New ‘group 1,2,3’ pillars
Nov 23, 2022, 12:41 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2022
Posts: 9
New ‘group 1,2,3’ pillars
Hello,
These ‘pillars’ seem to appearing all over the place at the moment - I’ve been finding that they’ve significantly reduced the boarding experience. Now much more common that there’s already a confused queue formed with a mixture of all three groups - and that the groups are being called together at boarding?
Feel it’s one of those classic - logically good idea, but fails when in contact with reality.
They look very snazzy and smart though…
These ‘pillars’ seem to appearing all over the place at the moment - I’ve been finding that they’ve significantly reduced the boarding experience. Now much more common that there’s already a confused queue formed with a mixture of all three groups - and that the groups are being called together at boarding?
Feel it’s one of those classic - logically good idea, but fails when in contact with reality.
They look very snazzy and smart though…
Nov 23, 2022, 12:43 am
#2
Join Date: Feb 2020
Programs: British Airways Executive Club Gold, Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond Amb
Posts: 1,771
Hello,
These ‘pillars’ seem to appearing all over the place at the moment - I’ve been finding that they’ve significantly reduced the boarding experience. Now much more common that there’s already a confused queue formed with a mixture of all three groups - and that the groups are being called together at boarding?
Feel it’s one of those classic - logically good idea, but fails when in contact with reality.
They look very snazzy and smart though…
These ‘pillars’ seem to appearing all over the place at the moment - I’ve been finding that they’ve significantly reduced the boarding experience. Now much more common that there’s already a confused queue formed with a mixture of all three groups - and that the groups are being called together at boarding?
Feel it’s one of those classic - logically good idea, but fails when in contact with reality.
They look very snazzy and smart though…
Nov 23, 2022, 1:08 am
#4
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: In the air
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Bonvoy LT Plat, Hilton Gold, GHA Tit, BA Gold, Turkish Elite
Posts: 8,720
It’s like someone got annoyed that priority boarding sometimes worked, so now they want to make sure that Golds need to compete with sometimes the majority of passengers in order to board.
It’s almost hard to imagine this degradation of the experience could be done by accident alone.
It’s almost hard to imagine this degradation of the experience could be done by accident alone.
Nov 23, 2022, 2:39 am
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: JER
Programs: BA Gold/OWE, several MUCCI, and assorted Pensions!
Posts: 32,146
Encountered at Punta Cana (PUJ) back in January. From my PUJ22 TR ... "Eventually the rush* subsided, and a very firm “Group One ONLY” was announced - good control by the Ground Agents!"
* Pre-boarders.
* Pre-boarders.
Nov 23, 2022, 2:52 am
#6
Join Date: Apr 2014
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 397
EDI-LHR last Saturday. We've had the 1-3 for a while, but something changed recently or we got a good gate agent.
Group 1 was called, only group 1 and it was policed at the pillar, anything but G1 and you were told to wait.
Then G2, etc.
Long may it continue.
Group 1 was called, only group 1 and it was policed at the pillar, anything but G1 and you were told to wait.
Then G2, etc.
Long may it continue.
Nov 23, 2022, 3:00 am
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Gold, SQ Gold, KQ Platinum, IHG Diamond Ambassador, Hilton Gold, Marriott Silver, Accor Silver
Posts: 16,348
The concept of a Group 1-2-3 lane isn't new, but the new high pillars to match the new corporate branding are a relatively recent addition. Nothing stopping the gate staff calling each group separately (as they should do), which is what has happened on several occasions on my flights recently.
Nov 23, 2022, 3:00 am
#8
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,966
The new pillars (which are square and smaller than shown in the photo above) have been around for a few weeks. They do not mean all groups 1-3 are called together - sometimes that does happen but in my experience both at LHR and outstations group 1 only is called first.
Last edited by KARFA; Nov 23, 2022 at 3:07 am
Nov 23, 2022, 3:05 am
#9
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: AMS
Programs: BAEC Silver, Flying Blue Gold, TK M&S Nobody
Posts: 2,480
When used properly, KLM at Schiphol have a good setup for this. Two lanes with two screens that can display "Zone 1", "Zones 1&2", etc. Generally the priority groups use one lane, non-priority go through the other - allowing them to form a queue but not inhibit higher groups [more than is inevitable, since the space around the gates is quite cluttered in B and C piers]. Of course, them emphasis is on "when used properly" - more often than not it's been "Zones 1&2" followed by "every bugger else". As I'm currently only zone 3, that's especially irritating!
Presumably BA could use the same system in the same way at AMS, but I haven't flown them recently to know if they do. EI at DUB over the weekend did priority then a strictly enforced back to front boarding for everyone else. I've no idea if that's the prescribed policy or merely the preference of the [specifically badged] "Turnaround Coordinator" though.
Mostly I'd just rather they enforce whatever boarding sequence they've come up with properly. If you can't be arsed to train agents to use all the groups/zones/whatever you've invented in the first place - or make sure they're sticking to it going forward - then simplify it. No more of the "we have five boarding groups. Group 1/2/3 and Everyone Else."
Presumably BA could use the same system in the same way at AMS, but I haven't flown them recently to know if they do. EI at DUB over the weekend did priority then a strictly enforced back to front boarding for everyone else. I've no idea if that's the prescribed policy or merely the preference of the [specifically badged] "Turnaround Coordinator" though.
Mostly I'd just rather they enforce whatever boarding sequence they've come up with properly. If you can't be arsed to train agents to use all the groups/zones/whatever you've invented in the first place - or make sure they're sticking to it going forward - then simplify it. No more of the "we have five boarding groups. Group 1/2/3 and Everyone Else."
Nov 23, 2022, 4:08 am
#11
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Hampshire, UK & Bangor, N.I
Programs: BA Gold, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 235
A recent return from Billund to Heathrow, groups 1-3 were called at the same time. Very messy. Plus, the 'holding pen' meant as I came to the gate fairly late, I was one of the very last to board.
Nov 23, 2022, 4:24 am
#12
Join Date: Sep 2020
Posts: 373
Recently flew from Porto where they didn’t even bother with the groups despite them being on the boarding cards as normal. Buses were used to the aircraft and it was effectively a free for all. But that did come with a few very British huffs and tuts (auto correct just tried to type a different word then).
Nov 23, 2022, 4:44 am
#14
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 699
Last week at KEF there was one of those , I was group 2 and about 15th in line, they called group 1 , the female in front of me I could clearly see her BC with group 9 on it, she proceeded to board with group 1 and they checked her threw, so I just joined in and boarded