Best tactic for a bus gate at Heathrow when flying in F?
Apr 14, 2024, 11:31 am
#1
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Best tactic for a bus gate at Heathrow when flying in F?
Short of refusing to get on the bus, IMO it might be best to wait until everyone has boarded before you, so you had a good chance of being the only one on the bus. This way makes it for more of a First experience when paying £1000s, rather then something like Ryanair.
Apr 14, 2024, 11:54 am
#3
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not to mention that early busses will go as soon as they are full so may not be super comfortable but will be quick. Last bus can wait a long long time for the last pax to board so i you ou may well get on too late to get a seat on the bus but early enough you’ll be waiting there 20 minutes before anything moves!
Apr 14, 2024, 11:57 am
#4
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most long haul flights are boarded using contact gates, so it is more likely than not you won't be using a bus anyway. if it is A10, i would generally be there for the first bus tbh.
however, short of never flying with BA and flying with another airline like LH where all F passengers are driven to the plane, i am afraid this is just something you have to put up with.
however, short of never flying with BA and flying with another airline like LH where all F passengers are driven to the plane, i am afraid this is just something you have to put up with.
Apr 14, 2024, 12:03 pm
#5
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I always go for the last bus because if you know it’s A10 then you know exactly how long it takes from CCR to gate. The last bus is almost always pretty empty and if you time it well then it doesn’t stick around for long. There’s not usually too many stragglers when it’s A10. So my choice is arrive about 2 or 3 minutes before the gate closes.
Apr 14, 2024, 12:34 pm
#6
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They work out the minimum number of buses they need based on the number of pax on the flight and plan/pack people in accordingly. The last bus leaves when all remain pax are on it.
Lets say you can get 50 people on a bus and 260 people on the plane, you are getting 6 buses with 40 to 45 on each bus.
Leave it too long you will not be getting on
Apr 14, 2024, 12:50 pm
#8
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most long haul flights are boarded using contact gates, so it is more likely than not you won't be using a bus anyway. if it is A10, i would generally be there for the first bus tbh.
however, short of never flying with BA and flying with another airline like LH where all F passengers are driven to the plane, i am afraid this is just something you have to put up with.
however, short of never flying with BA and flying with another airline like LH where all F passengers are driven to the plane, i am afraid this is just something you have to put up with.
Apr 14, 2024, 12:53 pm
#10
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Apr 14, 2024, 12:53 pm
#11
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A bus is public transport. So is an aircraft. It is shared with other people. Bus gates on First flights happen from time to time, mostly boarding is via the airbridge. I prefer to be on the last bus, lots of good reasons for that, it's usually a perfectly pleasant experience with a bus less than half full, and thus the final stage of boarding is equally pleasant and swift given there will typically just be a handful of passengers. But after that last bus, usually nothing like full, they will close the gate and not send out any other buses. If you are not on that bus, you're not flying. There's always another flight.
Apr 14, 2024, 1:38 pm
#13
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Having being bussed to a Jet2 flight at Malaga Friday past, I'd have to congratulate them and AGP Airport for not cramming the maximum amount of people in, and leaving plenty space for everyone.
Apr 14, 2024, 2:16 pm
#14
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My .02: I don't care about being first on a plane. I just want to spend as little time as possible waiting around doing nothing.
Apr 14, 2024, 2:19 pm
#15
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Personally I chalk it up to ‘sweat the big stuff’ and ignore the little things AKA get on the bus or ‘the right time is now’. I try to get to the gate for the start of boarding so at least I can stand where I want on the bus. If I don’t, though, I just suck it up and wait in line OR if the line is insanely large, I just take a seat until the queue has reduced. I do like to check though that I’m in the queue for the correct flight.
Just get on the plane, and then enjoy your pdb, IFE and extra space, knowing the boarding process is over & done.
Just get on the plane, and then enjoy your pdb, IFE and extra space, knowing the boarding process is over & done.