This has probably been discussed elsewhere, but does anyone have insight, real or imagined, on how the boarding process will change post merger? Love the UA boarding which separates out 1K - 1p -2p - general. Even when I was a 2P, this was good enough, because the main benefit to boarding early is overhead storage space, which is still there...and it prevents the CO stampede that we all know an love.

My guess is that the combined airline will go to the UA model, but any chance that CO adopts before the formal merger of elite programs?

CO already boards first then elites then kettles.

UA boards First, GS, 1k over the Red Carpet then 1P, *G, then other elites *S, then regulars

CO just boards F then all elites and in rare occasions by level if there are 50+ elites on the flight


Anyone's guess.

Unless of course a low tier elite arrives late. in that case, CO's model is 1000 times better than UAs model where low tier elites are not given the tender mercy of red carpet boarding rights.

The correct answer here is to adopt the UA method of sorting within the Elite/F tier a bit more, but to keep the CO modeal of allowing all elites to use the blue carpet so that there is some help for late arriving elites. But the UA rules need to be modified so that on international F and then C board before 1K. 1k in monkey should not be clogging up the jetway for premium passengers.

IMHO the correct method is to drop UA's caste-system boarding entirely, and use CO's much fairer, easy-to-comprehend system.

I've seen UA use up to 9 separate boarding zones when a GA boards a 3-class and decides to board GS, then Intl F, then 1K & Business as separate groups within the Red Carpet.

Somebody explain to the general public how "Seating Area 1" is as late as the 6th group to be boarded (2nd through the non-elite lane) and never the first zone.

UA's system is part of its overall highest-elites-wonderful, low-elites-dirt, regular customers-lower-than-dirt mindset. They've taken customer segmentation way too far.

Note that I've been a 1K, so I've seen it from the higher end of it, the 1P/2P end, the partner elite end, and the now-lower-than-dirt end of it. It's crazy.

Very enlightening post for those of us who've never held any status on UA (in the past)!^

I don't know what's going to happen, but here's what I'd like to see happen:

Everyone gets a number on their BP. Everyone.
1 for First and GS on the carpet
2 for Biz and 1K on the carpet
3 for 1P on the carpet
4 for 2P/3P
5 for remaining E+ and aft third of E-
6 for middle third of E-
7 for front third of E-

Elderly, families that "need a little extra time" board with their number group.

Put a giant "Now boarding group #" on the gate monitors.

Large aircraft boarding through dual jetways have one jetway for premium cabins and one jetway (with carpet and non-carpet lanes) for coach.