On a recent flight from IAH to PHL I was amazed when the agent announced that they would be boarding elite access by rows because 80% of the plane was elite.

Whats wrong with this picture?

I guess Continental knows more about this business than I do - but at what point does elite stop being elite?

I also recently sat in the back of a 737-300 in an aisle seat. Seated next to me, *in the middle seat*, was a guy who claimed to be a 150k Platinum. An hour later at the rental car place I ran into an old friend of mine who happened to have been on the same flight, but he was in first class.

He told me was upgraded, and that he might start flying continental all the time if that's how they treat new customers. Turns out he has been flying Southwest for the past two years and because of flight delays, ended up on a Continental flight.

Of course, he probably had a high fare class ticket - but when you have a platinum with 150k miles on row 24 and a guy who never flew CO before in first class on an upgraded ticket, it just makes you stop and wonder what is going on.

Hopefully, CO is at least thinking about this problem.

Oh well.

Maybe Southwest does have the right idea - remove first class and then you lose all the drama, unless you are Paula Abdul.

today I am flying back out from PHL to IAH, wondering what the rain delays are going to be. Co.com reports 28 minutes, but 28 minutes is way ahead of normal at PHL.

Cheers,

~Steve

Boarding by elite status has been discussed and usually on the heavy business routes or when there is a CO DO .

Plat in the middle is likely due to a last minute tix purchase.

If you're a 150K Plat, and you don't know or don't care to work the system to get a better seat, then you deserve row 24.

I spend a lot of time online and on the phone to get good seats. The key is to never stop. Even up to minutes before boarding I'm asking them for better seats if I'm stuck in a bad one. I'm a 150k+ Plat and work for it so can they.

I've been on flights that boarded Plat then Silver then Gold. ^

But never elites by row number.

How exactly would that be done, just curious? Boarding all elites from rows 15-25, etc.? Then "regular" passengers for rows 15-25? Or completely boarding the elites by row number, then the regs since they are the 20% in this case?

Anyone out there have the experience?

Doesn't sound likely, as the non-elite first-timer on a Y fare (assumed, based on description of situation -- SW ticket endorsed over to CO) got an open F seat. That means that there was A inventory available, and a Plat buying a last-minute ticket (aka Y fare) would have been upgraded on the spot.

CLG

I think the Plat might have been a standby from another flight. I know that I get stuck in the rear middle all the time when making flight changes at the last minute.

The only time I saw the "elites by row" boarding used was a Monday morning 7am EWR-SFO flight. The printed upgrade list was longer than the GA was tall. I was seated near the front of Y. By the time I boarded they were telling people that they had to gate check their bags. I only found a spot for mine because someone had a bag in the overhead that stuck out 2". They really should have done boarding by elite level IMHO. After all the elites had boarded they allowed the rest of the pax on, all three of them.

The IAH / PHL market often has FC fares that are marginally higher than coach, though with restrictions. They also often leave seats available for purchase up to the last minute - that are "upgradable" and possibly your friend simply purchased a last minute ticket that qualified.

If Continental can sell a last minute high priced coach ticket that qualifies for upgrade than I see this a good revenue management, not dilution of the elite benefit. I have not flown this route on higher than a $225 ticket and half the time on less than $200. I am 15 of 16 on upgrades, flying IAH to PHL on Friday night and returning Monday morning at 5:38. Half have been upgrades at the gate, even with seats showing vacant the day before which supports my feeling they hold FC seats until the last minute - as they should when there is a possibility of a higher revenue seat sale. On the 5:38 morning flight out of PHL, two or more gate upgrades are issued.

As stated often on this board, there may be very good reasons for the seeming inconsistency. Although the rude, customer unfriendly service folks (significant understatement) at PHL might be a contributing factor on PHL to IAH.