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Reintroducing Early Boarding for Families with Children

View Poll Results: Is the change to early boarding for families w/children 2 or under a good move by UA?
Like the change and it will improve boarding time
72
9.68%
Like the change but it will not improve boarding time
67
9.01%
Dislike the change but it will improve boarding time
16
2.15%
Dislike the change and it will not improve boarding time
454
61.02%
Could support a different change and it will improve boarding time
23
3.09%
Could support a different change but it will not improve boarding time
22
2.96%
Neutral but it will improve boarding times
15
2.02%
Neutral but it will not improve boarding times
75
10.08%
Voters: 744. You may not vote on this poll

Reintroducing Early Boarding for Families with Children

Old Feb 1, 2016, 11:21 am
  #31  
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Washington DC
Programs: Former 1k, Lifetime UA Gold, Starwood Gold; Avis Preferred; Hertz Gold
Posts: 1,728
Not happy about this either. Largely because of the swarms of children that will be boarding -particularly on certain routes or at certain times of year. Very odd that UA will board kids first when (I believe) they will not put a paid F pax in Group 1. Weird.
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Old Feb 1, 2016, 11:28 am
  #32  
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I give this to about Labor Day, and then it goes away. A combination of gate agents and elite flyers will make the case that this was a bad decision.
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Old Feb 1, 2016, 11:34 am
  #33  
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: PHL, EWR
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Posts: 2,398
Originally Posted by tarheelnj
Your intentions are good, UA, but consider the following

2. Split-up families (which are likely to be all families booking close in or without E+ seating) are now told to board and ask the FA help them find seating together. Greater likelihood now they'll take the seats that put them together and ask the person (that's you) with that seat if you'll switch. Harder (and messier) to say no in that situation, particularly if the snacks and activity books are already unpacked.
This has happened to me. Mother just takes all the seats in her row for her kids and you are stuck looking like the bad guy if you want to actuality sit in your assigned seat versus some middle seat a few rows back.
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Old Feb 1, 2016, 11:35 am
  #34  
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Originally Posted by UA Insider
Hi everyone,

As we committed last fall, we have been looking closely at every aspect of our customers’ travel experience to see where we can improve and eliminate points of stress. Customers and employees pointed to the boarding process, just as many of you have, as an area where they wanted to see improvements; many shared that the boarding process for all customers would be smoother if we could accommodate families with infants earlier, as they often need more time to board.

All of us have experienced being the customer in the jet bridge tending to an infant, a diaper bag and a stroller – or to being the person in line to board behind that customer. Resuming pre-boarding for families with infants should provide a smoother process for everyone.

As a result, look for early boarding for families with children aged two and under beginning Monday, February 15, 2016. The new boarding process will be, in order: People with disabilities, active-duty members of the military in uniform, families with small children, and Global Services, followed by boarding groups 1-5.

Thank you,

-UA Insider
Sorry, but this is just plain inane. This is addressing a PROBLEM THAT DOES NOT EXIST. FlyerTalk is a pretty good place to find out what annoys flyers. Show me a thread where the current boarding process relative to small children points to a problem. There's a thread about the boarding process in general, but the main complaint is group size, not children slowing the process. The dispersing of families within the boarding groups works.

This announcement will just open the boarding process to considerable abuse and will not change the time to board one iota. It will just annoy 95% of the passengers. Brilliant. This is just plain stupid. How does United manage to take a step forward (free food item to 1Ks) and then fill it's own pants with something as dumb as this? Seriously? You want something to address? Read FT. I really think sometimes UA is just plain clueless.

"Resuming pre-boarding for families with infants should provide a smoother process for everyone." - this is just plain false. I hope everybody enjoys watching the abuse, lack of enforcement, the extra time GAs have to dedicate to another boarding group, waiting for the families to get to the gate. clogged boarding ramp as all the families take their time getting settled (instead of being dispersed). UA has no clue relative to process.

If this lapse of judgment is not rectified, we will indeed have a thread dedicated to the misguided, abused, and annoying policy. It will start day 1. I hope UA Insider takes the comments on this thread to re-assess. I will have much more faith in UA's current judgment if the idea is withdrawn.

