Weird Heathrow boarding experience

Their idea of 'trick or treat'?

There are many airports that have no announcements of flights - I just flew through CDG and there were notices rotating through on the electronic boards that no flight announcements would be made. Then at the gate, it seems like sometimes the gate agents just give up since after the premium boarding, it's often a scrum to get on the plane.

I had this recently at a small airport in the UK. I was sitting in an area with no big departure boards (it’s a cafe that’s currently closed but has lots of seats and power sockets, so people use it as an overspill area). About 30 minutes before my flight time I thought: guess we’ll be boarding soon. Walked through to the main area and saw that the departure board said “gates closing” for my flight.

Luckily it’s a small airport so it was about two minutes away and I got there in plenty of time. But I swear I heard announcements for some of the flights so it seemed really inconsistent which ones they were announcing and which ones not.

Wow! I didn't even know this was a thing, but it just happened to me in Barcelona. There was a line at the gate, so I got into it eventually, but, no announcements. They're always finding new ways to keep us on our toes, I suppose?

It must depend on the airline. Last month at Heathrow, United made regular announcements as they called each boarding group forward.

I always found it odd that some people will start lining up even an hour before boarding. Everyone complains about flying, so why be in a rush to get on the plane so you can make your flight time in a small seat on the plane even longer.

There are passengers who bring luggage that is arguably larger than what is allowed for carry-ons. Not all gate agents measure carry-on bags to make sure they fit into a template. So people line up early to make sure their bags aren’t squeezed out by these large bags or it’s those with the large bags who want make sure they can put their one bag into the overhead compartment before others can place theirs.

I always found it odd that some people will start lining up even an hour before boarding.

I don't line up but I do arrive early and find a seat with a view of the gate and agents. I never listen to boarding announcements as I'm always afraid I'll miss something, so it's easier for me just to sit close and pay attention to the what the gate agents are doing (and see what the departure board says).

It's funny - I line up kind of early to board usually. But not because I am worried about overhead space (I never travel carry-on only, so I always only have a backpack and personal item with me). I just get a bit anxious and don't want to get stuck too far back in line.

Madrid’s airport does the same thing to cut down on announcements in the terminal. It does board by groups sometimes, so I get in line as soon as it gets close to boarding. Many times in the past it was a huge free-for-all.

There are quite valid reasons fir lining up early. I wouldn’t second guess other travelers’ motives.

I travel with a “legal” carry-on. I line up early when in PE or economy because I have occasionally been squeezed out of overhead space for my 20” bag. It fits under the west, but not all gate agents believe me.

When in Business, I board early and use the time to get settled. Drink service, hot towel distribution, etc often starts early as economy is boarding. Depends on the airline. I appreciate the transition time before takeoff.

I appreciate it when middle and window seaters get to their seats promptly/early so as not to disrupt those already seated.

I’ve found no announcements to be the norm over recent years. I can’t remember the last time there were any when flying from MAN, LHR and LCY and there weren’t any at PSA on Monday either.

I’d agree with getting on early if in Business. Usually you can do it with little or no queueing. But for Economy flights I’m usually aiming to be one of the last on. I have no desire stand in a queue for any length of time or to sit in an economy seat any longer than I have to. I’m usually checking a bag so have little or nothing on me on the plane - it will easily sit by my feet.

At Munich instead of boarding by rows or groups, the gate agents just kinda threw up their hands and said All Aboard. Which went about as well as you might expect.

This happened on my recent trip to Montreal. I had never before seen actual lanes set up for the different zones. People would start to get into these lanes pretty early, I was used to just sitting in the waiting area until my zone or group is called, and then getting in line. Now it appears at least at Air Canada, that you find your physical lane (zones 1-5) and start waiting to go up to the desk quite a ways ahead of time.

As noted above, some people really want to be one of the first ones aboard so lines form early. Boarding for an Austrian flight at LAX recently was orderly and there were several turnstiles, you were directed to the appropriate one. They gaze deeply into your eyes and off you go.

Well, I was sure my experience was unique, but it sounds like it is common. I wonder if this practice is another aspect of the ubiquitous staff shortages that seem to be affecting so many businesses.

