amimac

My co-worker asked me this first question and I didn't know the answer. He said it's because I'm always already sitting in first class drinking my martini by the time everyone else boards. Ha!

Does row 6 get to board before the rest of coach? He's flying in row 6 from SEA to HNL and doesn't have elite status and he's worried there won't be room in the overhead bins for his luggage. And he's really fixated on it.

Second question. Another co-worker just flew the SEA to BOS flight in first class and said that the Golds get to choose their food options before everyone else in first class. Is that true???

Thanks!

ClassCAir

Yes, and pretty sure yes about the gold thing too.

ANC RED-EYE

I say maybe and maybe.

I think technically the boarding order is as follows:

Requiring assistance
Families with small children
First Class and Golds
MVP's and partner elites, row 6 and Emergency exit
Then starting in the rear and working forward.

What usually happens:
Requiring assistance
First Class and Golds
All pax

And even when they do announce it in the correct order, I rarely hear them mention Row 6 and exits. I'd tell your coworker to board with MVP's, because I think that's the official order. How did your coworker get seated in row 6 without status?

As for MVPG's getting to choose first. I've never seen them do anything but go in order of rows...usually front to back, but never by status that I'm aware of.

CDKing

Its not true. The standard is front to back. I know some FA's like to mix it up but its not protocol. As MVP on AS and last 2 years as silver on US (also goes front to back), I like that way of doing it. That way no one except the FA's knows who paid for first and who was an upgrade.

However if I was on a paid first class ticket i'd be upset if I didint get my first meal choice. they probably think i paid to upgrade since i'm so young

maokh

its always front to back ... i havent seen it any other way.

PDXOutbound

Yesterday KOA to SEA, the attendant did just that, went to Golds first, then went to MVP's then to the remainder of the FC cabin. When I asked her, she just said it's what she does. I fly HNL - SEA regularly in FC, and never had that, it was front to back every time. So I don't see a policy, I see this as whomever is working that shift, unless it was an 09 initiative.

King_of_Kurtopia

On my flight from PDX to LAS they announced "first class and row 6 can board". On my return flight row 6 wasn't mentioned.

I was in row 6 on both flights, so I paid particular attention to what was said.

Kurt

PDXFA

Regardomg FC meals, our policy states we ask/work front to back, left to right.

Mind you, sometimes I do the standard out of Hubs (SEA/PDX/LAX/ANC) then reverse it returing to Hubs by starting back to front, right to left.

Again, I'm not following procedures but at least maybe if you always choose or are assigned row 3/4 you may get your 1st choice of entree.

amimac

Just waited 24 hrs before departure and changed his seats. He's flying SEA to HNL, and I was surprised row 6 was even available. I'd want the extra leg room. And to get off the plane first!

ANC

depends on the FA. I recently had that happen ORD to ANC but dont bet on it! Its like the have the first one on us....if we feel like greeting you

sparky81

Close. It's supposed to go as follows:

1) Passengers with Children under 2 and those needing assistance.
2) First Class and Golds.
3) MVPs, Partner elites, and row 6.
4) Rows 15 thru 24/27/30/31 depending on the plane.
5) Everyone else.

Many times the agents will do a "silent" preboarding of passengers with WCHR requests and UMNRs by paging those passengers to the door by name. I've never boarded a combi, but I would assume that since the exit is the bulkhead, that they would board in lieu of row 6.

The fun really comes on flights with 40+ MVPs and Golds. Nothing is more fun than having seemingly half the passengers on the plane before general boarding begins with rows 15+. I think my own personal record is 64 onboard before general boarding.

ANC

And they were all supposed to be there or were there 12 in F, 10 golds, 5 mvps, and a bunch of GATE LICE ?

ANC

They call golds...wait 3 seconds call mvps....wait 5 seconds and call all rows

ANC RED-EYE

makes sense. 2 theories on why it may have been available:

An MVP or Gold was upgraded out of row 6

or

Per my experience, the ANC-HNL route has less than average elites on it. Likely the case for many of the vacation destinations. So...maybe there were a lot of open premium seats that were released to the general public at the 24 hour mark.

ANC RED-EYE

The few times I have flown a combi, they have always boarded all rows in one call. I'd actually say that on most flights out of ANC for normal planes, they do pax needing assistance 1st, then 1st/golds, then elites, then all rows - probably because there are so many elites it is not worth trying to go back forward on everyone else.