Gate Checkers Get Early Boarding!
Mar 5, 2014, 12:36 pm
#17
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: NYC
Posts: 938
Maybe thats just me?
Mar 5, 2014, 12:37 pm
#18
Join Date: Dec 2013
Programs: DL Diamond, AA Platinum, SPG Platinum
Posts: 255
Because many fliers are unexperienced, and have extreme anxiety about the process. They're afraid they won't be able to find their seat. They're afraid that someone else will be sitting in it. They're hoping for a first class upgrade. Etc, etc. They just want to get in their seat, after weeks or months of stressing. Look around a gate 30 minutes prior to boarding. 80% of the people have a wide-eyed look on their face, clenching their boarding pass in both hands and obsessively checking it and their phone/watch for the time.
Mar 5, 2014, 12:43 pm
#19
Join Date: Sep 2013
Programs: DL PM, 1MM, DL SC, Kimpton Inner Circle
Posts: 2,416
Mar 5, 2014, 12:45 pm
#20
Join Date: Jun 2013
Programs: DL Plat, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Plat, IHG Plat, Hertz Prez Circle, National Exec
Posts: 1,359
For me the only reason to board as soon as possible is so that I can make sure I have overhead bin space. If you're gatechecking why would you want to board any earlier than possible? In first maybe you want to have a pre-flight cocktail. But in Y why be there even a second longer than need be?
Mar 5, 2014, 12:49 pm
#21
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 810
yesterday on my flight from MSP to DEN I was really late getting on board. I had about 12 minutes to go from C20 to F16.
Anyway - she said "I saved some space for you over your seat". I was very skeptical and bet her a drink that it was not still there.
It was....
needless to say this is why I fly delta. Even with the changes it will be difficult to look at other airlines.
Anyway - she said "I saved some space for you over your seat". I was very skeptical and bet her a drink that it was not still there.
It was....
needless to say this is why I fly delta. Even with the changes it will be difficult to look at other airlines.
Mar 5, 2014, 1:33 pm
#23
Join Date: Sep 2013
Programs: DL PM, 1MM, DL SC, Kimpton Inner Circle
Posts: 2,416
One thing I won't miss, though, is the frequency with which the 757 seatmap can change when you're in Y because of all the differently-configured versions DL flies. Especially because I like to try to get one of those EC 2-seat rows (15 E & D IIRC) and those sometimes disappear if they swap equipment at the last minute.
Mar 5, 2014, 3:12 pm
#24
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 1,508
Mar 5, 2014, 3:21 pm
#25
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 1,508
Because many fliers are unexperienced, and have extreme anxiety about the process. They're afraid they won't be able to find their seat. They're afraid that someone else will be sitting in it. They're hoping for a first class upgrade. Etc, etc. They just want to get in their seat, after weeks or months of stressing. Look around a gate 30 minutes prior to boarding. 80% of the people have a wide-eyed look on their face, clenching their boarding pass in both hands and obsessively checking it and their phone/watch for the time.
If anything a high percentage of people are the elites who would knock their invalid grandmother out of line in order to board first.
Mar 5, 2014, 3:41 pm
#26
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: USA
Posts: 1,400
Dude, where do you fly to? Sure there are some people who freak out, but they're a small minority not 80%. I love how everyone on FT assumes everyone else is a complete idiot who doesn't understand how flying works. Even the most INexperienced flyer out there, understands the general concept of boarding and I highly doubt anyone is stressing for months about boarding a flight (maybe the odd exception here and there for people who are genuinely afraid of flying but have to fly for whatever reason).
If anything a high percentage of people are the elites who would knock their invalid grandmother out of line in order to board first.
If anything a high percentage of people are the elites who would knock their invalid grandmother out of line in order to board first.
What I find inexplicable are the number of SkyPriority flyers who rush to board first on a CRJ-200. Explain that!!
Mar 5, 2014, 5:15 pm
#27
Join Date: May 2013
Location: RMS
Programs: DL Plat, UA Gold, Bonvoy Titanium, Hilton Credit Card Diamond
Posts: 8,826
I usually try to grab seats 1B or 1C on the 200s. These seats have the best legroom on the plane, but I need to board early to have space for my small backpack in the overhead. Last time I flew one the FA shut the first bins on each side of the aircraft to reserve them for bulkhead passengers.
Mar 5, 2014, 5:24 pm
#28
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: SAN
Programs: AA Platinum, Bonvoy Gold, DL Gold
Posts: 1,212
If I was in Y and gate checking I would personally want to be the last person to board. The advantage of boarding early is bin space. This doesn't make sense to me but if it means less bags to compete for space with I'm 100% supportive.
Mar 5, 2014, 5:59 pm
#29
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: USA
Posts: 1,400
I don't consider myself an anxious flyer, but the second part describes me. I'm more of an anxious waiter for anything, not just flying. I try to time it to leave the club and hit the gate as F or Sky is boarding so I don't have to stand or sit around at the gate waiting. For whatever reason, waiting to close the door and take off doesn't seem nearly as bad as waiting in an airport, probably because I know I'm settled into one place for the next x hours.
I usually try to grab seats 1B or 1C on the 200s. These seats have the best legroom on the plane, but I need to board early to have space for my small backpack in the overhead. Last time I flew one the FA shut the first bins on each side of the aircraft to reserve them for bulkhead passengers.
I usually try to grab seats 1B or 1C on the 200s. These seats have the best legroom on the plane, but I need to board early to have space for my small backpack in the overhead. Last time I flew one the FA shut the first bins on each side of the aircraft to reserve them for bulkhead passengers.
Mar 6, 2014, 8:10 am
#30
Join Date: Nov 2012
Programs: Delta DM, SPG Plat, Marriott Plat, IHG Spire
Posts: 1,021
I usually try to grab seats 1B or 1C on the 200s. These seats have the best legroom on the plane, but I need to board early to have space for my small backpack in the overhead. Last time I flew one the FA shut the first bins on each side of the aircraft to reserve them for bulkhead passengers.
Only problem with boarding early in that seat is that you get smacked in the head by the bags of roughly 46 boarding passengers...