rsteinmetz70112

This morning my wife flew home.

She was a surprisingly high A-19 (she is only A-list) on what was announced as a full flight. Even more surprising there were no pre-boards, no BS passengers and A-16 and A-17 were not at the gate (perhaps their connecting flight was late).

She was the second passenger to board. She selected the window LUV seat. The FA tried to get her to move assuming she was a pre-board. She was asked if there was something wrong with her leg. I think that was illegal, but that is beside the point. She didn't move.

steved5480

That is definately quite the impressive score, boarding #2 with A-19.

I know they did away withe the Blue Sleeves. Does some sort of flag print on a BP nowadays if the passenger IS a pre-boarder? If yes, how could/would the pax have anything to "show" once they were on-board? (See below)

I heard a really odd announcement this morning a couple of gates down the way....

At the start of the boarding process & several times thereafter, the agent repeatedly said "I'm going to return your boarding passes to you after scanning them, please keep them with you for the duration of the flight". I don't recall ever hearing that in the past.

In keeping with FT thread-jackery tradition, this seems like another good reason to make use of electronic boarding passes. I've found it a handy backup/reference going back in history over the past 100+/- flights I've used it on (100% since they started).

joshua362

Stange. Usually they ask the first "real" boarder to give the BP to the FA to announce that general boarding has begun. Sometimes I've even been identified by what color shirt / jacket I was wearing.

I had a funny tale last week out of ATL where you can see much confusion and apprehension among the former AirTran passengers.

I was holding A01 and A02 insisted (very friendly) to see my BP when I joined the line. Then a lady came up and said she was A01. She showed us her ticket jacket where Gary Kelly's A01 is printed on the inside. She was oblivious to her own BP behind the flap with something like A38 on it!

I'll spare everyone the rant of my first LGA-ATL-LGA non AirTran Business Class flight but paying the same amount to be squished in the gut by a large middle seater...

rsteinmetz70112

The guy in front of her (A-18) was asked to hand his Boarding Pass to the FAs.

My wife said the FA(s) said they had not been told boarding was starting.

In late breaking news the same FA apparently question another female passenger about her ability to perform the "functions" required. Something along the lines of "Are you sure you can lift ..."

normalone

I'm not understanding how keeping your boarding pass would prove you didn't pre-board. Individuals who pre-board still have an assigned boarding pass...so having A19 in no way proves you didn't pre-board.

steved5480

I regularly board as BS A-1 with an electronic BP, so nothing to "give" the F/A.

The GAs typical ask that I tell the FA(s) that I'm A-1 *or* that I'm representing the onslaught of "general boarding". I've used both of those phrases, as well as jokingly using something along the lines of "here we come" or related. That usually gets a smile/laugh, but all 3 methods have worked without a hitch.

ACEDAD

I've seen this before. I've offered to help a lady (preparing to sit in the exit row) put her luggage up in the bin and the FA told me to let her do it herself. Said she has to be able to lift 50 lbs and should do her own suitcase.

tusphotog

Good for the FA.

jb3t

+1

I've seen this many times. One time my wife was pi$$!d with me because I did not help her with her bag while in the exit row. I told her if she can't lift it the FA could boot her out. That did not go over too well with the wife but the FA appreciated it.

hiker72

You're a brave man.

rove312

Pax who request disability assistance at booking or at least before the BP is printed have WCH (or maybe something else for more complex disabilities) on the pass. People can simply request pre-boarding at the gate, and I don't know if they bring any other documentation on board.

Hondu54

I pre-board because I am legally DEAF. I just did DAL-LGA-DAL and my boarding pass was taken by the GA. I recall the GA saying something to me but I have no idea what she said. One other thing, I noticed lately that all my boarding passes have TSA Pre Check listed.

lougord99

At the risk of saying something that seems insensitive....

In a situation such as this, where it can be quite important to understand what is being said to you, shouldn't you have told the GA that you are deaf and cannot hear them?

normalone

No, there is no documentation on the boarding pass when you request pre-boarding at the gate. There is also no documentation on the boarding pass for those of us who pre-board due to the COS policy, but then again we have the extra seat document so I suppose that counts.

rsteinmetz70112

I was under the impression that since "Blue Sleeves" went away pre-boards were given a separate pre-board authorization. Is that not correct?

I would think the Extra Seat Document would count.