Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan - Early boarding for gate checks

Working at ANC tonight and the AS agents are offering early boarding (with MVPs/Row 6) to pax willing to gate check their carry-on bag to their final destination. I've seen it on two flights so far. This seems to be new in the past few days.

Just curious about whether this an experiment or a new policy, and if it's just ANC, specific airports, specific flights, etc. Has anyone else seen this?

Working at ANC tonight and the AS agents are offering early boarding (with MVPs/Row 6) to pax willing to gate check their carry-on bag to their final destination. I've seen it on two flights so far. This seems to be new in the past few days.

Just curious about whether this an experiment or a new policy, and if it's just ANC, specific airports, specific flights, etc. Has anyone else seen this?

Saw it once before, at DCA a few years ago.

Saw it once before, at DCA a few years ago.

No the last few times I've flown Alaska that wasn't the case although they did make pleas for gate checks. I'll take note of that on my hnl-sea flight next week and update.

Working at ANC tonight and the AS agents are offering early boarding (with MVPs/Row 6) to pax willing to gate check their carry-on bag to their final destination. I've seen it on two flights so far. This seems to be new in the past few days.

Just curious about whether this an experiment or a new policy, and if it's just ANC, specific airports, specific flights, etc. Has anyone else seen this?

Kind of a silly offer if you ask me. If I gate check my bag and don't have to worry about finding space for it, then I will gladly be the last person to board the plane!

Kind of a silly offer if you ask me. If I gate check my bag and don't have to worry about finding space for it, then I will gladly be the last person to board the plane!

Yeah I know! Good point too.

Just like before the checked bag fees, I NEVER boarded early. I mean you're going to be siting for hours on end anyways. But now of course it's a different story. But if I hate check as I did last week, there's no rush to board then

According to a post in Facebook that there is a new boarding process in regards to letting people board early if gate checking bag

Well, consider this a free gate check offer. I think it was only free for elite members before if the overhead was not full? Early boarding or not of course is up to you.

Kind of a silly offer if you ask me. If I gate check my bag and don't have to worry about finding space for it, then I will gladly be the last person to board the plane!

Well, consider this a free gate check offer. I think it was only free for elite members before if the overhead was not full? Early boarding or not of course is up to you.

Is that actually true though? Because there hade been a number of cases where I have seen many people gate checking and no evidence Of people paying. And I have gate checked on AS and also on UA when the agents requested it with no fee.

Of course it's free if there is no more space.

Is that actually true though? Because there hade been a number of cases where I have seen many people gate checking and no evidence Of people paying. And I have gate checked on AS and also on UA when the agents requested it with no fee.

SJC Tuesday 5 July there were a bunch of folks with strollers and carry on bags. The gate agents were talking to them and most gate checked their carry-ons as well as the strollers. They all boarded before F and elites though...since they had small kids. I didn't see anyone else gate check. I also thought it odd that the bags were left at the podium rather than having the passengers take them down the jetway. Bags and strollers were taken down the jetway by AS employees. I just thought that was kind of weird.

Of course it's free if there is no more space.


Yeah that's what I thought. It's not like we are asking for it, they are the ones asking the passengers.

From the facebook page:

Feedback for Alaska: the new boarding procedure sucks. As an MVP Gold and someone who buys first class tickets often, being able to board early is a key benefit. Now any random person who is willing to gate check a bag gets to board before Golds and First Class, and that is not only a benefit taken away from all Golds and paying first class passengers, but a good reason to consider switching to another airline. Alaska, please reconsider your new boarding policy.
7 hours ago · Like ·

Alaska Airlines Hi Ilya, The new boarding process we implemented still gives First Class, MVP Gold 75k, MVP Gold & MVPs priority. If this wasn't the case on your flight, please let us know the flight number so we can follow-up with the station. Thx ^DS
6 hours ago · Like

