Priority Boarding??

Also been at the bun fight at LGW. we were standing by the small UC sign waiting to board when a passenger told us to go and Q with the rest of them, its rather embarassing to say you are UC[:I][:I]. The UC boarding sign is sooooooooooooo small.[:(!][:(!]

I also agree that people are all over the boarding gate 10 to 20 mins before bording commences. Why cant us brits sit down chill out and be cool about it all. Well its just so british to love to Q.

So at LHR the PE and UC line up together?
Not that i need to rusg, as the seat is there!!!!, but one must get ones perks!
I dont want to sniff the cork

This is the one thing that i find so very odd about people boarding planes regardless of class- what is with the rush! After all your going to be sat there for at least the next 7 hours so why does being on quicker matter all that much. Sure u may not get ur glass of champagne but at the end of the day if ur there why bother pushing and getting annoyed just take it easy and relax! After all isnt life too short to be worrying about it all!

Next time there is the scrum just stand back and watch them all and laugh- then board the plane when the line has died down after 10 mins- its not as if VS give out £1000 for the first pax sat in there seat waiting!

PS: Being an extra 15mins less in the crampt Y cabin is all the better i say!

[RichardMannion]

quote:Originally posted by willd
This is the one thing that i find so very odd about people boarding planes regardless of class- what is with the rush! After all your going to be sat there for at least the next 7 hours so why does being on quicker matter all that much. Sure u may not get ur glass of champagne but at the end of the day if ur there why bother pushing and getting annoyed just take it easy and relax! After all isnt life too short to be worrying about it all!

Next time there is the scrum just stand back and watch them all and laugh- then board the plane when the line has died down after 10 mins- its not as if VS give out £1000 for the first pax sat in there seat waiting!

PS: Being an extra 15mins less in the crampt Y cabin is all the better i say!

Err maybe, but overheads compartments tend to get filled with all the junk that the check-in/gate agents shoudl have taken off the passengers - I wished they enforrced the hand luggage rule a lot better.

I like to go and get on the plane and get comfortable, quick chat to the crew, all depends on which class of travel I am in.

Thanks,
Richard

Richard,
same thoughts as you, I have done too many European flights where the overheads are crammed with "suitcases" leaving no room for your briefcase, plus the most frustrating thing is the aisle packed with some people dithering, taking off their coats, moving their glasses from one pocket to another, getting the book out the shopping bag they have brought, putting the bag up, then remembering that they did not take out the sweets, and all the while, a queue is standing behind them, in a low ceilinged plane (for us big boys) not being able to go forward or backward, you eventually get to your seat, the overheads are full of luggage, coats and sweets (they have fallen out of the shopping bag) and the nice FA offers to take your precious laptop and find a space down the back of the aircraft and of course will bring it to you at the end of the flight (but never does, I should say, due to the hectic time they have on landing and probably have more importantt things on their minds:D so you are last off and last through customs)

And don't get me started on the people who, even though the bin is full think by pushing and shoving, their wheely just inside the size restrictions suitcase will fit with the other three suitcases and 15 shopping bags plus duty free in the locker abouve your head.....[:(!][:(!][:(!]

[HighFlyer]

If i were travelling Y i would agree with you, but im not, im usually in W and i dont mind getting on board the plane. I quite enjoy the W cabin.

Being late means that you are 'hurried' into your seat, with little room left in overhead lockers (as mentioned) and it feels like everyone is waiting for you to sit down before we can go! Im one of those people who stick my book and headphones into the seatback, get my bottle of water out etc etc before the flight, and i hate feeling hurried to do this.

I guess its all down to personal preference. Its a shame to leave the tranquility of the Clubhouse to meet the mass bedlam of trying to get on board.

If your traveling in UCS or PE the crew will find a space for your hand luggage anyway after all you paid for the extra service. If in Y then normally the VS crew are very good at helping out especially if you board late- they will move pieces around etc. But once again does it matter if its not above your head but behind the person behind you (and before u all say- if someone steals something they aint go anywhere fast!) and plus with all that extra legroom in PE and UC cant u stow under the seat in front!

Letting the line die down for 5 mins wont losse you that much time and after all if flying anything other than Y- the crew will assist you with your cabin baggage!

I suppose the crux here is that when you hand over the cash/miles for UC/PE ticket or indeed earn AU status you are supposed to get priority boarding .In the past It really did wind me up(ie almost getting in a boxing match in St Lucia) now I do let it wash over me, but this should not be the case.

