theflyingdream

Not sure on LHR flights but at LGW some 321s now have a config of 54 CE seats which makes group one a huge boarding group, because of this other passengers just assume everyone in boarding.

it’s also silly that the signage is groups 1-3

TabTraveller

Ah yes - you must have just nipped in behind us then through the scrum. Sadly last minute booking for me so stuck very much behind the wing. Glad group 0 is being enforced on this route, especially with such large club cabins.

ajamieson

Another variation on the theme of failure the other morning... was at the front of the Groups 1-3 lane; when boarding began, the agent opened the tensa barrier for both the adjacent 4-9 lane and the 1-3 lane at the same time (actually, it was worse than that because she got distracted by some issue or other at the podium between opening 4-9 and 1-3 and so stepped away for a minute, so I wasn't even in the first dozen through the gate and onto the aircraft.) As others have said, they need to fix this sort of nonsense before bothering about Group 0. This was a calm gate area with a small CE cabin, an on-time departure and no distractions so there's no hope for a 7pm Friday domestic...

Ancient Observer

I think this thread should close.

We all know how cheap BA are.

They use contractors, and will not pay enough for the contractors to be trained. They do not monitor the contractor's performance - BA are too cheap.

This will not change. ............End of.

Sparth3103

The group system only works when you have someone to properly marshal it. In south east Asia it's perfect. In India, if you have priority, you just walk to the front and they let you on. In the UK, there is no sense of social obedience. Just like the mask wearing issue, where you would find people walking around with their sunflower lanyards on saying they are "exempt" from mask wearing as if the lanyard protects you from COVID. If people here actually followed the rules, these systems would work. But they don't and there is no incentive to fix it as there is no competition at Heathrow.

Lioneye

Just a thought.

Maybe the needy should have 'zero' stamped on their foreheads so everyone can recognise them from a distance?

Sparth3103

I just walk around in my gold suit and gold backpack so everyone knows...

Jpm81

IThink

BA123 was great today. B Gate. Only group 1 called about
15 mins before boarding to sit with the wheelchairs and families and then down the stairs to board before groups 2 etc wheee called. Seemed to be a lot of people milling around the entrance to the tensa�s but an automated announcement told them to keep away and not to block the entrance. So from my perspective about as good as it gets and group zero should work just as well.

Jpm81

In HK last night they had separate lines for groups 1, 2 and 3.

Extremely efficient all be it the gates at HKG are a bit more spread out than LHR T5A but it could be done in T3 or T5 B/C gates.

RichieMc

I had yesterday my first ever successful group 0 boarding experience from Boston. Boarding directly from lounge. Even before any announcements, a queue started to form as soon as the guy appeared at the podium. I just went and sat in the corner until they called for preboarding of people needing assistance, etc. I stood to the side and then he made the "strictly by group number" announcement. Group 0 announced and no one else went through. I did notice there was one solitary guy who boarded from the gate in the main terminal at the same time so I guess they are coordinating between the two.

Was kind of nice not to have to stress about queueing and just saunter on and straight to my seat. Boarding last is great and all, but even when you're the absolute last person, it can easily be 10 minutes slowly walking up a crowded jetbridge.

Rubecula

Boarding from the lounge in Boston as Group 0 is my only successful experience of Group 0.

orbitmic

At JFK, we were told off as group 0 going to board when group 0 was called� go figure�

becks1

They do a great job boarding Group 0 in BOS.

I suppose it helps that they�re managing a smaller number of people as you board from the lounge.

Gastrocnemius

Worked fine for us last night on the 116- we were the only two