Ilya That was not the case on my recent flight, #854 on Jul 2nd. We were in first class, and we had to wait for quite a while as a very long line of people, about half the flight I'd say, boarded ahead of us as "pre-boarding" just because they were willing to gate check a bag. I asked if we could also board with those people and was told "NO". If this is your new procedure I suggest it should be changed, or otherwise your gate agents need more training.
6 hours ago · Like
Poley King Whats the new official boarding order?
5 hours ago · Like

Ilya Bukshteyn Pre-boarding now apparently includes not just the usual people with children, etc., but also anyone willing to gate check a bag, as incentive to have fewer people use the overhead bins and therefore have the boarding process move faster overall. Unfortunately that seems to mean that now MVP Golds and first class passengers are behind anyone willing to gate check a bag, which could be half the flight or more.
5 hours ago · Like

Alaska Airlines Hi Ilya, Our apologies if our trial earlier this week didn't go smoothly. Based on feedback we revised the process further before implementing a new practice yesterday. We continue to offer pre-boarding for those needing extra assistance or time, then the new standard is First Class/MVPs, those willing to gate-check a bag, and then standard back to front boarding. ^DS
4 hours ago · Like

Ilya That sounds much better! Thank you for listening and making the change; I hope all of your gate agents have this info and training so there is no further confusion at the gates.
4 hours ago · Like

From the facebook page:


Oh okay that seems pretty fair.

At this point the only real drawback of gate-checking to get on-board early is that you now rule out any chance of getting that last-minute upgrade. Of course, I've always been of the mentality that if I'm sitting in the back, I want every additional minute of 'freedom' I can muster before I'm confined to a chair.

So basically the gate is becoming the new ticket counter....just haul your bag past the old ticket counter, through security, and to the gate....*bingo*, you just saved $20!

So basically the gate is becoming the new ticket counter....just haul your bag past the old ticket counter, through security, and to the gate....*bingo*, you just saved $20!

Yeah that's what it seems like. Because evidently it's better for the airline to get more bags out of the cabin for OTD etc.

But that begs the question, is it fair for those who paid to check bags?

This will probably mess up w&b with the ETOPS Hawaii flights as probably many will take advantage of this, and when the bag is sent below it adds weight to the calculation, opposed to being carried onboard where it counts as that individuals weight. Saw this request for AS137 PDX-ANC tonight but did not stick around to see how it worked. I stopped into the boardroom for a brew and some soup while the preboarding occured.

But that begs the question, is it fair for those who paid to check bags?

Sure, it's fair.

Folks that already checked their bags chose to do so because they:

Had a bag that was too big to take on board
Had a bag that was too heavy for them to lift
Had too many bags to take on board
Or chose not to take the bag on board for convenience purposes

The fact that someone else is offered a "deal" to gate check a bag doesn't impact those folks at all. It's a completely independent decision.

And, if it helps get the plane out on time, then they've received an ancillary benefit from the gate-check process.

And don't minimize the hassle factor of getting the bag back upon arrival. The gate-checkers went to the airport with the full expectation of a carryon bag. Now they need to head to baggage claim to retrieve their gate-checked bag.

At this point the only real drawback of gate-checking to get on-board early is that you now rule out any chance of getting that last-minute upgrade.

Not necessarily. Many gate agents handle upgrades by the book

Sure, it's fair.

Folks that already checked their bags chose to do so because they:

Had a bag that was too big to take on board
Had a bag that was too heavy for them to lift
Had too many bags to take on board
Or chose not to take the bag on board for convenience purposes


Or had liquids greater than 3 oz, a knife, or any other non-security-friendly item. (A bottle of wine or two is the most common reason I check, and I'll bring my chef's knife if I'm on a moderately long trip and don't trust the kitchen I'll be using, even in an otherwise-carryon bag.)

Or had liquids greater than 3 oz, a knife, or any other non-security-friendly item. (A bottle of wine or two is the most common reason I check, and I'll bring my chef's knife if I'm on a moderately long trip and don't trust the kitchen I'll be using, even in an otherwise-carryon bag.)

