Broken Record: Boarding Zones - Delta Policy Not to Enforce
Jan 5, 2014, 11:04 pm
#166
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: PVU, SLC
Programs: DL Pork Medallion, PP, GE
Posts: 1,657
This past weekend (Saturday and Sunday after New Years) have always been my least favorite to travel. Today was probably the worst boarding I've ever experienced. All over the place, it was nearly a free-for-all. At MSY this morning, I was at the gate when preboarding was announced, blending in with the lice. FC was called and a huge blob moved to the tiny boarding area (way more than the 16 F passengers on the MD-88). I merged in, and eventually SP was called. Then zone 1 was called before I had even made it to the podium.
It was worse in ATL. As if boarding a 763 to SLC on a Sunday evening after new years wasn't bad enough...I rushed through the airport to make my connection and made it to the gate just as SP was called (which was about half the plane; the UG list was 40-something long). The line fanned out like the Nile Delta and I tried to wriggle in. I was about 30 people away from the podium when the GA announced Zone 1. Instead of going to the back of the line, they just swarmed the blob of us SP passengers and were cutting the line. The best analogy I can think of is a puddle of liquid mercury with little balls of mercury all around it, as they swarm and congregate and assimilate into one giant blob.
It was worse in ATL. As if boarding a 763 to SLC on a Sunday evening after new years wasn't bad enough...I rushed through the airport to make my connection and made it to the gate just as SP was called (which was about half the plane; the UG list was 40-something long). The line fanned out like the Nile Delta and I tried to wriggle in. I was about 30 people away from the podium when the GA announced Zone 1. Instead of going to the back of the line, they just swarmed the blob of us SP passengers and were cutting the line. The best analogy I can think of is a puddle of liquid mercury with little balls of mercury all around it, as they swarm and congregate and assimilate into one giant blob.
Jan 6, 2014, 4:22 am
#167
Join Date: Aug 2012
Programs: DL FO, AA
Posts: 63
In some crowded boarding areas it is hard to see the person making the announcement. Also, there are areas like the end of the C gates at DTW where there are some 10 flights potentially boarding concurrently in a space with horrible acoustics. It seems reasonable to me for a GA to provide a clear indication of what is going on.
Jan 6, 2014, 6:55 am
#168
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: LAS
Programs: PA FT, TW Gold, NW/CO PE, VK Eagleflyer
Posts: 7,173
It was worse in ATL. As if boarding a 763 to SLC on a Sunday evening after new years wasn't bad enough...I rushed through the airport to make my connection and made it to the gate just as SP was called (which was about half the plane; the UG list was 40-something long). The line fanned out like the Nile Delta and I tried to wriggle in. I was about 30 people away from the podium when the GA announced Zone 1. Instead of going to the back of the line, they just swarmed the blob of us SP passengers and were cutting the line. The best analogy I can think of is a puddle of liquid mercury with little balls of mercury all around it, as they swarm and congregate and assimilate into one giant blob.
"Can your card give you priority boarding? my card can..."
Too bad those w@nkers in marketing (here's looking at you, Slippery Jeff) aren't concerned about the real world.
Jan 6, 2014, 7:36 am
#169
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: BDU
Programs: DL:MM, Marriott:LTT
Posts: 8,779
I was about 30 people away from the podium when the GA announced Zone 1. Instead of going to the back of the line, they just swarmed the blob of us SP passengers and were cutting the line. The best analogy I can think of is a puddle of liquid mercury with little balls of mercury all around it, as they swarm and congregate and assimilate into one giant blob.
The GAs should wait until nobody is boarding, then announce the next group. It would be much more orderly and given we are going into the Jetway line anyway, it's not going to add any time to the boarding process. When a GA does this, I ask to see their badge, write down their name and either include the information with my survey or drop a note to DL letting them know this employee made things worse. Unless DL knows, they don't know to gently correct the GA.
Jan 6, 2014, 7:56 am
#170
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: LAS
Programs: PA FT, TW Gold, NW/CO PE, VK Eagleflyer
Posts: 7,173
This is a pet peeve...
The GAs should wait until nobody is boarding, then announce the next group. It would be much more orderly and given we are going into the Jetway line anyway, it's not going to add any time to the boarding process. When a GA does this, I ask to see their badge, write down their name and either include the information with my survey or drop a note to DL letting them know this employee made things worse. Unless DL knows, they don't know to gently correct the GA.
The GAs should wait until nobody is boarding, then announce the next group. It would be much more orderly and given we are going into the Jetway line anyway, it's not going to add any time to the boarding process. When a GA does this, I ask to see their badge, write down their name and either include the information with my survey or drop a note to DL letting them know this employee made things worse. Unless DL knows, they don't know to gently correct the GA.
I would imagine that doing both is often nigh impossible.
Jan 6, 2014, 8:12 am
#171
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, MM, NR; HH Diamond, Bonvoy LT Gold, Hyatt Explorist, IHG Diamond, others
Posts: 12,159
Boarding isn't any faster if Zone 1 pax get into the jetway before SP pax. As long as there's always some line in the jetway, there's no wasted entry time.
Jan 6, 2014, 9:21 am
#172
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: PVU, SLC
Programs: DL Pork Medallion, PP, GE
Posts: 1,657
Exactly. Because even though I finally made my way through, as soon as I scanned my phone and walked into the jetway, it was just as packed as the line behind me. At least it was a 763 so there were two aisles, and the FA was proactive enough to ask people their seat and directed them to the appropriate aisle, but still. 250 standing in the gate area need to get on a plane, and the easiest way is in an organized manner. Maybe it's just me, but it seems like if you're scanning BP after BP that all have the SP banner, it's a safe bet all of SP hasn't boarded and you shouldn't call zone 1. Yes, they have pressure to get a plane out on time, but I checked and the app said we pushed back 2 minutes ahead of schedule. Good job getting 250+ people on a plane and out on time, but that should be business as usual for an airport like ATL. Again, organized lines. The same principle applies to any large crowd: don't yell "fire" in a crowded room. Tragedy after tragedy show that people tend to freak out, abandon common sense, and panic. Then they stampede, trample others, and can't get out of a building because too many people are trying to get out of a small set of doors and it gets jammed. If the boarding line was orderly, everyone would get through much quicker and it would be less stressful. It can be observed at smaller airports as well, such as when they call F and SP at the same time, SP and zone 1, SP including all medallions, the combinations are endless.