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The Gate Lice are coming... the GATE LICE are coming

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Old Oct 22, 2014, 10:59 am
  #1351  
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Originally Posted by emancj
In the latest MD and 717 flights I've taken, there have been a couple of announcements on the bin size difference between sides.

The problem, I think, is not really that, but absolutely everyone wanting to bring a bag onboard, and most people wanting to put it in the overhead bin. Heh, one does what one can.
I fly MDs quite a bit lately. Seems that on 2/3 of those flights, the FA at the boarding door is looking at people's rollaboards and telling them what side of the plane to put it on. No idea whether they are actually listening.

Personally, I've sized down to an 18" that fits in wheels first on any mainline jet.
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Old Oct 22, 2014, 11:02 am
  #1352  
 
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Originally Posted by MSPeconomist
The UA signs and barriers remind me of WN. It looks tacky.
Tacky? Yes. But if it means fighting my way through a lot less people I can live with it. And the current 'system' employed by Delta is not very sophisticated or classy looking either.
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Old Oct 22, 2014, 11:10 am
  #1353  
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Originally Posted by Ben and Jerry
Tacky? Yes. But if it means fighting my way through a lot less people I can live with it. And the current 'system' employed by Delta is not very sophisticated or classy looking either.
Agreed. What I've noticed about UA (and possibly others that I just haven't paid attention to) is that they have recognized that people are going to stand around and wait to board. AF is also good about this for US departures. So, they provide the structure for people to do that in an organized way, and people don't think twice about following it.

If you have no structure, of course people are just going to go all over the place. Put in a couple Tensabarriers and everyone falls into line.
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Old Oct 22, 2014, 11:55 am
  #1354  
 
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Originally Posted by Ben and Jerry
Tacky? Yes. But if it means fighting my way through a lot less people I can live with it. And the current 'system' employed by Delta is not very sophisticated or classy looking either.
Agreed, WN and UA look & function more orderly.

What's truly tacky is 140+ people standing so deep into the terminal that it creates a giant log jam at places like ATL.

DL owes us the human dignity of not having to say excuse me a dozen times to the gate lice as we try to make our way up to the boarding door.
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Old Oct 22, 2014, 1:16 pm
  #1355  
 
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maybe they could create brightly colored boarding passes so its clear from a distance which group a person is in. Also makes it easier to pass people, as you know they are not in line to join with sky, just waiting as a z1/23.
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Old Oct 22, 2014, 1:56 pm
  #1356  
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Cool

Originally Posted by Crazyhotelguy
Just curious, why aren't you all flying WN instead of dealing with DL's boarding woes. Seems everyone is much happier and friendlier there. Why put yourselves through this??
Given a choice between WN and DL, where I have no status and get stuck in group 4+ for my aisle seat, I'd choose WN. I choose WN anyway for some flights when they have the best schedule or I may need to cancel.

Originally Posted by MSPeconomist
To me, the mention of multiple holding pens for boarding groups is Southwest-like. Southwest gates seem to have ropes and signs for people to line up according to their number.
But your description makes it clear you haven't flown WN for decades, so don't know that their boarding process works better than any of the other airlines wrt boarding in a calm, civilized manner. Not really fair to denigrate them when you're not familiar with their process.
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Old Oct 22, 2014, 3:28 pm
  #1357  
 
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unclog the dense pack

Originally Posted by Ben and Jerry
maybe they could create brightly colored boarding passes so its clear from a distance . . .
Yes @:-) , with Coke ads on them. Some pax would see them, get thirsty, go and buy one, and unclog the dense pack.
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Old Oct 22, 2014, 3:33 pm
  #1358  
 
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Originally Posted by AKC6
Yes @:-) , with Coke ads on them. Some pax would see them, get thirsty, go and buy one, and unclog the dense pack.
And KM's would of course have BP's with flashing leds on them
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Old Oct 22, 2014, 3:33 pm
  #1359  
 
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Originally Posted by Crazyhotelguy
Just curious, why aren't you all flying WN instead of dealing with DL's boarding woes. Seems everyone is much happier and friendlier there. Why put yourselves through this??
Because choosing a travel partner isnt based only by boarding process... Kind of a silly question. That's a minor part of my decision making process. Just think, if Delta could improve their boarding process to the level of WN, they'd be an even better airline... And since you asked, I have been flying WN much more often. I find their schedule to certain cities to be much better and no CRJs, while flying me for hundreds less than Delta. Other times I find that paying more and flying a CRJ-700 on a non-stop is better than a connection on WN. I might even make A-List by end of year!
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Old Oct 22, 2014, 4:32 pm
  #1360  
 
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I agree that the charge to check bags has created this problem. Medallions not checking bags is not the problem. It is the no status pax who are not in a hurry and used to check bags, but now don't in order to save money. If these people were allowed to check for free, then overhead space would not run short, and this mad dash would not happen.

