Adam Smith

I know it has been common to call Z1/2 together on Express flights for quite a while, but has AC made this policy more official lately? The pre-recorded boarding announcement for my YYC-YEG on Friday had Z1/2 together. I don't remember that before - as far as I can recall, the recorded version always had Z1 and Z2 separate, while the flights where I remember them being called jointly, it was a GA making the call.

In my experience, this may well be the most inconsistently provided SE benefit. In addition to the shenanigans on Express, I continue to see things like my two flights yesterday - (1) on a widebody with separate Z1 and Z2 lines, an agent at a different terminal started taking people from the Z2s line even while there were still a bunch of people in the Z1 line that she could have taken, and (2) on a narrowbody where the gate had the Z1/2 sign, when they called Z1, they just took anyone who was in the Z1/2 line, regardless of whether they were Z1 or Z2. This kind of stuff is pretty frequent, far more so than it should be.

canopus27

AC has run a bunch of comprehensive analysis, including data modeling and retrospective views of actual boardings ... and they have determined that announcing zone 1 and 2 simultaneously is the quickest and most efficient way to annoy all of their J and SE passengers.

So yes, it's likely the new policy.

WaytoomuchEurope

Z1/2 got called together in AMS a few weeks ago. On a freaking widebody. To be fair though, the GA walked around before calling it, identified the SE’s and allowed us to board just as they made the Z1/2 announcement.

RangerNS

All three times I boarded YUL-YHZ last week, which isn't exactly small or obscure, they had no more than 4 people past the podium when they called Zone 2. I'll grant they were at gates with one line each for zone 1 and 2, but still, the GA cadre not trying very hard is endemic.

​​​​not just for the regionals.

Davevad

YVR-YKA on Feb 07, flight was full, Z1 & Z2 were announced and boarded together.

YKA-YVR on Feb 09, flight wasn't full, and Z1 was boarded before Z2

Adam Smith

You flew YUL-YHZ three times laat week? Impossibru! How dare you! This better not be non-purpose travel!

RangerNS

I boarded YUL-YHZ three times last week. Got as far as deicing - coun'em! - twice.

YVRtoYYZ

Boarding in CPH consisted of Z1 / Z2 / Z2.5 all being called at the same time. Coupled with no boarding signs or barricades, it was an absolute cluster.

canopus27

It still boggles my mind how and why this sort of zone boarding failure continues to happen.

Has anyone ever seen United do the same? Or Lufthansa? Or any other airline? I haven't.

Seriously, why is it that AC continues to have this problem? Is it something as silly as the zone boarding SOP including the word "optional" or "may" in the GA procedures? Oh, for the days when we could call on good people like Andrew Yiu to help us improve the process ...

taupo

OLCI'd together yesterday for two of us on same PNR.
Air NZ ticket originating in YLW.
I'm Zone 2 (*G) and wife Zone 4.
Happy to wait and board with her except need bin space on the Q400.
If we both board with Z2, is the policy to turn away the Zone 4 person or let them board with Z2?

Bohemian1

I was less than impressed with the boarding process in MEL on Sunday.

Two lines - one for Z1+Z2 and one for the rest. (Admittedly they are space constrained with the lines tailing into the WH Smith opposite.)

Boarding begins with those with mobility issues (totally cool) and then families with children (Huh?). Followed alter by Z1 and Z2 lumped together.

Now, I'm in J so it didn't really impact me. But, as has been said many, many times before, whats the point of priority boarding as an advertised benefit if they can't / won't deliver it?

songsc

I have no idea why some people can't count numbers from 1 to 5.

My observations are:
1. The agent wants to save time, and thinks calling Z1&2 together is faster.
2. There is no one in Z1, Z1 can be either people lining up in Z1 line or on the manifest (or DCS?). Some agents call Z2 right after calling Z1, some just call Z1&2.
3. Some contract agents are smart, they converted AC's boarding procedure to their own carrier's boarding policy. This can result in calling Z1&2 together then Z3-5, or calling Z2.5 then calling Z1.

padawanflyer

You can both board together in Z2 regardless of what her boarding pass says. If the GA even asks (they usually don't because it's usually pretty obvious), just tell them you're travelling together. I've done this many times and never had an issue.

yvr76

On a D8-300 I don't really care as there's Skycheck, but on a Q400 I really appreciate having Z1 called first so I don't have to stress about getting space for my carry-on. It boggles the mind how they can't bring some consistency to all this.

canadiancow

Lufthansa is consistently horrible. They have "people who need time", "priority", and "everyone else". As a *G in LH F, I've been in the latter half to board the plane, and I was at the gate before boarding began. It was technically consistent with policy, but it sucked.

If you want to see complaints about UA's process, you don't need to go further than the UA forum to find many examples of agents calling groups together or going out of order.