Originally Posted by
dorisrpas
This boarding mess is just plain dumb. UA goes from one extreme to the other. They just don't get it. Should start with GA enforcing the carry-on limits and sizes, and the boarding groups. Having X number of boarding groups isn't the problem, the handling of those boarding groups is.
<snip>
I just have to think, it boils down to creating some flow that reflects the reality of the boarding groups and the process, and then actually enforcing that flow.
Like I said, I might be cracked.
No, your idea is generally fine. There are a couple reasons that it may be hard to implement though:
(a) UA generally doesn't staff the gate with enough personnel to have one available to simply walk around the police the queues.
(b) They seem unwilling to turn people back if they try to board early (and there is no where to put them!)
(c) The number of people who think they are "elites" because they bought priority boarding via a credit card is huge. Feeling entitled but not really familiar with the queuing process perhaps, they line right up.
(d) There is sort of a UA culture now to start lining up early at the gate. Once a person knows that their ability to store a carry-on overhead is dependent on getting in line "first", this becomes their paramount concern.