Dec 22, 2018, 7:15 pm
New Delta Boarding Process Jan 2019
Dec 12, 2018, 9:38 am
#166
Join Date: Feb 2017
Programs: DL DM, UA Gold, Alaska MVP, Bonvoy (lol) Ambassador
Posts: 2,994
Quick question: What's the definition of "gate lice" in the context of pillars? I usually get to the gate up to 5-7 minutes before boarding (sometimes later if security is a mess, but never earlier). It's kind of pointless to sit down for 5 minutes, so I dutifully stand in my lane before boarding (which is Premium, which I guess is in front of the gate). Does that make me a louse? There's really not enough seats in the concourse areas for everyone to sit down, so I'm curious as to what one is expected to do in this scenario. Only arrive after boarding has started?
Dec 12, 2018, 9:48 am
#167
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
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As a CX purser once told me when I asked to speak to the purser, purple is the color of royalty and therefore the uniform color of the "highest" cabin crew on board.
I guess this will cause some DMs to expect to be treated like royalty.
I guess this will cause some DMs to expect to be treated like royalty.
Dec 12, 2018, 9:49 am
#168
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Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Northern Calif./Eastern Ida.
Programs: Amethyst Premier Plutonium Medallion
Posts: 20,643
Quick question: What's the definition of "gate lice" in the context of pillars? I usually get to the gate up to 5-7 minutes before boarding (sometimes later if security is a mess, but never earlier). It's kind of pointless to sit down for 5 minutes, so I dutifully stand in my lane before boarding (which is Premium, which I guess is in front of the gate). Does that make me a louse? There's really not enough seats in the concourse areas for everyone to sit down, so I'm curious as to what one is expected to do in this scenario. Only arrive after boarding has started?
To me, a gate louse is someone who is somewhere they shouldn't be, when they shouldn't be there, blocking the ease of access to the gate for others who need to get to (or from) it. A zone 3 person standing dutifully in front of the gate area when premium is being boarded is a clear example of lousing -- thus blocking access of not just premium but also SP, Z1, Z2, to the gate when they are called.
However, someone from the premium zone standing in the sky priority lane with their 17 wheeled carryons 30 minutes before boarding is to start, and thus blocking deplaning passengers from the inbound flight, or the outbound crew/wheelchair passengers/families with strollers, is also a louse.
The biggest problem with lousing is herd mentality. Give someone a line to stand in, they'll stand in it. See a few people stand up to wait for boarding to start, everyone does it. What DL and the other airlines really need to work on is not how they segment the boarding process, but rather how they can better incentivize people to stay seated or at least standing out of the way until they are entitled to board.
Dec 12, 2018, 9:55 am
#169
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Back in Reds Country (DAY/CVG). Previously: SEA & SAT.
Programs: DL PM 1MM, AA PLAT, UA Silver, Marriott Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 10,355
I definitely do not feel bad for the "elite" frequent flyers.
I am fortunate to have a relatively normal job and am blessed to be able to travel in premium cabins with my family on the few vacations I get. It's disturbing to me how often people look shocked when we all sit down in first class section - usually because they think we are in the wrong place.
Note to all you angry "elite" flyers - chill out. It's not your plane and not your company. I know it sucks to wait a while to board a plane, but you'll just have to get used to it. The whole concept of rewarding people with "status" for flying coach all the time is silly. It actually goes to people's head and makes them crazy. If i fly a few times a year and am able to afford first, business, or even comfort plus, then tough luck. I pay more money than you so I get to board before you with your silly little medallion card.
Referring to other travellers as "gate lice" sums up how out of touch all of you are. We are all consumers of the same product. Those that pay more get treated better - bottom line.
Take your medallion status and shove it you know where.
I am fortunate to have a relatively normal job and am blessed to be able to travel in premium cabins with my family on the few vacations I get. It's disturbing to me how often people look shocked when we all sit down in first class section - usually because they think we are in the wrong place.
Note to all you angry "elite" flyers - chill out. It's not your plane and not your company. I know it sucks to wait a while to board a plane, but you'll just have to get used to it. The whole concept of rewarding people with "status" for flying coach all the time is silly. It actually goes to people's head and makes them crazy. If i fly a few times a year and am able to afford first, business, or even comfort plus, then tough luck. I pay more money than you so I get to board before you with your silly little medallion card.
Referring to other travellers as "gate lice" sums up how out of touch all of you are. We are all consumers of the same product. Those that pay more get treated better - bottom line.
Take your medallion status and shove it you know where.
