Twice so far this week,ATL/MCO on Wednesday and today MCO/ATL. Pre-boards(those actually in wheelchairs) were already at gate 5 minutes before boarding started. Announcement was made that families would have to wait until their actual zone was called or after zone 1 was called. HIP HIP HOORAY for Delta if they have the guts to continue and expand this. Preboarding has become a joke. ON a flight a month ago out of MSP I counted 78 people pre-boarded before first class was called ... on an MD 88. Retirement cannot come soon enough!

This whole conversation concerns me. As someone with a medical condition that leaves people saying "but you don't look sick," you need to be careful when painting all of the pre-boarders with such a broad stroke.

Now that I'm GM on Delta, I rarely use preboarding. Someone mentioned that preboarding on Southwest is out of control. My experience is just the opposite. With Southwest, you have to have a pre-issued blue boarding card. If you don't have that, you board in your own zone.

It is not a broad stroke. What we know and see is a lot more people doing it. Either more people have the need or more people have figured out how to "game the system"...

I thought it was just me observing this - but there is of course a caveat, because on the other hand, I don't think the right people were using it before.

Despite the crap I'm getting in the other thread I'm actually a nice guy and occasionally walk over to little old ladies that I know on on my flight, who don't get up and preboard to encourage them to PB. That service is there for them and the first-time-family-vacationers who have a herd of kids and kid sized carryons, but they sometimes are afraid to at the risk of being unfair. (actual quote I've heard.)

I'm seeing more and more grannys and familys PB, but as the OP asked, I am seeing more people who APPEAR able preboarding. What used to be maybe 1-3 has lately been 6-7. Is it because school's out and more people are vacationing? Shrug...

So, I posted a day or two ago in this thread that I hadn't really noticed that there seemed to be more people pre-boarding...this afternoon, flying LAX-ATL, I bet there were 20+ people that pre-boarded. Maybe this is becoming a trend after all and I just hadn't paid attention to it before...

That popping sound you hear is me pulling my head out of the sand! ;)

Exactly what I've seen, except on the flight from ATL to SFO on Thursday morning, I would say somewhere between 15 and 20 people pre-boarded. One wheelchair, and three families. Maybe the other eight or nine people all had legitimate reasons for pre-boarding, but I wouldn't put any money on that.

It's not the end of the world and doesn't impact me in any meaningful way, but I could see where it could get out of hand.

To the OP's question = Yes

Over past couple of weeks, 10 flights saw a mix of those who really needed the extra time and in a case the other day, a couple of FC passengers jumped the queue to cut off the wheel chair folks.

As others have said, with summer its travel season and not just for the kettles as seeing plenty of elites and DYKWIA types traveling with their extended families gaming the system.

Its fun watching those who are able to carry more than two or three carry on items move so quickly and agile down the jetway during pre-boarding that you would think DL would give them milage for their ability to fly into the plane and their seat. The funnest of the bunch are the well dressed middle aged biz types, some of whom are elites (proudly displaying their bag tags) and busy talking on an important call via their blutooth ear piece and once on board have all of their items nealty laid out occupying three to four spots in the OH bin....

Of course the extended families are fun to watch as well, both kettles and the DYKWIA types whose children I hope have not needed a stroller or booster seat in years.

Then there are those who need extra special time so that they can make it to their exit row seat, hmm, wonder how quickly they will be out of AC if needed?

Keep in mind its summer, plenty of kettles, non-kettles and DYKWIA types using or abusing the system.

Oh, if you really dont like the games being played, be a good person and go up to one of those who are abusing in your opinion the right to pre-board and offer your assistence to help them onto the plane ;)...

-H

..
 

everyone is pre-board eligible on game day.


i've noticed this too...DEN->ATL the other day had a good 15 "able walkers" with a couple of wheelchairs, etc. unless the kids are in a car carrier/stroller, they should NOT be pre-boards (IMHO)

it's a quandary for sure - question the "disabled" the wrong way... will not be good for one's career.

personally, i see more wheelchair abuse than anything - basically obese old people who can't walk long distances - only because they are too fat.

It is totally out of hand.

It is not just the kettles either, it is elites too.

If you are in FC, wait for FC. If you are in coach, wait for SP.

The problem is, when you see the whole airplane pre-boarding, what do you do? You go ahead and board as well.

Bottom line, if you have a wheelchair or cane, pre-board. If you have a stroller, pre-board. Otherwise, wait. A six year old kid does not need to pre-board.

When DL eliminated pre-boarding and had the agents screen the gate and select their own pre-boards with no announcement, it worked well. The problem with that of course is that many agents won't do it.

Imagine you are in coach on an elite heavy flight and you wait your turn:

Pre-board - 20 people

FC - 16 people plus the elites who are actually in coach who board with FC - 25 people

SP - 25 real SP + silvers who try to squeak by - 35

20+25+35=80

Imagine you are a polite person who does not like to push and shove and jump in front of people...you could be on the back end of the 80 - half the plane is on before you!

It is really funny to watch when they get to zone 3-4 and there are only a dozen people left.

UA is really funny, because they have all these zones for elites and credit card people. I flew them the other week and was apparently the only one in zone 4, and was the last person to board before they shut the door..What a joke.

This is BS

If it is getting so bad, people need to send in complaints in addition to complaining here...although who knows how many it takes before DL would respond with training gate staff

:)

Kind of in bad taste, but absolutely hilarious! :D :D This made my morning!

I would like to take this opportunity to point out the miraculous healing aspects of air travel.

Many is the person I have seen who was so handicapped that he required pre-boarding yet, and the end of the flight, had recovered to the point that he was able to jump out of his seat, grab his hand luggage, and be among the first to get off the plane.

Love the Miracle Flights! I've witnessed this myself many times.

Kind of reminds me of a televanglist years ago who we used to watch for grins. My favorite part was when he told the viewers at home to "Put your hands on the TV and receive your healing!" Of course he would only guarantee his healing powers would reach those who had already purchased the prayer rug.

Never fails to amaze me how few of these preboards or families with small children need extra time to deplane!

OK ..... I think I need a medical lesson. What ailments, other than those that limit mobility, qualify for pre-boarding? I count blindness as limiting mobility.