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Air Canada introduces zoned boarding

Old Nov 15, 2014, 2:15 pm
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Air Canada introduces zoned boarding

Old Jun 21, 2017, 2:28 pm
  #3361  
 
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Originally Posted by SearsTower
I'm not big fan of United, but most of their GAs follow their protocol every time, listing off each pre-board group and waiting a second or two to see if anyone starts to move before moving on to the next.
That's well and all but "priority" boarding on United isn't priority, it's routinely 50-75% of the plane. By the time Group 2 boards there's often already a scramble for the overhead bins.
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Old Jun 21, 2017, 2:34 pm
  #3362  
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Friend just posted a picture of a AC boarding zone sign in YYG that is Zone 3-6. What's up with that?
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Old Jun 21, 2017, 4:02 pm
  #3363  
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Originally Posted by briantoronto
Friend just posted a picture of a AC boarding zone sign in YYG that is Zone 3-6. What's up with that?
They also have (or had?) that in YQM. The small maritime stations seem to have 3-6 signs. Probably just didn't think it was wort fixing.
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Old Jun 21, 2017, 8:35 pm
  #3364  
 
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Originally Posted by yyznomad
I have noticed most GAs enforcing the Zone 2.5 when they try to board before or with Zone 1.

Quite often the family with toddlers who are not I just Zone 1 butt in front of the Zone 1 line and then get asked to wait for after Zone 2 when they are called.
Originally Posted by canadiancow
AC also has a special line for those people. It's after zone 2, and before zone 3

It infuriates me to be dumped in with waiting babies while every other J/status passenger is boarding.

It seems domestically, * is before 1, but internationally (or maybe big aircraft) board 1, 2, *, 3, etc.

The trouble is, they have not the first clue how to communicate with deaf passengers. They're standing there at a desk with tons of paper and pens and they're flapping their lips at me and pointing in a dismissive manner as though I am to go stand near a distant chair with people already occupying it. WRITE me a note and tell me what the boarding sequence is. If they told me it was going to be 1, 2, *, 3... I would just go and stand in Zone 2.

I wish they would put the "pre boarding marker" (zone *) AND the proper status/COS zone on the BP.
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Old Jun 21, 2017, 8:39 pm
  #3365  
 
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I thought a "*" meant board last. That's what they've announced before at the gate anyway. Not that that indicates they knew what they were talking about even if it was a domestic airport.
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Old Jun 21, 2017, 8:39 pm
  #3366  
 
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Originally Posted by zeer0
That's well and all but "priority" boarding on United isn't priority, it's routinely 50-75% of the plane. By the time Group 2 boards there's often already a scramble for the overhead bins.
Can confirm. *G may as well be stowage on UA when im not flying to/from YHZ. Mainline UA seems to be 75% people who fly even more than me.
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Old Jun 21, 2017, 9:54 pm
  #3367  
 
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Originally Posted by jc94
I thought a "*" meant board last. That's what they've announced before at the gate anyway. Not that that indicates they knew what they were talking about even if it was a domestic airport.
Per the wiki post, * is preboarded. I've posted before that it's not just wheelchair requests. The zone * arises from inputting information at the time of booking that requires accommodation.

Of course, I would not know what they announce at the gate, since NOTHING they announce at the gate is EVER made accessible to me.

I always have * and always pre boarded, same as wheelchairs, though sometimes they separate wheelchairs and children, and in some of those cases, I am lumped with children, but usually with wheelchairs. Occasionally, there are multiple deaf people, as well as people with walking sticks and similar non-wheelchair accommodations, and all are summoned to preboard with wheelchairs.

I want the prerogative that comes with my status, if not pre boarded.

They do a mediocre job of paying attention to status when also marked up as a passenger with disability. My last flight, I was seated and the FA came over and crouched in the aisle and spoke to me across the lap of the SE seated next to me, addressed me by name (though "Ms" not "Dr") and asked me "have you flown before?" (I should have said "what does it say on the passenger list?")
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Old Jun 21, 2017, 10:26 pm
  #3368  
 
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Originally Posted by RangerNS
Can confirm. *G may as well be stowage on UA when im not flying to/from YHZ. Mainline UA seems to be 75% people who fly even more than me.
Just check the upgrade list, there will be at least that many people in zone 1/2. So, 50+ on a narrow body hub to hub flight.
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Old Jun 21, 2017, 10:27 pm
  #3369  
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Originally Posted by flyquiet
(I should have said "what does it say on the passenger list?")
Yes, you should have.

Ace and I need to go on a run this weekend. We're going to board first every flight.
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Old Jun 22, 2017, 2:12 am
  #3370  
 
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Originally Posted by flyquiet
It seems domestically, * is before 1, but internationally (or maybe big aircraft) board 1, 2, *, 3, etc.
I asked a YHZ gate agent what * meant last summer. She said that she didn't know, though she may have been trying to get rid of me.
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Old Jul 6, 2017, 3:46 pm
  #3371  
 
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CC Question

I've travelled on my TD visa infinite privilege card for over a year now and was always places in zone 2 for boarding. This time I wasn't and the agent told me that the CC only works for priority boarding with a flight rewards flight.

Just wondering if if anyone knows if this changed or if was just a screw up somewhere this time and uninformed agents.
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Old Jul 6, 2017, 3:54 pm
  #3372  
 
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Originally Posted by Joeyjo
I've travelled on my TD visa infinite privilege card for over a year now and was always places in zone 2 for boarding. This time I wasn't and the agent told me that the CC only works for priority boarding with a flight rewards flight.

Just wondering if if anyone knows if this changed or if was just a screw up somewhere this time and uninformed agents.
You should get it on every flight with the infinite privilege card. The agent may have been thinking of the more common visa infinite card, which only gets zone 2 on reward flights. The terms say that you get "priority boarding whenever you travel on a flight operated by Air Canada, Air Canada Rouge or under the Air Canada express banner. Benefit applies when Primary Cardholder includes their Aeroplan Number on their reservation at time of booking." So, if you met those conditions, I say it was just a random screw up.
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Old Jul 6, 2017, 4:09 pm
  #3373  
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Originally Posted by Joeyjo
I've travelled on my TD visa infinite privilege card for over a year now and was always places in zone 2 for boarding. This time I wasn't and the agent told me that the CC only works for priority boarding with a flight rewards flight.

Just wondering if if anyone knows if this changed or if was just a screw up somewhere this time and uninformed agents.
Welcome to FT.
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Old Jul 6, 2017, 4:19 pm
  #3374  
 
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Thanks, thats sort of what I figured. I guess I'll just let it go this time and see what happens next time.

I love flyertalk, but rarely have anything to add and always forget my username/password the rare times I have a question to ask.
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Old Jul 6, 2017, 4:27 pm
  #3375  
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Originally Posted by Joeyjo
Thanks, thats sort of what I figured. I guess I'll just let it go this time and see what happens next time.

I love flyertalk, but rarely have anything to add and always forget my username/password the rare times I have a question to ask.
If you joined on July 1 and this is your first time posting, then I guess after six days one could forget their password.
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