View Full Version : Nearly missed flight due to no info screen update
Nearly missed my flight yesterday (FR2905 – MLA – BRU) because there are no calls in the business lounge and the info screens were never updated to say it was boarding. By the time the screens updated the flight was closed. I ran to the gate and just managed to board. They had to ask the captains permission to take an extra passenger and already had my luggage out of the hold. Suffice to say I was not happy.
Also I left my phone on charge in the lounge in my panic – fortunately someone handed it in and I’ll pick it up when I get back – so a week away on business with no smart phone.
Question I have as an IT applications guy is; how can the gate staff start boarding a flight without updating the status? I would have thought the gate staff would have had to set the flight to boarding in order to start scanning boarding passes, at which point the info screens would be updated? In this case the screens went straight from please wait to close in a matter of seconds. Seems to me a step was missed by the gate staff or, are all these systems not as integrated as we think? Anyone know these systems?
DaveReidUK
7th Mar 2017, 12:44
As a general rule, systems are rarely as joined-up as they might appear. I suspect there would have been a human somewhere in the loop who omitted to do something.
Johnny F@rt Pants
7th Mar 2017, 12:58
I'm amazed they let you on, I was refused boarding when I arrived at the gate 10 mins prior to STD, I had no luggage at all, not even hand luggage. I just got told, the flight is closed, go away. FR - NEVER AGAIN.
Harry Wayfarers
7th Mar 2017, 13:10
The one time that I booked with FR they let me travel ... NEVER AGAIN :)
I'm amazed they let you on, I was refused boarding when I arrived at the gate 10 mins prior to STD, I had no luggage at all, not even hand luggage. I just got told, the flight is closed, go away. FR - NEVER AGAIN.
Try turning up on time then, may help.
Were you on the flight alone? If not, just wondering how the other pax managed to get to gate on time.....
Try reading the OP. There were no calls in the lounge. Presumably I was the only passenger in the lounge.
El Bunto
7th Mar 2017, 14:15
If not, just wondering how the other pax managed to get to gate on time..... Many casual ( i.e. not business or frequent ) travellers religously report to the gate at the time instructed at check-in, well ahead of the 'gate closing' time.
Of course this means that they then sit on hard seats or the floor for 30 minutes before being permitted to form a line and beg permission to board, but consider themselves 'on-time'.
I'm amazed they let you on, I was refused boarding when I arrived at the gate 10 mins prior to STD, I had no luggage at all, not even hand luggage. I just got told, the flight is closed, go away. FR - NEVER AGAIN.
I think the only reason I got let on was because I had checked luggage. They were still hunting for it when I arrived at the gate and had just found it by the time I got to the aircraft - at which point they were told by the supervisor to load it back on the aircraft. If I'd been hand luggage only I would definitely not have got it.
I also assume the fact I got let on was some sort of concession to the fact that someone had f'ed-up with the display screens procedure. I made that clear to them when I got to the gate.
To be fair gate staff were not Ryanair so I think this was an MLA ground staff f-up, not Ryanair. For once.
Rwy in Sight
7th Mar 2017, 14:37
Were you on the flight alone? If not, just wondering how the other pax managed to get to gate on time.....
I guess not to many FR pax on the business lounge
I only had lounge access cause it comes with the car park season ticket. :O
strawberry Ribena
7th Mar 2017, 15:49
If the gate number is on the screen, that's all you need to know. It's your choice when you decide to get there. If 188 other passengers don't need telling when an aircraft is boarding then you f'ed up. Not the ground handler.
I did read the OP and it appeared many tens of pax were sat on a RYR 737 twiddling their thumbs 'cause someone couldn't be bothered to get to a gate on time. It was MLA after all not LHR T5, with C concourse departure
Many lounges don't have calls as they are irritating, especially as busy airports
Top tip....check your watch every now and then
DaveReidUK
7th Mar 2017, 16:16
What time does the boarding gate close? (https://www.ryanair.com/gb/en/useful-info/help-centre/faq-overview/Online-check-in-airport-bag-drop-desks/What-time-does-the-boarding-gate-close)
HeartyMeatballs
7th Mar 2017, 16:18
It works both ways though doesn't it? Like flights that are 'final call' or 'closing' when the aircraft is still 30 miles away.
....plus of course the boarding pass info
caaardiff
7th Mar 2017, 16:34
Assuming the flight was on time, or if it was delayed the new ETD was shown. It states on your boarding pass to be at the gate 20-30 minutes before the departure time, you weren't. Screens or no screens.
Seems odd that the screens went straight from "Please wait" to "closed" and in that matter of seconds up to 188 people had their passport checked, hand luggage checked and boarding card scanned, got on board and took their seats. If that's the case then :ok: to MLA for being able to board an FR so fast!
I'm amazed they let you on, I was refused boarding when I arrived at the gate 10 mins prior to STD, I had no luggage at all, not even hand luggage. I just got told, the flight is closed, go away. FR - NEVER AGAIN.
