Passengers will soon be boarding the planes of British Airways according to how much they paid for the flights.

From December, those who pay the lowest tarvel fares will have to wait at the airport's departure gate and board after all other passengers.

The carrier will introduce its "group boarding" system on all flights from December 12.

When travellers check in they'll be assigned a group number between 1 and 5 which will be printed on the boarding pass. The lower the number, the earlier the passenger is allowed to board.

• Number 1 will be assigned First Class guests on long-haul flights as well as short-haul passengers on British Airways’ Business class, Club Europe, and Gold members of BA Executive Club
• Next are Business class Club World travellers on long-haul flights, as well as Executive Club's Silver members.
• Group 3 are World Traveller Plus passengers (BA premium economy class), and Bronze members.
• Economy passengers are in group 4.
• Boarding the plane last will be those travelling on the hand-baggage only, cheapest fares. 

Passengers with mobility issues or those travelling with kids will still board ahead of everyone else.

Earlier in 2017 it emerged that British Airways is on the verge of having carrier's rating cut from 4 to 3 stars of 5, by research company Skytrax. This fact would put the flagship carrier of Britain on a par with Ryanair, and comes after controversies over baggage charges, removal of first-class passengers' perks and withdrawal of free food onboard European economy services.