brocklee9000

To be frank, I don't even remember the last time I boarded a plane that had both lanes, or that were used properly. IME, the GA has everyone line up in the side that lines up best with the scanner. If the sign points left for SP and right for general boarding, and the SP carpet is on the left side, and the scanner is closer to the left side, the whole plane boards through the left side, and vice versa (I don't know if I explained that well, but I hope you all get what I'm trying to say). So the one or two times I've been in F or SP and wasn't able to get to the gate before my zone was announced, I have to just blend in rather than using the separate lane. I remember one time where they had F board on the side that didn't have the SP sign/rug. I didn't care, but I did feel a little less elite as I went through the right lane instead of the SP lane. Jk.

I still think F should board first, because by the time the whole plane has boarded (especially a 100% full flight and/or a 757/767), there are a ton of people in the jetway and in the aisle of the plane. Sure, F has its own bin space. But if the jetway and the aisle on the plane are jammed up like traffic on a Friday afternoon, it's frustrating. Especially by the time the FAs put all their bags in the F bins. And there's always that person in F that has tons of bags and takes up a ton of space, or the person back in Y who shuffles down the aisle (since it moves so slowly), sees an open spot over the last row of F, and then hoists & shoves in one quick motion as they cross the F to Y threshold. I see it all the time, like it's something they practice. I don't see why that's not policed. Although, if the whole of F are seated and Y is totally out of space, and there is still space in F, I don't have a problem.

C17Flyer

This from from ATL-LAX (DL 2355) FA placed coach passengers carry-on in F class. Then F class passenger arrived and was told they'd have to check their bag.
Today from LAX-ATL F class boarding was announced along with Sky Priority, one big CF at the boarding area.

ashill

Alaska Airlines does that in SEA (and other big airports, I think), and I think it works pretty well. However, in Alaska's case, it's a dedicated monitor right over the boarding door. That is much harder to miss than a box within the very busy Delta GID screens, which are typically off to the side of the boarding door.

The Alaska display lists all boarding zones from the beginning, so you can see when your zone will board -- it just changes the highlighting to (clearly) indicate which zones are boarding/have boarded. For Delta, they'd need five fields and should use the same code ("PREM", "SKY", "ZONE 1", "ZONE 2", and "ZONE 3") as on the boarding pass.

jdrtravel

I know we've disagreed about this before...but I don't see your point. Southwest has an orderly and calm process, while DL looks like a mob.

DL needs to give people a place to go, and a place to stand when they want to arrive early to be sure that they get bin space. People are absolutely going to do this, so better to create an organized way to handle the reality, and to allow F and SKY to board easily.

I see 4 lines, separated by rope, that you can get in and wait in as early as you want to: F, SKY, Zone 1, Zones 2 through whatever they have.

CJKatl

Agreed, but the ropes need to be long. Part of the problem now is the rope is short, so you have to work your way through the people who are standing where the rope starts.

Crazyhotelguy

This...

@ the gates in MCO where the ropes are long, the boarding is smoother. Too often the ropes are short snd people try to crowd in tight by the scanner.

MS02113

I don't think I've ever seen a gate agent conduct general boarding through the Sky Priority lane. I often arrive late from the Sky Club, and by that point general boarding has progressed to zone 2 or 3, and the Sky Priority lane is clear. (Of course, the jet bridge is packed, which is the one disadvantage to arriving late.)

Sabai

Bingo.

This is DL marketing at its finest - slice that Ham Sandwich razor thin.

How renaming the boarding sequence as: "Firsty-First" "Second First" and then "First?" Make everyone feel special and then tie it in with an AX card.

MSPeconomist

Why not 1, 1.1, 1.11, 1.111, etc.? However, I like firsty-first too.

flyingweekly

Delta---I implore you to enforce the boarding rules. As a DIA and usually sitting up front 95% of the time, I'm tired of fighting my way past the gate lice to board. I'm tired of other DIA-PLA-GLD-SLV boarding when first is called instead of SKY. If the GA's would just send the folks away, and delta was consistant, this would stop.

PLEASE ENFORCE THE BOARDING ZONES!!!!!!!!!

Funkels

Not only should they enforce the boarding rules, but also they should rename the zones. People who have Zone 1 believe they are 1st to board. It's confusing for non-FF. Technically, they are Zone 3.

Xeno

I have seen plenty of elites that know the rules and do not care.

JimGinATL

I just put on my DYKWIA tin foil hat and shoulder my way through the crowd. If anyone questions me, I show them my Ham Sammich.


-JimG

HongKonger

They can't do this because then they wouldn't be able to advertise "Zone 1 priority boarding" as an Amex benefit. "Zone 3 after over half the plane has already boarded" doesn't have the same ring to it.

FlyingUnderTheRadar

Did you say anything to GA ? Saying it here does very little.