1. Improve the at-gate experience so that half the plane does not stand up and crowd around the gate during pre-boarding. Pre-boarding people actually have a more difficult time than late boarding people because you have to push through the mass. I wouldn't want to do this if I were handicapped or with small children, and it is annoying to do so as a business class passenger or an elite member. So that means:
2. Clearer statements about who is boarding along with "passengers not currently boarding, please remain in your seats until your row number is called."
3. If someone tries to board who is not currently called for boarding, *turn them back*. I've seen guys with middle rows, and no elite status on their boarding passes waltzing through during pre-boarding. I think the default behavior is actually nice, in letting people through it is perceived as not being dickish... however, passengers are jerks, and the more people tune in to gate agents being nice and not turning them back, the more they will crowd around the gate and the more will try to board out of order.
4. Enforce the priority and economy lanes during boarding. The last time I arrived with a J ticket and Y was boarding, Y was all lined up through the priority lane, and that meant to get priority I would have to cut through the mass of people and try to board through the economy lane, and it wasn't worth it to me. With the J you should be able to go through the priority lane while Y is going through economy, but if the gate agents don't control the herd, then you get chaos at the gate. Any Y passenger without status in the priority line has to be sent back to the end. In the case of the entire line going through the wrong lane, it's very easy to move the first three people and the rest will file over.
Southwest has this stuff down to a science, as a result, they get orderly boarding and people comply with the rules.
If Air Canada acts nice and cedes power to the herd, then herd (i.e. mob) rules apply. They have got to get some control over the herd, sit their butts down if they are not called, deny them if they are trying to board early, and get them lined up in the right boarding line.
Air Canada keeps the customers under control here, the message will be received, if a passenger is denied when trying to squeeze through the system, they will think twice about trying the same trick the next time, and ideally will keep their butt in their seat until the row number is called.
This will improve boarding times for everyone, as well as preserving the priority status that J passengers are paying for and elite members have earned.