canadiancow

You're basically arguing that they should just call zone 5 at the start.

No gate agent should be taking anyone from any lane other than zone 1 if there are people lined up in zone 1, at any point in the boarding process.

"Announcing" zone 1 is meaningless if you don't actually board it first.

I don't fly AC on international flights very often.

Why would I?

There are so many better options, especially from SFO.

yyznomad

You know I was only kidding. And yes, I know you're out of SFO but I'm not one to assume rhyme or reason as to your flying patterns, like many others here who just assume that I have poor health and own a majorly rotund physique.

canadiancow

You don't need to justify yourself to me. I get you

However, I think I've flown AC international out of YYZ no more than 4 times.

And 2 were to MUC this month.

So your statement was pretty accurate.

canopus27

At least part of the problem is that most locations don't have a zone 1 line ... they have a zone 1/2 line. YYZ Intl is one of the exceptions to that, so clearly there are other issues too ... but in general, the fact that there's a combined zone 1/2 line certainly guarantees confusion and complexity, and I'm sure it contributes to the problem.

canopus27

When I raised this with AC, one comment they made was that the United boarding system has a much more rigorous process ... if a GA tries to board a pax in the wrong group too early, the system will actively prevent that. It's (apparently) possible for the GA to override the warning, but it's a lot more work to do so - and so the GA's are more motivated to enforce the rules (because that's the easy path).

I was told that the AC system does not do this. It's not clear to me if that was a choice that AC made (the comment was made that it allows for faster overall boarding, because the system stops the flow less frequently), or if this is just a missing capability in the AC system that they are now claiming as a benefit ... but either way, it seems pretty obvious to me that the system could drive more enforcement - and based on my (limited) experience with the UA boarding flow, they certainly seem to enforce a lot more compliance with group order.

A cynic could speculate that AC made an active choice to improve overall boarding speeds, at the cost of respecting the top tier early boarding perk.

jc94

One thing to remember is I should (I believe) be entitled to board with one other I'm travelling with even if on separate PNRs. Don't want to make it too difficult.

Just wait more than 1 minute and 4 people between boarding each zone.

Speaking of LHR they (sometimes?) have it fully roped around allowing a long orderly Z3-5 line and a shorter but again fully roped Z1/2 line. There was a woman in the Z1 line almost beside herself when she realized she was in the wrong line - it was almost funny. Several of the others said she could board with them (hey we were going to Canada).

Diabeetus

Can you be just one but not the other?

#healthyatanysize

quantumofforce

Yes you can be unhealthy and non-rotund.

canadiancow

Nov 19 2017 AC 753 YYZ-SFO

There were several of us zone 1ers in the line when one of the GAs started to ask if they should call zone 2.

Those of us still waiting to board in zone 1 protested.

I don't understand why they have this incessant need to call the next zone before the previous one is done.

It's even worse when the 1/2 lanes are combined, because I have no idea if the people ahead of me are actually in zone 1.

YVRtoYYZ

It is worse in Europe on LH/LX/OS where everyone crams the boarding area and don't move aside for Business or Star Gold. Mt experience is that queuing will make it appear that 20-25 people are priority boarding, but when called only 5-7 people step forward.

canopus27

Because the key stat they are tracked on is "on time departure", not "boarding rules followed".

Overlapping zones might not help the departure time ... but then again, it might save 20 seconds ... and no one at AC is even watching the boarding rule stats, so why not do all you can to "help" the on time departure goal?

It drives me crazy, but AC doesn't seem to care.

SoundAdvice

Yup, mine carried over. I have heard this happened for some and not for others. I agree OT but it is something that personifies AC to me....consistently inconsistent.

mamau

Nov 18, AMS-YYZ. Zones 1-3 called, two minutes later, 4-5...all at the same time, with the concierge smiling at everyone. Gong show.

RangerNS

The irony of the GA's thinking they are focusing on OTP by ignoring the rules is that it by ignoring them they are, if anything, hurting the OTP. Certainly there are infrequent flyers in high buckets in Z1 or Z2, but even them, z1/2 are for the most part people who know how to airport well. They can get on, and out of the way pretty quickly.

On the other hand, and not that it forgives the GA's, the gate proper being a CF is kinda irrelevant. Past the first 5 or 10 people, the air-bridge and aisle is going to limit the flow anyway.

MQS007

My wish is that not only would they board in order, but that they leave a dissent amount of time between announcements. The luxury of early boarding should include being able to get your bags up and settled in without feeling your are blocking the isle for those from Zone 3.

However, I like LH first which boards last when the plane is all ready to go and you step on and they close up. This would work if the FA's would protect the overhead bins in J for those actually sitting in J.