It's obvious that you don't understand that you aren't just appealing to the one who writes the check; you're also appealing to the decision maker, and those two may not be the same person. Some companies may have contracts with an airline or more strict travel policies to go with a cheapest or quickest option or what not, but others give their employees flexibility - that flexibility comes in decision power.
Dec 12, 2018, 10:08 am
#170
Join Date: Mar 2015
Programs: DL-PM
Posts: 266
If it is anything like AA's process in my experience Main Cabin 1-3 will be maybe a handful of people, while the bulk of everyone will be in with or before Sky Priority, with the bulk of Y boarding in the Basic Zone. I'm not sure of the exact statistic but I thought I had read somewhere that Basic was 50-60% of tickets sold (though I could be confusing carriers).
Dec 12, 2018, 10:18 am
#171
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A couple years ago, almost all of my post flight email surveys focused on GA announcements and the boarding process. Since I try to time things to arrive at the gate (from the lounge) just as DM is being called to board, I would never know how preboards, announcement, and lower groups/zones were handled. More recently, I seem to get questions about the GA only if the flight is delayed.
Dec 12, 2018, 10:19 am
#172
Join Date: Feb 2017
Programs: DL DM, UA Gold, Alaska MVP, Bonvoy (lol) Ambassador
Posts: 2,994
A couple years ago, almost all of my post flight email surveys focused on GA announcements and the boarding process. Since I try to time things to arrive at the gate (from the lounge) just as DM is being called to board, I would never know how preboards, announcement, and lower groups/zones were handled. More recently, I seem to get questions about the GA only if the flight is delayed.
Dec 12, 2018, 10:19 am
#173
Join Date: May 2011
Location: NYC (LGA, JFK), CT
Programs: Delta Platinum, American Gold, JetBlue Mosaic 4, Marriott Platinum, Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond,
Posts: 4,895
If it is anything like AA's process in my experience Main Cabin 1-3 will be maybe a handful of people, while the bulk of everyone will be in with or before Sky Priority, with the bulk of Y boarding in the Basic Zone. I'm not sure of the exact statistic but I thought I had read somewhere that Basic was 50-60% of tickets sold (though I could be confusing carriers).
Dec 12, 2018, 10:21 am
#174
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Join Date: Sep 2009
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Delta definitely is trying to motivate people to spend $ to get into higher boarding tier. But I also see the move as potentially alienating Platinum members. Unless you manage to get upgraded to C+ for free, It's going to sting having to watch big swaths of passengers board ahead of you.
I'm not a frequent flyer, but had premier access on United through the club credit card. It was wonderful with free bags, priority boarding etc. i boarded at the front of the line every time. Platinum medallion on Delta is extremely tough to reach by comparison requiring serious flying and $. You can't reasonably cheat your way to Plat with credit cards either. I would be extremely disappointed if I were a loyal Delta Platinum and had to standat the back of the line.
My point is, I would see these changes as a significant disincentive to chasing status on DL.
I'm not a frequent flyer, but had premier access on United through the club credit card. It was wonderful with free bags, priority boarding etc. i boarded at the front of the line every time. Platinum medallion on Delta is extremely tough to reach by comparison requiring serious flying and $. You can't reasonably cheat your way to Plat with credit cards either. I would be extremely disappointed if I were a loyal Delta Platinum and had to standat the back of the line.
My point is, I would see these changes as a significant disincentive to chasing status on DL.
You can get DL DM with "just" $250,000 spend on four DL AmEx cards. PM is much easier and can be done with a combination of cheap fares and $25,000 spend on one card.
Dec 12, 2018, 10:25 am
#175
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 1,508
The biggest issue with named boarding groups/zones is that the overwhelming majority of PAX do not know what the ordering is supposed to be. So when boarding starts they are just going to crowd around the gate. The boarding groups/zones need to be SIMPLE. A,B,C,D,E, etc, or 1,2,3,4,5, etc. This new process is just a waste of time and money.
Also, if there are 10 or 20 Comfort Plus passengers with no status boarding ahead of me.....MEH. There's really no material difference if I'm #38 boarding or #58 for a flight with 150 passengers. As long as I'm in the top 1/2, there will be overhead bin space. And that's really all that matters. The rest is just silly status games.
Last edited by KoKoBuddy; Dec 12, 2018 at 10:37 am
Dec 12, 2018, 10:31 am
#176
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: DAY
Programs: Rapid Rewards, Skymiles, Hilton HHonors, SPG/Marriott Rewards
Posts: 4,949
Dec 12, 2018, 10:33 am
#177
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: DAY
Programs: Rapid Rewards, Skymiles, Hilton HHonors, SPG/Marriott Rewards
Posts: 4,949
I think the airlines should just board people based on price paid, starting with the highest priced ticket. They could line them up at the gate using the value printed on the passengers’ boarding passes. The overhead monitors could count down the dollar amounts like a game show, appealing to the young hip gamers that marketers seem to covet these days. Connecting on a $17,000 ticket to SYD in D1, step to the front! El cheapo ticket purchased from your cousin’s home based travel agency, you have time to visit the rest room and still wait to board.
