sxf24:
I retired 9-04 and have been traveling to all the interesting workshops & tourist traps I was too busy to get to over many years.. -05 looks like the year that I can squeze enough trips together to make the MVP grade. Looks like a pending trip to DCA and a previously planned trip to Anaheim will put me over the top and into MVP land ......

Alaska F/A:
Thinks very much for the careful and serious attention being given to the boarding question!

I'll defer to your more experienced contact with the problem and its potential solutions. However as AS Flyer put it, it has been my perception as well that the current boarding process "is not one of organization. Instead, it appears as a big disorganized mess ..and perception is reality."

One of the problems appears to be, people not following directions to board by row, zone, or perhaps eventually by window or isle seat. To fix that, a little discipline would have to be instilled on that portion of the public that like gemac says "...These people are totally self-centered, and go through life totally unaware that they are being inconsiderate of others, as they really are not aware that these other human-shaped objects that they see are really people."

On a recent trip on nwa the gate agent attempted to provide consistency with the rules by pulling a total of 6 people out of line, at the gate, who were attempting to board out of turn. I attempted to compliment her effort, but sadly she was harried and sensitive to being criticized. Too often I see people with too large or too heavy carry-on items. But only once have I seen an item set aside for baggage checking.

One of the things I like about AS is its willingness to occassionally do something with customer/employee input. Many other businesses "talk the talk of being interested in input but rarely actually "walk the walk." (I'm referring to your posting above, the 2,500 FF mile "apology" for poor service last summer, and most of all, the early move to fall flight schedule & flight cancelations.)
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How to impliment a rationally pragmatic boarding process, while maintaining a light and positive mood among the passangers is a tough task and may be un-realistic.

I am pleased that attention is being given to the challenge of effecient boarding, and to that old bug-a-boo of "nice in theory, but it doesn't work in practice" problem as well.

All this gives me hope that eventally a solution will be found!