FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - Preboarding for families with kids?

Jan 19, 2007 | 6:06 pm

#7

PTravel

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Join Date: Mar 2004

Location: Newport Beach, California, USA

Posts: 36,062

Quote:

Originally Posted by seattlecubsfan

So I was on flight 308 from SFO - SEA on Wednesday of this week, and as I was waiting to board, I saw a family with two kids (an infant and a ~3 year old). They lined up in front, and tried to board after first class, UGS, 1K, etc. The GA shooed them away, and told them to wait till their group was called. As I got on, just after that, I asked her why she didn't let them preboard (as I've seen many United GAs allow preboarding).

She told me, with a nasty tone of voice, that "the passengers decided" not to allow families to preboard. I asked her which passengers, as I didn't get a vote, and I also said that I didn't think any of us waiting would mind if they went on first (which got a general murmur of assent from the rest of boarding group 1). Nonetheless, she wouldn't let them on.

So my questions are:

does United have a policy about preboarding?
did any of you out there get to help make the policy?
how do you all feel about families with young kids preboarding?
isn't it interesting that this is practically the first time I've ever seen anyone denied boarding when they try to get on ahead of their group?

Finally, I fly a fair amount with my family (me, Mrs. Seattlecubsfan, and our two junior seattlecubsfans, ages 5 and 2), and we usually fly Southwest, as I have found it much more accommodating to families than any of the major carriers. After seeing this, I'm even more committed to that approach.

UA does not have preboarding for families and, in my experience, will actively discourage it.
I was never asked to vote, but I certainly favor UA's policy.
I prefer it when families with young kids don't preboard. Generally speaking (not you, of course), they hold up boarding considerably as they gate check strollers and gather themselves on the jetway, the occupy too much overhead space (i.e. more than is allotted) and they take a long time to get situated. If families need additional time to preboard, why don't they also remain seated until the plane is empty upon arrival?
I find that UA is, generally, consistent and quite good about ensuring that everyone boards when they should. At least here in SFO, families don't preboard, though F, UGS and 1K do, 1P and 2P are group one and board before any other numbered group, and the GAs will refuse to board anyone who tries to jump the sequence.

If the net result of this policy is to discourage families with small children from flying UA, that only increases my support for the policy.