Ideb

Hello, I posted a few days ago about making my connecting flight to HNL after flying from DFW to LAX and was told it shouldn't be a problem to do so in the one hour and twenty minutes we'll have. We are all carrying on small luggage and personal bags and were in boarding group 6. I messaged an American rep on Twitter to confirm this. When I checked in and printed boarding passes, it says I'm in 6 but husband and two kids are in 7. I messaged American again on Twitter and gave my record locator. However, it doesn't seem the rep looked at it. I was given a generic answer about being able to board in group 7 with them. My question is: should I create an aadvantage account for my kids and husband so they can be in group 6? If so, how do I link their accounts to the record locator of our flight?

Redhead

They can board with you in Group 6

nole1

Agreed. No one will really be looking at group numbers that closely at that point.

Ideb

Thank you for your answer. How will that work? Will the gate agent allow them to board with me? According the Twitter rep, it wouldn't be allowed and I would have to wait and board with them in group 7.

I thought they would check the boarding pass as you board? What would prevent someone from boarding with an earlier group such as group 4 without paying extra for priority or do they stop checking at a certain point?

jayer

. . . .and if they look and care; repeat after me "These are my children and this is a family group", I'm presuming they are minors. Both of those points have historically been a semi-official acceptable answer for staying together.

Ideb

I appreciate the replies so far but does anyone know if there is a way to create aadvantage accounts for them (husband already has one, but it's not linked to this flight) and link them all to the flight or do they have to fly under my number since I booked the tickets?

ebuck

Just go to the AA.com website. At the top right is a link to join AAdvantage. Set up accounts for the kiddos. When the account is set up and you have their AAdvantage numbers, pull up your itinerary from your account and edit the passenger details to add their AAdvantage numbers, including your husband's.

redtop43

I'm EXP and therefore group 1; I very frequently see pax with higher (sometimes much higher) group numbers on their boarding passes in line with me. I suspect GA's have been trained to let them board so as to avoid causing a row and slowing up the line.

Frankly, I'd be happy with the old "boarding from the rear" protocol, even though it means I'd usually get on last (and bye-bye PDB).

enviroian

Incorrect. During boarding announcements the gate agent will clearly state those traveling with a family can board all together with the lowest group number.

Mahalo!

JetAway

I've never seen anyone stopped from boarding an AA flight "early." I did witness a UA agent try to stop an early boarder on a United flight and all her effort accomplished was to delay the boarding process. Basically, pax are cattle and agents want to herd them into the pen as quickly as possible.

Ideb

Thanks for the help. Since I've already checked in, will it make any difference if they are added now? I am going to go ahead and add them but just wondering if it will let me print new boarding passes showing them in group 6?

Thank you! I sure hope that's how it is when we get ready to board. Makes me feel much better!

I created accounts for them but I still can't see where to add them when I log back in and go to my flight info.

nole1

This is really your best response if they question it. I think you are overthinking this too much. Regularly I see group 7/8/9 people boarding with 2/3/4 and, unless there is some super militant GA, no one ever says anything. You also have a 50/50 shot of the scanner needing your boarding pass to be facedown and they wouldn't see your group anyways.

Ideb

I probably am overthinking it. I've been freaking out since I saw they were in 7, basically bumping us all back a group. I'm concerned about having space for our luggage without exiting security to pick up bags so we can make our next flight. I haven't flown in years so this is all new to me so I have no idea about what you are saying about scanning the boarding pass.

HGH

As you approach the gate, look at what other passengers are doing to scan their passes. Sometime, the gate agent scans them for you. By the time they get to your group, there will be plenty of examples for you to copy.

I often have a higher group number traveling with me, and there has never been a problem boarding together in my group. I just say - she's with me.

wrp96

If for some reason there is no more room left for bags in the overhead when you board, one of two things would happen 1) if it is a mainline flight, they would check the bags to baggage claim at your final destination or 2) if it's a regional jet, it would be tagged so you would collect it planeside at your connecting airport. Either way, you will not have to exit security at your connecting point to pick up your bags.