* mileage award tickets could be assigned the value of one cent per mile, allowing all FT know-it-all’s to proclaim once and for all that DL really did always intend to value miles at one cent a piece.
* mileage award tickets could be assigned the value of one cent per mile, allowing all FT know-it-all’s to proclaim once and for all that DL really did always intend to value miles at one cent a piece.
Dec 12, 2018, 11:02 am
#178
Join Date: Mar 2015
Programs: DL-PM
Posts: 266
Honestly the way Northwest did it was pretty solid for the most part. Elites then everyone else. Boarding isn't a huge big deal to me, but all these concocted orders really make no sense at all, but it doesn't surprise me knowing how brand consious Delta is... Southwest's makes the most sense to me, boarding is always quick and easy, and never have run into issues with line jumpers etc...
Dec 12, 2018, 11:21 am
#179
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Northern New Mexico
Programs: Delta, United Airlines, Alaska Airlines
Posts: 3
Cabin space versus Overhead Bins
On more then one occasion I have witnessed main cabin passengers putting their carry-on into the First Class overhead bins in order to expedite their exit on landing. I wouldn't be offended by Delta's new boarding policy if it would eliminate those abusing overhead bin privileges. Most all of my travel is long distance (more then six hours), my physical stature is such that cabin class seats are a safety issue for me and not conducive to work in between destinations. All airlines have gone out of their way to devalue air miles so attaining status is questionable for a lot of folks BUT for Delta to force those with status to board later tarnishes its reputation. Some ideas may look good on paper . . .
Dec 12, 2018, 11:49 am
#180
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: SEA, SFO, PRG
Programs: UA 1k, Delta Gold
Posts: 77
I completely understand people work on the road. But the inherent problem is that road warriors feel a sense of entitlement as if it's their plane and everyone else be damned.
Frequent business travelers comprise 15-20% of airline passenger loads. They need to recognize they are in the minority and will have to deal with a lot of nonsense and inefficiencies caused by my fellow leisure travelers.
As many have commented above, the business traveler is extremely lucrative to airlines (often 50 - 75% of revenue per flight) due to refundable tickets etc. But let's just get this over with - those prices you pay are covered in full by your company. So unless you are an owner, don't come on this forum and wave your expensive refundable ticket price as a badge of honor. Your company is paying for the cost of your travel but you expect the airline to shower you personally in status and ridiculous perks.
I drive 1 hour each way to work every day. I understand that saving a few minutes each way can save several days of time with my family per year. It is frustrating to sit in traffic or construction etc, but that's my choice. Living in a nicer town further from work is my choice just as traveling for work is all of yours. If I had to take a bus every day, it would be annoying to stop everywhere and wait for people to board, but that would be my choice. Understand that traveling on a public mode of transport is not a part of your "workflow". It's your choice of career and you will have to deal with me, the "gate lice" and the majority of other passengers on the plane not there to cater to your "workflow"
If your job and time are so damn important, fly private.
Frequent business travelers comprise 15-20% of airline passenger loads. They need to recognize they are in the minority and will have to deal with a lot of nonsense and inefficiencies caused by my fellow leisure travelers.
As many have commented above, the business traveler is extremely lucrative to airlines (often 50 - 75% of revenue per flight) due to refundable tickets etc. But let's just get this over with - those prices you pay are covered in full by your company. So unless you are an owner, don't come on this forum and wave your expensive refundable ticket price as a badge of honor. Your company is paying for the cost of your travel but you expect the airline to shower you personally in status and ridiculous perks.
I drive 1 hour each way to work every day. I understand that saving a few minutes each way can save several days of time with my family per year. It is frustrating to sit in traffic or construction etc, but that's my choice. Living in a nicer town further from work is my choice just as traveling for work is all of yours. If I had to take a bus every day, it would be annoying to stop everywhere and wait for people to board, but that would be my choice. Understand that traveling on a public mode of transport is not a part of your "workflow". It's your choice of career and you will have to deal with me, the "gate lice" and the majority of other passengers on the plane not there to cater to your "workflow"
If your job and time are so damn important, fly private.
You also manage to contradict yourself, either FF bring 75% of the revenue or they are not important and have to deal with BS. And of course, your solution for elitist frequent fliers is "just don't be poor" or "just get a better job", the irony is palpable.