New boarding groups
Jun 30, 2021, 2:41 pm
#31
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Dallas, TX
Programs: AA Gold, Hilton Silver
Posts: 14
Jun 30, 2021, 6:52 pm
#32
formerly wchinchen
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Honolulu
Programs: AA CK, UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 1,279
Jul 12, 2021, 10:53 am
#33
Join Date: Apr 2019
Programs: American AAdvantage
Posts: 80
My initial thought exactly. However, lately I’ve noticed there is rarely anyone at all in Group 2 anyway. But when Biz travel comes back that will change.
Jul 12, 2021, 1:29 pm
#34
Join Date: May 2008
Location: PHL (kinda, no airport is really close)
Programs: AA Exp, but not sure for how long. Enterprise Platinum woo-hoo!
Posts: 4,550
I'm EXP but I also have flown F almost exclusively for the past 18 months, so it doesn't matter to me. But I notice that when they call Group 2, there are usually almost no pax coming on. Does it really matter if EXP's are in Group 1 or 2?
Anyway, unless you queue up early, you'll often have trouble getting through the mob to get to the boarding lane anyway by the time they've called Group 1, Group 2, etc. In practice I usually find myself boarding with Group 4 or 5.
Anyway, unless you queue up early, you'll often have trouble getting through the mob to get to the boarding lane anyway by the time they've called Group 1, Group 2, etc. In practice I usually find myself boarding with Group 4 or 5.
Jul 26, 2021, 2:57 am
#35
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2004
Location: DFW/DAL
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, AS MVPG, HH Diamond, NCL Platinum Plus, MSC Diamond
Posts: 21,422
I realize that my experience's are likely the exception to the norm, but I haven't noticed a lot of Pre-Boards lately. I recognize that some flights will have more Pre-Boards than others, like flights from South Florida-CLT/PHL/NYC with their infamous senior brigades (and the infamous cocoon flights...pre-board in a wheelchair, magically heal inflight, walk off upon landing).
Jan 12, 2022, 4:27 pm
#36
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: CMH
Programs: BA Gold, AA Plat, NK $9 fare club
Posts: 666
This change has made boarding a mess for domestic F flyers. Group 1 is too large - sometimes 40 or 50 people trying to board at once.
Hub - to - hub flights are an absolute mess... Not a fan of this boarding change.
Hub - to - hub flights are an absolute mess... Not a fan of this boarding change.
Jun 19, 2022, 9:03 am
#37
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Dallas/Orlando
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 2,716
This is my humble entreaty to AA to separate First from Group 1. Board First Class, not as a group number, but as the name of the cabin. This will hopefully help keep line cutters at bay.
I would appreciate any and all efforts AA could muster to attempt to make First a more premium experience. And while I realize boarding First by name won’t solve the issue of line cutting and gate crowding (as clearly it’s an ever-vexing issue that all airlines have dealt with to some degree for decades), I think it will help. Anecdotally, very few people “swarm” the boarding lane when they call for CK. I think that has something to do with it being a named group.
I would appreciate any and all efforts AA could muster to attempt to make First a more premium experience. And while I realize boarding First by name won’t solve the issue of line cutting and gate crowding (as clearly it’s an ever-vexing issue that all airlines have dealt with to some degree for decades), I think it will help. Anecdotally, very few people “swarm” the boarding lane when they call for CK. I think that has something to do with it being a named group.
Jun 19, 2022, 9:42 am
#38
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Wanting First. Buying First.
Programs: Lifetime Executive Diamond Platinum VIP with Braniff, Eastern, Midway, National & Pan Am
Posts: 17,482
This is my humble entreaty to AA to separate First from Group 1. Board First Class, not as a group number, but as the name of the cabin. This will hopefully help keep line cutters at bay.
I would appreciate any and all efforts AA could muster to attempt to make First a more premium experience. And while I realize boarding First by name won’t solve the issue of line cutting and gate crowding (as clearly it’s an ever-vexing issue that all airlines have dealt with to some degree for decades), I think it will help. Anecdotally, very few people “swarm” the boarding lane when they call for CK. I think that has something to do with it being a named group.
