New Delta Boarding Process Jan 2019
#16
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: New York, NY
Programs: BAEC Gold, Delta Platinum, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold, AMEX Platinum (US)
Posts: 18,487
Maybe I don't fly Delta enough to understand why this might be an improvement but to put C+ above Sky Priority seems madness.
I fly AA as my primary carrier within the US and given their changing up of the boarding process several times in recent years it seems the number system is the easiest to understand. Joe Blow who bought their fare on Orbitz because they saved $5 over Delta's website doesnt' know what a Premium Select or Sky Priority is. But unless they're borderline illiterate they can understand that Zone 6 comes after Zone 5...
I fly AA as my primary carrier within the US and given their changing up of the boarding process several times in recent years it seems the number system is the easiest to understand. Joe Blow who bought their fare on Orbitz because they saved $5 over Delta's website doesnt' know what a Premium Select or Sky Priority is. But unless they're borderline illiterate they can understand that Zone 6 comes after Zone 5...
#18
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: PHX, SEA
Programs: Avis President's Club, Global Entry, Hilton/Marriott Gold. No more DL/AA status.
Posts: 4,422
It doesn't make a lot of sense to me.
D1 is above Diamond, but FC is not.
C+ is above SkyPri instead of mixed in
Edit: My point in these two points is that with C+ Delta is prioritizing the class of service purchased over elite status, but not domestic FC.
And at the end of the day, they had the chance to go to a straightforward numbering system like AA, but threw in a ton of words and more zones which means the pillars are going to get more confusing or disappear (and I like the pillars). Using a bunch of words leads to confusion in international departures, and leaves leeway for "confused" people "accidentally" jumping their zone.
D1 is above Diamond, but FC is not.
C+ is above SkyPri instead of mixed in
Edit: My point in these two points is that with C+ Delta is prioritizing the class of service purchased over elite status, but not domestic FC.
And at the end of the day, they had the chance to go to a straightforward numbering system like AA, but threw in a ton of words and more zones which means the pillars are going to get more confusing or disappear (and I like the pillars). Using a bunch of words leads to confusion in international departures, and leaves leeway for "confused" people "accidentally" jumping their zone.
#19
Join Date: Feb 2017
Programs: DL DM, UA Gold, Alaska MVP, Bonvoy (lol) Ambassador
Posts: 2,994
It will never be used by an airline like Delta but something like the flying carpet is empirically faster than even random boarding (although not by that much).
#20
Join Date: Sep 2013
Programs: DL PM, 1MM, DL SC, Kimpton Inner Circle
Posts: 2,416
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.
#21
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2001
Programs: DL 1 million, AA 1 mil, HH lapsed Diamond, Marriott Plat
Posts: 28,190
One can argue that boarding efficiency isn't Delta's only decision criterion. They want to make people feel special - and to encourage their buy-ups to First and Comfort+ so they can feel special. Look at all the posts across FT where air carriers and hotels fail to meet certain customers' expectations for feeling special enough.
#22
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Blue Ridge, GA
Posts: 5,512
Don't forget early calls for "all active duty and retired military" - which no one checks.
Biometric boarding is the only long-range remedy.
#23
Join Date: Sep 2013
Programs: DL PM, 1MM, DL SC, Kimpton Inner Circle
Posts: 2,416
#24
Join Date: Feb 2017
Programs: DL DM, UA Gold, Alaska MVP, Bonvoy (lol) Ambassador
Posts: 2,994
I would like to see the data for that.
One can argue that boarding efficiency isn't Delta's only decision criterion. They want to make people feel special - and to encourage their buy-ups to First and Comfort+ so they can feel special. Look at all the posts across FT where air carriers and hotels fail to meet certain customers' expectations for feeling special enough.
One can argue that boarding efficiency isn't Delta's only decision criterion. They want to make people feel special - and to encourage their buy-ups to First and Comfort+ so they can feel special. Look at all the posts across FT where air carriers and hotels fail to meet certain customers' expectations for feeling special enough.
In terms of the data - I don't have the specifics, but based on how the US majors board, they are certainly the slowest. Southwest will be fast, both American and United mix their groups more (Elites + other groups simultaneously + not boarding C+ inherently after First), and United uses WILMA after elites board (which, while not perfect, is faster than Delta's fare-class based approach). Delta also has the longest scheduled block for boarding on their planes as well (40-55 minutes) which is reflective of the slow boarding process.
#25
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 23,057
It doesn't make a lot of sense to me.
