JBord

Sure, no one is. But this thread isn't about making elites happy, is it? It's about an efficient boarding process. I'd have a lot more to post about UA making me happier.

Should groups 3 and 4 get to use the bypass lane too, or just elites? In those airports today where there aren't 5 separate chutes, there's no bypass lane for them. Or why not a disabled person who shows up late because their flight was delayed?

My opinion is no bypass lane.

Richym99

Of the six flights I took over the weekend, three of them (one international and two domestic) commenced boarding of group one prior to the time stated on the boarding pass (note, pre-boarding had already taken place). Without a bypass lane, you are forcing everyone on group one and two to get to the gate before the time boarding is due to start, or risk ending up behind everyone else. Priorty boarding means getting on board without undue delay WHEN you arrive at the gate, not just IF you arrive at the gate first.

Bonehead

Having spent some time perusing the WN forum, I would say that you're mistaken on this. There are well-known "miracle flights" on WN, especially involving origins/destinations in FL, as I recall.

I have not seen much abuse of the disabled preboarding at UA, but I fly mainly business routes/times.

pinniped

But that takes away the notion that some people are better than others. That's a key fundamental with the boarding groups and the special little carpets and all: getting to look down your nose at the lice who must board behind you.

drewguy

It's not impossible due to the existence of J/F etc. It's just not commercially viable, in light of airlines' (including UA's) promotion of priority boarding as a perq of loyalty or something that may be purchased (through premium fares or access). The same is true of row-by-row boarding, which went by the wayside with the recognition that overhead space was scarce and early boarding was thus a valuable commodity that could be sold or provided selectively.

Indeed, UA could have a rolling bar cart in a roped off section near the gate that provides drinks to F pax while they wait for the cattle to get loaded, and an FA who jealously guards the F cabin bins, and then board F pax last.

kale73

But everyone already gets a unique number printed on the boarding pass. It's called the sequence number. If I'm not mistaken, it represents the order in which one checked in (or was automatically checked in) for a particular flight.

As a habitual early checker-inner, I'd have no problem with boarding according to the sequence number.

txaggiemiles

This thread is about making the "perfect" boarding process (see: thread title). This, to you, may be about efficiency, to others it might be about making it an elite benefit.

To a majority, it is about maximizing both.

I agree with you that a bypass lane might slow down boarding some amount. I would argue that amount is negligible compared to the benefit it would bestow on elites. I really like the idea of a well marked and "progressive" bypass lane announcing already called groups. There are many reasons why one might be late to the boarding area (getting that last vodka soda in the club, being just one!) In my experience, when I have been later than Group 1, I have never held up the line since me bypassing the others just allowed me onto the jetway sooner where I stood and waited to actually board. Of course, other experiences may differ.


I am just of a different opinion than you. I am pro-bypass lane! I respect your right to a contrary opinion.

Baze

To be honest, there is no one size fits all perfect boarding system. Too many different kinds of planes with too many different kinds of configurations. What works for a 737 may not work at all for a 777 or even a 757 boarding thru door 2L. When they enforce it and do the boarding per the policies they way UA does it is probably a decent compromise. Problem is they don't enforce the boarding groups, they don't enforce the carry on rules, they don't wait a little bit between the disabled group and the ones behind so it causes confusion and cluster. For the gates with only 2 lanes, if they had someone patrolling the lane and enforcing who should be in it at that time like Japan does, even those could work. But they don't so those are even more of a cluster.

bldr1k

Completely agree - that is the ONLY reason to board early, especially if you are in first class.

When I have checked luggage I board last.

cur

*zone 1: business, gs 1k plat gold
*zone 2: premier access star gold
*zone 3: credit card holders
everything else the same only 3 is 4, 4 is 5, etc

only thing i don't like is that cc holders get zone 2, i may get down to gold next year and i dunno how being equiv to the chase cc holders makes me feel (who wants to listen more about my feelings)

doesn't aa have like 8 zones or something

5khours

As long at there is a large amount of carry-on baggage, the process will be slow.

physioprof

What "science" says this?

drewguy

I wonder if there's anyone who feels different and wants to board early for a reason other than having space for their carry-on.

WineCountryUA

possible reasons
1) Get a head start on their PDB
2) Get settled in a window seat without having to bother another passagner
3) Looking to ask for seat swap before the passagner has settled in
4) Don't like standing in the jetway

SunLover

The quickest boarding process I ever experienced was on a secondary city mainland China domestic route. Zero etiquette, zero political correctness, zero regard for personal space. People literally pushing, shoving, and climbing over each other. Boarded a packed B737 in about 6 minutes.

While this was both highly amusing and highly offensive which is worse really: a Chinese fire drill, or people with low cognizant awareness of their surroundings and low sense of shared purpose in expediting the boarding process?


SunLover