4,454
For me this is the worst of both worlds. I'm in group 1, but invariably if they have a group 1-3 queue but call only group 1 then someone towards the back will assume they are the only person in the queue with Gold status and rudely barge their way past all the other group 1's in the queue as they are "priority".
I would prefer if they had separate pillars/queues for groups 1, 2 and 3, but if there is a single G1-3 queue I wish they would just board it all together. I'm not bothered if that means a few group 2 and 3 customers get to board before me.
I would prefer if they had separate pillars/queues for groups 1, 2 and 3, but if there is a single G1-3 queue I wish they would just board it all together. I'm not bothered if that means a few group 2 and 3 customers get to board before me.
I am trying to take a leaf from the book of CWS these days and take a "squeezeable" bag that can be pushed on top of others' hard cases in the overhead bins when I am just going "down and up", as it were.
If I could train myself to be happy with row 2 I would be able to just put it at my feet, but alas we are all a shade of DYKWIA I suppose...
Nov 24, 2022, 4:10 pm
#55
Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 10,146
I really wouldn't take any roll on bag now and as CWS has stated before it's easily slung over your shoulder, out of sight of GAs
and easily fits into some slot/crook of space on any overhead locker.Ive been told twice, (yes told) as a Gold with G1, one of the first queing up onboard, that my standard roll on was being gate checked both on EDI to LHR flights hence my change to the Skypak bag. Polite chats asking why G1s were being easily targeted when G3 passengers some of whom had numerous bags weren't being asked.
*I have no connection or anything with the brand just to be clear!
Pete
Last edited by PETER01; Nov 24, 2022 at 4:22 pm
Nov 24, 2022, 11:33 pm
#56
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Somewhere between 0 and 13,000 metres high
Programs: AF/KL Life Plat, BA GGL+GfL, ALL Plat, Hilton Diam, Marriott Gold, blablablah, etc
Posts: 30,520
Experienced this mess today on my full 321 flight. People had started queuing well before I arrived at the gate effectively blocking access to multiple gate. Flight being full customers were invited to check hand luggage but basically had no path to the gate agents adding chaos to chaos.
when boarding finally started, an agent bravely went up the queue like one of those baby salmons swimming upstream trying to ask anyone not in group 1 to move away (that was >90% of the people in there) and conversely trying to invite those of us in group 1 to make our way to the gate which I managed since I only have a backpack and my body is still pre-Xmas food but of course everyone asked to stay sat (as repeatedly asked for n the announcements) or stand aside looks as those invited to board as though we were done mega criminals because in their eyes we were jumping a queue that should not have been there in the first place and was simply inconveniencing everyone and slowing down boarding majorly.
The problem with The average Briton is that once they’ve started queuing you can’t make them un-queue, so those pillars inviting people from two groups to queue when they effectively shouldn’t is the equivalent of telling a kid they can’t open their Christmas present till Xmas day whilst leaving it on their bedside table for a couple of weeks before the date! Chaos guaranteed…
when boarding finally started, an agent bravely went up the queue like one of those baby salmons swimming upstream trying to ask anyone not in group 1 to move away (that was >90% of the people in there) and conversely trying to invite those of us in group 1 to make our way to the gate which I managed since I only have a backpack and my body is still pre-Xmas food but of course everyone asked to stay sat (as repeatedly asked for n the announcements) or stand aside looks as those invited to board as though we were done mega criminals because in their eyes we were jumping a queue that should not have been there in the first place and was simply inconveniencing everyone and slowing down boarding majorly.
The problem with The average Briton is that once they’ve started queuing you can’t make them un-queue, so those pillars inviting people from two groups to queue when they effectively shouldn’t is the equivalent of telling a kid they can’t open their Christmas present till Xmas day whilst leaving it on their bedside table for a couple of weeks before the date! Chaos guaranteed…
Nov 25, 2022, 2:20 am
#57
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: 63,792
The problem with The average Briton is that once they’ve started queuing you can’t make them un-queue, so those pillars inviting people from two groups to queue when they effectively shouldn’t is the equivalent of telling a kid they can’t open their Christmas present till Xmas day whilst leaving it on their bedside table for a couple of weeks before the date! Chaos guaranteed…
Nov 25, 2022, 2:48 am
#58
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: From ORK, live LCY
Programs: BA Silver, EI Silver, HH Gold, BW Gold, ABP, Seigneur des Horaires des Mucci
Posts: 14,209
BA0830 LHR-DUB this morning.
When ready to start boarding one of the Gate Agents approached the "new pillar" and invited Group 1s to approach the gates very clearly. I heard her turn back a couple of Group 2s. 2nd domestic flight in a row where Group 1 boarding was properly managed!
When ready to start boarding one of the Gate Agents approached the "new pillar" and invited Group 1s to approach the gates very clearly. I heard her turn back a couple of Group 2s. 2nd domestic flight in a row where Group 1 boarding was properly managed!
Nov 25, 2022, 3:25 am
#60
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Somewhere between 0 and 13,000 metres high
Programs: AF/KL Life Plat, BA GGL+GfL, ALL Plat, Hilton Diam, Marriott Gold, blablablah, etc
Posts: 30,520
Actually the pillars specifically ask people to remain seated until their group number is called - see the photo upthread. As does IDAHO, as does the standard gate message script, as does the recorded version. It's just a Brit thing, and the best thing is just not be part of the problem.
Last edited by orbitmic; Nov 25, 2022 at 4:39 am