John Wang

Took Alaska last week and noticed that there is no family boarding at all. The categories are:
First class
MVPs
Row 20-35
All rows
I recalled that Alaska used to have family boarding with small kids before MVPs and after first class but it seems no longer there. Abused too much so that they have to revoke it?

bta15

I flew it this morning and they had the family boarding. It is first before first class and 75k's. They allow families and elderly and disabled folks at the same time, "those needing additional time for boarding".

flytoeat

I don't think your sample size is large enough to support your conclusion. It's the most consistent aspect of the boarding process.

rustykettel

Heard the families with small children under 2 and those needing extra time preboarding announcement twice today, just like bta15 described. It's not on the gate monitor.

Bethelite

They typically invite "uniformed military members" to board early, as well.

missamo80

They do it first before any other group. It's never been listed on the screens for the four big buckets of people.

Neil

nwflyboy

But you were right about the "abused too much" part - they just haven't revoked it.

ctporter

If I recall correctly, the screen at airports where AS can control the screens do show if they are boarding FC, MVP, and the later rows BUT they have NEVER shown the "pre-boards" which is the people needing extra time down the jetway (meaning in realty anyone NOT seated in an exit row that has the nerve to board early) families with children (sometimes it is children under two, other times it is with children that need extra time, in which case all 29 members of your family including aunts, uncles, and the best friend you just met while waiting in line can board now) Next they ask for all military in service and their families. THEN they announce FC, sometimes with 75K and MVPG and all partners or sometimes just FC (not just elites) , then then the next groups, which if they had already called out 75k and MVPG would be MPV (I would be upset though if I was an MVP and had to board after a Silver DL member that boarded as "partner elites") and then by rows for all the rest.

If you have ever boarded a DL flight in Colorado Springs, by the time they call for partner elites (after military and FC) there might be a total of 3 people left in the gate area due to the huge military presence there) I know, I was one of 3 left. I was in the last group, as a partner elite, no one on that flight was not elite, a partner elite, or military.

Eastbay1K

Enforce it or get rid of it. Enforce it or get rid of it. Enforce it or get rid of it.

How do I feel?

jsguyrus

I flew six different AS flights this week, in every case they allowed "families needing extra time" to board before everyone else. As noted by others, that category includes just about anyone who feels like boarding.

honmani2

First, all the flights I've taken on AS this year had a family boarding announcement.

Second, all of them invited military members even if not in uniform which I would think is an honor system since id's are not checked.

As an aside, on one recent AS flight, the flight attendant asked the passengers to give a round of applause for the military members on board. That's a first.

martonikaj

I would assume the FA maybe has family members who are/were veterans? Never heard that one before. Also maybe a step too far ... let's just get people organized and seated on the plane in an orderly fashion.

Though I've also had gate agents allow anyone wearing a Seahawks jersey (at SEA) to board early ... which is pretty much a disgrace to the process IMO.

rustykettel

Timbers apparel at PDX will often get boarded after MVP. I don't recall ever seeing it preboarded or at all down in the A gates.

martonikaj

As a Sounders fan it makes me sick enough when I have to fly on the Timbers livery 737 ... now priority boarding?!?!

tbau

The moral of the story is that there is no one boarding process. Furthermore 98.3% of gate attendants let anyone board at any time.

In fact if you have your boarding pass on your mobile device they don't even have the chance to question you until you've scanned. "First Class" = "All aboard!!"