Purpose of boarding card 'check' at aircraft door
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Esher, Surrey
Posts: 466
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I recall an incident a few years ago at LHR when the A/C was ready to depart and then the final passenger arrived at the gate.
Check in counts and boarding counts etc all looked OK so ready to go.
On investigation it was found that a one in nn chance had happened.
Passenger A arrived at the gate and his seat no was checked, but it was not noticed was for another flight, and he boarded.
Passenger B, with the correct, for that flight, boarding card, then arrived and just happened to have the same seat number.
CC please keep up the good work and keep checking.
Check in counts and boarding counts etc all looked OK so ready to go.
On investigation it was found that a one in nn chance had happened.
Passenger A arrived at the gate and his seat no was checked, but it was not noticed was for another flight, and he boarded.
Passenger B, with the correct, for that flight, boarding card, then arrived and just happened to have the same seat number.
CC please keep up the good work and keep checking.
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Yearning for sun and sea
Age: 82
Posts: 249
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Many moons ago, as a frequent flyer SLF, on boarding the aircraft there
was no demand at the door to view the BC. And when much later it became standard practice to be asked to produce your BC I thought sod it I know where I'm going to sit and complain why do I have to show my BC fer Christ's sake, just bring me a drink after take off.
Glamgirl, LCD, JSL and others, I was your worst nightmare! I pay your wages and if I say jump, I expect the answer, how high! Probably made Skipness look polite.
Then I grew up, mellowed somewhat, hopefully became a bit wiser. By chance I found Pprune, read the comments and have a far better insight about the job that CC do and what they have to put up with.
Talk about conversion, probably only bettered by Paul on the road to Damascus. I smile, say good morning, show my BC and actually pay attention to the safety briefing.
One day I hope to meet some of the CC posters in flight, I'm easily recognised, I'm the outrageously polite one!
GF
was no demand at the door to view the BC. And when much later it became standard practice to be asked to produce your BC I thought sod it I know where I'm going to sit and complain why do I have to show my BC fer Christ's sake, just bring me a drink after take off.
Glamgirl, LCD, JSL and others, I was your worst nightmare! I pay your wages and if I say jump, I expect the answer, how high! Probably made Skipness look polite.
Then I grew up, mellowed somewhat, hopefully became a bit wiser. By chance I found Pprune, read the comments and have a far better insight about the job that CC do and what they have to put up with.
Talk about conversion, probably only bettered by Paul on the road to Damascus. I smile, say good morning, show my BC and actually pay attention to the safety briefing.
One day I hope to meet some of the CC posters in flight, I'm easily recognised, I'm the outrageously polite one!
GF
Guest
Posts: n/a
Beamender 99
Let's get one thing straight, the CC have to check the boarding passes on UK airlines to comply with regulations, no discussions.
However, when I read your post and then I think about how many hundreds of thousands of people get on the right flights, I do really wonder about proportionality.
In other words, if (for sake of argument) 1 in 20,000 people take the wrong flight, does that really justify the process of double checking?
Lufthansa/Swiss don't check BPs at the door, are your saying that they do not understand how to run their business?
I doubt it. The real issue is that many airlines no longer do a headcount, which is where discrepancies are usually caught by airlines who still do them.
As I said, the crew have to do them on UK airlines, but I disagree with your reasoning.
Let's get one thing straight, the CC have to check the boarding passes on UK airlines to comply with regulations, no discussions.
However, when I read your post and then I think about how many hundreds of thousands of people get on the right flights, I do really wonder about proportionality.
In other words, if (for sake of argument) 1 in 20,000 people take the wrong flight, does that really justify the process of double checking?
Lufthansa/Swiss don't check BPs at the door, are your saying that they do not understand how to run their business?
I doubt it. The real issue is that many airlines no longer do a headcount, which is where discrepancies are usually caught by airlines who still do them.
As I said, the crew have to do them on UK airlines, but I disagree with your reasoning.
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Goole.East Yorkshire.UK
Age: 59
Posts: 71
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Well said Dolly !! 
Noooooo way !!!...i'm away on my jollies for over a week...come back,& ths topic is still under discussion.
I truly wanted to slap my boarding pass on my forehead as i entered the cabin yesterday morning...but alas...just showed it to crew.
Noooooo way !!!...i'm away on my jollies for over a week...come back,& ths topic is still under discussion.
I truly wanted to slap my boarding pass on my forehead as i entered the cabin yesterday morning...but alas...just showed it to crew.
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Esher, Surrey
Posts: 466
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
As I said, the crew have to do them on UK airlines, but I disagree with your reasoning.
It appeared to happen as the seat number was called out by one member of the gate team and then another member input it into the DCS system at the gate.
I am totally happy with the existing checks for those on board.
My rule is, when on board and A. N. Other is in my assigned seat, as has happened on several flights, I have a quiet word with the CC out of earshot and leave it to their expertise to resolve things.
I do however hope that some of the serious holes in the baggage handling proceedures that existed a few years have been plugged.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Cheshire, UK
Posts: 326
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Final 3 Greens
Well said! 
