Title: Virgin Atlantic Reveals New Way to Board Early and Avoid Chaos
Subheading 1: Red Tier Members Now Enjoy Priority Boarding
A POPULAR airline has revealed the new way to board before other passengers. The dreaded delays while boarding can be one of the most frustrating things about flying. Once onboard, everyone pushing and shoving to get their bags in the overhead lockers can turn what should be a smooth process into further chaos.
Subheading 2: Exclusive Benefit for Red Tier Members of Flying Club
Now, Virgin Atlantic has introduced a new benefit for entry level members of the carrier’s Flying Club frequent flyer programme. Red tier members are now able to board ahead of other customers travelling in Economy Classic and Economy Light after the change came into force on March 14. And Red tier members will also be able to board first on any Virgin Atlantic operated service throughout the airline’s global network.
Subheading 3: Existing Priority Boarding Rules Still Apply
Other existing rules on priority boarding still remain in place. This means that customers travelling with young children and/or needing extra assistance board first. They are followed by Upper Class passengers and Gold Card members, then Premium customers, and then Economy Delight passengers. Red tier Flying Club members will now slot in at the end of this list.
Subheading 4: Enhancing the Flying Club Programme
Anthony Woodman, vice president Flying Club and CRM, Virgin Atlantic, said: “We are constantly enhancing our Flying Club programme so that our members receive the very best of Virgin Atlantic.” British Airways does not offer priority boarding for entry-level Blue tier members of its Executive Club. However, Bronze members – attained after reaching 300 tier points – do benefit from priority boarding and the use of business class check-in desks. Experts have long debated the most efficient way to board a plane.
Subheading 5: Efficient Boarding Techniques
Some experts believe the more effective way to board passengers is in the same window, middle, aisle order – also known as the ‘Steffen method’. The technique limits how many passengers can board at one time within each group. Other airlines, such as the low-budget Ryanair use a first-come, first-serve method. Passengers who pay extra can choose where to seat while standard seats are assigned randomly.
Subheading 6: The Last Boarding Strategy
Meanwhile, Southwest Airlines use a bus-like approach in which people are assigned a place in line in a boarding group and choose their seat as they walk down the aisle. It comes as one frequent traveller, Lucas Chesterton, said getting on last can help you get better seats. In a video he shared on his Instagram account, he showed how he waits until the last call for boarding, before taking his pick of the remaining seats. Frequent traveller Paul Ewart also explained why he prefers to board last rather than first.