Priority Boarding Anytime or No?
Jul 31, 2013, 12:42 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Vancouver
Programs: down to Zone 5
Posts: 181
Priority Boarding Anytime or No?
Had a tight connection YVR->YYC->YQR this past Monday evening. Spent about 5-10 min in MLL at YYC then went to A03 to board. When I asked the GA she said they've already done Priority Boarding & made me go to the end of line behind 15-20 people.
I thought we can board anytime. No?
I thought we can board anytime. No?
Jul 31, 2013, 1:00 pm
#3
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: YVR
Programs: AC*SE MM, Marriott Lifetime Titanium
Posts: 4,604
bolding mine
http://www.aircanada.com/en/travelin.../boarding.html
http://www.aircanada.com/en/travelin.../boarding.html
Priority Boarding is offered on all flights operated by Air Canada and Air Canada Express and allows eligible customers to board the aircraft first. On flights operated by aircraft with more than 50 seats, Priority Boarding also offers you a dedicated boarding lane which allows you the luxury of boarding at any time, even once general boarding has already begun. Learn the true meaning of 'board at your leisure'!
Jul 31, 2013, 1:51 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Vancouver
Programs: down to Zone 5
Posts: 181
Interesting. Plane was a DH4 Q400 with 74 seats. But for those familiar with the sucky A01-A08 domestic gates downstairs at YYC, there's no separate priority boarding lane & usually just 1 GA processing the boarding passes.
I didn't want to make a scene so I just walked behind the lineup. Could I have insisted to be boarded first if there's just 1 lane?
I didn't want to make a scene so I just walked behind the lineup. Could I have insisted to be boarded first if there's just 1 lane?
Jul 31, 2013, 2:03 pm
#5
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I have a similar issue with SEA (which has United GAs).
They call priority boarding, a few people line up, but then EVERYONE lines up. In one line. There's no "priority lane".
Then after processing maybe 10 people, they call general boarding.
So at what point can I step in and say "let me on"?
Not that I really want to board early on a DH3, but it's the principle of the matter.
I'd suggest filling out the standard form, if only so AC knows about it. I did something similar for a priority check-in issue at SFO, and they acknowledged the issue and gave me a 10% code. And hopefully that will help fix the problem in the future.
They call priority boarding, a few people line up, but then EVERYONE lines up. In one line. There's no "priority lane".
Then after processing maybe 10 people, they call general boarding.
So at what point can I step in and say "let me on"?
Not that I really want to board early on a DH3, but it's the principle of the matter.
I'd suggest filling out the standard form, if only so AC knows about it. I did something similar for a priority check-in issue at SFO, and they acknowledged the issue and gave me a 10% code. And hopefully that will help fix the problem in the future.
Jul 31, 2013, 2:10 pm
#6
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: YWG
Posts: 2,272
I have a similar issue with SEA (which has United GAs).
They call priority boarding, a few people line up, but then EVERYONE lines up. In one line. There's no "priority lane".
Then after processing maybe 10 people, they call general boarding.
So at what point can I step in and say "let me on"?
Not that I really want to board early on a DH3, but it's the principle of the matter.
I'd suggest filling out the standard form, if only so AC knows about it. I did something similar for a priority check-in issue at SFO, and they acknowledged the issue and gave me a 10% code. And hopefully that will help fix the problem in the future.
They call priority boarding, a few people line up, but then EVERYONE lines up. In one line. There's no "priority lane".
Then after processing maybe 10 people, they call general boarding.
So at what point can I step in and say "let me on"?
Not that I really want to board early on a DH3, but it's the principle of the matter.
I'd suggest filling out the standard form, if only so AC knows about it. I did something similar for a priority check-in issue at SFO, and they acknowledged the issue and gave me a 10% code. And hopefully that will help fix the problem in the future.
Jul 31, 2013, 2:20 pm
#8
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: YVR
Programs: AC*SE MM, Marriott Lifetime Titanium
Posts: 4,604
I have a similar issue with SEA (which has United GAs).
They call priority boarding, a few people line up, but then EVERYONE lines up. In one line. There's no "priority lane".
Then after processing maybe 10 people, they call general boarding.
So at what point can I step in and say "let me on"?
They call priority boarding, a few people line up, but then EVERYONE lines up. In one line. There's no "priority lane".
Then after processing maybe 10 people, they call general boarding.
So at what point can I step in and say "let me on"?
Jul 31, 2013, 2:29 pm
#9
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Jul 31, 2013, 2:30 pm
#10
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You don't, it's a Dash 8. Unless you want to look like a DYKWIA FF.
What principle? By AC's own rules, dedicated boarding lane is only available on aircraft > 50 seats.
What principle? By AC's own rules, dedicated boarding lane is only available on aircraft > 50 seats.
So if I'm actually entitled to priority boarding (I am), how do I go about using it?
Jul 31, 2013, 2:44 pm
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Vancouver
Programs: down to Zone 5
Posts: 181
That was kinda my point too. My flight has >50 seats and my backpack & hand carry clearly spot the Altitude E75K luggage tags (until I get the E100K next month). Why wouldn't she process me next since I was talking to her already?
Jul 31, 2013, 4:05 pm
#12
Join Date: Jan 2007
Programs: UA Silv, SPG Gold, Marriott Gold,
Posts: 154
I tend to hang in the YYC lounge and walk down to the gate as late as possible, it may make the gate angents grumpy but this is one of the reasons. They have 5 counters but 2 staff doing all the flights.
If they want me down their early, they need to: 1) board on time 2) really do priority boarding
as 1) is impossible for AC and 2) wont work with their setup I enjoy my coffee or beer in the MLL and come down and be the last guy on the plane.
If they want me down their early, they need to: 1) board on time 2) really do priority boarding
as 1) is impossible for AC and 2) wont work with their setup I enjoy my coffee or beer in the MLL and come down and be the last guy on the plane.
Jul 31, 2013, 4:11 pm
#13
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: LGA
Programs: DL DM, UA Gold, Marriott Plat Prem., Hilton Gold, National Exec Elite.
Posts: 2,533
I posted about this before - but I recall boarding a UA flight once, and a family of six (3 kidlets + grandma) were boarding as I strutted up to the priority line. The two parents had "gone through", but the gate agent held up her hand bruskly to stop the granny and three children and waved me over as though I were royalty. I thought that was incredibly rude of the gate agent and so I feel self conscious about late priority boarding with UA, just because the gate agents do it in such a brusk (for lack of the better word) fashion.
Jul 31, 2013, 4:27 pm
#14
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: YFC
Programs: AC*SE100K; Marriott Titanium; NEXUS
Posts: 1,523
You're not alone...
You're entitled to board whenever.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/air-c...-boarding.html
You should write in.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/air-c...-boarding.html
You should write in.
Jul 31, 2013, 5:21 pm
#15
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Vancouver
Programs: down to Zone 5
Posts: 181
I tend to hang in the YYC lounge and walk down to the gate as late as possible, it may make the gate angents grumpy but this is one of the reasons. They have 5 counters but 2 staff doing all the flights.
If they want me down their early, they need to: 1) board on time 2) really do priority boarding
as 1) is impossible for AC and 2) wont work with their setup I enjoy my coffee or beer in the MLL and come down and be the last guy on the plane.
If they want me down their early, they need to: 1) board on time 2) really do priority boarding
as 1) is impossible for AC and 2) wont work with their setup I enjoy my coffee or beer in the MLL and come down and be the last guy on the plane.
But with a 20" roller and a backpack for laptop & iPad and no skycheck, I always have to fight for overhead bin space unless I board reasonably early before the crowd.