Deadhead crew boarding as pre-boards?

Old Nov 27, 2017, 1:39 pm
  #16  
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Do they actually check with you/about your aliment when you request preboarding? Honestly this would be a great way for me to get on sooner, and all I would have to do is fake an aliment.
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Old Nov 27, 2017, 2:32 pm
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Originally Posted by DCP2016
Do they actually check with you/about your aliment when you request preboarding? Honestly this would be a great way for me to get on sooner, and all I would have to do is fake an aliment.
I thought, but am not sure, that they were not allowed to ask you about your condition. Typical government overreach being what it is...
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Old Nov 27, 2017, 2:35 pm
  #18  
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Originally Posted by GeorgeBurdell
ATL-JFK FL 202 today.
A half-dozen deadheading flight attendants board with the pre-boards. They even cut in front of a wheelchair pax. As if this didn't look bad enough, the gate agent gave an older man trying to board behind them the third degree about whether he was qualified to pre-board.

I can't think of any reason uniformed employees should board before their zone.
Cutting in line or more generally being rude to customers and others reflects badly on the uniformed employee and especially their employer.

I'm sure some employees will be along here soon to state that employees are entitled to preboard and are also entitled to bring more luggage than even the most elite passenger. However, I think it's wrong when they use preboarding as a means to hog overhead bin space in FC exit or bulkhead rows when the employees' assigned seats are elsewhere.

Finally, AFAIK airline employees are only permitted to ask whether a passenger has a handicap, which can be temporary or permanent. They are not permitted, according to the ACCA, to question the passenger about the handicap, ask about the nature of the handicap, etc. except to inquire about what accommodations are needed. They can also question whether a passenger is fit to fly, needs to get a medical certificate, or requires a companion or an attendant, etc.
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Old Nov 27, 2017, 2:41 pm
  #19  
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Originally Posted by kb9522
I thought, but am not sure, that they were not allowed to ask you about your condition. Typical government overreach being what it is...
Yeah it sounds like a lawsuit waiting to happen, especially in today's world.
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Old Nov 27, 2017, 2:54 pm
  #20  
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Originally Posted by pvn
OP, there's already a thread where this should have been posted

Hall of Rants: Whats the Most Random and Pathetic Thing You Can Complain About?

crew members preboarding??? HEAVENS TO BETSY!
I completely agree. This is one of the most absurd and petty complaints Ive ever heard on FT, which is a very low bar.
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Old Nov 27, 2017, 2:54 pm
  #21  
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Originally Posted by MSPeconomist
Cutting in line or more generally being rude to customers and others reflects badly on the uniformed employee and especially their employer.
Sure. But cutting in line is a different issue than pre-boarding.
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Old Nov 27, 2017, 3:16 pm
  #22  
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Originally Posted by pvn
Sure. But cutting in line is a different issue than pre-boarding.
My beef is with the line-cutting. I see it happen often with airline employees (across airlines and across lines, i.e. TSA, Starbucks, boarding, etc).
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Old Nov 27, 2017, 3:19 pm
  #23  
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wait wut?

Airline employees have their own TSA line at most airports, don't they? I've never even noticed uniformed crew in a TSA line.

I've never seen anyone cut in line at starbucks, in or out of an airport, in uniform or otherwise.
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Old Nov 27, 2017, 3:38 pm
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I have no problem with the crew pre-boarding, but they should not be able to cut the line, especially the Sky Priority line. That's just bad form.
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Old Nov 27, 2017, 3:41 pm
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Originally Posted by iflyalexair
I don't see how this could even remotely offend you. Airline crew often work 3-4 day (or longer) trips during which they have to have clothes to wear in their crew bags. What would happen if crew boarded last, had to gate check their bags, and then the bags were lost? This would be incredibly disruptive for the remaining portion of their trip.
Because this never happens to regular passengers...
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Old Nov 27, 2017, 3:44 pm
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Originally Posted by kb9522
I've also seen a large number of crew members, deadheading or otherwise, bringing massively oversized bags on... In particular, I tend to notice when my jacket gets crushed when they try to ram their giant suitcases into the closet. There is absolutely no reason they can't gate check and have their bags brought out to the jetway after everyone deplanes (except for maybe unions ).
Hi there. About oversized luggage. FAs are required to use company approved luggage. Though in some cases, on especially long trips, its a larger bag or an extra piece of luggage. At NWA, we had trips up to 12-13 days long. FAs and their luggage travel together. There is no time to check their bags. Its a simple matter of possibly getting separated from their luggage. Delta FAs are not unionized. This is strictly company policy.

A couple of other things mentioned in the thread. cutting in line. It doesnt look right for a group of uniformed employees waiting at the head of the line in front of passengers. When boarding begins, they are to get on as soon as possible. In the old days, we used to get on board before regular boarding commenced. Thats no longer allowed. That does not mean that they cant be polite when moving in line to board. The other, youre right, bringing shopping bags on board. Thats not supposed to happen. If the items dont fit in the luggage, dont buy it or ship it home.

Safe Flying

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Old Nov 27, 2017, 3:46 pm
  #27  
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Originally Posted by pvn
crew members preboarding??? HEAVENS TO BETSY!
^ ^
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Old Nov 27, 2017, 3:47 pm
  #28  
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Originally Posted by pvn
wait wut?

Airline employees have their own TSA line at most airports, don't they? I've never even noticed uniformed crew in a TSA line.

I've never seen anyone cut in line at starbucks, in or out of an airport, in uniform or otherwise.
Depends on the airport. Ive routinely been behind crew at SEA (particularly Asian carrier crew for Korean Air, Hainan, and Asiana) and have often had TSA pull them up in front of me in the line.
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Old Nov 27, 2017, 5:08 pm
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Originally Posted by ATOBTTR
Depends on the airport. Ive routinely been behind crew at SEA (particularly Asian carrier crew for Korean Air, Hainan, and Asiana) and have often had TSA pull them up in front of me in the line.
The Known Crewmember checkpoints at SEA are separate from the passenger screening but non-US crews wouldn't be able to use them and would have to go through with the passengers.
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Old Nov 27, 2017, 5:21 pm
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Originally Posted by NWAFA
Hi there. About oversized luggage. FAs are required to use company approved luggage. Though in some cases, on especially long trips, it’s a larger bag or an extra piece of luggage. At NWA, we had trips up to 12-13 days long. FAs and their luggage travel together. There is no time to check their bags. It’s a simple matter of possibly getting separated from their luggage. Delta FAs are not unionized. This is strictly company policy.

A couple of other things mentioned in the thread. “cutting” in line. It doesn’t look right for a group of uniformed employees waiting at the head of the line in front of passengers. When boarding begins, they are to get on as soon as possible. In the old days, we used to get on board before regular boarding commenced. That’s no longer allowed. That does not mean that they can’t be polite when moving in line to board. The other, you’re right, bringing shopping bags on board. That’s not supposed to happen. If the items don’t fit in the luggage, don’t buy it or ship it home.

Safe Flying

NWA FA
Thanks for the clarification.

To be sure though, you're saying it takes too much time for them to leave their luggage in the jetway as they board, as opposed to boarding with them and then forcibly stowing them in whatever space they can find?

And why are passengers not afforded the luxury of not being separated from their luggage? Unlike the FAs who cost money to be on the flight, passengers pay money to be there... Or does the carrier have such little faith in their ground ops that they can't be trusted with a very small number of valet checks**? To me the latter speaks to an even larger issue.

** Sorry, when I said gate check in my previous post, I really meant valet check.
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