Priority Boarding

I'm sure you'll all be pleased to know that from 17th july we are trialling using L1 door for boarding J pax at LHR on the B744s and L2 will be used for W and Y pax. This will be on selected flights to see how popular and effective it is. Hopefully this will improve priority boarding somewhat [:D] Make sure you tell the crew your thoughts on this system so they can document on the flight report.

[mitchja]

Wow [oo] [^]

All I can say is about time!!!

Regards

[honey lamb]

Originally posted by mitchja
Wow [oo] [^]

All I can say is about time!!!

Regards

Hear! Hear!

Although I have to say that priority boarding worked on my last trip out of LHR (Yes, I know! I know! The TR is currently being crafted)

They did this for our flight from SFO on Saturday (tr to follow). Funny thing was that as they called all the J passengers at the same time from the club house there were more people in our queue than the other one as most PE and Y had already boarded.

Miopyk[8D]

Originally posted by miopyk
They did this for our flight from SFO on Saturday (tr to follow). Funny thing was that as they called all the J passengers at the same time from the club house there were more people in our queue than the other one as most PE and Y had already boarded.

Miopyk[8D]

From, or to SFO? They've been doing the priority boarding with separate entrance at SFO for some time - years, I suppose. As you rightly point out, the perception can be that is not terribly helpful when you all get down from the CH after the last call - nor will it be from Heathrow necessarily. If 50 people get to a queue point at the same time, there will be a queue no matter what.

But ... at Heathrow today you often find yourself in a congested line getting through the passport check line, where they ask you to move to the front, which can be a real mess. That does not get solved with a second bridge anyway, it gets solved by having clearly demarcated, separate lines to get to the boarding point. As HL points out, they occasionally manage to get this sorted at LHR - they tried when I went through there end of June, only to be hampered with aircraft problems. The other complaint you often hear is that once you get through, especially if you come to the gate after the last call in the CH, there's an ungodly line on the bridge itself, which can take ages to thin out. This is where SFO wins hands down today for UC passengers, it's always just a gentle stroll onto the plane for them, with virtually no one on the bridge. I think this will be a winner, and I look forward to trying it out in a few weeks.

[Darren Wheeler]

I still prefer to linger in the CH, enjoying a cocktail, champagne etc etc. while the masses fight their way through the door before rolling up with time to spare. Far more civilised

About bloody time too - I always suspected the reason VS never did this was because BAA charge more (two boarding bridges, two sets of staff etc.).

What about priority boarding for PE passengers?

Oh, and when will someone sort out the ridiculous arrangement around gate 32 (?) - priority boarding there is a shambles because of the way access to the gate is organized.

[honey lamb]

Originally posted by miopyk
They did this for our flight from SFO on Saturday (tr to follow). Funny thing was that as they called all the J passengers at the same time from the club house there were more people in our queue than the other one as most PE and Y had already boarded.

Miopyk[8D]

At SFO on Friday I was ahead of the posse for boarding which had already commenced and indeed was well under way when I got there. Just as I arrived economy passengers were being sent to the priority line to expedite matters and in fact a family was there just ahead of me. However once a supervisor saw my purple boarding card she ordered that no more economy passengers were to be sent to that line as she thought everybody was coming from the clubhouse

[Neil]

Oh nice move, I just hope VS/BAA sort out the stupid queues outside the gate area, it is all well and good getting onto the a/c through a separate door but still annoying if you have to go to the back of a long queue to get into the gate area first.

I do hope that PE pax still get priority boarding through the normal door.

Neil

Which flights will this be on initially?

Is this for boarding only or will there be two exits when the 747's arrive back at LHR?

Oh and don't mention this to anyone travelling from Manchester as they don't even get one airbridge these days[:w]

-Steve

Still think the CPT priority boarding is best. Plane is at remote stand as bus takes you to the aircraft. 2 separate boarding lanes, but the Y lane opens first and J pax are not allowed to use it... I even argued with the 'attendant' but he said ' no rules is rules an you are business and must board from the business line'... i kid not...

