Flights where Groups 3 to 9 are required to check in hand baggage
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2013
Programs: BA Gold, VS Gold, IHG Platinum, Hilton Gold, Hertz Presidents Circle.
Posts: 1,464
Flights where Groups 3 to 9 are required to check in hand baggage
Has the seemingly relentless effort to relieve people of their hand luggage at the gate gone too far now.
Today's delayed 1394 has the message in the title displaced, with several people feeling this is actual required. I estimate 40 people have done so filling the pre boarding area.
They then sent the whole group down to the aircraft before they'd even opened boarding to group 0, much to the vocal displeasure of one such individual.
Now being a a lowly group 2 I guess I'm grateful for the extra overhead bin space when I eventually reach the aircraft, but does it really make any difference what so ever.
I've flown KLM, LH, AF amongst others recently and none seem to do this, yet on none of those flights have we suffered a delay due to issues stowing bags - what is BA trying to achieve here and is it actually achieving anything?
Today's delayed 1394 has the message in the title displaced, with several people feeling this is actual required. I estimate 40 people have done so filling the pre boarding area.
They then sent the whole group down to the aircraft before they'd even opened boarding to group 0, much to the vocal displeasure of one such individual.
Now being a a lowly group 2 I guess I'm grateful for the extra overhead bin space when I eventually reach the aircraft, but does it really make any difference what so ever.
I've flown KLM, LH, AF amongst others recently and none seem to do this, yet on none of those flights have we suffered a delay due to issues stowing bags - what is BA trying to achieve here and is it actually achieving anything?
#3
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: London
Programs: BA Bronze
Posts: 121
So far all the announcements I have heard in this regards always have been group 4 - 9, but maybe this flight was so heavily booked by group 1/2?
#4
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: London, ARN, HEL, ..... or MAN
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It was the same earlier today on the 1370 (also to MAN) - other than it was Groups 4-9.
The gate-checked-hand-luggage group was probably 25 - 30 people, all went before any "priority" customers (Groups 0-3) and one of them dumped two still-tagged bags right above my CE seat then headed down to ET.
I wonder if hand baggage is BA's "boarding edict of the week"?
The gate-checked-hand-luggage group was probably 25 - 30 people, all went before any "priority" customers (Groups 0-3) and one of them dumped two still-tagged bags right above my CE seat then headed down to ET.
I wonder if hand baggage is BA's "boarding edict of the week"?
#5
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: AMS
Programs: BAEC Silver, Flying Blue Gold, TK M&S Nobody
Posts: 2,524
I had a KLM AMS-CDG flight with the gate agents trying to take bags from people in Group 2 [roughly equivalent to BA, though KL only count to 5]. They'd delayed boarding trying to threaten people into giving up bags and then seemed to resort to grabbing passengers as and when they could during embarkation. They didn't hold up the line though, so it was solely down to bad luck whether there was an agent free to confiscate as you passed them. Sometimes it's impressive to see employees ad-lib a system which seems maximally likely to annoy customers while being not even slightly more efficient.
Anyway, I expect this will get folded into one of the other threads on the subject.
Anyway, I expect this will get folded into one of the other threads on the subject.
#6
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Join Date: Oct 2013
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We still havent left anyway, something about a px not fit for travel......flight crew and gate staff seemingly in dispute.over what needs to happen.....seems we are now waiting for LHR security managers to come and clear some baggage, however they are busy with something somewhere else.....
#7
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold; FB Silver; SPG; IHG Gold
Posts: 2,999
I've only ever heard foced gate checking "threatened" to Groups 4 and beyond- but only if they do not get enough volunteers. I have not seen or heard the same offer/instruction on KL , OS or LH, but with the former two I have seen gate agents prowl around looking for and selecting passengers to check in their bags- not sure what criteria this was based on. Clearly the problem itself (i.e. of too much hand luggage and not enough space) is not unique to BA.
Last edited by South London Bon Viveur; May 1, 2024 at 8:34 am
#8
Join Date: Jan 2005
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Maybe other airlines are better at enforcing the rules so passengers don't take the mick in the first place. On BA I think you can get away with just about anything. Also, I've never seen this down from NCL-LHR, just the other way round
#9
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: US/UK - and elsewhere
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 2,574
Is this an unintended consequence of technology - the ability of check-in online, to have mobile boarding passes, etc? The first time BA staff see any bags is at the gate which is really too late.
