Lowest fare-payers to be last to board on BA

British Airways passengers paying the lowest fares on European flights will be kept back at the departure gate until everyone else has boarded the plane. On 12 December, the carrier will introduce a “group boarding” system on all its flights. When the passenger checks in, whether online or at the airport, they will be assigned a group numbered between one and five. “This number will then be displayed prominently on the boarding pass, printed or mobile,” says BA in an internal newsletter. The lower the number, the earlier the passenger will be allowed to board. The highest priority will be assigned to Gold members of the British Airways Executive Club, as well as First Class passengers on long-haul flights and short-haul travellers on BA’s business class, Club Europe. Next are Silver members and Club World passengers on long-haul flights. Group three will comprise Bronze Executive Club members and passengers in World Traveller Plus, BA’s premium economy. Economy passengers with no special status will be in group 4, with group 5 on European flights comprising those travelling on the cheapest, hand-baggage only fares. Passengers with mobility issues or who are travelling with young children will still be able to board ahead of everyone else. Travellers who have frequent-flyer status with BA’s Oneworld alliance partners will also get priority. In its internal document, BA says: “This method has been used all around the world by many airlines and aligns BA with partners American Airlines and Iberia. “Group boarding simplifies the process, making it easier for customers to understand the boarding sequence at the gate.”<br/>