I may be one of those of which the OP speaks, but not for the reason they think. I had two flights in June in which I used pre-board. The reason is that I have an arthritic hip that flared up, but I don't require a cane. It took me twice as long as even some of the people with canes to walk down the jetway and aisle to my seat. My wife and I did, however, wait for much of the plane behind us to clear before deplaning. All I can say, and others have also stated, is that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover.

I don't think so as your "Book Cover" was quite evident if it took you twice as long as those with canes to get down the jet way. Its the ones jogging down the jetway with oversize bags I believe he is referring to.

Or the ones with teenagers who think "in a stroller" is the same as "with his/her own driver's license."

BTW, I was once on an SRQ-ATL flight where just about everyone needed to pre-board!

Isn't this the entire concept of pre-boarding? Why wouldn't they wait?

This does not surprise me at all. Their free-for-all seating policy is why I will NEVER fly their airline. That and I'm not driving to SDF to do it.

I try not to judge books by their cover, but I do tend to judge when I see somebody walk up to the gate area fine, limp past the GA, then resume walking fine again once the GA's back was turned. Of course that pax was also sporting DM tags so there might have been a bit of DYKWIA thrown in there. :)

Heres what I notice in SLC.

Anyone who looks older than 50.

Any family with kids below 12

Any obese travelers

Any family of 50 travelling with great aunt Bertha. Bertha needs preboarding so the rest of the 50 think they can board also.

Random DYKWIA types who board because they know they can get away with it.

The passengers who arrive at the gate in the wheel chair but certainly are okay enough to run off to the snack shop for Funyans and Coke before boarding.

Coming back from SJU a couple of Saturdays ago a number of parents with kids that looked 6-14 tried to pre board and GA said Na Na! I laughed because I accidentally arrived at the airport early and got to watch the spectacle buildup over time as other Pax saw the first group get in the line before the red strap was in place. The more parents that saw the first group, assumed they could all do it. They actually told the wheelchair attendants that they were pre board so the attendants couldn't go in front of them. GA called for pre board and denied everyone of them except for the wheelchair folks. Lots of red faces in the group. I laughed as I boarded FC and still laughed as they passed me later going to seats. Some had to check bags as a result!

I think you're right. My last PBI-LGA flight, there was the usual avalanche of families pre-boarding and I noticed that people just started walking up to the gate and trying to board. The gate agent sent most of them back - I don't think they were necessarily looking to pre-board (I didn't notice lots of luggage), they just saw the line moving and figured they'd board. No attention paid to the announcements at all.

Last week I was on a delayed flight out of MCO in F. So many people pre-boarded that they just about closed the door after the last few F pax boarded. There were families pre-boarding with kids in the 6-10 range.

I forgot to post here what I heard on Tuesday morning in ATL. A family of 3 with a daughter that had to be almost 5 tried to preboard, and the gate agent told them that Delta was doing a pilot where families had to board in their assigned zones. He said the pilot was scheduled for a week, and that they needed to wait. The dad got pretty irate, but they only preboarded people in wheelchairs, and a couple of elderly people with canes. Has anyone else heard/seen this?

Please baby Jesus let this be true. And please baby Jesus let this stick.

I haven't seen or heard this myself, but if it's true, then Delta would be following United's lead. I'm all for it.

I saw it this week in ATL. The GA made the announcement three times, advising that families with children under 2 would be called after pre-board, FC and I think even SKY. Of course, there was a father who marched his family up to the front of the line before pre-boards even started. The GA explained the policy again and turned them away.

I think the whole thing is out of hand... giant bags... gate lice... not enough people putting a bag that fits under the seat... it is sad really of the mercenary and rude attitudes...., but it is easier for Delta employees to do nothing than it is to step up and risk a confrontation.