"A as in Awesome" - AS announces new boarding process (zone based)
Jun 7, 2018, 7:49 pm
#31
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Between SFO and STS
Programs: Alaska MVP Gold, United Serf, Delta Gold
Posts: 731
It would cost too much to print the sign the other way! 😂
Jun 7, 2018, 9:40 pm
#32
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Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: LAX, BOS, and Seat 1A
Programs: DL Plat, VS Gold, UA Plat, VX Gold (RIP), AS MVP 75K, Starriot Plat, Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 387
Jun 9, 2018, 11:07 am
#34
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Maui
Programs: AS 75K
Posts: 199
Jun 9, 2018, 11:41 am
#35
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Between SFO and STS
Programs: Alaska MVP Gold, United Serf, Delta Gold
Posts: 731
Jun 9, 2018, 11:57 am
#36
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Seattle
Programs: AS
Posts: 2,293
Reminded of our last flight.
Waiting in the Elite/First Class boarding area, front of the line.
They were in the process of boarding those with disabilities. A couple came up behind us and loudly exclaimed , "EXCUSE US! We are in First Class, move aside." I laughed and informed them they we are also in First and waiting for pre-boarding to finish. They avoided eye contact throughout the flight.
Waiting in the Elite/First Class boarding area, front of the line.
They were in the process of boarding those with disabilities. A couple came up behind us and loudly exclaimed , "EXCUSE US! We are in First Class, move aside." I laughed and informed them they we are also in First and waiting for pre-boarding to finish. They avoided eye contact throughout the flight.
Jun 9, 2018, 12:38 pm
#37
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Northern Calif./Eastern Ida.
Programs: Amethyst Premier Plutonium Medallion
Posts: 20,637
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Jun 10, 2018, 12:02 pm
#38
Join Date: Oct 2009
Programs: Marriott, IHG, Delta, United
Posts: 575
The problem is they messed up by not assigning letters to the preboarding group.
What happens is you get those pax who only fly once a year or less, who naturally think group A will be first, B will be second, etc. Thus they get all confused when boarding happens as they think their group D assignment means they are the fourth group to board. And truthfully, I don’t blame them.
It would have been much better to just make the preboards A-D, and the next four groups E-H and just simplify it. The people who fly regularly know the process anyway. Make it straight forward in labeling for those who fly rarely.
What happens is you get those pax who only fly once a year or less, who naturally think group A will be first, B will be second, etc. Thus they get all confused when boarding happens as they think their group D assignment means they are the fourth group to board. And truthfully, I don’t blame them.
It would have been much better to just make the preboards A-D, and the next four groups E-H and just simplify it. The people who fly regularly know the process anyway. Make it straight forward in labeling for those who fly rarely.
Jun 10, 2018, 12:10 pm
#39
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: SEA
Programs: Hilton/Marriott Gold, Accor Silver
Posts: 2,036
The problem is they messed up by not assigning letters to the preboarding group.
What happens is you get those pax who only fly once a year or less, who naturally think group A will be first, B will be second, etc. Thus they get all confused when boarding happens as they think their group D assignment means they are the fourth group to board. And truthfully, I don’t blame them.
It would have been much better to just make the preboards A-D, and the next four groups E-H and just simplify it. The people who fly regularly know the process anyway. Make it straight forward in labeling for those who fly rarely.
What happens is you get those pax who only fly once a year or less, who naturally think group A will be first, B will be second, etc. Thus they get all confused when boarding happens as they think their group D assignment means they are the fourth group to board. And truthfully, I don’t blame them.
It would have been much better to just make the preboards A-D, and the next four groups E-H and just simplify it. The people who fly regularly know the process anyway. Make it straight forward in labeling for those who fly rarely.
Jun 10, 2018, 12:21 pm
#40
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: BLI
Programs: Alaska Million Mile Flyer, Marriott Lifetime Titanium Elite
Posts: 3,194
I admit I liked the blog's phrasing of current pax waiting to board as "sometimes it’s just a shapeless blob." (Much nicer than FT's "gate lice," too.) Amoeba-like.
Jun 10, 2018, 1:59 pm
#41
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Ewa Beach, Hawaii
Posts: 10,909
To all those who can't wait for the "new" boarding process, it is the exact same process they have now, just instead of calling for groups by names, they call for the exact same groups by a letter. There is no difference. The change is in the way the BP looks and that it will have that letter on it.
Jun 10, 2018, 10:44 pm
#42
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: SFO/SJC/OAK/STS
Programs: Alaska MVPG, Delta PM, AA EXP, Wannabe SkyWest 1K
Posts: 644
A nice improvement there. One thing I've liked about WN is even when having A16-30, haven't had to board until 20-25 mins before departure time.
Jun 11, 2018, 4:46 pm
#43
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 1,684
Hopefully it reduces gate lice.
You literally have priority boarding yet you insisted on lining up? Did you see people there with 40 bags each or something. You wouldn't need to worry about interactions like this if you sat down and waited for your group to be called.
Reminded of our last flight.
Waiting in the Elite/First Class boarding area, front of the line.
They were in the process of boarding those with disabilities. A couple came up behind us and loudly exclaimed , "EXCUSE US! We are in First Class, move aside." I laughed and informed them they we are also in First and waiting for pre-boarding to finish. They avoided eye contact throughout the flight.
Waiting in the Elite/First Class boarding area, front of the line.
They were in the process of boarding those with disabilities. A couple came up behind us and loudly exclaimed , "EXCUSE US! We are in First Class, move aside." I laughed and informed them they we are also in First and waiting for pre-boarding to finish. They avoided eye contact throughout the flight.
Jun 12, 2018, 10:54 am
#44
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Ewa Beach, Hawaii
Posts: 10,909
Seems a rather harsh response. I saw no worry in their statement and they were going to be the very next group to be called anyways.