Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan - Passenger boards on wrong flight - how does this happen?

On our LAS-SEA flight 11/16/04, there was a bit of an argument behind us, with two passengers claiming seat 19C. When the FA arrived to straighten it out, the person who was there originally was not supposed to be on our flight, and from the little I was able to hear, was not even travelling to SEA. How does this happen in this day and age? I thought the boarding pass scan would have shown the 2nd person checking in that the seat was already taken, raising the red flag before the argument commenced. And, that the scan meant something. Is this a common occurence? Other than that, nice flight.

On our LAS-SEA flight 11/16/04, there was a bit of an argument behind us, with two passengers claiming seat 19C. When the FA arrived to straighten it out, the person who was there originally was not supposed to be on our flight, and from the little I was able to hear, was not even travelling to SEA. How does this happen in this day and age? I thought the boarding pass scan would have shown the 2nd person checking in that the seat was already taken, raising the red flag before the argument commenced. And, that the scan meant something. Is this a common occurence? Other than that, nice flight.

I had this happen to me once. The gate agent couldn't use her scan gun on my ticket so she just keyed in the seat number (I was one of the first people on). Near half-way through boarding the real seat holder asked me to get up, and turns out I had a boarding pass from a few weeks earlier, for a different flight number (BP was for ONT, while I was on a LAX bound flight).

I had this happen to me once. The gate agent couldn't use her scan gun on my ticket so she just keyed in the seat number (I was one of the first people on). Near half-way through boarding the real seat holder asked me to get up, and turns out I had a boarding pass from a few weeks earlier, for a different flight number (BP was for ONT, while I was on a LAX bound flight).
This happened to me about a month ago on a flight from SFO to LAX. The other person was ticketed on a different flight to LA. After we all flopped around a little bit and the other passenger left to get on her real" flight, the FA's repeated at least three times the flight number.

I see this happen fairly regularly at the Horizon C2 gates in Seattle. Some people either just get on the first plane they see, or follow the person in front of them onto the wrong plane.

I've seen this occur at Horizon's A gates in Portland as well as United Express flights. It can happen because Horizon does make it somewhat confusing for the traveler that does not regularly fly them.

As mentioned previously there are a couple ways to enter seat numbers in at the boarding door. IMO, the most accurate is the scanner that reads the boarding pass. If the BP is not for the flight the scanner is working, there will be an error message. You can also use a manual method where you put the seat number in and need to verify the name on the boarding pass with the computer. It's possible the passenger had the same last name or the agent just didn't see it. There is a lot the agent needs to do when the passenger boards; scan or verify name, see if selectee and has TSA stamp, make sure they are fit (not drunk) for travel, unfold the boarding pass that is now an origami creation, search through the ticket jacket that contains everything but the BP, etc.

Why not use the scanner all the time? Some gates the scanner is slow, sometimes it doesn't work at all and some are old dogs not wanting to learn new tricks. Personally, I like the UA scanners.

I started a topic on the NW forum about this. Simply, on a 3 leg flight on NW, my GF used the BP for her 3rd flight on her 2nd flight. Since she had the same seat assignment for both, the computer didn't catch it (BPs were scanned). The pax name nor flight doesn't seem to be relevant otherwise the computer would reject the BP at the gate. I think only if 2 people are assigned the same seat will it flag something.

I was sitting in 6f and there was a woman that boarded and sat in 7d. When the person assigned to 7d showed up she apologized and said really she was supposed to be in 7f but someone else was in her seat. That someone else had left (to look for a pillow perhaps?) so the woman scooted over to 7f in spite of the other PAX stuff stashed in the seat pocket and under the seat! The woman even commented there was no room for her stuff! Lo and behold the original 7F PAX returns... surprise! Finally a FA shows up and figures out the 7D woman was actually supposed to be in 12F!

Now my curiousity.. how the heck do you mix up row 7 for row 12? She even looked at her ticket again when the 7D PAX showed up. I can see mixing up row 7 for 9 or 13 for 15, but 7 for 12?

Silly that I let this stuff make me grit my teeth. While the seat juggling was going on I wanted so desperately to just reach back there and grab her boarding pass and read it for her. I think AS' boarding passes are really easy to read, I have seen people trying to sit in 2c because they were looking at the gate (C2) vs. the seat assign, that's pretty understandable for those who don't fly too much.

The whole "If Seattle is not your final destination today we strongly recommend you deplane at this time" announcement has always reminded me of those announcements the first day of class back in college. (back when we used a slate board & chalk for notes) ;)

Alison

I think part of the problem of boarding the wrong plane might be that GAs must be under incredible pressure to get the plane turned around as quickly as possible.

I do agree about the C2 gates in Seattle. I always look at the ala cart by the airplane closely to make sure it has the name of the city I'm going to.

We flew first class from LAS to SEA last Sunday on flight 85, which continues on to ANC. There were four people in first who wanted the same two seats. It turned out that the people in the seats were continuing on and had coach for the first leg and those first class seats for the SEA-ANC leg.

I'd never flown out of LAS on the Sunday the of a busy weekend before and could not believe the HP checkin lines, which extended outside the terminal. The two long security lines extended well past the escalators. Alaska's web checkin and the first class security line sure saved a huge bundle of time.

Although it has never happened to me, I have seen it happen. I was surprised when it first occured last year but it has probably happened once a month to other PAX this year. The BP maybe only has the seat # encoded rather than additional information such as date and flight, which is the only way I could think that this happens.

PEACE!

I had it happen once @ LGA with American Eagle. They pre-boarded an elderly/disabled pax ahead of time. With a few puddlejumpers on the tarmac, I guess the GA brought her to the wrong aircraft. The error was apparently caught after the wheelchair passenger was aboard the plane; this was explained to us as the reason for the delay in boarding, although it did not (significantly) affect depature time.