They've got this cracked in HKG, couldn't be simpler or more effective.

Originally posted by Stevieboy
Is this for boarding only or will there be two exits when the 747's arrive back at LHR?

Oh and don't mention this to anyone travelling from Manchester as they don't even get one airbridge these days[:w]

-Steve

That's right, rub it in why don't you [:D]

To be honest the last couple of flights out of Manchester that i'e taken have been handle quite well, as far as Manchester goes anyway. Just hope it's the same on Sunday.

Whilst I applaud the move (ie some attempt to improve things) it serves to highlight once again the inconsistency of VS.Selected flights only and only on the 744s.VS need to take to a good look at the whole priority boarding process (which is often a debacle ex UK).

Gate 26 was no problem on July 17. Although there was a bit of a rabble outside the door into the gate area (which is woefully inadequate for the amount of pax), the queuing process was simple. The announcement made it clear that only pax who needed assistance, pax with families and priority boarding pax (i.e. PE and UC present) would be allowed onto VROC first and that all others were to stay put.

Those who were boarding late were those from the CH anyway... All Y pax were already there and 'seated'.

JNB on July 22 was no problem either. UC and PE were invited into the PE queue, Y pax were in the next queue, and were held until our bus departed.

S.

It's only on selected flights as it's a trial only at the moment. Which is why if it happens on your flight please give feedback to the crew. The more positive feedback there is, the more likely it will become a permanent thing for all flights departing LHR (as long as the gate has 2 airbridges of course!)

wonder when they will get round to doing it on the A340's ex LHR? or is that asking too much for the trial - amazing how its only at the heathrow hub there is a trial and in US/HKG it appears more the norm.... hmmmm.....

Originally posted by Stevieboy
Is this for boarding only or will there be two exits when the 747's arrive back at LHR?

Oh and don't mention this to anyone travelling from Manchester as they don't even get one airbridge these days[:w]

-Steve

Well they have to find the money from somewhere to fund this!![;)]

I think it is a great idea, and hope it becomes more permanent. What I don't understand is that the boarding call from the CH is always really early and often boarding hasn't commenced. On other flights I have taken in J class is that they don't call you until most of the Y passengers have boarded so you can just walk on board!

Look forward to hearing how people find it.

Dominic

Come on guys the whole priority boarding issue isnt just down to VS is it!

If the Economy passengers actually sat on their arses like they were asked to by the gate staff until they are called then the remaining PE and UC passengers would be able to board without any problems.

At the end of the day it all boils down to certain individuals not being able to take the fact that those who pay more for their flights get more privileges, simple as!!!

Originally posted by wanderingmariner
Come on guys the whole priority boarding issue isnt just down to VS is it!

If the Economy passengers actually sat on their arses like they were asked to by the gate staff until they are called then the remaining PE and UC passengers would be able to board without any problems.

At the end of the day it all boils down to certain individuals not being able to take the fact that those who pay more for their flights get more privileges, simple as!!!

Could not agree more, well said [y]

NOC

I think part of the problem is boredom. For those not in the Clubhouse the flight Boarding/Closing screens are up way too early. That means those folks will have been sitting in a lounge with nothing to do for the best part of an hour. So when something does happen they're totally interested because it's finally broken that boredom.

[Neil]

Originally posted by wanderingmariner
At the end of the day it all boils down to certain individuals not being able to take the fact that those who pay more for their flights get more privileges, simple as!!!

I think that might be a wee bit harsh.

Not sure why anyone would want to sit in a Y seat for any longer than necessary. I think McMaddog is probably spot on, more an 'excitement' that something is happening rather than an envy of premium pax being allowed to board first.

I suspect it is a mixture ofthe two - some pax excited thatb something is happening (probably the majority) whilst some probably do envy premium passengers - I think in the past I have had both feelings.