Preferred lane etiquette
Jun 30, 2012, 10:31 am
#31
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 20
DillMan, I agree wholeheartedly, except for one thing - don't deny groups 1-4 from these excellent pointers! Remember - if you're 1-3, you need to spend as much time as possible making sure that people know that you are very, very important! If you don't take your time getting on the plane, less people will notice you.
Jun 30, 2012, 3:13 pm
#32
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 52
Flew last week to CUN and it was my first time experiencing the new lanes, however they were irrelevent in my case; was traveling with my wife and 2 kids (22 months old). My question however is when did US stop allowing pax with children to board ahead of everyone? As we were traveling in F cabin this became a non-issue but after a call for anyone needing special assistance to now pre-board, we were met by GA's with "you can't board till zone 2 with children". Last year I traveled with my kids about 12 times and never had this come up. Why announce preboarding for anyone needing special assistance and then tell me that I cant preboard with children?
Jun 30, 2012, 5:15 pm
#33
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: PHL
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, AA Gold, FB Gold, ITA Volare Executive
Posts: 3,294
Flew last week to CUN and it was my first time experiencing the new lanes, however they were irrelevent in my case; was traveling with my wife and 2 kids (22 months old). My question however is when did US stop allowing pax with children to board ahead of everyone? As we were traveling in F cabin this became a non-issue but after a call for anyone needing special assistance to now pre-board, we were met by GA's with "you can't board till zone 2 with children". Last year I traveled with my kids about 12 times and never had this come up. Why announce preboarding for anyone needing special assistance and then tell me that I cant preboard with children?
Jun 30, 2012, 5:37 pm
#34
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 52
There are layers of logic superimposed in this new boarding system.
And where may I find out more information on this new boarding system?
If you are going to start posing specific existential questions like this, we are never going to get anywhere.
??? Sorry but I failed 10th grade Sci-Lit.
And where may I find out more information on this new boarding system?
If you are going to start posing specific existential questions like this, we are never going to get anywhere.
??? Sorry but I failed 10th grade Sci-Lit.
Jun 30, 2012, 7:55 pm
#35
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: PHL
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, AA Gold, FB Gold, ITA Volare Executive
Posts: 3,294
But good luck making sense of it. I can't
If you are going to start posing specific existential questions like this, we are never going to get anywhere.
??? Sorry but I failed 10th grade Sci-Lit.
??? Sorry but I failed 10th grade Sci-Lit.
Jun 30, 2012, 8:21 pm
#36
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Global
Posts: 5,994
Flew last week to CUN and it was my first time experiencing the new lanes, however they were irrelevent in my case; was traveling with my wife and 2 kids (22 months old). My question however is when did US stop allowing pax with children to board ahead of everyone? As we were traveling in F cabin this became a non-issue but after a call for anyone needing special assistance to now pre-board, we were met by GA's with "you can't board till zone 2 with children". Last year I traveled with my kids about 12 times and never had this come up. Why announce preboarding for anyone needing special assistance and then tell me that I cant preboard with children?
Jun 30, 2012, 10:41 pm
#38
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: PVD
Programs: US CP; SPG P; Hyatt P; HH S
Posts: 55
Originally Posted by zkzkz:18850285
C) Stay in lounge for another drink
As long as the preferred lane is clear-able (even though I may get some nasty looks), I'm content to board whenever. It's only if I'm later than Zone 3 and on E70s that I have legitimate problems with overhead space. The people who give you nasty looks on your way by are also the ones giving you envious looks as you sip your bourbon as they walk by upon boarding.
Jul 1, 2012, 2:41 pm
#39
Join Date: Jan 2003
Programs: American Airlines Platinum, National Executive
Posts: 3,790
I boarded late, from the "blue lane" for Preferreds; I walked up, and the US employee standing at the front said, "First class?" and I said, "Yes", and he said, "Right over here", and led me to have my boarding pass scanned, making a coach passenger wait. I felt like a jerk but was apologetic.
Jul 2, 2012, 7:33 am
#40
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Philly
Programs: AA Plat
Posts: 200
I boarded late, from the "blue lane" for Preferreds; I walked up, and the US employee standing at the front said, "First class?" and I said, "Yes", and he said, "Right over here", and led me to have my boarding pass scanned, making a coach passenger wait. I felt like a jerk but was apologetic.
Jul 2, 2012, 8:45 am
#41
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Global
Posts: 5,994
I agree.
Every once and a while I fly an airline where I have no status. I wait my turn for boarding zone 9,432 and watch as all the elites and anyone else with status boards. No worries, no complaints.
Maybe I don't think twice about it because I know the 100,000 + miles I fly on different airlines to get that status and so I know the people who board in front of me have done something to deserve to board earlier.
When someone gives me a look for boarding early, I don't think twice about it. I fly a ton to get that privilege.
Every once and a while I fly an airline where I have no status. I wait my turn for boarding zone 9,432 and watch as all the elites and anyone else with status boards. No worries, no complaints.
Maybe I don't think twice about it because I know the 100,000 + miles I fly on different airlines to get that status and so I know the people who board in front of me have done something to deserve to board earlier.
When someone gives me a look for boarding early, I don't think twice about it. I fly a ton to get that privilege.
Jul 2, 2012, 8:56 am
#42
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Jul 2, 2012, 9:43 am
#43
Join Date: Apr 2011
Programs: Bonvoy Amb LTT, HHonors Diamond, AA ExPlat, United Silver
Posts: 638
No Gate Lice
Flew DL for the first time in years. 99% of my flights are US with an occasional AA or UA. Neither of my 2 DL flights had any gate lice and no one abused the boarding procedure. Elite lanes were used only by elite. This might have been an exceptional situation, but if not, why shouldn't it be that way with other airlines?
Not looking for someone to say if I don't like US to fly on another carrier. Just looking for rational explanations.
Not looking for someone to say if I don't like US to fly on another carrier. Just looking for rational explanations.
Jul 5, 2012, 4:44 am
#44
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: RIC
Programs: US CP, Hilton Gold, Hyatt Plat, *wood Gold, Amex Plat
Posts: 1,600
Flew DL for the first time in years. 99% of my flights are US with an occasional AA or UA. Neither of my 2 DL flights had any gate lice and no one abused the boarding procedure. Elite lanes were used only by elite. This might have been an exceptional situation, but if not, why shouldn't it be that way with other airlines?
I think it is a problem for all airlines. The "solution" would be for GAs to be trained to be rigid in their application of the rules -- turn everyone away who tries to go through the line before their zone is called. If they did that consistently for long enough, people would learn and they would stop jamming up at the podium. Unfortunately, it would take years, since many people don't fly that often and don't learn that easily. There is also a PR problem because the airlines don't like to make customers angry and turning them away from boarding will tend to upset people.
Jul 5, 2012, 11:18 am
#45
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: New Jersey
Programs: Delta P, SPG G, Marriott S, Hertz PC
Posts: 1,007
The other issue being tons of non english speakers traveling to and from tourist destinations.... when they see the GA get on the speaker, they are ready to board in zone 5.