Surely the easiest option is the enforce the current limits on bags - i.e. the size (with the 'old' sizer cage). I presume that this would be part of the terms of carriage if any pax got stroppy. If pax know it is strictly enforced they (at least most) will not try their luck.
Surely the easiest option is the enforce the current limits on bags - i.e. the size (with the 'old' sizer cage). I presume that this would be part of the terms of carriage if any pax got stroppy. If pax know it is strictly enforced they (at least most) will not try their luck.
#10
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: London, Babylon-on-Thames
Programs: BAEC Blue (back to Earth)
Posts: 1,521
It's the lack of strict enforcement which leads to ambiguity. When I fly Ryanair I know exactly what to expect, and on one level that makes the whole process a little less stressful. Kids need boundaries, but so do grown ups ! God help the staff trying to deal with this every day among customers who are getting ever angrier.
Remember Airline when easyJet customers used to get caught out and upset on camera? This sort of crying and shrieking thing doesn't happen so often anymore as the orange experience is more aligned with the customer expectation. BA's brand is not aligned with their service offering, hence drama, passive aggressive nonsense and detached and uncaring staff.
Remember Airline when easyJet customers used to get caught out and upset on camera? This sort of crying and shrieking thing doesn't happen so often anymore as the orange experience is more aligned with the customer expectation. BA's brand is not aligned with their service offering, hence drama, passive aggressive nonsense and detached and uncaring staff.
#12
Join Date: Jun 2019
Location: NYC/DC
Programs: AA,SPG, Delta, Amtrak, JB
Posts: 924
Has the seemingly relentless effort to relieve people of their hand luggage at the gate gone too far now.
Today's delayed 1394 has the message in the title displaced, with several people feeling this is actual required. I estimate 40 people have done so filling the pre boarding area.
They then sent the whole group down to the aircraft before they'd even opened boarding to group 0, much to the vocal displeasure of one such individual.
Now being a a lowly group 2 I guess I'm grateful for the extra overhead bin space when I eventually reach the aircraft, but does it really make any difference what so ever.
I've flown KLM, LH, AF amongst others recently and none seem to do this, yet on none of those flights have we suffered a delay due to issues stowing bags - what is BA trying to achieve here and is it actually achieving anything?
Today's delayed 1394 has the message in the title displaced, with several people feeling this is actual required. I estimate 40 people have done so filling the pre boarding area.
They then sent the whole group down to the aircraft before they'd even opened boarding to group 0, much to the vocal displeasure of one such individual.
Now being a a lowly group 2 I guess I'm grateful for the extra overhead bin space when I eventually reach the aircraft, but does it really make any difference what so ever.
I've flown KLM, LH, AF amongst others recently and none seem to do this, yet on none of those flights have we suffered a delay due to issues stowing bags - what is BA trying to achieve here and is it actually achieving anything?
#13
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Jersey
Programs: BAEC gold
Posts: 539
The biggest issue with this policy is that many pax have got wise to the lack of enforcement on the jet bridge and then just carry the tagged bag on board. So in fact you end up pre-boarding 40 people plus most of their bags.
#14
Join Date: May 2014
Location: BRU
Programs: BA GGL, TK E (*G), ITA exec
Posts: 4,175
You are not quite accurate about LH not doing this. I flew LH BUD/FRA months ago and the gate staff in Budapest were ruthless about making pax check their hand luggage. It did not matter your class or boarding group. You were made to weigh and check the size of your carry on. If it exceed one of the measurements, you were made to check the luggage. No allowances, no quarter given. Then you got on board and more than half of the overhead bins were completely empty when flight departed.
#15
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,857
You are not quite accurate about LH not doing this. I flew LH BUD/FRA months ago and the gate staff in Budapest were ruthless about making pax check their hand luggage. It did not matter your class or boarding group. You were made to weigh and check the size of your carry on. If it exceed one of the measurements, you were made to check the luggage. No allowances, no quarter given. Then you got on board and more than half of the overhead bins were completely empty when flight departed.