Dec 22, 2018, 7:15 pm
New Delta Boarding Process Jan 2019
Dec 11, 2018, 9:41 am
#46
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I don't know why people assume that Delta's goal is to board the plane as quickly as possible. It's clearly not what they're going for.
Dec 11, 2018, 9:43 am
#47
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This will work as long as Delta adds the technology for gate agents to enforce it in their boarding system - have a main cabin ticket and try to board with first class - rejected with a loud beep!
United does this and it's great (the GA can override the message and board the passenger if they're preboarding or traveling with a companion in a higher zone) - send them to the back of the line, and they won't do it again!
United does this and it's great (the GA can override the message and board the passenger if they're preboarding or traveling with a companion in a higher zone) - send them to the back of the line, and they won't do it again!
Dec 11, 2018, 9:59 am
#48
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Yes, and I have acknowledged this fact in the above post. That said, I find it disappointing that Delta seems incapable of finding a balance between boarding time and customer boarding experience (while still giving Delta advertising ammo for their credit cards). At some point extended boarding time is itself a bad customer experience - especially on shorter hauls.
Dec 11, 2018, 10:01 am
#49
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As others have said, this will likely put more stress on the main thing that holds up boarding - the number of people trying to use the aisle space at once. No amount of biometric scans or pillars will help if the line is backed up the jetway.
For non-frequent fliers, the addition of colors in a random order and (to some of them) strange sounding tier names probably makes the boarding process more confusing and stressful, not less. The lack of predictability in ordering for non frequent fliers will probably result in more gate crowding earlier as people don't want to "miss" their zone being called. A simple zone 1-9 or Southwest-like system is a lot easier to predict and lets people sit longer before lining up.
I do suppose this will try to motivate people to buy up (or chase higher status, especially for us FOs...), which is probably more important to Delta than faster, easier boarding. It just feels like a not so benign use of behavioral economics to get fliers more stressed out so they spend more
For non-frequent fliers, the addition of colors in a random order and (to some of them) strange sounding tier names probably makes the boarding process more confusing and stressful, not less. The lack of predictability in ordering for non frequent fliers will probably result in more gate crowding earlier as people don't want to "miss" their zone being called. A simple zone 1-9 or Southwest-like system is a lot easier to predict and lets people sit longer before lining up.
I do suppose this will try to motivate people to buy up (or chase higher status, especially for us FOs...), which is probably more important to Delta than faster, easier boarding. It just feels like a not so benign use of behavioral economics to get fliers more stressed out so they spend more
Last edited by ryw; Dec 11, 2018 at 10:09 am
Dec 11, 2018, 10:04 am
#50
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Changes seem minimal to me. If I'm stuck in Comfort Minus, I just board later, but that also means that there are still the same number of people after me. So, I really see nothing wrong with the change.
When I'm in coach, the goal for me is to board as late as possible, but ensuring that I can put my carry on stuff where it needs to go. If I just have a small back pack, that means I want to be last on.
When I'm in coach, the goal for me is to board as late as possible, but ensuring that I can put my carry on stuff where it needs to go. If I just have a small back pack, that means I want to be last on.
Dec 11, 2018, 10:07 am
#51
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Two other observations. You can see the marketing guys trying to earn their two cents with this new "hue scheme thing" But the color changes don't even make sense. Plum is the highest which does make sense. But if you follow the color changes all of a sudden blue just pops up for comfort plus then red then blue. Even that's not a natural progression. This just in no way speeds anything up. At this point, I'd rather just have a southwest type boarding system. It's chaotic enough at the gate.
Dec 11, 2018, 10:23 am
#52
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They can call these zones anything they like and make them any colour they like like but unless the gate staff enforce the order properly - and that includes telling interlopers to go away until it is their turn AND not adding the groups together - it will make absolutely no difference at all.
How else do you explain planes 1/2 full of PREM/Diamond on a mid-week or Saturday travels? Not all GAs enforce boarding rules.
Dec 11, 2018, 10:27 am
#53
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I'm sure they have had numerous meetings with takeaways that if they make platinums board after C+ people, then the same people will start paying for C+. I'm just not going to be one of them. Do I take advantage of the F buyups from time to time. Sure. You bet. But the C+ product IMO is just not worth paying much more for.
Dec 11, 2018, 10:45 am
#54
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I'm sure they have had numerous meetings with takeaways that if they make platinums board after C+ people, then the same people will start paying for C+. I'm just not going to be one of them. Do I take advantage of the F buyups from time to time. Sure. You bet. But the C+ product IMO is just not worth paying much more for.
We will see...
Dec 11, 2018, 10:56 am
#55
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Sounds like this was cooked up entirely by the marketing group with no grasp on reality or anything else.
Why even bother changing what they have now? The fairly new pillars for the premium/sky-priority/zones seems to work fairly well. Now people have to get used to a whole new changed process, and also get upset because C+ will now be boarding before PM/GM. I think this is only going to make the gate lice issues worse.
Why even bother changing what they have now? The fairly new pillars for the premium/sky-priority/zones seems to work fairly well. Now people have to get used to a whole new changed process, and also get upset because C+ will now be boarding before PM/GM. I think this is only going to make the gate lice issues worse.
Dec 11, 2018, 10:56 am
#56
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Four take-aways:
1) Good luck with the pedantic color-coding. We know how well that’s worked for Homeland Security.
2) Let’s see you find a home for all those fancy new pillars at LAX Gate 30-something. It’s already Wild Kingdom down there!
3) When at first you don’t succeed (in making C+ a real “class” of service), try, try again!
4) Now all those poor, unwaived AX spend DMs who suddenly find themselves in PM (Purgatory Medallion?) hell will experience the full wrath of their vindictive god — Delta the Merciless!
1) Good luck with the pedantic color-coding. We know how well that’s worked for Homeland Security.
2) Let’s see you find a home for all those fancy new pillars at LAX Gate 30-something. It’s already Wild Kingdom down there!
3) When at first you don’t succeed (in making C+ a real “class” of service), try, try again!
4) Now all those poor, unwaived AX spend DMs who suddenly find themselves in PM (Purgatory Medallion?) hell will experience the full wrath of their vindictive god — Delta the Merciless!
Dec 11, 2018, 11:01 am
#58
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I don't see why DM still boards with D1/FC. My only complaint, but then I'm mostly flying out of ATL where the PREM line is 40+ people long for 16 FC seats. I check my bag, I WF so I BF. Obviously this is Delta working on monetizing C+, so I'm not the norm.
Dec 11, 2018, 11:04 am
#59
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I'm sure they have had numerous meetings with takeaways that if they make platinums board after C+ people, then the same people will start paying for C+. I'm just not going to be one of them. Do I take advantage of the F buyups from time to time. Sure. You bet. But the C+ product IMO is just not worth paying much more for.
Dec 11, 2018, 11:07 am
#60
Join Date: Apr 2017
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Apparently Delta doesn't recognize that there are people that have color blindness issues out there. Those colors they are using are truly a terrible choice for anyone that's red/green color blind. (I'm somewhat myself, and find that my biggest problem tends to be distinguishing things like blue and purple or some ugly greens and ugly yellows).