Last edited by IAH-OIL-TRASH; Feb 1, 2016 at 11:52 am
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Old Feb 1, 2016, 11:38 am
  #35  
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: dark side of the moon
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Posts: 707
Seems reasonable to me (doesn't benefit me personally) as long as the age limit of 2 years old is enforced. Arguably a small devaluation to status... but UA have devalued 1K elsewhere (CPUs are now almost non existent for 1K is my biggest peeve) so much that I might position my company to another airline for 2017 but that's a different kettle of fish....
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Old Feb 1, 2016, 11:39 am
  #36  
 
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Posts: 1,083
This is annoying. I've never understood the concept of catering to someone who flies once a year versus someone who flies 150 times a year.
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Old Feb 1, 2016, 11:41 am
  #37  
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Originally Posted by IAH-OIL-TRASH
...and then fill its own pants with something as dumb as this...
Ouch
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Old Feb 1, 2016, 11:53 am
  #38  
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
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Originally Posted by UA Insider
Hi everyone,

As we committed last fall, we have been looking closely at every aspect of our customers travel experience to see where we can improve and eliminate points of stress. Customers and employees pointed to the boarding process, just as many of you have, as an area where they wanted to see improvements; many shared that the boarding process for all customers would be smoother if we could accommodate families with infants earlier, as they often need more time to board.

All of us have experienced being the customer in the jet bridge tending to an infant, a diaper bag and a stroller or to being the person in line to board behind that customer. Resuming pre-boarding for families with infants should provide a smoother process for everyone.

As a result, look for early boarding for families with children aged two and under beginning Monday, February 15, 2016. The new boarding process will be, in order: People with disabilities, active-duty members of the military in uniform, families with small children, and Global Services, followed by boarding groups 1-5.

Thank you,

-UA Insider
Ridiculous and great way to further delay Group 1 boarding . . .
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Old Feb 1, 2016, 11:54 am
  #39  
 
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Location: Chicago
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Originally Posted by IAH-OIL-TRASH
Sorry, but this is just plain inane. This is addressing a PROBLEM THAT DOES NOT EXIST. FlyerTalk is a pretty good place to find out what annoys flyers. Show me a thread where the current boarding process relative to small children points to a problem. There's a thread about the boarding process in general, but the main complaint is group size, not children slowing the process. The dispersing of families within the boarding groups works.

This announcement will just open the boarding process to considerable abuse and will not change the time to board one iota. It will just annoy 95% of the passengers. Brilliant. This is just plain stupid. How does United manage to take a step forward (free food item to 1Ks) and then fill it's own pants with something as dumb as this? Seriously? You want something to address? Read FT. I really think sometimes UA is just plain clueless.

"Resuming pre-boarding for families with infants should provide a smoother process for everyone." - this is just plain false. I hope everybody enjoys watching the abuse, lack of enforcement, the extra time GAs have to dedicate to another boarding group, waiting for the families to get to the gate. clogged boarding ramp as all the families take their time getting settled (instead of being dispersed). UA has no clue relative to process.

If this lapse of judgment is not rectified, we will indeed have a thread dedicated to the misguided, abused, and annoying policy. It will start day 1. I hope UA Insider takes the comments on this thread to re-assess. I will have much more faith in UA's current judgment if the idea is withdrawn.
I agree with this assessment. This is just one more reason even more of my business will move from UA to AA. Inane is the correct word for this action.
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Old Feb 1, 2016, 11:56 am
  #40  
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If they are going to give families with SMALL children early boarding, it should be after GS/1K and premium cabins.
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Old Feb 1, 2016, 12:01 pm
  #41  
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
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Originally Posted by IAH-OIL-TRASH
Sorry, but this is just plain inane. This is addressing a PROBLEM THAT DOES NOT EXIST. FlyerTalk is a pretty good place to find out what annoys flyers. Show me a thread where the current boarding process relative to small children points to a problem. There's a thread about the boarding process in general, but the main complaint is group size, not children slowing the process. The dispersing of families within the boarding groups works.