Passengers are not 'self loading freight' despite whatever the people who run these forums like to nickname the various forums here.
It sounds like you need some customer service retraining Lowcostdolly, I thought cabin crew were trained to be polite and curteous at all times, as however you may like to look at it, we, the 'SLF' pay your wages as Skipness also said. Maybe as you are 'Lowcost' your airline overlooks such training!
Lowcostdolly
If I am SLF in your eyes, then I take it you have no objection to me referring to you as a cart tart?
If I am SLF in your eyes, then I take it you have no objection to me referring to you as a cart tart?
Passengers are not 'self loading freight' despite whatever the people who run these forums like to nickname the various forums here.
It sounds like you need some customer service retraining Lowcostdolly, I thought cabin crew were trained to be polite and curteous at all times, as however you may like to look at it, we, the 'SLF' pay your wages as Skipness also said. Maybe as you are 'Lowcost' your airline overlooks such training!
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: UK
Age: 33
Posts: 166
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
In other words, if (for sake of argument) 1 in 20,000 people take the wrong flight, does that really justify the process of double checking?
So to answer your question, yes.
Is holding your boarding pass for that extra 10 seconds that it takes you to walk from the gate to the aircraft THAT big a deal?
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: YPPH
Posts: 501
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I can't see anywhere where LCD has been impolite or discourteous. She is merely stating her frustrations with passengers who feel the need to question her instructions as a crew member. No-one here has any idea in how she deals with this in the cabin - only LCD.
Personally, I object to passengers who come on to this forum and lord it over airline staff on here - staff who are trying to help, on their own time - and expect staff to revere them because they are customer and 'pay our wages'. Passengers deserve to be treated with respect as fellow human beings, just as crew should be treated with respect by passengers.
However, at a point where a passenger feels they are entitled to by-pass regulations, all aviation authorities empower their cabin crew to assert themselves to resolve an issue by whatever means. For example, I had to deal with a complaint at BA where a passenger stood up just after take off, opened a locker and stood there while rumaging through her baggage looking for her ipod. A crew member, still strapped in to her jump seat yelled at this passenger to sit down - as trained. This customer wrote in to say she was embarrased, that the crew member was rude, etc but what is this crew member to do? Get out of her own seat and quietly ask the lady to sit down? Why should the crew member risk her own safety?
I also think we need to remind people that this is not airlinequality.com. This is a pilots' forum and they have very generously given space for passengers to ask questions. I don't believe the space was allocated for frustrated passengers to have a shot at cabin crew and ground staff at every opportunity, or remind staff of who pays their wages. Staff who contribute on here have to put up with this reality in the terminals and on the aircraft everyday. They shouldn't have to put up with it here. This is a place where staff should be able to be themselves.
Personally, I object to passengers who come on to this forum and lord it over airline staff on here - staff who are trying to help, on their own time - and expect staff to revere them because they are customer and 'pay our wages'. Passengers deserve to be treated with respect as fellow human beings, just as crew should be treated with respect by passengers.
However, at a point where a passenger feels they are entitled to by-pass regulations, all aviation authorities empower their cabin crew to assert themselves to resolve an issue by whatever means. For example, I had to deal with a complaint at BA where a passenger stood up just after take off, opened a locker and stood there while rumaging through her baggage looking for her ipod. A crew member, still strapped in to her jump seat yelled at this passenger to sit down - as trained. This customer wrote in to say she was embarrased, that the crew member was rude, etc but what is this crew member to do? Get out of her own seat and quietly ask the lady to sit down? Why should the crew member risk her own safety?
I also think we need to remind people that this is not airlinequality.com. This is a pilots' forum and they have very generously given space for passengers to ask questions. I don't believe the space was allocated for frustrated passengers to have a shot at cabin crew and ground staff at every opportunity, or remind staff of who pays their wages. Staff who contribute on here have to put up with this reality in the terminals and on the aircraft everyday. They shouldn't have to put up with it here. This is a place where staff should be able to be themselves.
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: UK
Age: 64
Posts: 3,586
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The problem with the "I pay your wages, therefore..." argument is that it can used used to justify almost any action or position taken up by anybody. It is an imprecise area weapon that inflicts casualties on everybody within the blast radius, including the user.
Factually, it is accurate - passengers do of course pay the wages of airline personnel (together with freight shippers) however from that point on, things begin to slip.
Modern aviation is a mass transit industry. Intelligent human beings do not like to be treated as part of a mass: Good airlines understand this and put policies and procedures in place to try and recognise this fact, and to treat customers (as far as possible within the cost model) as individuals. Even with the greatest efforts, it is inevitable that some areas of the experience will fail to meet customer expectations or desires. When this happens, the customer will either decide to roll with the punches, or will complain and attempt to rectify the problem, or will move elsewhere. This is why good airlines will tend to treat complaint as an opportunity to improve the customer experience.
