Originally Posted by
jayer
Back in town and have been looking for a thread to post my LAX experience of about two weeks ago as an informative example and cautionary tale (with references to a few recent experiences before that). This one works.
Most every time I've flown in the last year boarding started early. If the plane is ready they put people on. Why? Because management want them to start early, even if they don't usually support them if an elite gets on the GA for doing what they were told. I would not dream of being "late" anymore and showing up at 29 minutes. I've lost upgrades having one more cookie before leaving the club for the gate more than once. I'm old but learning new tricks. I've moved my gate arrival back to 45 minutes, or an hour if a longer flight.
I died a little just reading that.
Even that rule nearly burned us two weeks ago. Leaving LAX for Hawaii and got to the gate at 58 minutes. The food in the AAdmirals club was surprisingly good (you don't say that often). We had super-discount steerage tickets and knew an upgrade was hopeless; so why hurry?
They were on Group 6. S-I-X. Now there was more of a reason than usual, or maybe they were just more open than usual about what the reason was. (Very difficult flying weather west of LA. Some confusion if everyone was being sent around it, or ATC had restricted the number of flights they were going to manage through it). But was going to be 1 1/4 hours for a big detour added to the flight plan. Somebody wanted the plane in the air early to compensate. GA's already heating up the PA looking for people. Loaded up, closed the door, and pushed. We were wheels up half-hour before scheduled gate departure. It happens.
You left us hanging: Did AA leave a bunch of pax behind?