This announcement will just open the boarding process to considerable abuse and will not change the time to board one iota. It will just annoy 95% of the passengers. Brilliant. This is just plain stupid. How does United manage to take a step forward (free food item to 1Ks) and then fill it's own pants with something as dumb as this? Seriously? You want something to address? Read FT. I really think sometimes UA is just plain clueless.

"Resuming pre-boarding for families with infants should provide a smoother process for everyone." - this is just plain false. I hope everybody enjoys watching the abuse, lack of enforcement, the extra time GAs have to dedicate to another boarding group, waiting for the families to get to the gate. clogged boarding ramp as all the families take their time getting settled (instead of being dispersed). UA has no clue relative to process.

If this lapse of judgment is not rectified, we will indeed have a thread dedicated to the misguided, abused, and annoying policy. It will start day 1. I hope UA Insider takes the comments on this thread to re-assess. I will have much more faith in UA's current judgment if the idea is withdrawn.
Agree 100%, well said IAH-OIL-TRASH
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Old Feb 1, 2016, 12:05 pm
  #42  
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I wonder if some official in the Port Authority has small children?
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Old Feb 1, 2016, 12:07 pm
  #43  
 
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Originally Posted by RealFan
As a GS pax, I am worried about this change. I value the preboard option so I can get on board and get some work done. If I'm boarding along with families and their small kids, this will slow me down. I know that when they call for GS and a few us of board, it's efficient and we're already working within seconds of boarding.

Not sure this decision takes into account the needs of a business traveler. My only fix for it is to suggest that UA preboard GS much earlier (similar to AA with CK) and then ask for military and families with small children.
+1

It's one of the primary benefits of GS to board early and with ease. Now we get behind the parents with four kids and 8 bags trying to dig out the boarding passes (seemingly not realizing you need such things to get on the plane) while not being willing to set down there grande mocha latte. And then on the UX flights, we can jam up again at the bottom of the jetbridge while strollers etc are broken down and tagged for the rampers.

This is not a great start to United's return to focusing on their high value flyers.
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Old Feb 1, 2016, 12:07 pm
  #44  
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Lahaina, HI & Los Angeles, CA
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Originally Posted by IAH-OIL-TRASH
Sorry, but this is just plain inane. This is addressing a PROBLEM THAT DOES NOT EXIST. FlyerTalk is a pretty good place to find out what annoys flyers. Show me a thread where the current boarding process relative to small children points to a problem. There's a thread about the boarding process in general, but the main complaint is group size, not children slowing the process. The dispersing of families within the boarding groups works.

This announcement will just open the boarding process to considerable abuse and will not change the time to board one iota. It will just annoy 95% of the passengers. Brilliant. This is just plain stupid. How does United manage to take a step forward (free food item to 1Ks) and then fill it's own pants with something as dumb as this? Seriously? You want something to address? Read FT. I really think sometimes UA is just plain clueless.

"Resuming pre-boarding for families with infants should provide a smoother process for everyone." - this is just plain false. I hope everybody enjoys watching the abuse, lack of enforcement, the extra time GAs have to dedicate to another boarding group, waiting for the families to get to the gate. clogged boarding ramp as all the families take their time getting settled (instead of being dispersed). UA has no clue relative to process.

If this lapse of judgment is not rectified, we will indeed have a thread dedicated to the misguided, abused, and annoying policy. It will start day 1. I hope UA Insider takes the comments on this thread to re-assess. I will have much more faith in UA's current judgment if the idea is withdrawn.
Agreed. Well said! From Lahaina to Makawao, Mahalo.
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Old Feb 1, 2016, 12:08 pm
  #45  
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Agree with others, this is a change for the worse. I really thought UA was stepping it up.

First thing, GS should be before the families. What's the point of boarding us first if we're gonna be stuck waiting behind families?
it makes no sense to board those who can board the quickest after those who board the slowest.
I feel bad for those in group 1 too. Making them wait longer to board.
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