Aviation also employs humans: By definition, there will therefore be infinite shades of ability, empathy, intelligence and talent. This will, in turn, constantly shade the customer experience. There are crew that I have worked with who make me wince every time they speak to somebody, and also some who have a natural ability that I envy. This will surely be true of any industry.
Now we know this, shouldn't we just step back and get some perspective before posting further on this thread?
Factually, it is accurate - passengers do of course pay the wages of airline personnel (together with freight shippers) however from that point on, things begin to slip.
Modern aviation is a mass transit industry. Intelligent human beings do not like to be treated as part of a mass: Good airlines understand this and put policies and procedures in place to try and recognise this fact, and to treat customers (as far as possible within the cost model) as individuals. Even with the greatest efforts, it is inevitable that some areas of the experience will fail to meet customer expectations or desires. When this happens, the customer will either decide to roll with the punches, or will complain and attempt to rectify the problem, or will move elsewhere. This is why good airlines will tend to treat complaint as an opportunity to improve the customer experience.
Aviation also employs humans: By definition, there will therefore be infinite shades of ability, empathy, intelligence and talent. This will, in turn, constantly shade the customer experience. There are crew that I have worked with who make me wince every time they speak to somebody, and also some who have a natural ability that I envy. This will surely be true of any industry.
Now we know this, shouldn't we just step back and get some perspective before posting further on this thread?
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: London
Age: 60
Posts: 164
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by Final 3 Greens
Let's get one thing straight, the CC have to check the boarding passes on UK airlines to comply with regulations, no discussions...
Lufthansa/Swiss don't check BPs at the door, are your saying that they do not understand how to run their business?
As I said, the crew have to do them on UK airlines, but I disagree with your reasoning.
Lufthansa/Swiss don't check BPs at the door, are your saying that they do not understand how to run their business?
As I said, the crew have to do them on UK airlines, but I disagree with your reasoning.
But over the past year I've probably flown with a dozen different airlines, including BA, KLM, Air France, Austrian, Aeroflot and Thai, and I cannot recall ever boarding a plane and not being asked to show my boarding pass.
It seems to me to be a perfectly sensible final check that the passenger is on the correct aircraft (especially if you've walked or been bussed to the plane), and it really is so little trouble for the passenger that I don't understand the objections made against it.
Guest
Posts: n/a
Rusland 17
Your choice of airlines does very much determine whether the BP will be checked at the door. Looking at your list, BA have to check, Air France do, not sure about KLM as I don't use them (Europe Select is a disgrace), am surprised Austrian did (I have flown 4 sectors this years and they did not check mine), Aeroflot and Thai I don;t use.
Probably 65% of my flights are with airlines who do not, but different people wil l have different experiences.
You need some kind of check to ensure that the aircraft departs with the right pax on board.
With British airlines, the government imposes this check, so it is a fair accompli.
Other airlines may have the discretion not to check.
I think a headcount makes a lot of sense, as it shows up the actucal on board vs the planned, but some airlines don't do that anymore.
As to the trouble for the passenger, I do agree that it should not trouble them and you won't find me objecting to the check.
Because I am a FQTV, I usually know which airlines wish to see the pass, so it is particularly easy for me.
Your choice of airlines does very much determine whether the BP will be checked at the door. Looking at your list, BA have to check, Air France do, not sure about KLM as I don't use them (Europe Select is a disgrace), am surprised Austrian did (I have flown 4 sectors this years and they did not check mine), Aeroflot and Thai I don;t use.
Probably 65% of my flights are with airlines who do not, but different people wil l have different experiences.
It seems to me to be a perfectly sensible final check that the passenger is on the correct aircraft (especially if you've walked or been bussed to the plane), and it really is so little trouble for the passenger that I don't understand the objections made against it.
With British airlines, the government imposes this check, so it is a fair accompli.
Other airlines may have the discretion not to check.
I think a headcount makes a lot of sense, as it shows up the actucal on board vs the planned, but some airlines don't do that anymore.
As to the trouble for the passenger, I do agree that it should not trouble them and you won't find me objecting to the check.
Because I am a FQTV, I usually know which airlines wish to see the pass, so it is particularly easy for me.
Guest
Posts: n/a
Tightslot
I am sorry to have to disagree.
The passenger pays the airline, who in turn pays either the employee or the agency who provides the contract worker.
I would never say 'I pay your wages' to an employee of any business, it is crass and likely to promote an emotional reaction.
On the other hand, 'I do not believe that you are providing the service I am entitled to and this is what I would like you to do ......' is entirely reasonable and provides the opportunity for the airline (via the employee) to make things right.
Factually, it is accurate - passengers do of course pay the wages of airline personnel (together with freight shippers) however from that point on, things begin to slip.
The passenger pays the airline, who in turn pays either the employee or the agency who provides the contract worker.
I would never say 'I pay your wages' to an employee of any business, it is crass and likely to promote an emotional reaction.
On the other hand, 'I do not believe that you are providing the service I am entitled to and this is what I would like you to do ......' is entirely reasonable and provides the opportunity for the airline (via the employee) to make things right.