Boston AC gates no longer a cakewalk
Jul 21, 2017, 4:10 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: yyz
Programs: AC50k, Hilton Diamond, National Executive Club
Posts: 287
Boston AC gates no longer a cakewalk
For pretty much forever, getting to the AC gates at BOS has been a cakewalk. A day with 5 people in the security like was an anomaly. Walk up 10 minutes before boarding and you were good.
No more.
There's now a flight to YVR late afternoon, and the security line is bad enough that there is a queue for people that aren't on the next flight out. Spent a good 25 minutes in the security line today.
And no PreCheck line.
Sigh.....
No more.
There's now a flight to YVR late afternoon, and the security line is bad enough that there is a queue for people that aren't on the next flight out. Spent a good 25 minutes in the security line today.
And no PreCheck line.
Sigh.....
Jul 21, 2017, 5:25 pm
#3
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: YVR
Programs: OZ Diamond, Jiffypark Manhattan Gold
Posts: 4,485
Haha, sounds a bit like Newark. There's times where you can breeze through, then there's the no-precheck before YVR 788 flight. Lovely. That said, BOS airport sucks imo. I'm sure there's plenty of differences, but in the couple times I've used it I've gotten a very LGA vibe.
I would like to ask while we're on the topic (sort of) how's BOS as a INTL arrival? Looking at awards and availability from EU-BOS is awesome.
I would like to ask while we're on the topic (sort of) how's BOS as a INTL arrival? Looking at awards and availability from EU-BOS is awesome.
Jul 21, 2017, 6:10 pm
#4
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: YYC
Programs: AC SE 1MM, Marriott Ambassador
Posts: 3,396
AC trying to fit any plane larger than an EMB into the gates (and associated facilities) at BOS is just square peg round hole. And making their customers suffer needlessly because they are f'ing cheap. The space is simply inadequate. Having said that, it took me 2 min at 4:00 on Wednesday to go through. I suspect it is highly dependent on how close to the time you are to departure for the bigger planes. And they still give you precheck benefits (shoes on, liquids in, jacket on) just no separate line.
Jul 21, 2017, 7:54 pm
#5
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: YHZ | YYZ | YHM
Programs: AC 50K (*G), Hilton Gold, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 636
Just realized that the BOS-YVR flight leaves 5 min before my BOS-YUL flight in 2 weeks. Both flights are also within 30 minutes from the BOS-YYZ flight as well. I imagine it is going to be insane at that time. Even the priority checkin will be overcrowded.
Jul 22, 2017, 6:01 am
#6
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Lima Sierra Zulu Hotel
Programs: AC*SM, M&M SEN, BA Gold, DL Gold; Marriott Titanium
Posts: 777
I had a similar experience a few days ago. No question the Boston gates aren't set up for a full A319, when the YYZ and YUL flights around the same time are also full. They couldn't even deplane the A319 arrival from YVR because the gate area was so jammed. They asked people to move aside, but there wasn't really anywhere for them to move to. It's enough of a change to convince me to switch to Porter if flying around 5-6 PM.
Jul 22, 2017, 10:33 am
#7
Join Date: May 2012
Location: BKK/SIN/YYZ/YUL
Programs: DL, AC, Bonvoy, Accor, Hilton
Posts: 2,918
Haha, sounds a bit like Newark. There's times where you can breeze through, then there's the no-precheck before YVR 788 flight. Lovely. That said, BOS airport sucks imo. I'm sure there's plenty of differences, but in the couple times I've used it I've gotten a very LGA vibe.
I would like to ask while we're on the topic (sort of) how's BOS as a INTL arrival? Looking at awards and availability from EU-BOS is awesome.
I would like to ask while we're on the topic (sort of) how's BOS as a INTL arrival? Looking at awards and availability from EU-BOS is awesome.
Jul 22, 2017, 7:39 pm
#8
Join Date: Sep 2016
Programs: Altitude SE, Hilton Gold, Marriott Silver
Posts: 31
I've been flying the BOS-YVR route a bunch this summer.
Last time I checked in I commented that there was no lounge access, as the United Club is way too far away to be reasonable. Check-In agent said that Air Canada is planning to expand the presence in BOS. She said a lounge is in the works as well they are going to renovate the gates to be connected to the other gates in the B terminal. No idea timeline or if this is a go ahead but she seemed to be pretty confident in these new changes.
Agree that the holding pen they consider gates is getting a bit crazy with the new YVR flight - that being said, I really love the direct route back instead of going through YYZ
Last time I checked in I commented that there was no lounge access, as the United Club is way too far away to be reasonable. Check-In agent said that Air Canada is planning to expand the presence in BOS. She said a lounge is in the works as well they are going to renovate the gates to be connected to the other gates in the B terminal. No idea timeline or if this is a go ahead but she seemed to be pretty confident in these new changes.
Agree that the holding pen they consider gates is getting a bit crazy with the new YVR flight - that being said, I really love the direct route back instead of going through YYZ
Jul 22, 2017, 7:56 pm
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: yyz
Programs: AC50k, Hilton Diamond, National Executive Club
Posts: 287
I've been flying the BOS-YVR route a bunch this summer.
Last time I checked in I commented that there was no lounge access, as the United Club is way too far away to be reasonable. Check-In agent said that Air Canada is planning to expand the presence in BOS. She said a lounge is in the works as well they are going to renovate the gates to be connected to the other gates in the B terminal. No idea timeline or if this is a go ahead but she seemed to be pretty confident in these new changes.
Agree that the holding pen they consider gates is getting a bit crazy with the new YVR flight - that being said, I really love the direct route back instead of going through YYZ
Last time I checked in I commented that there was no lounge access, as the United Club is way too far away to be reasonable. Check-In agent said that Air Canada is planning to expand the presence in BOS. She said a lounge is in the works as well they are going to renovate the gates to be connected to the other gates in the B terminal. No idea timeline or if this is a go ahead but she seemed to be pretty confident in these new changes.
Agree that the holding pen they consider gates is getting a bit crazy with the new YVR flight - that being said, I really love the direct route back instead of going through YYZ
I use the United lounge a lot. With PreCheck down by b10, it's 10 minutes to get there, and 5 minutes back by cutting across the taxi stand area. But now with 25 minutes in security line, hardly worth it.
Jul 22, 2017, 8:05 pm
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: yyz
Programs: AC50k, Hilton Diamond, National Executive Club
Posts: 287
Hmm.......I stand corrected on making the experience better way of in the future. B1-3 are joining the rest of the B gates by end of next year.......a bit of a walk to the United lounge on the other side, but on those snow days when BOS goes haywire, it will be nice to have access without reclearance.
https://www.massport.com/capitalprog...tal%20Info.pdf
https://www.massport.com/capitalprog...tal%20Info.pdf
Last edited by furballs; Jul 22, 2017 at 8:11 pm
Jul 22, 2017, 8:09 pm
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: yyz
Programs: AC50k, Hilton Diamond, National Executive Club
Posts: 287
Star Gold, yes. But you have to clear security to get to it (not a big deal with PreCheck as there is a separate line), then reclear to get to B1-3. With the 5 minute line, it was a no-brainer. Now,not so much.
Jul 22, 2017, 8:16 pm
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Canada
Programs: UA*1K MM
Posts: 23,297
Thanks, I have a long QR->AC connection, good to know UClub is an option.