EasyJet Speedy Boarding, is it worth it?
Discussion
6 of us are travelling from Gatwick to Italy in May, using EasyJet (not by choice, it's who the package company has chosen to use). Anyway, what do PHers think of EasyJet's Speedy Boarding offering? Is it worth having? How much is it per flight? Is there anything else we need to know about flying EasyJet(we know about baggage limits and check in times etc)?
R.
R.
Sorry I can't be of more help, but I really do not know about that airport. Smaller airports where you get a bus from the terminal to the flight will mean the speedy boarding is useless. It's about £20 per person for all flights so I guess you have to decide if you think it's worth that to be guaranteed a seat of your choice from LGW and potentially one back from MXP.
The Leaper said:
Flying out from Gatwick, back from Milan Malpensa.
R.
Malpensa is ok, speedy boarding is a classic example of the budget airlines using psychology to make them a few bob more. Think about what you want, a window seat? ok there's about 150 seats on a 737, 1 in 3 will be a window seat so you will have to figure out how many of the people in front of you there are and divide by 3......will all of them want a window seat anyway? I never rush, allow people to barge past and have always got the seat I wantR.
I personally never bother with it. Extra money, and I'm a tightwad.
The one circumstance where it might be useful is if you want to jump the (long) check-in queue. Easyjet invariably only have one or two desks open.
However it gets to a point whereby if your flight will be departing shortly, you get called to the front anyway.
The one circumstance where it might be useful is if you want to jump the (long) check-in queue. Easyjet invariably only have one or two desks open.
However it gets to a point whereby if your flight will be departing shortly, you get called to the front anyway.
The last few times I've flown with EasyJet, I've been one of the last on the plane (I hate standing around in a queue when its free for all seating) yet each time I've still managed to get an exit row seat.
Not entirely sure why people are queueing in the first place if they don't even want leg room, can only assume it is so they can set with friends or they just like queues.
Not entirely sure why people are queueing in the first place if they don't even want leg room, can only assume it is so they can set with friends or they just like queues.
I was on a Squeezyjet yesterday from Palermo, home to probably the worst queuers in the world.
In the past it's been a free for all, yesterday it was very tightly controlled.
Yesterday a couple of wheelchair users left the gate first, closely followed by the Speedy Boarders.
Then it was the breeders turn.
We ambled down with our spawn and got on the same bus as the speedy boarders, except they had been squeezed like sardines into a roped off section at the front of the bus, the rope being at knee height and with few hand-holds they were quite fun to watch as we bimbled out to the plane.
Us breeders had the enire cavernous back of the bus to ourselves.
The SBs got off first, raced up and bagged their seats, followed by the breeders, then the normals, then the wheelies.
The flight was full, nobody had a seat to themselves and none of the seats reclined so their extra cash got them a couple of extra inches, that's it.
In my opinion, you're better off spending the cash in the bar.
If you're boarding by airbridge, just get to the gate as early as possible and steam on.
If it's a bus, get on last and you'll get off first.
Or take a baby.
In the past it's been a free for all, yesterday it was very tightly controlled.
Yesterday a couple of wheelchair users left the gate first, closely followed by the Speedy Boarders.
Then it was the breeders turn.
We ambled down with our spawn and got on the same bus as the speedy boarders, except they had been squeezed like sardines into a roped off section at the front of the bus, the rope being at knee height and with few hand-holds they were quite fun to watch as we bimbled out to the plane.
Us breeders had the enire cavernous back of the bus to ourselves.
The SBs got off first, raced up and bagged their seats, followed by the breeders, then the normals, then the wheelies.
The flight was full, nobody had a seat to themselves and none of the seats reclined so their extra cash got them a couple of extra inches, that's it.
In my opinion, you're better off spending the cash in the bar.
If you're boarding by airbridge, just get to the gate as early as possible and steam on.
If it's a bus, get on last and you'll get off first.
Or take a baby.
I fly EasyJet regularly, but only once paid for Speedy Boarding (Luton). We were called first, got on the bus first and got on the aircraft last.
Needless to say I didn't bother again.
I'm always bemused by it these days. On some holiday destination flights you get far more passengers in the priority queue, than you do in the regular one, so there's no real benefit anyway.
My expert advice if you want to stay together as a group: keep the (not insubstantial) extra money for yourselves and just make sure you get to the head of the regular boarding queue and park yourselves there till departure time. I am fairly certain that will be sufficient to get you all seated together. Standing in a queue is part of the budget airline experience. Even the speedy boarders often have to wait in-line between being called and actually leaving the terminal building, since EasyJet likes to get as many people processed as possible as soon as the incoming aircraft arrives to keep to their 25 minute turn-around targets.
Needless to say I didn't bother again.
I'm always bemused by it these days. On some holiday destination flights you get far more passengers in the priority queue, than you do in the regular one, so there's no real benefit anyway.
My expert advice if you want to stay together as a group: keep the (not insubstantial) extra money for yourselves and just make sure you get to the head of the regular boarding queue and park yourselves there till departure time. I am fairly certain that will be sufficient to get you all seated together. Standing in a queue is part of the budget airline experience. Even the speedy boarders often have to wait in-line between being called and actually leaving the terminal building, since EasyJet likes to get as many people processed as possible as soon as the incoming aircraft arrives to keep to their 25 minute turn-around targets.
