Paying to get on first

"tim (in Sweden)" wrote:

Stelios was being interviewed on (BBC) R5 last night and he revealed
that his latest scam, um fare reducing idea, is to charge extra to be in
group A and get on first.

He suggested 5 pounds would put you in the same group as the:
families with children.

Can't say I'd be buying this myself, any takers?

The plane doesn't take off any earlier. No matter when you get on you aren't
going to start to taxi for takeoff until everyone else is on. The sooner you
get on and get seated the longer you have to wait.

On 2006-02-16 16:34:22 -0800, Dave Smith said:

"tim (in Sweden)" wrote:

Stelios was being interviewed on (BBC) R5 last night and he revealed
that his latest scam, um fare reducing idea, is to charge extra to be in
group A and get on first.

He suggested 5 pounds would put you in the same group as the:
families with children.

Can't say I'd be buying this myself, any takers?

The plane doesn't take off any earlier. No matter when you get on you aren't
going to start to taxi for takeoff until everyone else is on. The sooner you
get on and get seated the longer you have to wait.

let me see if I have this right....ok, I get on before you all and I
get to sit among all the little screaming snot-nozzles and their
entitled parents and wait until all are loaded? are you serious? bill

S can rim Margaret Thatcher for all I care.

You need to wait for the craft to take off whatever happens.

"tim (in Sweden)" wrote in message
...
Stelios was being interviewed on (BBC) R5 last night and he revealed
that his latest scam, um fare reducing idea, is to charge extra to be in
group A and get on first.

He suggested 5 pounds would put you in the same group as the:
families with children.

Can't say I'd be buying this myself, any takers?

tim

Following up to bill frogg :

On 2006-02-16 16:34:22 -0800, Dave Smith said:

"tim (in Sweden)" wrote:

Stelios was being interviewed on (BBC) R5 last night and he revealed
that his latest scam, um fare reducing idea, is to charge extra to be in
group A and get on first.

He suggested 5 pounds would put you in the same group as the:
families with children.

Can't say I'd be buying this myself, any takers?

The plane doesn't take off any earlier. No matter when you get on you aren't
going to start to taxi for takeoff until everyone else is on. The sooner you
get on and get seated the longer you have to wait.

let me see if I have this right....ok, I get on before you all and I
get to sit among all the little screaming snot-nozzles and their
entitled parents and wait until all are loaded? are you serious? bill

Only if you're as thick as two short planks.
Would it not occur to you to site somewhere else?
--
Tim C.

tim (in Sweden) wrote:
Stelios was being interviewed on (BBC) R5 last night and he revealed
that his latest scam, um fare reducing idea, is to charge extra to be in
group A and get on first.

He suggested 5 pounds would put you in the same group as the:
families with children.

Can't say I'd be buying this myself, any takers?

tim



AFAIAA there are several reasons for letting families with small
children (and incidentally, elderly frail relatives) on first.

Firstly, it is unreasonable to expect families with small children or
elderly passengers to have to stand and wait in line for an interminable
length of time to board the plane.

Secondly, the rule ensures that families with small children can sit
together.

Lastly, there is the safety aspect to avoid injury to small children
in the push and shove to get on.

I can't see that extending this privilege to passengers who are
prepared to spend the money is going to help either the safety or
comfort of small childrenand elderly passengers, or make it easier for
families with small children to sit together.

T.

Following up to tim (in Sweden)

Can't say I'd be buying this myself, any takers?

If I had to use his flights I'd pay to avoid fighting my way to a
seat. Assuming the system was actually going to work. What I
really want is them to do the job properly and allocate me seats
together in the first place so I don't have to queue and my wife
can sit down until boarding.
--
Mike Reid
Walk-eat-photos UK "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk" -- you can email us@ this site
Walk-eat-photos Spain "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk" -- dontuse@ all, it's a spamtrap

Following up to tim (in Sweden)

ISTM that it costs real money to implement a seat allocation
system at check-in. This also takes longer (uses more staff)
whilst everyone selects their favorite seat.

They usually just ask aisle or window. How long does that take?
I don't believe the quick boarding story, how much does it slow
things down passengers identifying the correct seat? Most of any
delay is from the time it takes to put things in overheads before
sitting down holding up those behind.
--
Mike Reid
Walk-eat-photos UK "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk" -- you can email us@ this site
Walk-eat-photos Spain "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk" -- dontuse@ all, it's a spamtrap

On Mon, 13 Feb 2006 23:40:11 +0100, "tim \(in Sweden\)" wrote:

Stelios was being interviewed on (BBC) R5 last night and he revealed
that his latest scam, um fare reducing idea, is to charge extra to be in
group A and get on first.

He suggested 5 pounds would put you in the same group as the:
families with children.

Can't say I'd be buying this myself, any takers?

tim



I would pay for it - for one and only one reason - Overhead space. The one battle ground IMHO
amongst all pax in needing to board first. Mind you, I'm not a space hog at all. I stick to
the "one carryon + personal item" limit in force by most US Airlines (personal item goes under
the seat). But in a full aircraft of most sizes (eg. A320), there simply isn't enough room for each
pax (even if they all complied with the present 1 carryon + personal item policy) to have sufficient
overhead space for that 1 carryon or personal item (whichever they choose to store up there).
Furthermore, people want the overhead space directly over their seat, not 2-3 rows away from
it, making it harder to retrieve baggage upon exiting. Hence, the conflict ensues.

If people were "guaranteed" their fare share of overhead space (ie. enough to store that one
9x14x22" carryon), there would be absolutely no need to board ASAP and no need for this
new charge. But wishful thinking, of course. Practically, it's really only an issue on "discount"
airlines "Jet Blue, USA3000, Southwest etc." where it's all coach seating and/or "open seating"
and there's no pre-boarding for BC, BF or FC. I'm assuming that the airline refered to by the OP
is such an airline.





____________________________________________
Regards,

Arnold

Fax +44 1509 890822
"The Reid" wrote in message
...
Following up to tim (in Sweden)

Can't say I'd be buying this myself, any takers?

If I had to use his flights I'd pay to avoid fighting my way to a
seat. Assuming the system was actually going to work. What I
really want is them to do the job properly and allocate me seats
together in the first place so I don't have to queue and my wife
can sit down until boarding.
--
Mike Reid

Is there any reason why they cannot allow on-line seat allocations
beforehand ? The fleets are pretty standard so its not as though they need
to wait for the plane to be almost there before they can do it.

Meanwhile. How about this as an idea ?
Swipe card deposit for return of a clean seat (a la hire cars - even Easy
Car) - a £5 per seat cleeaning charge if it needs de-crumbing, a £10 if it
needs washing.
I have seen many rows that would have yielded £20 or more.

John
--
John Owens
www.goodviews.co.uk

Following up to John Owens

Is there any reason why they cannot allow on-line seat allocations
beforehand ?

if they had an allocation system to put online.
--
Mike Reid
Walk-eat-photos UK "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk" -- you can email us@ this site
Walk-eat-photos Spain "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk" -- dontuse@ all, it's a spamtrap