This is very much a rhetorical question.  The opportunity to fly first class isn’t going to happen again.  I’m just too tight and don’t have the Avios!

But as we left the Concorde Lounge to head for our plane to Boston, the usual two queues had formed for priority boarding on the left and the longer prole boarding on the right.

Priority boarding with BA is something of a joke.  If you have status or a posh seat they invite you on board first.  If you had a posh seat 18 months earlier and are now travelling with the masses you almost certainly have status.  You are in the left queue and will board faster.  In other words, 25% of the passengers can get on the plane first.

Geting on board early doesn’t usually bother me.  But if I’m travelling long haul in business or first class it’s nice to get used to the chair, receive a glass of champagne, stretch out the iPad and books.  Glance backwards to see if they’ve closed the curtain to stop the poor people looking in …

On this occasion it seems the walk and monorail from the lounge had us among the last to board the plane.  No significant queue, straight on, welcomed by name and taken personally to seat.  Lovely.

The Flyertalk online forum discussed much the same subject in a thread that started yesterday.  The main complaint was the size of the priority queue and what a poor way to treat first class passengers.

One poster said that if he’d been flying first class he’d have ignored the queue and just marched to the front, expecting to be boarded.  I’d have loved to do this.  I doubt I’d ever have the guts to do it, but to brazenly wander past dozens of people with an air of “my priority is more important than your priority” really appeals.  I think I’m just too nice (or polite Brit) to try it!

Another poster said that he’d seen this happen and the first class passenger was challenged by others in the burgeoning queue.  He responded by producing a silver status card to supplement his first class boarding pass with and continued, successfully, to the front.  One wonders why a gold card holder didn’t start playing top trumps with the guy and push ahead!

In the end, I suppose I’m only in this game for a comfortable seat and a more relaxing airport experience.  But it does amuse me how people can lord it over others, be offended without challenging and get quite uppity about being on a plane two minutes earlier, or later, than somebody else.

What to do With the Redundancy Money?