Mreover - recently I was flying on Horizon and a fellow with a NW codeshare ticket told me that he had been assigned my seat. I looked at his bp; I knew I had the right seat myself, but couldn't find his correct seat. The FA found it in another (less conspicuous) spot, but I didn't blame him for thinking he was in my row from what I saw.

I see this happen fairly regularly at the Horizon C2 gates in Seattle. Some people either just get on the first plane they see, or follow the person in front of them onto the wrong plane.

What makes it worse is when the flight attendant announces the wrong city while the passangers are loading. It has happened several times to me when flying to Spokane and they announce Portland. The passangers have to re-assure each other what flight we are really on.

What makes it worse is when the flight attendant announces the wrong city while the passangers are loading. It has happened several times to me when flying to Spokane and they announce Portland. The passangers have to re-assure each other what flight we are really on.
A FA once announced that boarding was now complete on Flight XYZ to San Jose, Costa Rica. After the gasp rocketed down the fuselage they corrected that to San Jose, California

Interesting topic, especially when you combine it with other airport gaffaws!

A couple months ago while racing to catch a flight, I entered through security with an OLD boarding pass, and didn't even realize it until I was on the other side. Guess all the TSA agent checked was my name matching the ticket. I thought about saying something, but I was running late, and my mind started imagining them shutting down the whole terminal.

Last weekend, when going through the "Gold" entrance at the SEA Central Checkpoint, I accidently pulled out my Hertz 5-star Gold Card instead of my AS MVPG card. (I was flying on DL). As soon as I handed it to the agent I realized my error, but before I could say "whoops!", she just waved me on! Hehehe... I'll have to remember that in the future... maybe it'll work at other airports!

One of my friends told me how he "Photoshopped" an old AS web check-in boarding pass, so he could get through security and meet his girlfriend at the gate.... apparently he was successful.

So add it all up. I suppose you could "Photoshop" a boarding pass, go through security with a bogus Gold card, and hop right onto a flight. (Most AS agents I see enter in the seat numbers manually). Just check for what seats are empty ahead of time, and it'll go unnoticed. Plausible.... of course if you're caught you'll likely end up in jail.

It's also quite easy to "print" (save) a boarding pass in Adobe Acrobat format (if you have the full version) and annotate the flight(s), dates and time(s)... any boarding pass can be manipulated for improper use. I thought about that once when I wanted to meet a friend at a gate, but thought on the oft chance I'd get an eagle-eyed TSA agent. So, I pussed and didn't do it. There were times I also thought about doing that for some free bevvies on a slow night at the SEA Boardroom, but....guess I wasn't that desperate for a free cocktail after all. :)

Oh, yeah, the boarding the wrong plane thing.....anyway, I'm settling in on a SEA-LAX flight in 2D last year and this adorable blonde in a "rather attractive" outfit boards and announces that she's in 2F....I'm thinking, ah, now this sure beats the standard issue seatmate! Just as I'm beginning to think this is gonna be a great flight, along comes the FA doing a boarding pass check as a gentleman waits behind her....seems the blonde was supposed to be on a SEA-LAS flight, so the FA escorted her off the plane. My new seatmate and I got a few yucks out of the ensuing blonde jokes...

I never have figured out how a pax can board the wrong flight when the scanners are working at the gate to prevent just that (among other things).

I never have figured out how a pax can board the wrong flight when the scanners are working at the gate to prevent just that (among other things).

Each airline uses a different method. AS can use Image (which overlays Sabre) or OnBoard Manager to board passengers. Image requires you to type in the seat number and the passenger name will appear on the screen and the passenger will show "on" the aircraft. This requires the agent to verify the name on the BP with the name that appears on the screen. If the seat is unoccupied or if someone has already boarded with that seat there will be an error message. OnBoard Manager allows for either the screening of the boarding pass or manually touching the computer screen where a aircraft seat map is present. Scanning will show an error message if it is the wrong boarding pass for that flight. Touching the screen will "on" the passenger in that seat and requires verification of the name that shows on the screen with the boarding pass.

Sometimes the problem is that the computer has the same beep when you scan the wrong boarding pass as when you scan the correct one. If you don't look at the screen before you scan the next passenger you wouldn't see the error message for the incorrect boarding pass.

Mistakes happen - mostly because AS understaffs and overworks the agents.

I never have figured out how a pax can board the wrong flight when the scanners are working at the gate to prevent just that (among other things).

I can see how it happens... not only did I almost board the wrong flight, but the wrong AIRLINE. I was sitting in the BA lounge at AMS when my BA flight was announced to LHR, and which point I proceeded to the gate which was already boarding. I walked up and showed my ticket (which was standard paper ticket stock) and she ripped off the end at waved me on. As I walked down the jetway, an agent came running and grabbed me and said I was on the wrong flight... and wrong airline!!

Apparently the gate number for my flight changed while I was in the lounge, and I never heard an announcement!

I see this happen fairly regularly at the Horizon C2 gates in Seattle. Some people either just get on the first plane they see, or follow the person in front of them onto the wrong plane.


We fly Horizon a lot. It can get confusing when boarding Horizon flights, specifically when several of their similar planes are in the same area.
If I am not sure, I look closely at the signs, and I always double check the a la carte. If I still am not sure, I ask. We do not need the hassle if we board the wrong plane or put our carry-on bags on the wrong a la carte.

I cannot understand people who do not ask when they are in doubt. Even those of us who travel a great deal, can get confused. It is only human. After a long day, sometimes my wife and I are not sure of anything, let alone which a la carte to put my carry on. So I just ask. Better safe than sorry.