Easyjet Speedy Boarding - Worth It?

hammy_the_hammer

boldaslove wrote: »

good grief! you weren't one of those passengers that day were you? :rolleyes:

so i presume you did sit in the seats that would be defined as emergency row seats ?
from easyjets own site

"
Seating exceptions
Because safety is our main priority at easyJet, there are some seats that are not suitable for all passengers.
These are marked with grey headrests as opposed to orange ones and are located at the front row of the aircraft, on the wing exits, and on the last row.
These seats are only suitable for use by able-bodied adults as you may be required to assist the crew in the highly unlikely event of an emergency. Passengers may only sit in one of these restricted seats at the discretion of our cabin staff.
Please assist us to board the aircraft as quickly as possible, and therefore depart on time, by not sitting in one of these seats if you do not meet the above criteria, or you are travelling with infants or children. "

now i'm thankful that easyjet regard mine and others safety as important. i couldn't give a poop who sits in these seats (as long as the above applies) but i wonder why you felt the need to sit in them when you had an empty plane to choose from ?

greatgranny_2

I fly to Spain next week by myself and these last few days I have been wishing I had booked " speedy boarding " but having read through all the comments I am pleased I didn't bother. Thank you :T

boldaslove

yes, actually in fact we spread out a picnic rug and deliberately sat right in front of the emergency exit to spite everyone!

honestly, have you ever flown with easyjet? you get told off for not putting your newspaper in the back rest properly, do you really think they would've let us sit in the wrong seats? :rotfl:

not easyjet related but quite funny/scary anyway - last time i flew to paris (with flybe) we got this dreadfully old plane. only 2 rows of seats with an aisle in the middle. cracked and grotty old leather seats that had screws missing and creaked whenever you moved the tiniest little bit. it was one of those planes with the engines on top of the wings and could only carry about 50 passengers, with the emergency exits only at the front and back. it definately wasn't the best plane for a bad flyer to be on! i started freaking halfway through the flight because i could smell fuel but convinced myself this was just because i was nervous. the same happened on the return journey. a few days later i found a news article online saying flybe were phasing out their old planes because cabin crew and passengers had complained about dangerous fumes leaking into the cabin :eek:

i'm slightly relieved i didn't just imagine it, but i reckon my next flight isn't going to be too fun!

hammy_the_hammer

boldaslove wrote: »

yes, actually in fact we spread out a picnic rug and deliberately sat right in front of the emergency exit to spite everyone!

honestly, have you ever flown with easyjet? you get told off for not putting your newspaper in the back rest properly, do you really think they would've let us sit in the wrong seats? :rotfl:

not easyjet related but quite funny/scary anyway - last time i flew to paris (with flybe) we got this dreadfully old plane. only 2 rows of seats with an aisle in the middle. cracked and grotty old leather seats that had screws missing and creaked whenever you moved the tiniest little bit. it was one of those planes with the engines on top of the wings and could only carry about 50 passengers, with the emergency exits only at the front and back. it definately wasn't the best plane for a bad flyer to be on! i started freaking halfway through the flight because i could smell fuel but convinced myself this was just because i was nervous. the same happened on the return journey. a few days later i found a news article online saying flybe were phasing out their old planes because cabin crew and passengers had complained about dangerous fumes leaking into the cabin :eek:

i'm slightly relieved i didn't just imagine it, but i reckon my next flight isn't going to be too fun!

i've flown with them on a monthly basis( more frequently a few years back) as they serve one particular route better than any other airline.....so yes i know all about them and i think i have seen every stunt pulled by them and their customers.
now it surprises me that in well excess of 200 easyjet flights that i've taken
1. the whole check-in / boarding experience is a bit of a free for all scrum but never as bad as the one you portray.....i suppose i must have been lucky
2. every time i fly with them people in wheelchairs are boarded before the other passengers...i also would summise that someone who is blind and dependant on a helper would be boarded so they are seated together, probably as part of the speedy boarding group
3.you also have passengers who need transporting from check in to departure gate because of the distances involved but again the airline would not see a need for them to be first on the plane......
you haven't really explained why you should have gone first anyway ....if you'd been the last 2 people at the back of the queue you wouldn't have got 'trampled underfoot'.
4.the cabin crew under the scenario you posted wouldn't have a clue that you had told the check-in staff that you had mobility issues ...they'd have just seen you as first people on the plane amongst lots of others (who somehow hadn't managed to push past you in all the chaos you posted)
5. i suspect this wasn't in the last couple of years
6. thankfully you aren't like a lot of the others who try and manipulate the system resulting in the genuine person being penalised.

markthespark_3

Came back from Tenerife two days ago and it was a complete free for all - total chaos- even the infirm were trampled over. I certainly would not pay any extra for special boarding it just is another way of extracting money for no benefit whatsover - think:mad: I might avoid Easy Jet in future it was so awful.

basill

hammy_the_hammer wrote: »

a positive is being able to select seats as far away as possible from the stag/hen do's

You might get on first and be surrounded!

B

Engadine

Hammy you have made me laugh! You have listed everything that annoys me about other people when I fly!

darcsoir

Hello! I am new to this, but just wanted to say that you need to make sure that if you pay for the speedy boarding, that you are not boarding a bus at the gate, because everyone gets on the same bus and when the bus arrives at the plane it is a free for all... so speeding boarding in this instance is a waste of money. I hope this helps

jackjones1

We arrived back from Italy yesterday having paid for speedy boarding with 2 children aged 8 years and 7 months. In Linate airport we were allowed through the gate first but then as the bus was not full with other speedy boarders the other people checking in were then allowed on the bus. So it was still a rush and busy when getting on the plane although it did take the worry out of panicking about not getting a seat together. Although a father and son that were late getting on the plane were still seated together after the cabin crew asked for volunteers of people travelling alone to move seats.
Is it worth it - yes, it doesnt give you exclusive choice of seats before everyone else gets on the plane but it adds a little to peace of mind to what can be a stressfull situation.

richardw

Did BCN-LGW today with an air bridge to the aircraft and they didn't call the speedy boarders or any group at all! Some SB passengers were really annoyed.