Checking boarding pass at plane door – why?
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Di_Vosh: Glad I amuse you. Not sure what scale of annoyance “really bugs” is on your life annoyance scale but on mine it is pretty low. Pissed off and apoplectic are at the other end of the scale but that is not what we are talking about here. The M25 statement was a tongue in cheek reference to the whole flying experience and not this issue in isolation. Forgive me if the smilieys I took the trouble to add to my post did not adequately convey my sarcasm. I am a bit new here but, I was under the impression this is a discussion forum. Is there a forum rule mandating that any post has to meet your personal order of merit or is otherwise rendered pointless?
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How many times has the gate staff let through someone they shouldn't?
Last edited by Johnny F@rt Pants; 9th Jan 2013 at 15:28.
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I am a bit new here but, I was under the impression this is a discussion forum. Is there a forum rule mandating that any post has to meet your personal order of merit or is otherwise rendered pointless?
However, as you correctly pointed out, this is a discussion forum. Not everyone who posts will necessarily take you as seriously as you appear to take yourself.
Basically, if you're going to get all hurt and sulky when someone laughs at you, perhaps you shouldn't post.
What about those instances where you are coached to the aircraft? Would it be OK to ask to see your boarding pass then?
It also gives the CC a chance t interact with the pax and see if there might be any potential "issues"... i.e. medical, had a bit too much, kids separated from parents and so on...
If you fly in the Pacific you'll find standard procedure in Oz/NZ as well. Especially in any airport where the passenger crosses a tarmac or where the gate staff are not directly employed by the airline (believe this is due to SOPs sometimes being different.
As mentioned, while some believe it to be slow, it gives us the chance to slow things down to allow the crew in the aisle to stow bags/wrangle kids/get people moving where they need to.
I am confused. In over 40 years of flying and certainly over the last 20, I have always been asked for my boarding pass stub (or self-printed equivalent). Even when I was the only passenger on a flight (last November MAN-LHR) they checked as I got to the bottom of the airbridge.
Why get all concerned about it. Its good practice.
Why get all concerned about it. Its good practice.
Paxing All Over The World
One time saving reason is stop the pax is boarding the wrong a/c by not having read the gate info correctly.
Saves the argument over whose seat it is or, if no seat clash, the repeated headcounts and announcements until the person can be found and expelled. hopefully without the a/c having lost it's departure slot.
Saves the argument over whose seat it is or, if no seat clash, the repeated headcounts and announcements until the person can be found and expelled. hopefully without the a/c having lost it's departure slot.
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I agree it is good practice but there is a lack of consistency. Until retirement in 2009 I travelled frequently with a variety of airlines on long and short haul services. Some checked boarding passes at the aircraft, others did not.
Since retirement my flights have generally been domestic within Spain with infrequent trips to the UK either direct BIO-LHR or via CdG and that inconsistency still exists.
That said, my boarding pass always remains clutched in sweaty fingers until I am seated and thereafter in the seat pocket. Not difficult but more consistency would help.
Since retirement my flights have generally been domestic within Spain with infrequent trips to the UK either direct BIO-LHR or via CdG and that inconsistency still exists.
That said, my boarding pass always remains clutched in sweaty fingers until I am seated and thereafter in the seat pocket. Not difficult but more consistency would help.
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Just boarded KM in BRU. An interesting melange. No boarding pass check at the door but I was asked my seat number. Obviously this is a phased approach 
. Presumably if I didn't know my seat number then I would have to show my boarding pass. :P
. Presumably if I didn't know my seat number then I would have to show my boarding pass. :P
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Johnny F@rt Pants,
Rome alone: 11-year-old boy flies from Manchester to Italy without ticket | UK news | guardian.co.uk
Poor example of 'gate staff letting someone through that they shouldn't'
Article states that the 'crew did not realise' and also 'a headcount' supposedly done by the crew did not show discrepancy.
So no gate staff here to blame solely!
Rome alone: 11-year-old boy flies from Manchester to Italy without ticket | UK news | guardian.co.uk
Poor example of 'gate staff letting someone through that they shouldn't'
Article states that the 'crew did not realise' and also 'a headcount' supposedly done by the crew did not show discrepancy.
So no gate staff here to blame solely!
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Passengers do sometimes slip through at the gate, and when you have two airlines operating from the same terminal, flying to the same destination at similar times and both codesharing with each other (BA & Qantas to Singapore, BA & Finnair to Helsinki etc) meaning two flights with four flight numbers there is easily scope for confusion.
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Often SLF are given 2 boarding passes with differant seat No's at check-in if they are transiting up route to another A/C. You can put money on them showing you the wrong one first up. If the first sector is in E/Y and the 2nd. one is in J/C guess which one they will try to get away with first up. 
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Potential thread drift, but why do we still get two, or more, boarding cards for two, or more, flights?
kL/AF, at least, gave you one piece of paper which covered all your connecting flights to your next stopping place.
Not only is that a convenience to passengers, in many ways, but I would imagine also helpful to gate/flight staff, in many other ways.