Yeah I actually agree. Reason why I check luggage.

Oh and another thing. This brings up the point that the airlines cause their own problem by charging separately for baggage, which I think is silly and just creates the daily mess in the overheads

So for the record, HNL departing flight staffed by DL agents, the boarding order was:

1. Families/needing assistance
2. First Class
3. MVP Gold/75K
4. GATE CHECK
5. Rows 25-xx

This brings up the point that the airlines cause their own problem by charging separately for baggage, which I think is silly and just creates the daily mess in the overheads

It is silly, but the travelling public created the silliness.

As a group, we have demonstrated our ability, time after time, to choose the lowest fare without regard to baggage benefits or fees.

The only reason AS began charging a baggage fee was because the general public didn't differentiate between an airline with no baggage fees and an airline with a baggage fee.

If AS (without baggage fees) was $10 more than Delta with a baggage fee, AS didn't get the ticket revenue even though their package price/value was better than Delta's.

So I guess the current predicament is "shame on us".

Well, consider this a free gate check offer. I think it was only free for elite members before if the overhead was not full? Early boarding or not of course is up to you.

This isn't accurate. Gate check has always been free...as long as you are gate checking something that is part of your normal carryon limit (size and # of pieces) If however, you are trying to carry-on more than you are allowed, we charge you $25 instead of the $20 you would have paid if you had checked it when you were supposed to (at the counter)

So basically the gate is becoming the new ticket counter....just haul your bag past the old ticket counter, through security, and to the gate....*bingo*, you just saved $20!

As stated above, its only free if it fits within the normal carryon limitations

I flew BUR-SEA last week. I'm AA Gold, so I board right after first class does. But I went to check about gate-checking my bag anyway because it was heavy. The gate agent mistakenly thought I was AS gold. It turns out there is a difference in what happens to gate checked bags depending on elite status.

If you are NOT at elite status your bag will be checked and you will retrieve it at baggage claim. If you are (and i think it may only be Gold and above), your bag will be given back to you as you get off the plane.

So for the record, HNL departing flight staffed by DL agents, the boarding order was:

1. Families/needing assistance
2. First Class
3. MVP Gold/75K
4. GATE CHECK
5. Rows 25-xx

Sorry for asking this a month after your post but did they just skip over the MVP/Partner Elites category completely? That should come after MVP Gold/75K.

Sorry for asking this a month after your post but did they just skip over the MVP/Partner Elites category completely? That should come after MVP Gold/75K.

It wouldn't surprise me. Last year before MVP gold, I noticed that a lot of the time, they don't call for MVPs, especially at airports without an AS operated counter. My worst luck being at Orlando. If they go straight to general boarding, you can just walk down the first class side of the boarding line, and the agent will let you through before anymore from general boarding. You can also get in the First Class/ MVP Gold line near the end and often they will call for MVP's before they scan your ticket, or just let you go through.

It wouldn't surprise me. Last year before MVP gold, I noticed that a lot of the time, they don't call for MVPs, especially at airports without an AS operated counter. My worst luck being at Orlando. If they go straight to general boarding, you can just walk down the first class side of the boarding line, and the agent will let you through before anymore from general boarding. You can also get in the First Class/ MVP Gold line near the end and often they will call for MVP's before they scan your ticket, or just let you go through.

Thanks for the ideas. The lack of consistent preboarding with both AS and QX has been my single biggest disappointment with MVP status. I have called, e-mailed, and snailmailed multiple times all to no avail. I always get the response that official company policy is to offer preboarding every time. But they don't bother to enforce this with their GAs so the "company policy" business is like some French pastry -- all show and no go. The GAs seem free to do whatever they want and management really doesn't seem to care.

Maybe they'll be consistent with offering preboarding for gate checks because it helps them get what they want -- everyone on the plane.