Silver getting Zone 5?
 

I'm a Star Alliance (united) silver. Just checked in on USAIR online and got Zone 5 eventhough it says "STAR SILVER" on the boarding pass. On my regional jet connection I got Zone 2 though. I also still got the free checked bag.

I usually get Zone 3 if I recall. I haven't flown US for about 6 months, Have they changed their zones again?

You probably got zone 5 based on your seat location. The boarding priorities changed recently with the introduction of Preferred Access (letting non-elites pay a per flight fee to be able to use the new Priority Access lane which is otherwise only for paid First/Business, US Dividend Miles elites and Star Gold members.

http://www.usairways.com/en-US/trave...g_process.html

Star Silver (by way of UA or any other airline) doesn't really offer much when flying other *A partners any more.

Ah I see, thanks. They took away Star Silver boarding zone benefit. Seems wrong to put non-elites infront of elites (even slivers) but I guess money talks. Another reason I try to avoid flying usair as a UA member. At least I still get a free bag. I wonder if I still get ahead in security.

A Star Silver from another airline isn't really "elite". United handles non-UA Star Silver members very similarly, by the way. Star Silvers board with zone 3, which is technically zone 4 because there is a "preboard" group that goes before they even call zone 1.

The Star Silver benefits don't stipulate priority boarding either.
http://www.staralliance.com/en/benef...silver-status/

The Security thing is hit or miss. The contract help that guards the "elite" security lines are kind of clueless usually. Just show them your boarding pass with "Star Silver"...if they even ask.

I understand silver isnt really "elite". I just know that US air previously gave me priority boarding That is why as a UA member I did not mind taking US sometimes. Now with their new policy, I do not get it and I have another reason not to fly US. I'm sure that if UA does the same thing, it makes a US member less inclinded to fly UA.
Apparently I still get a free checked back, so maybe its not a big deal.

As a US Airways Silver (DM Silver) you would get Preferred Access (i.e before Zone 1 is called):D

This US Gold (and star alliance gold) has a lovely Continental boarding pass with Zone 5 clearly printed along with their priority code from last November. Was told that early boarding was no longer a benefit of * Gold by PMCO staff in Boston, asked again and it was repeated in Houston.

Haven't flown with the new United since March due to change in company policy, but it wouldn't entirely surprise me if there was some movement on the US side to counter this "change you will like".

Not sure where the complaint should go or whether it will be heard, but *G should receive priority boarding on ALL *A member airlines. That's a published benefit per *A website.

LAX

Exactly!

http://www.staralliance.com/en/benef...silver-status/

[quote]

Priority Boarding - enjoy the freedom of boarding at your convenience along with First and Business Class passengers.

[unquote]

Same for me
 

I got the same zone 5 for DCA to PHL and zone 2 for a regional flight on Friday. Back in June, though, I did get priority for my checked bag, priority security at LGA, and zone 2 boarding. Not too shabby for this A3 *S.

Was sent on this routing to follow up on a complaint from some of our German engineers (LH elites) who had complained about non-priority boarding on CO. Found it to be true. Was a factor in our decision to remove the new UA from our preferred carrier list. OBE when the new UA had such tremendous operational issues post 3/3 that our company forbid booking with UA.

Agree it's a violation, but in the scope of all that's not right in the world of our fellow domestic *A member, I don't think it's a priority. Did contact someone in customer service at the * Alliance, but never heard back.

There's really not a customer service function at Star, it's just a small number of employees. It'd be more interesting to see what UA customer service would say in the face of the Star rules. They'd probably just ignore you in reality, but that's their loss.

My company, which was at one point one of UA's top 5 customers, still has a volume discount with them, but in light of their integration and operational issues, we're steering away from them wherever possible, and have added US, B6, VX and AS in addition to AA, DL and UA as preferred carriers to give people more options and everyone's offering status matching away from UA. I don't know what the ultimate financial impact will be, but it should be in the mid to high tens of millions that UA will lose from us by year end.

You'd probably enjoy this thread on the UA board: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...eaving-ua.html

I just flew R/T from STL-IAH-RTB on UA as a US *G, and I had zone 3 for all boarding passes. I don't recall anybody boarding in zones 1 or 2, so I was among the first on board each flight.

ok now I'm confused.
Depart:
A320: 18A Zone 5
CRJ: 2C Zone 2

Return Flight
CRJ: 2C Zone 2
A320: 10A Zone 2

I thought I was suppose to be in Zone 3-5 back to front. I'm further front and in Zone 2. Maybe they are still rolling out the new change?

In the end, I guess its not a huge deal, I get a free checked back so I have reason to board early. I don't think I should be getting priority baggage, but I seem to get it like 50% of the time. Ironically, when flying United I also seem to get it 50% of the time. I think the PHL airport workers arent that great with that kind of stuff.

I also have no idea if I get priority security, I usually just keep a low profile walking into the line and usually don't get questioned. In the end, that has far more value to me

Wow, I can understand not getting priority as Silver, but not even for gold?? Thats not right.