It's a real pity IATA is prohibited from making new standards like this, but that's not a reason for others to stick with outdated procedures.
kL/AF, at least, gave you one piece of paper which covered all your connecting flights to your next stopping place.
Not only is that a convenience to passengers, in many ways, but I would imagine also helpful to gate/flight staff, in many other ways.
It's a real pity IATA is prohibited from making new standards like this, but that's not a reason for others to stick with outdated procedures.
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why do we still get two, or more, boarding cards for two, or more, flights?
kL/AF, at least, gave you one piece of paper which covered all your connecting flights to your next stopping place.
kL/AF, at least, gave you one piece of paper which covered all your connecting flights to your next stopping place.
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Once had a 'guest' on a plane I was on in USA pre-9/11, which caused major issues.
Flight was AA from John Wayne Airport (SNA) to ORD in December. Plane only 25% full, and last guy on who was wearing shorts, shirt and tie, sits next to me. The rest of the row was free.
Doors closed and pushed back. captain came on to give flight details and weather conditions in Chicago (heavy snow).
Guy next to me asks where the flight is going to. I reply Chicago, and he says he is going to Dallas, which partly explains the shorts
After frantic pressing of the call button by guy, stewardess appears and is told of the error, which she hurries off to cockpit. On return, she explains that the captain had left the gate and was not able to return, as another plane was about to take it's place. Upshot of it all. Guy was made to continue to Chicago. He was also going to have to pay for his flight from Chicago to Dallas
They also confirmed that his bags would be taken off his plane from SNA to DFW, as he didn't get on that plane, probably causing a slight delay to that flight. He was also informed that his bags would probably remain in SNA, and he would have to pay for them to go by Fedex.
So, to the O/P. Is this additional check a pain or not, especially if you are that passenger getting on the wrong plane?
Flight was AA from John Wayne Airport (SNA) to ORD in December. Plane only 25% full, and last guy on who was wearing shorts, shirt and tie, sits next to me. The rest of the row was free.
Doors closed and pushed back. captain came on to give flight details and weather conditions in Chicago (heavy snow).
Guy next to me asks where the flight is going to. I reply Chicago, and he says he is going to Dallas, which partly explains the shorts
After frantic pressing of the call button by guy, stewardess appears and is told of the error, which she hurries off to cockpit. On return, she explains that the captain had left the gate and was not able to return, as another plane was about to take it's place. Upshot of it all. Guy was made to continue to Chicago. He was also going to have to pay for his flight from Chicago to Dallas
They also confirmed that his bags would be taken off his plane from SNA to DFW, as he didn't get on that plane, probably causing a slight delay to that flight. He was also informed that his bags would probably remain in SNA, and he would have to pay for them to go by Fedex.
So, to the O/P. Is this additional check a pain or not, especially if you are that passenger getting on the wrong plane?
Last edited by WestofEMA; 11th Jan 2013 at 13:26.
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I also am a frequent flyer and am struggling to remember a flight when I wasn't asked for my boarding card at the aircraft door.
Another point to consider is when I have sat at the front, as I like to be on the plane early, I often watch the boarding process and usually most people at gripping their boarding card tightly to remember their seat number.
I suespect that being asked for the boarding pass therefore is a mild irritant to only a few and as regular flyer I would prefer not to be delayed by someone being on the wrong flight.
Finally called me old fashioned but it is nice to be greeted by name as you board.
Another point to consider is when I have sat at the front, as I like to be on the plane early, I often watch the boarding process and usually most people at gripping their boarding card tightly to remember their seat number.
I suespect that being asked for the boarding pass therefore is a mild irritant to only a few and as regular flyer I would prefer not to be delayed by someone being on the wrong flight.
Finally called me old fashioned but it is nice to be greeted by name as you board.
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I must admit that as a fairly frequent flyer, I always carry my boarding card/piece of paper in an easily accessible place, because if I don't, I know I'll be asked for it! To avoid any delays to me and those following me, I also look ahead and see what those in front of me are required to do.
One thing I don't understand though when flying Ryanair is the squiggly pen mark applied to my boarding card by the person supervising boarding. What is it meant to signify and who would ever need to see it?
One thing I don't understand though when flying Ryanair is the squiggly pen mark applied to my boarding card by the person supervising boarding. What is it meant to signify and who would ever need to see it?
It does bug me that the crew can't trust the gate staff at the other end of the airbridge to do their jobs. Twice in thirty feet
Who are processing a mob of people who cluster around the boarding entrance, all having the intelligence to assume that they have small children, need more time to board, are either flying in first or business class, have the alliance's premium card or - if we're boarding by row number - are all at the back of the aircraft.
And you're SERIOUSLY expecting them to remember their seat number for longer than 10 seconds?
I don't bother memorising ephemeral stuff that I can easily refer to and my seat number falls into that category. Which is why my boarding pass stub is in my hand until I get to my seat and give it to the flight attendant with my jacket
Last edited by RevMan2; 11th Jan 2013 at 20:32.