Originally Posted by
Stranger
I find most gate agents do call and clearly say that boarding is by zone.
This said, while there are clueless people, more or lessclueless people who try, people in zone 2 who resent zone 1 don't belong in the clueless category.
Recent experience of semi-clueless: at YUL boarding a Rouge flight to Quebec City, we are in theZ1+2 line. The gate agent calls saying that they will start boarding, a couple seated close by gets up and tries joining the 1+2 line close to its beginning. I go and point out to them the end of the line and they move to the back.
When Zone 1 is called, most of the line stays put, one or two people ahead of us board, we follow and then the couple in question also follows. To be sent by the gate agent to the other line. Later on, we saw them boarding, probably zone 5.
So, were they clueless, or did they just try? Who knows.
Yes, they do announce 'boarding by zone', but what does that mean to most people without a further explanation that the zone # is on their boarding card, and not to advance towards the podium until that # is called? I think that little enhancement would go a long way with some, but probably not with those who are ESL, have no idea what 'zoned boarding' means or are of the FOTSG camp and maybe just anxious to get on the plane as quickly as possible so they don't 'miss their flight', not realizing that if they've made it that far they're in pretty good shape.
Also, do we really think people in Zone 2 actually 'resent' the people in Zone 1?? Is the fight so vicious because the stakes are so small? Are they actively seething and plotting against the Zone 1's? I'm Zone 1 all the time, have been for years, but I really couldn't care less if a Zone 2 or Zone 5 or Zone 75 boards ahead of me...when someone presses ahead at the podium, in the jetway, or on the plane in the aisle I always let them pass suggesting that they are welcome to go ahead because we're not leaving, nobody is going anywhere, until we are all onboard, but if they would like to go first, to please do...kind of a backhanded courtesy if you will.