D1 is above Diamond, but FC is not.
C+ is above SkyPri instead of mixed in
Edit: My point in these two points is that with C+ Delta is prioritizing the class of service purchased over elite status, but not domestic FC.
And at the end of the day, they had the chance to go to a straightforward numbering system like AA, but threw in a ton of words and more zones which means the pillars are going to get more confusing or disappear (and I like the pillars). Using a bunch of words leads to confusion in international departures, and leaves leeway for "confused" people "accidentally" jumping their zone.
D1 is above Diamond, but FC is not.
C+ is above SkyPri instead of mixed in
Edit: My point in these two points is that with C+ Delta is prioritizing the class of service purchased over elite status, but not domestic FC.
And at the end of the day, they had the chance to go to a straightforward numbering system like AA, but threw in a ton of words and more zones which means the pillars are going to get more confusing or disappear (and I like the pillars). Using a bunch of words leads to confusion in international departures, and leaves leeway for "confused" people "accidentally" jumping their zone.
#26
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: PHX, SEA
Programs: Avis President's Club, Global Entry, Hilton/Marriott Gold. No more DL/AA status.
Posts: 4,422
The diagram also has numbers. I wish they'd just use those.
#27
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Atlanta, GA
Programs: Airline free agent; Starwood Platinum; Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 286
I hope they are not planning to get rid of the lanes where passengers can line up ahead of time. That seems to speed things up quite a bit. But, at most airports, things are already pretty cramped so I don't know where they plan to add the additional queue.
#28
Join Date: Oct 2005
Programs: NW GE
Posts: 605
This clearly benefits non-status flyers who have purchased C+, and probably will incentivize more C+ upsells (I know if a non-status friend or family member were flying for a reason they wanted to make sure their roller bag stayed with them, I'd highly encourage buying up to C+).
I also wonder about doing away with numeric zones in the international sphere where non-English speakers may be very confused by "Comfort+", SkyPriority etc rather than a much more simple 1,2,3
Too bad they didn't just go to a strictly numeric system that they could modify however they want down the road. To me this would make the most sense:
Preboard (people with wheelchair attendant and ONE family member only, not announced overhead but instead discreetly done at gate since they wheelchair attendants are there anyway, but this is a whole separate issue)
Parents (max 2)+ children WITH STROLLERS
Military (active duty, in uniform)
1- D1/FC
2- DM
3- C+
4- PM/GM
5- SM/Amex
6,7,8 - Main Cabin
9 - BE
Also, it seems one of the worst contributors to gate lice and congestion are the extended announcements and prolonged preboarding process. So often the scripted announcements are mumbled in to a low quality overhead paging system which half the gate area can't hear so everyone stands up to see what's happening.
I also wonder about doing away with numeric zones in the international sphere where non-English speakers may be very confused by "Comfort+", SkyPriority etc rather than a much more simple 1,2,3
Too bad they didn't just go to a strictly numeric system that they could modify however they want down the road. To me this would make the most sense:
Preboard (people with wheelchair attendant and ONE family member only, not announced overhead but instead discreetly done at gate since they wheelchair attendants are there anyway, but this is a whole separate issue)
Parents (max 2)+ children WITH STROLLERS
Military (active duty, in uniform)
1- D1/FC
2- DM
3- C+
4- PM/GM
5- SM/Amex
6,7,8 - Main Cabin
9 - BE
Also, it seems one of the worst contributors to gate lice and congestion are the extended announcements and prolonged preboarding process. So often the scripted announcements are mumbled in to a low quality overhead paging system which half the gate area can't hear so everyone stands up to see what's happening.
#29
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Northern Calif./Eastern Ida.
Programs: Amethyst Premier Plutonium Medallion
Posts: 20,642
This new process looks like a complete joke to me. A different shade of "poo". All that DL is trying to do here is marketing and upselling -- buy a more expensive ticket, board sooner (plus all these other sweet perks! ). And clearly again demonstrating that if you aren't DM, you're dirt.
Last edited by PV_Premier; Dec 11, 2018 at 9:03 am
#30
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 23,057
The problem is that the DL Amex cardholders have been told the following for many years --
"Card Members are entitled to receive Zone 1 Priority Boarding on Delta flights"
Main Cabin 1 at least still has a 1 in it, whereas Zone 5 would almost certainly cause confusion.
"Card Members are entitled to receive Zone 1 Priority Boarding on Delta flights"
Main Cabin 1 at least still has a 1 in it, whereas Zone 5 would almost certainly cause confusion.