No announcements at airports has been common in my experience since before the pandemic, so well before staff shortages.

Even in airport lounges they don't announce flights anymore, it's up to you to find the monitors and, uh, monitor them

Earlier in October, for our flight from Heathrow Terminal 5 to Denver, there was a person making boarding announcements at the gate. She was tiny, and was essentially whispering. There was no amplification device, and she didn’t seem to be making any effort to make herself heard.

The line, indeed, had formed well before boarding was to take place. Eventually a few people inched forward. I didn’t hear the announcer’s voice for some time, and even then, couldn’t understand what was being said. It took some maneuvering by my husband to determine what was being announced, while I sort-of maintained a place in the queue. Once at the gate turnstiles, it was chaotic and unorganized.

This was a real hurry-up-and-wait situation; once aboard, and plane doors sealed, we sat for 35 or 40 minutes backing away. Maybe “weird” is the new “normal.”

Hi Cyn,
Yes, as you say, weird is the new normal. Interestingly, my plane also sat for a long time after we boarded. I think it was about an hour. The pilot announced the delay was not a problem with the plane, or Heathrow, but rather at our destination, Calgary. We all wondered what that could mean. I don't know for sure if this is what he was referring to, but when we arrived in Calgary and went to the immigration/customs area, all the rows of machines had out of order on them, and a person was handing out Customs forms to fill out like we had to do in the old days, with the mad scramble for pens and pencils. Then each person had to met a customs/immigration agent. So I'm betting the delay that the pilot announced was for the Calgary airport to round up enough Customs/immigration agents to deal with the big plane load of us coming in. Or maybe not

Wow, Greg, the weirdness was beyond just Heathrow! Since your flight to Calgary was what, 8 or 9 hours, you’d have thought that would’ve been adequate time to get things in order for your arrival.

I hope this isn’t a trend, but it wouldn’t surprise me if this is now Normal. Sigh!d

I mostly fly United, and I haven't experienced having no boarding announcements.

I like to board as early as I can, because I don't want my carry on bag to be gate checked due to not enough space, and then have it get lost. I don't worry about it so much if I'm on my final leg home.

Mary C:
That’s a good point. I don’t check luggage, so would hate to have them do that to me, since everyone seems to have lost confidence in the airlines’ ability to deliver checked luggage to its proper destination on time.

That's it exactly, Greg. I've heard so many horror stories about lost luggage that I'd really like to avoid it if at all possible.

You only hear stories from people with lost/delayed luggage, especially now with the intergoogles.

My bags have always made it just fine, sorry to say. And it's silly not to check bags, that's what the whole bottom of the plane is for. I think airlines should be charging people NOT to check bags ...

The weirdest boarding experience I ever had was a couple years ago, probably 2019, flying from Carins, Australia to Canberra. The gate agent, a young man, opened the door and gestured to everyone to get on board. This was not a particularly small plane despite the in-country route and it was full. I was a bit peeved as I had "status" and should have been in the earliest boarding groups as marked on the boarding pass. In the end, all worked out with room for my carry-on. Best to let those irritations go!

This was Qantas. Both before and after, I never had another similar experience.

edit to add: phred, I would happily pay for the assurance that my legal (within weight and dimension requirements) carry-on is allowed on board with me. I have suggested this to multiple airlines.

I think airlines should be charging people NOT to check bags ...

phred, some airlines do just that. Overhead bins are becoming costly real estate on some planes.

I have never lost a bag permanently although I have had them take an inadvertent stop over whilst I carried on. We had one memorable year that our bags didn't make it 4 times. We got so blasé by the 4th instance in Madrid that we could see our bags in the airport as we hadn't a connection home and were staying over, we just left them for the airport staff to deliver them home. They arrived back in the UK 3 hours behind us.

Overall I would much sooner hand over my main bag at check-in and not be dragging it all round the airport and be forced to queue standing up to make sure that I got on the plane asap to get space in the overhead bin. I can just sit back and be one of the last on board safe in the knowledge that I have a seat and plenty of room by my feet for my small carry-on.