Pulling out First Class/DM/Emeralds to board first
 

Last time I was in HKG coming back to the States I notice they did something new (to me as least.) Usually the F/J line is a mile long if you are not literally right there when they ask for boarding. But this time, they asked for boarding, people flock up to line up. FAs do the usual passport check and stamp, and then, something new to me (probably because I was usually the last to board since I like to maximize my lounge time), they pick out the First Class, DMs, and Emeralds and get them to the front of the line.

Well, being pulled out as F passenger into a separate queue is not really new(basically to the left a second line to the J's, GL's, SL's, etc.) - have seen that a couple of times and experienced it myself on F award.

But since I'm still new to DM, I have no experience on whether they are being pulled out as well.

Yes I witnessed this for the first time boarding CX826 HKG-YYZ in November, the First pax and DMs were pulled to the front to board first. I agree with this because as a First paying passenger or a DM I would excpect to be able to board the plane absolutly first. Nowadays with priority boarding given to all MPOs the line can be very long!

The best boarding procedures is for First/DMs to board first, followed by Business and GO/SL/GR, then economy can start boarding.

Forget about the Emeralds... help out us CX GO's first!! ;)

It's not really new at least not ex-HKG.

Correct. Had this many times as F pax

I've had this happen in HKG as a Emerald passenger, but not too often. Usually I spend some extra time in the lounge and wait until they are still boarding Y and there is no F/J line - they may very well be doing it more often.

Seriously, even if you're at the gate, what's the rush to wait in line? running out of overhead space is rarely an issue on the widebodies? Do people just love waiting in line?

Yes, this is nothing new.

In F and J it's never an issue. In Y it's frequently a big issue. I can always count on seeing somebody (or a couple) bring on 4 "carry-ons" that 3 of them is big enough to be checked-in luggage, and then of course they take up 2 bins.

Agreed, on Y longhaul there is usually little or no space left in overhead bins. Priority boarding is extremely benifical to MPOs travelling in Y because it enables them to put their items in overhead lockers directly above their seat as oppose to other overhead bins else where on the aircraft. I always travel with a wheelie, and so its important for me to board first inorder to have my bag directly above my seat.

Not new, happens often especially from HKG.
Especially usefull when the check in line for "priority" passengers is almost as long as the economy one (this is becoming the case more and more often).

It happened to me occasionally before in HKG (not consistent though), but never when I was in Y and op-upped J.

Exactly, on Y longhaul I'm usually at the gate about 5-10 minutes in advance to boarding time to not ever complain about too long elite queues. I rarely check-in except for more than 1 week travel, so my trolley takes up the max allowed dimensions and is not easy to be squeezed in everywhere.

Happy to give up a couple minutes lounge time for that, because nothing s*cks more than having to get luggage from the back by fighting your way through full aisles with everyone already standing up. That can negate any benefits of sitting in front Y rows to arrive as one of the first at busy immigration queues like JFK...

I've never understood why some people are always in a hurry to put themselves in a confined space... :confused:

All I can say is if you want to be in the a/c early, then be on line by the gate early. This goes for all classes. Simple as that! Works like a charm for me.