grumpy at aircraft when asked for boarding pass. why?

[larssnowpharter]

For various reasons and many have been mentioned here, it is entirely possible for someone to board the wrong a/c. It doesn't happen that often but it certainly does happen

Happened to me once. Calgary had just opened the new terminal in mid 70s. I was on one of the first flights out to Washington. Mid 70s.

Somehow, in the confusion hat made T5 and Malpensa look well organised, about 6 pax managed to get onto the wrong aircraft. Not til headcount was it discovered.

Other details lost in mists of time.

[Glamgirl]

I'm rather horrified that people on here thinks that us cc checking boarding cards at the door has no impact on the safety of a flight. Imagine this: some "unstable" person books in for a flight with checked in luggage and blatantly walks onto another aircraft. There's explosives (or even something as small as a box of "Lucky Luke" matches in this person's luggage. The "unstable" one travels to ABC safely, but the luggage travels half-way to DEF before bringing the aircraft down. Therefore, it's a security risk.

If all cc could explain to pax when they ask, that "I'm just checking your flight number and date", pax would understand much better. On a short haul aircraft (single aisle), there is no necessety of telling people where they're sitting (unless they ask).

I try to do the boarding card scenario as good humoured as possible, by sometimes saying that we don't want any uninvited guests on board, or just checking they're goiog to the right place. All with a smile of course. It helps the pax understand and then accept why we do it. Trust me, we don't do it because we desperately want to, it's what we have to do.

Hope this clarifies some issues.

Gg

[Final 3 Greens]

I'm rather horrified that people on here thinks that us cc checking boarding cards at the door has no impact on the safety of a flight.

Glamgirl

The trouble is that some of us make the majority of our flights on airlines who do not check the boarding passes.

So are you telling me that I am taking a higher risk by flying with the likes of Lufthansa, SN Brussels, Swiss etc? And if so is it an unacceptable risk?

Please provide references to support your answers.

And therein lies the problem, different standards and different perceptions.

Having said that, I don't have a problem produing a boarding pass on UK airlines or Air France, its just a discordant feeling.

[Der absolute Hammer]

Why should cc have a obligation to explain anything to pax?
If you board my bus, I want to know....
1.That you belong on it.
2. That you have a clue where your seat is.
3. That you get to it ASAP so that I make my slot.
I am the Captain...
I ask the cabin crew to undertake these things for your safety and convenience.
BC and FC pax should lead by example. They are not meant to be the mangiling herd.
Any acts of grumpy by pax at entry port is nothing more that bullying.
Exterminate bullys........No problems with that I guess?

[Final 3 Greens]

I ask the cabin crew to undertake these things for your safety and convenience.

But capts don't ask crew on most European airlines to check boarding passes, do they?

And the ones who do are doing what they are told to do by their employers.

Anyway, nice trolling try, but I'm not biting further.

[6chimes]

[QUOTE]And therein lies the problem, different standards and different perceptions.

Having said that, I don't have a problem produing a boarding pass on UK airlines or Air France, its just a discordant feeling./QUOTE]

Different countries have different security risks and therefore will have different procedures in place to deal with it. Take for example VISA's; one country wants you to have one another might not, some countries want you to have a visa if you are from a certain country yet you will not need one if you are a citizen of somewhere else. Everyone just seems to put up with that!

It is not my employer that demands that I ask politely to see your boarding card it is a directive from the DfT and their security groups.

I take your point that the inconsistency is infuriating, some airports in the UK want your belt off, some don't, some want your shoes off, some don't etc. etc. etc.

Don't shoot the messenger as I'm only doing my job.

6

[Skipness One Echo]

Good point Glagirl, shame the girl at the other end of the bridge can't be trusted to read a small piece of card. Would you like a straw to clutch at? For God's sake you're checking the same thing at BOTH ENDS of the same airbridge. Clearly all those airlines that allow this highly dangerous loophole to remain open must be grounded. Summon the authorities so they may be warned!

Some people can't see the wood for the trees. Frequent fliers see the disparity between airlines more than the staff that are the "experts" it seems. You check boarding cards because you are told to, fair enough. The fact that not everyone does is a clue that it might *NOT* be as essential as you are told. I hope you don't believe everything your employer tells you. Perhaps "your terms and conditions are safe".......

[el #]

From the above collection of condescending banalities:

he or she is constantly thinking about 9/11

Should see a therapist then.

[6chimes]

el

I'm sure that you a thoroughly decent person and hold a job where you also have responsibility to someone or some board members. You will have probably had to make decisions that are in the interest of the business which may have been mis-understood or not seen within the overall structure of the business. So maybe you could consider the post that you have criticised and think again.

If you have never been in the position I have stated then you have absolutely no business commenting.

I have never been so offended by a post on pprune.