[HighFlyer]

As Jag says, it doesnt *really* matter, but thats not the point, its the principle that bothers me. You are not getting something that you had paid for and thought you were getting.

I hate the rush of being last on board, especially in PE as the other pax have usually been there for a good 20 minutes or so, and then i do mind missing out on my Champagne!! LOL

On my last two flights we decided not to bother rushing and ended up nearly last on board, i had to stow my overhead baggage in UC as there wasnt any room left in PE and that made retrieving things interesting!

I agree Jaguar but we also must remember that really we shouldnt have any kind of boarding scrum regardless of class really. The whole 'i must be on the plane first' thing seems to be very european and extrimley English! The thing that gets me is all the people who stand up and block the gate for those who have been caleed forward! For example in Y if u get them boarding rows 50 and up all the pax in row 30 go and stand in front of desk blocking those who are in 50 therefore delaying boarding!

Regardless of what class ur traveling/prioprity boarding or not there shouldnt be a scrum at all- u dont get it in the US on internal flights, u dont get it in asia or oz/nz- VS (as well as the likes of BA,BD,EZY,BY,FCA etc) really need to sort it out. I would agree with other who have mentioned having a number on the boarding card as American do and boaridng by the number- it seems to work very well!

I think part of the problem (all airlines) is that often there are only two or three staff managing the boarding. They'll start off "All passengers rows 30 to 40" and that'll be it. After a couple of minutes a few people try their luck from row 20, and are allowed on, presumably because it's easier to let them on rather than say "Sorry Sir we are only boarding rows 30 to 40 at the moment, please wait until your row is called. People see them get on and give it a try and are let on.

Process should be (Y boarding);
call special assistance, small children, board them
then
call rows 30 to 40 and board them, refuse boarding for any other rows
then
call and board 20 to 30, then 10 to 20 etc etc

I remeber boarding a flight in MSP a few years ago, the temperature was minus 50F wind chill. The plane boarded one row at a time as it was so cold in the tunnel. It worked brilliantly, and was actually very quick, anyone trying to get on early was just turned around, therefore no one else even tried.

Vslf

[fozzyo]

That sounds like a very sensible idea Vslf. I'm always amazed at the rush to get on, people we aren't on easyJet *shudder* here you have a seat allocated!

Foz )

Hi all,

Thought I would pitch in my views here. I agree with sentiments of the principle here that you have paid for a service and expect delivery of it. Also, policing the scrum needs to be more robust by those at the gates.
Hiflyer - I like the photos of PE you posted recently. How do you rate PE in the upper deck? I'm flying out on Tuesday from LGW to MCO on VS015 seated in row 74A (wife and 3.5yr son has C & H respectively).

Regards,

VSlf yes that is how the majority of carriers try to board an a/c. But the problem with regards to B+S routes in particular is that when they announce 'pre-boarding for eldery pax, pax wth young children and those who need extra time in boarding' every man and his dog runs forward!

The crowding at the gates needs to be stopped as i mentioned in the previous thread people need to stop standing in front of the gate waiting to be called up- they should seat and wait that way everyone wld get on faster! The problem also lies in the fact that some airports have very poor waiting areas/lounge seats. One that springs to the front of my mind is BOS- its crazy having so many flights leaving at the same time with such a small number of seats therefore everyone stands in front of the gate!

All UK carriers need to sort it out- we should all just wait patiently, a seperate line should be created for those in anything other than Y (as VS Try to do) and Y should be called forward 5 rows at a time. Or we adopt a numbering system, UC and PE can board at leisure or on the call of number 2, number 1 would be pre boarding and check in agents would invite pax to pre board on issuing boading passes. Haivng seen a 763 boarded with no more than 5 people in the line at one time using the number system I think its the way forward.

[HighFlyer]

Agreed about the boarding scrum, i have never understood why people come forward and push in when they will be called in due course. I was on an AA flight a few months ago and this happened, they called the first lot of rows (that was me!) and about 20 other pax tried to push in, thankfully they were told to sit back down again, although often the gate crew will just let them in.

Neil,

Row 74 is good, infact any of the PE upper deck rows are great, with the possible exception of rows behind the exit rows as you have slightly less space to store your things. Service and seat are great, crew are very attentive. We first flew on to PE to MCO and have never looked back. Im sure you will have a great trip! Is this your first PE trip?

Willd, agreed on the poor design of boarding areas, if that's bad in the first place then it's a losing battle from then on.

