All very amusing () but there are plenty of rude people in any given group of travelers, so not sure why we're singling out 1K here.

The basic problem is that UA has provided a published, marketed benefit, but (a) failed to consider how it might work in stations where there's no space for the pre-boarders to wait, (b) failed to account for the very large number of 1Ks on certain flights, and (c) failed to properly train/discipline its GAs on how to handle the pre-boarding process.

This last point is the worst. Not only do the GAs often fail to call pre-board groups in the correct order, or even to call certain groups at all, they often start boarding earlier than the announced time, or without making any clear announcement as to whose turn it is to board. What this does is create a ton of uncertainty among those waiting to preboard, who get anxious because they're afraid they're going to get skipped over and wind up behind Group 1 (raise your hand if this has happened to you). And once a couple of these break for the gate, the herd follows.