Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan - GA making up rules?

Flying OGG --> SEA last Sunday, the GA announced that anyone who was willing to pre-check their larger carry on baggage would be allowed to board with elites. She then announced when it was time (after F) for those people to board, but never announced the MVPG/MVP boarding at all, though she said she did. As a result, we almost didn't get any overhead space for our small bags.

Is this AS policy now, or just another rogue GA?

Flying OGG --> SEA last Sunday, the GA announced that anyone who was willing to pre-check their larger carry on baggage would be allowed to board with elites. She then announced when it was time (after F) for those people to board, but never announced the MVPG/MVP boarding at all, though she said she did. As a result, we almost didn't get any overhead space for our small bags.

Is this AS policy now, or just another rogue GA?

Seems to happen on full flights- should have announced elites, not sure what happened. And it sounds like a good thing they did have some check bags, as then there would not have been room for your carry ons (I would guess).

Here is a previous thread on it:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/alaska-airlines-mileage-plan/1234722-early-boarding-gate-checks.html

Is this AS policy now, or just another rogue GA?

It might be neither, but rather part of a controlled test for a revised policy. Lots of things get tested before being adopted.

Is this AS policy now, or just another rogue GA?

I think the GA simply made a mistake.

It might be neither, but rather part of a controlled test for a revised policy. Lots of things get tested before being adopted.

But isn't OGG a contract station? Things would definitely be thoroughly tested at an AS station, before rolling out to a contract station. GA's make mistakes from time to time. They are human just like us. It sould like the OP mentioned it to the GA.

I suggest a quick email to customer service, pointing out the oversight. They will contact the OGG station manager, who will speak to the GA on duty that day.

She probably thought she did.

I wouldn't make a big deal out of it if she thought she made the announcement and didn't seem too snippity about it when she said that she did. Because she probably thought that she did, and didn't mean not to.

I'm not as upset or as concerned about her not mentioning the elite boarding - people are human and make mistakes. I am just curious about whether letting the gate-check folks board WITH elites is now going to be AS policy.

I'm not as upset or as concerned about her not mentioning the elite boarding - people are human and make mistakes. I am just curious about whether letting the gate-check folks board WITH elites is now going to be AS policy.
Who cares? By definition, their larger carry-on has now been gate-checked and all they've got is their smaller one for the seat in front of them. The problem are the "elites" (who aren't elite at all, just airline marketing hype) carrying their steamer trunks on to wedge in the OH.

I observed a slight twist on this one yesterday at PHX. Boarding had already begun when I got to the gate, but right as I did, the agent called for boarding of "anyone who won't be using the overheads for their carry-ons."

I'm not sure of the earlier boarding calls, but I did see a couple of gate checked rolling bags at the end of the jet bridge - so I assume that they'd boarded early as well. The flight was 100%, but the overheads weren't near full. With only an under-seat bag and in the exit row, I boarded near the end anyway.