I think many people here think the numbered process has worked well when we've experienced it (most of the time in the US), so if that'a the case why does it not happen in the UK?

Can any VS staffers let us know if there are any plans to introduce it?

Vslf

VSlf- I agree with you 110%- poor boarding areas mean an uphill struggle this combined with poor a/c parking decisions (again refering to BOS, AZ, VS, LH, EI, AF all have flights from gates less than 50 metres apart in 1.5hours!)

I would certainly be very happy if the numbering system was used! I think its a super idea- echo VSLf in saying can anyone at VS suggest this very loudly!

Just to clear up a couple of points, VS certainly used to use both jetways at LHR a few years back...I wonder why they seem to have stopped? Coming into SFO last week both jetways were in use, although this hardly mattered given the 1 hour wait at immigration! Oh, and on the flight out there was no separate boarding line for UC so it was the old queue jumping trick.

BC

just for imnformation, if the flight has a VIP, say an actor/musician/SRB on it, do they board them before anyone else gets near the plane, or have you seen them in the "scrum"?

[RichardMannion]

Hi Guys,

Some good points - and my main point is the principle of 'priority boarding'. Its viewed as part of the overall experience for Premium and Upper Class and therefore its as key as say the seats themeselves - Virgin market both UC and PE as a complete End-to-End experience and so if one bit breaks down, then its the whole experience that suffers.

Like I stated previously, I raised the issue with a senior person at Virgin who I know is always interested in this kind of feedback, I pointed them to this actual topic to look at too. To extract from his response:

'space limitations and signage restrictions (express boarding queue signs so low no one can see them through the general
congestion) means its not working. Not satisfactory.'

I will vouch for this person and say that something will be done to get it consistent, as we know at some stations it works as it should and its others that let down the side.

Thanks,
Richard

In the LHR clubhouse they always say at the end of the boarding call that if you find a 'q' at the gate then make you way to the front of the line.

Boarding calls are made -40 mins to departure and last boarding call is made -30 mins.

VS will start boarding -50 mins to departure.

So if you leave the lounge -40 and go to the gate boarding will have begun already then once you have handed over your boarding card you will still have to wait in the jetbridge anyway.

So my advice would be go to the gate -60 mins then you will have a better chance to get on board the aircraft and have your drink.

The gates are LHR to be very far from the clubhouse/ check in especially gates 30 - 42.

My advice is check in earlier use the lounge and then make your way to the gate before boarding has begun, then hang around the gate area if you want to be on first!!!

[honey lamb]

quote:In the LHR clubhouse they always say at the end of the boarding call that if you find a 'q' at the gate then make you way to the front of the line

On my last trip to JFK we were told to do this but, as I stated in my trip report, a security guy (who I realise doesn't work for VS) pulled me up and tried to make me go to the back of the line. When I told him that we were told in the Clubhouse to go to the front of the queue his response was "They had no right to tell you that" [:(]

We flew Business class with American to LA earlier this year from LHR and they operate the group/number system. First was called to board first and then Business class. While we were waiting in the smallish queue a lady pushed her way forward dragging her husband with her[:o)].

My initial thoughts were that she was first class and wanted to board before us business class riff raff[^]. Turns out however when she got the the front of the queue that she was travelling economy [:0]and was promptly told to go back and sit down and wait until her group number was called;).

Needless to say she was highly embarresed [:I] and there were a few smug business faces as she pushed her way back to the lounge area. We saw her again 10 minutes later as she was making her way to the back of the plane and she didn't look happy [:(!]. I think she must have been in the last group called[:(!].

By the way when we got to LA, American have their own terminal (5 I think). Our bags were waiting for us on the carousel by the time we had walked from the plane, we were through immigration within 5 minutes of that:D:D and on the Dollar bus to pick our rental up within 10 minutes of that:D:D:D. Shame Dollar ruined it all by making us wait an hour because they were waiting for cars to come back[:(!][:(!][:(!][:(!].

Miopyk

Total clarity at SFO for the VS20 yesterday: one line for priority boarding and another for economy, both with good signage. Of course, the ground staff then forgot to station anyone at the fork in the jetway so a confused scrum ensued at the doors. Ho hum.

BC

Flew back from Narita a few weeks ago. There was a double jetway thing. One sign was for UC only (A346 non UCS) and the other was PE & Y. By the time I walked from the lounge to the gate I was among the last to board. It always bewilders me how some people get from the lounge to the gate so quickly. I guess some people arrive at the gate when the tickets says and not when its announced in the lounge.