EZY for example close their gates at -20, some -15, most -10. You don't leave yourself many options of Airlines to fly with if YOU are late to the gate and expect them to accept you. It's not as simple of "I'm here, let me on", bags or not. You are offloaded from the check-in system and removed from the loadsheet and figures. It could take longer to put you back on it and then YOU have delayed the flight for being late
crewmeal
7th Mar 2017, 17:59
If you're a newcomer to Cairo it can be daunting especially when you need to buy a visa before your domestic flight. I was being paged all over the airport with no idea where to go. Eventually after tipping a cleaner he helped me to the appropriate gate.
atakacs
7th Mar 2017, 18:23
I have been refused boarding by EZY showing up exactly 30m (to the minute) before departure, but they usually give some flexibility (I'd say -20 on average). This very morning out of SXF I had the surprise of the captain making the announcement that he would wait a little to allow pax to clear security (which was indeed crowded). I muss say that's the very first time I've witnessed such a gesture in probably 500+ EZY flights!
Rwy in Sight
7th Mar 2017, 19:02
HeartyMeatballs deep deep respect! A very fair comment.
If the gate number is on the screen, that's all you need to know. It's your choice when you decide to get there. If 188 other passengers don't need telling when an aircraft is boarding then you f'ed up. Not the ground handler.
Passengers in the departures hall were told when the aircraft was boarding over the PA system. Passengers in the lounge were never told because the info screens were not updated. So the ground handler f-ed up not me. Or perhaps you are suggesting passengers in the lounge should be penalised for being there? I even asked the lounge receptionist what the status was because the flight was late boarding and was told it wasn't boarding yet and I should sit down and watch the screens. So I was just following instructions.
I did read the OP and it appeared many tens of pax were sat on a RYR 737 twiddling their thumbs 'cause someone couldn't be bothered to get to a gate on time. It was MLA after all not LHR T5, with C concourse departure
Many lounges don't have calls as they are irritating, especially as busy airports
Top tip....check your watch every now and then
In that case you are clearly illiterate because what actually happened is "many tens of pax were sat on a RYR 737 twiddling their thumbs 'cause" some staff member at the airport couldn't be bothered to do their job properly and update the info screens.
Seems odd that the screens went straight from "Please wait" to "closed" and in that matter of seconds up to 188 people had their passport checked, hand luggage checked and boarding card scanned, got on board and took their seats. If that's the case then to MLA for being able to board an FR so fast!
No they didn't. They were boarding the flight over a period of time whilst the info screens were still showing "please wait". Which brings me to my original question about how this is possible on the IT system which, interestingly no one has bothered to answer except for maybe reply #2.
Hotel Tango
7th Mar 2017, 21:56
I even asked the lounge receptionist what the status was because the flight was late boarding and was told it wasn't boarding yet and I should sit down and watch the screens.
A lesson I learned a long time ago is to never assume that ground staff know what they are talking about, particularly in certain countries.
Harry Wayfarers
8th Mar 2017, 03:45
With nothing better to do than perhaps drink coffee or beer or whatever what I would have done, in the absense of any conflicting information, would have been to be at the gate at the time that it specified to me on my boarding pass to be at the gate by no later than.
t1grm, the definition of illiterate is unable to read OR write. As I have been able to craft some letters in the correct order, maybe you need to re-do your English O level....or maybe you missed that too because your teacher did not announce the exam was about to start?
IT did not let you down. You let yourself down. Do you follow GPS routes up farm tracks as well?
This thread seems to have turned into the equivalent of the Daily Mail - 'flogging's too good for... (insert pax/airline/airport)'.
My practical suggestion from long experience. Set an alarm on your smart phone for, say, 30 mins before scheduled boarding then go to the airport departures page and check. Just in case.
IT did not let you down. You let yourself down.
Flight arrived on time with me on it. I could have done without the stress of the dash to the gate and forgetting my phone but other than that, who's been let down? I was simply asking a question about how the IT systems at airports work. However, as usual with internet forums a few sanctimonious individuals seem more intent on lecturing people on how to do xyz because that's how they do it, so they must be right, whilst ignoring the original question.
My practical suggestion from long experience. Set an alarm on your smart phone for, say, 30 mins before scheduled boarding then go to the airport departures page and check. Just in case.
Airport web page uses same data as info screens so would also show flight as not yet boarding. For the record, later flights were updating their status so it was not a faulty departure screen.
Anyway, fascinating that this mud slinging match between the various trolls and keyboard warriors on here is. No one has actually answered my original question about how the IT systems work and how you can board passengers if the system is not updated to boarding.
P.S. What would happen if I was deaf or hard of hearing? Would I be getting flamed on here for not hearing the calls and not seeing anything on the info screens?
Another James
8th Mar 2017, 08:12
Apart from what has been already mentioned at least Ryanair have been very helpful in this occasion.