That is the real difference between DL and WN. Boarding processes aside, even if you are the last person to board on WN, you can almost always still get your bag in the OH bin, because many pax take advantage of the free checked bags.

I still choose DL for the reasons MSPEconomist states, but it does seem that this problem really did come from the $ for checking bags
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Old Oct 22, 2014, 7:13 pm
  #1361  
 
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Originally Posted by Profchemnerd
I agree that the charge to check bags has created this problem. Medallions not checking bags is not the problem. It is the no status pax who are not in a hurry and used to check bags, but now don't in order to save money. If these people were allowed to check for free, then overhead space would not run short, and this mad dash would not happen.

That is the real difference between DL and WN. Boarding processes aside, even if you are the last person to board on WN, you can almost always still get your bag in the OH bin, because many pax take advantage of the free checked bags.

I still choose DL for the reasons MSPEconomist states, but it does seem that this problem really did come from the $ for checking bags
See, I disagree, it's not soley the fees to check a bag, but it's the lack of fees to bring a carry on.

$25 for DM
$30 for PM
$35 for GM
$40 for FO
$50 for Kettle

all problems solved.

Last edited by Ysitincoach; Oct 22, 2014 at 7:21 pm
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Old Oct 22, 2014, 8:04 pm
  #1362  
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Originally Posted by Doc Savage
Given a choice between WN and DL, where I have no status and get stuck in group 4+ for my aisle seat, I'd choose WN. I choose WN anyway for some flights when they have the best schedule or I may need to cancel.



But your description makes it clear you haven't flown WN for decades, so don't know that their boarding process works better than any of the other airlines wrt boarding in a calm, civilized manner. Not really fair to denigrate them when you're not familiar with their process.
Actually I've never flown WN. I don't care whether their boarding process works "better" according to your criterion, I just don't like the numbered signs and ropes where people line up in chutes or holding pens. Nor do I want on board jokes and games, no seat assignments, no FC, with most trips exMSP connecting through MDW, etc. Also, I need to travel abroad regularly--and not to nearby foreign vacation destinations--so travel on WN does not work for me. I don't need to fly them to know that I don't want to do so.
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Old Oct 22, 2014, 8:53 pm
  #1363  
 
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Originally Posted by gooselee
Agreed. What I've noticed about UA (and possibly others that I just haven't paid attention to) is that they have recognized that people are going to stand around and wait to board. AF is also good about this for US departures. So, they provide the structure for people to do that in an organized way, and people don't think twice about following it.

If you have no structure, of course people are just going to go all over the place. Put in a couple Tensabarriers and everyone falls into line.
I'm so glad they had this when I flew LH this summer. We were boarding a 747-8 at ORD, and all the lines stretched well out into the hallway. I couldn't hear the announcements but just followed the line when the First/Business (and maybe *G were included) line started moving. Of course, if I'd paid for one of the 8 F seats and got grouped in with 100+ J/*G passengers for boarding I wouldn't be too happy about that, but it's still better than a complete cluster.
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Old Oct 22, 2014, 9:03 pm
  #1364  
 
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Originally Posted by mattp1987
I'm so glad they had this when I flew LH this summer. We were boarding a 747-8 at ORD, and all the lines stretched well out into the hallway. I couldn't hear the announcements but just followed the line when the First/Business (and maybe *G were included) line started moving. Of course, if I'd paid for one of the 8 F seats and got grouped in with 100+ J/*G passengers for boarding I wouldn't be too happy about that, but it's still better than a complete cluster.
If I was in one of those 8 true F seats, I would be the last person to board!
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Old Oct 22, 2014, 9:07 pm
  #1365  
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Cool

Originally Posted by MSPeconomist
Actually I've never flown WN. I don't care whether their boarding process works "better" according to your criterion, I just don't like the numbered signs and ropes where people line up in chutes or holding pens. Nor do I want on board jokes and games, no seat assignments, no FC, with most trips exMSP connecting through MDW, etc. Also, I need to travel abroad regularly--and not to nearby foreign vacation destinations--so travel on WN does not work for me. I don't need to fly them to know that I don't want to do so.
So don't perpetuate misinformation, as you continue to do with the post quoted.

Safe travels,

Doc
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