y10k

Recently I flied in Window and Aisle, middle, front or back of the flight. Every time the seating area was 1.

How is this seating area determined? Does all Star Alliance Gold get area 1? If yes, how are the rest determined? Are they in the order of window, middle, aisle or back, mid, front?

lucky9876coins

Yes, UA elites and Star Gold customers get seating area 1, and then the rest of the passengers get split up based on window (seating area 2), middle (seating area 3), and aisle (seating area 4).

paytonc

A young gate agent boarding DCA-DEN last week gave a running explanation. "We'll begin boarding with our First Class, Global Services, and 1K passengers... now seating area one, which includes our Mileage Plus elite members... seating area two, our window seats..." etc. His flight seemed to board pretty smoothly, without gate lice cutting in line, but I don't know if explaining the system contributed to that.

exbayern

I like the GA at ORD who announces 'we invite families with small children to board with seating area 2' ^ This usually makes it clear that the stroller brigade shouldn't be pushing past everyone to board even before red carpet

While families may not like UA's 'no preboarding families' policy, I applaud them.

trflyer

I also like this policy but recently at KOA and other locations I've noticed that this policy is apparently not enforced.

jcasner

I've noticed that when they try to enforce the policy, the parents of the 2-year-olds behave just like their children. Sometimes it's easier to just take the path of least resistance.

And, I have seen UA elites traveling with children - including 1Ks - who were entitled to board early, and rightfully took advantage of it.

gobluetwo

Of course, even as a lowly 2P, I'll still be boarding my family with small children in seating area 1

divilish

3P also trumps the BB...

But they then board and bump(you) on the way to the back...usually at least.

UnitedF1RST

What do you mean by this?

bmvaughn

Since these folks take the longest (anecdotally), why not board them last?

UnitedF1RST

Here here!!!!!!!

DeltaG

So a family of three are supposed to board at different times (assuming a aisle, middle, window arrangement)?

cgruber

Because getting a child (young) settled in his/her seat can be like herding cats. The extra 30-60 seconds without the rush of other folks around is all you need to get him/her settled do that "The Scream" is not an integral component of the flight!

MBS MillionMiler

Any time there are people on the same PNR, they're all given the same seating area...Not sure if it moves up or down based on the highest or lowest. I do know that as a 1K that occasionally travels with non-status co-workers on the same itinerary, they're always given my seating 1.

Rant on a semi-related note: Why, pray tell, do some agents feel the need to throw out the seating areas on occasion when the flight is running late (usually on UX flights)...The announcement goes something like this, "Since we want to get you out of here as quickly as possible, we'll board all rows." Isn't the whole seating area thing to make the process FASTER?!?!?!!? Even at ORD sometimes when the (rare) flight is on time, they'll do it too. None of these have been cases where there were just a few people on the flight, we're talking full or close-to-full flights. As much as I hate the CRJ, I do like to board early, particularly at ORD this time of year, so I'm not standing outside the plane in subzero weather waiting to go up the steps...This has happened to me 3 times this year.

anc-ord772

In my experience they just board with whomever has the lowest number.