I have never bothered with it and don’t really see the point. As said if there is a big group of you and you all have to sit next to each other then you might consider it or you could just turn up at the gate nice and early.
Only once have the fiancée and I had to sit apart and given that I was 4 rows back in the middle of a Hen party. Opinion is divided as to if this was a good or a very bad thing.
The only thing I dislike about hanging around and being one of the last to board the plane is that you are in the lap of the Gods as to if you will get anywhere in the overhead bins to put your coat and bag.
If you have hold luggage it’s also a total waste of time to be one of those who gets up and stands in the aisle for 20 minutes as soon as the plane stops at the disembarkation gate. Half an eye that no one has accidently collected my bag from its repository we tend to carry on sitting and reading until almost everyone else is off and have plenty of time to thank the stewardesses, collect our carry on and walk through PP control and to the carousel, by which time we have rejoined the lemmings last seen standing next to us 20+ minutes ago.
Only once have the fiancée and I had to sit apart and given that I was 4 rows back in the middle of a Hen party. Opinion is divided as to if this was a good or a very bad thing.
The only thing I dislike about hanging around and being one of the last to board the plane is that you are in the lap of the Gods as to if you will get anywhere in the overhead bins to put your coat and bag.
If you have hold luggage it’s also a total waste of time to be one of those who gets up and stands in the aisle for 20 minutes as soon as the plane stops at the disembarkation gate. Half an eye that no one has accidently collected my bag from its repository we tend to carry on sitting and reading until almost everyone else is off and have plenty of time to thank the stewardesses, collect our carry on and walk through PP control and to the carousel, by which time we have rejoined the lemmings last seen standing next to us 20+ minutes ago.
Rude-boy said:
If you have hold luggage it’s also a total waste of time to be one of those who gets up and stands in the aisle for 20 minutes as soon as the plane stops at the disembarkation gate. Half an eye that no one has accidently collected my bag from its repository we tend to carry on sitting and reading until almost everyone else is off and have plenty of time to thank the stewardesses, collect our carry on and walk through PP control and to the carousel, by which time we have rejoined the lemmings last seen standing next to us 20+ minutes ago.
Agree entirely with this, I tend to sit there until pretty much everyone else has got off the plane, avoids having to push and squeeze around with the smelly muggles.Eddh said:
Rude-boy said:
If you have hold luggage it’s also a total waste of time to be one of those who gets up and stands in the aisle for 20 minutes as soon as the plane stops at the disembarkation gate. Half an eye that no one has accidently collected my bag from its repository we tend to carry on sitting and reading until almost everyone else is off and have plenty of time to thank the stewardesses, collect our carry on and walk through PP control and to the carousel, by which time we have rejoined the lemmings last seen standing next to us 20+ minutes ago.
Agree entirely with this, I tend to sit there until pretty much everyone else has got off the plane, avoids having to push and squeeze around with the smelly muggles.I'm tall and powerfully built so I'm normally one of those who stand up in the aisle the second we land. I can't bring myself to pay for speedy boarding when I have to fly EasyJet so I'm usually folded into my seat (I can't get my knees in and have my feet flat on the floor at the same time) and it's a relief to stand up after even a short flight. When possible I always try and avoid EasyJet though, even if there's a small premium involved. It's only when they're a third of the price that you just can't say no.
Eddh said:
I tend to sit there until pretty much everyone else has got off the plane, avoids having to push and squeeze around with the smelly muggles.
I do this at the boarding gate. Can't be doing with the stupid bun-fight to go and queue on the gangway. I'll quite merrily sit down and wait til the queue is down to a couple of people. Gruffy said:
Eddh said:
I tend to sit there until pretty much everyone else has got off the plane, avoids having to push and squeeze around with the smelly muggles.
I do this at the boarding gate. Can't be doing with the stupid bun-fight to go and queue on the gangway. I'll quite merrily sit down and wait til the queue is down to a couple of people. if i had the money i would travel business or first class, but i see no point paying extra to get on a plane first, when we all arrive at the same time and no-lets the priority boarders off first. seems like a waste of time and money to me
jesta1865 said:
if i had the money i would travel business or first class
I tend to think of EasyJet & Ryan Air as sub-economy class. It certainly feels like an upgrade when I travel economy with other airlines. As such, unless there's a huge saving I'd always choose to go up a class and fly economy with somebody else. Once you've added in all the sneaky charges (let's not even get started on manipulative excess baggage policies) it usually doesn't cost much to fly with someone half decent.Gruffy said:
I'm tall and powerfully built so I'm normally one of those who stand up in the aisle the second we land. I can't bring myself to pay for speedy boarding when I have to fly EasyJet so I'm usually folded into my seat (I can't get my knees in and have my feet flat on the floor at the same time) and it's a relief to stand up after even a short flight. When possible I always try and avoid EasyJet though, even if there's a small premium involved. It's only when they're a third of the price that you just can't say no.
I know what you are saying and having met you know that you are a little taller than I am.That said I find that once 'in position' I'm not too uncomfortable. Again your plan works a treat if you are in the aisle seat and the person next to you doesn't have the same plan and is a little quicker on their feet. It's those that insist on continuing to stand whilst half hunched over as they are in a middle seat that amuse me the most - worst of both worlds for them!
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