I would appreciate any and all efforts AA could muster to attempt to make First a more premium experience. And while I realize boarding First by name won’t solve the issue of line cutting and gate crowding (as clearly it’s an ever-vexing issue that all airlines have dealt with to some degree for decades), I think it will help. Anecdotally, very few people “swarm” the boarding lane when they call for CK. I think that has something to do with it being a named group.
It's ridiculous that AA won't learn from how other airlines do things and do things much better. On DL, your PDB is always offered and your jacket hung at the beginning of the boarding process. I haven't been in UA F since before Covid but from my recollection the UA F experience was closer to DL than to AA.
First class should board first as a standalone group. And AA FAs working F should offer PDBs and hang jackets at the beginning of the boarding process.
Jun 19, 2022, 10:48 am
#39
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,546
I agree about PDBs and jackets. It sets a tone for the rest of the flight. The really great crews will have one FA block traffic briefly so the FA taking PDB orders can still get around the cabin even after coach starts boarding.
Jun 19, 2022, 1:01 pm
#40
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2019
Posts: 2,094
But gate agents won't enforce group number boarding. So people in group 1 or other higher groups just need to politely call out people who try to barge in front. Or maybe not politely. Yesterday I was boarding (first class, group 1), and standing in the boarding lane, even, as group 1 had just been called. One couple tried to dart around me. I looked at them and said, very loudly, "Uh, uh!", and they stopped. Once I was sitting on the plane, with a pre-departure drink in hand, I gladly glared at them as they walked back to coach in group 8.
Jun 19, 2022, 1:17 pm
#41
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 10,904
But if AA did that its FAs would actually have to provide PDBs and hang coats at the beginning of boarding, as opposed to the end of boarding (if at all).
It's ridiculous that AA won't learn from how other airlines do things and do things much better. On DL, your PDB is always offered and your jacket hung at the beginning of the boarding process. I haven't been in UA F since before Covid but from my recollection the UA F experience was closer to DL than to AA.
First class should board first as a standalone group. And AA FAs working F should offer PDBs and hang jackets at the beginning of the boarding process.
It's ridiculous that AA won't learn from how other airlines do things and do things much better. On DL, your PDB is always offered and your jacket hung at the beginning of the boarding process. I haven't been in UA F since before Covid but from my recollection the UA F experience was closer to DL than to AA.
First class should board first as a standalone group. And AA FAs working F should offer PDBs and hang jackets at the beginning of the boarding process.
So on elite-heavy flights, first class doesn't even board near the beginning of the boarding process.
Jun 19, 2022, 8:15 pm
#42
Join Date: Sep 2006
Programs: Some more than others
Posts: 773
Not to mention that UA also combines First Class with UA Platinums (75K) and Golds (50K), plus *G in one boarding group. Talk about a cluster.
Jun 19, 2022, 9:03 pm
#44
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: DCA/IAD
Programs: AA EXP; 1W Emerald; HHonors Diamond; Marriott Gold; UA dirt
Posts: 7,816
Interesting experience at CLT involving my S/O the other day....they board Group 1 and military with ID simultaneously. Probably 1/3 of the flight was military as the flight was headed to ORF and there was a major reserve exercise going on. Lots of grumbling from the PPros and Plats..... Oh well.
Jun 19, 2022, 10:10 pm
#45
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Chicagoland
Programs: AA exp 3mm Hertz 5*
Posts: 334
I don’t see the AA pre-board lines like I do at SWA, where pre-board gets you a better/closer seat.
We once paid for swa early boarding only to find out the GA knew there were, literally, 25 pre-boards. Other than middle seats, first open row was 9. Makes you happy to have donated another $40 each.
I don’t mind the miracle cures, but these wonders should not preclude ORD management from assigning sufficient staff for the wheelchair set. Takes 30-60 min to get a wheelchair at checkin, and notorious for not having any wheelchairs at arrival.
We once paid for swa early boarding only to find out the GA knew there were, literally, 25 pre-boards. Other than middle seats, first open row was 9. Makes you happy to have donated another $40 each.
I don’t mind the miracle cures, but these wonders should not preclude ORD management from assigning sufficient staff for the wheelchair set. Takes 30-60 min to get a wheelchair at checkin, and notorious for not having any wheelchairs at arrival.