Originally Posted by fastair

No, the SOP announcements say nothing about the elderly boarding 1st. Also, UA will pre-board those that are disabled as it can be operationally efficient (either 1st, or last both can speed things up) but being elderly is not a recognized disability, in fact in many areas (employment for one) it is illegal to discriminate on age (only on the upper end, it is legal to do so on the lower end.)

There are many articles that can be googled about what airlines have for their standard boarding policies. WN let's children/families. AA doesn't not have it in their announcements per their SOP, but does allow the agents to, at their discretion, add that, while UA's policy if F/C/GS/1k, thne 1P/*g, then 2P/3P/*S/Premiere lane, then 2, 3, and 4. I have seen agents modify this combining parts of the 1st few groups, but that is not the way the policy goes, per UA.

And Liz, I have used your method a few times, if the person just wants more time, vs a disabled passenger, but I often tell them if that since the premium groups are told by UA that they go 1st, that to go after grp 1 only will make it worse, as they are already sandwiched. If they want some "alone time" to board, I offer them "last" so that no one is crowding them, and they won't have people climbing on them. I have only had 1 person ever take me up on that offer, so they board with whatever WILMA seating area they have on their BP.

I don't know why, if you don't want to be crowded, you are so insulted by the offer to board last. It is efficient, especially on a narrowbody. That is like the "my son is screaming" or "I am claustrophobic, can I pre-board?" No, logic is pretty clear...board last. Why subject everyone to extra screaming in an inclosed space, or subject yourself to an enclosed space longer, when that stimuli causes your child/you aversion/stress?