6

[christep]

Originally Posted by Glamgirl

I'm rather horrified that people on here thinks that us cc checking boarding cards at the door has no impact on the safety of a flight. Imagine this: some "unstable" person books in for a flight with checked in luggage and blatantly walks onto another aircraft. There's explosives (or even something as small as a box of "Lucky Luke" matches in this person's luggage. The "unstable" one travels to ABC safely, but the luggage travels half-way to DEF before bringing the aircraft down. Therefore, it's a security risk.

Eh? If the passenger wanted to do as you suggest then surely the simple answer is not to board any aircraft at all? The security check that stops what you fear (unaccompanied luggage being dangerous) is the check on the aircraft that the luggage is on that so are all the attendant passengers.

But in any case, you seem not to have noticed that the current breed of terrorist has no problems dying for their beliefs so the issue of people flying separately from their luggage is more or less irrelevant these days.

[Final 3 Greens]

6

I wouldn't wish to get into an argument with you, as I respect your approach and time and time again you take a reasonable view on these boards

Having said that, my point is about the ridiculous inconsistency, not the act of showing a boarding pass at the door - it really doesn't worry me and only takes a few seconds.

But if different countries have different security needs, how come the airlines operate in and out of the same airports with different standards? Should n't they standardise by airport by country?

To use your example of visas, wouldn't it be ridiculous if people flying on BA to a certain needed a visa, but people on Lufthansa didn't?

That's exactly the type of inconsistency people like me, who fly every week, experience regularly.

I certainly don't blame the crew, as I am well aware that the DfT set rules which their employers must comply with, but I do notice the differential standards and wonder what it is all about.... and like another poster said on another post recently, I actively avoid corresponding through UK airports because of the extra hassle, wchih does not make me feel one little bit safer.

[Final 3 Greens]

Summa101

Anyone who writes such a rant is truly in the wrong job and needs counselling into a more suitable position.

Assuming the rant is serious, there is a lot of repressed anger in there and that is neither healthy for the person nor those that person comes into contact with.

Ever heard of the term "going postal?"

[6chimes]

F 3 G

I take your point, the inconsistencies are baffling. Like you I fly all the time mainly as crew although I do pax a fair bit too.

Most of the problems arise when poorly trained/paid staff are told to implement rules that are there for security. If you are in civviies and ask why a particular rule/process is in place you will be seen as a threat and quite possibly given a curt answer. I have seen that on a number of occasions and I have also seen many nice and informative security employees.

As you will already know UK airports are profit focussed and hence run on the bare minimum staffing levels, in airports that are quite often over crowded and in need of rebuilding.

I would imagine that most of you on the thread here are regular business pax so I would guess that you are flying a lot of shorthaul and at the peak times. So you will be passing through the airports when they are operating to full capacity. My sympathies to you all!!!

Like I said before, don't shoot the messenger I'm only doing my job.

As for the inconsistencies, 'tis life and there are plenty of jobs worths in the UK ready to pounce and assert a little authority. It makes 'em feel good about themselves. Humour them

6

[Right Way Up]

But in any case, you seem not to have noticed that the current breed of terrorist has no problems dying for their beliefs so the issue of people flying separately from their luggage is more or less irrelevant these days.

And that is the rub, what the "current breed" of terrorists do is irrelevant, pre Sept 11 nobody had flown an airliner into a building. Terrorists are constantly looking for weak points in the system. It is important we do not give them opportunites by relaxing in key areas. As Captain it is my responsibility that everyone who boards the aircraft is supposed to be on it. That includes every groundstaff members' id being checked. I can only delegate that role to my crew, and in any case would prefer there to be more than one line of defence.

I would suggest that anyone who really gets bothered about showing their boarding pass on the aircraft maybe needs to relax a little.

[Final 3 Greens]

I would suggest that anyone who really gets bothered about showing their boarding pass on the aircraft maybe needs to relax a little.

Given that most of the airlines of Europe don't feel the need to check at the aircraft door, I would suggest that you need to relax a little.

[Right Way Up]

F 3 G,
Quite chilled thanks. I will do my job as I am required to as a UK commander, what other countries' airlines do is quite irrelevant.

[6chimes]

It would be interesting to hear from some european crew on this. They must have the odd occasion where someone does board the wrong a/c, if not then it is the UK that should be looking at why europe has a zero incidence rate.

If they do have the odd occasion it would be interesting to know what they do about it and how long it takes.

I would be horrified if the pax was just allowed to disembark and the flight were to carry on as normal, so the flight must incur a delay of some sort. Which justifies our system that prevents any delay no matter how short. We all know what folk think of a delay that could have been avoided.

6

[Final 3 Greens]

Quite chilled thanks. I will do my job as I am required to as a UK commander, what other countries' airlines do is quite irrelevant.

Then perhaps you should qualify your comments "in the UK."

Another little Englander, I see.

[Right Way Up]

Another little Englander, I see.

You're actually quite funny in a strange sort of way.

[Right Way Up]

....or is that strange in a funny sort of way? (This damn little english language always gets the better of me)