Once i asked gate staff re misleading/incorrect passenger lounge monitors information i was told that info is just a guide as we enter the relevant info into the monitor system in good time and its up to the airport system to update that info so there could be a delay in info being updated (info queue) and other reasons including human errors.
Some business lounges can be a long trek from the gate something worth remembering also a welfare break may be needed on route.
The E ticket will show gate close time.Gate close time = flight missed,pay up to fly later.
Well done Ryanair.
DaveReidUK
8th Mar 2017, 08:25
Once I asked gate staff re misleading/incorrect passenger lounge monitors information I was told that info is just a guide as we enter the relevant info into the monitor system in good time and it's up to the airport system to update that info so there could be a delay in info being updated (info queue) and other reasons including human errors.
Quite so.
At the risk of stating the obvious, electrons and IP packets don't tend to go into limbo and reappear half an hour later, so if there are discernable delays in one system updating another, it's almost certainly because there's a human in the loop somwhere who's not paying attention or has gone off for a pee or a coffee. :O
Apart from what has been already mentioned at least Ryanair have been very helpful in this occasion.
Yes it was good of the captain to OK my boarding. As usual it's the ground staff causing the problems. I always find flight crew very helpful and easy to get on with.
KelvinD
8th Mar 2017, 08:48
I have to say I have a degree of sympathy here. A couple of years ago I was heading back to Riyadh on BA. I had done this trip a number of times and "knew" the gate. When I checked in, the lady at the counter mentioned the gate and confirmed it was the one I was used to. So off I went and had a nice seat with a view over the tarmac. No aeroplane in my way at the window but I was expecting it to be dragged along shortly. After some time, I became concerned that not only was there no aeroplane at the gate, there were no other passengers either. Eventually, I got up and took a walk to the nearest departure screen which showed me the flight was not only departing from a different gate, it was on the verge of closing. I had to gallop to get there on time. It seems they had changed the gate shortly after I had checked in (serves me right for getting there too early?) and the only information to this effect was displayed on a screen that was nowhere near the gate I was sat at.
I feel your pain brother :)
The Screens and boarding systems are not linked in anyway. At our airport screens are updated by phoning the info desk who then change them manually
ChicoG
8th Mar 2017, 10:38
I got to a GF gate 16 mins before departure time (and six minutes before boarding), and they had already boarded everyone else and started giving me :mad: for being "late".
That to a Gold card-holding J-class passenger who was in a Gulf Air lounge with no announcements and still got there on time.
Since that was about the icing on the cake, I'm a QR Gold card holder now.
S.o.S.
8th Mar 2017, 14:57
It is usually best to check what the 'Thread Starter' said or asked. Please do not use inflammatory language.
The Screens and boarding systems are not linked in anyway. At our airport screens are updated by phoning the info desk who then change them manually
Thanks for the info. Will bear that in mind. :ok:
At many airports the call to gate on the screens are usually automated, based on the ETA of each flight
Harry Wayfarers
8th Mar 2017, 20:14
One time I was flying LED/VIE/LHR with Austrian and the LED/VIE sector had been delayed resulting in a PDQ connection in VIE.
No sooner had I arrived in the VIE terminal than there were putting out final calls for the VIE/LHR sector and specifically announcing "Harry Wayfarers, you are delaying the flight" as if nobody had checked, or was interested, that my (their) flight inbound flight had been late.
These calls continued, I was a smoker at the time but was prepared to go without a cigarette to expedite my transfer, but they continually broadcast that it was I delaying their flight so I decided "F*** You" and I stopped via a smoking lounge for a much needed cigarette.
And "No", I didn't delay the flight!
blind pew
8th Mar 2017, 21:21
Many moons ago I went to the departure gate but the screens weren't working...boarding started ...had my ticket checked and coupon torn out...boarded and eventually asked why the flight was delayed...wrong aircraft...fortunately my flight on the adjacent gate had been delayed....wonderful to travel with a British Airline out of their home base.
What is so difficult about being at the defined gate at the defined time on the boarding pass? If anything goes wrong after that then surely you are covered?
I quick check on the screens whilst walking to the gate to check no late gate change and you are good to go.
esa-aardvark
9th Mar 2017, 05:02
Last in year Sydney, arrived from Seoul, when we disembarked we were already being called to go to our gate.
Gate was on no info screen. The lady at information desk had no relevant gate information.
She did not even know what level of the airport
she worked on.
Now the calls said 'get to the gate or your baggage will be unloaded'.
Eventually found the gate and the
attendant there said I'll see what I can do.
Eventually our
aircraft arrived at Sydney about 6 hours late having been diverted to Canberra due poor weather at Sydney. Sydney
weather was indeed poor, but flights were arriving & departing.
It seems to me that perhaps some systems are connected to planned schedule, others to real information, bu never do the twain meet.