Dec 22, 2018, 7:15 pm
New Delta Boarding Process Jan 2019
Feb 28, 2019, 6:48 pm
#467
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: BNA
Programs: DL GM, HH Diamond
Posts: 1,027
Is the wording "traveling with car seats and strollers" new? This early boarding group numbered about 50 PHX-DTW yesterday but (despite the clear announcement) included many families without car seats, strollers or for that matter children under 5. Another vote for enforcement.
Long story short I am glad they make the car seat and stroller distinction.
Mar 14, 2019, 9:01 am
#468
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AC SE MM, BA Gold, SQ Silver, Bonvoy Tit LTG, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond
Posts: 44,324
SFO-MSP 2556 this morning...
I left the SkyClub a bit late as I only have a laptop bag so had no need for bin space.
When I got to the gate, there was a long Sky Priority line, and they had not yet started boarding Main Cabin.
It appears they told anyone who agreed to gate check that they could board with Sky Priority, and a TON of people obliged.
The result was that I couldn't bypass main cabin, since they had all become eligible for Sky Priority.
Bin space is my usual issue, so I don't really care today, but if I had a larger bag with me, this would have been quite annoying.
I left the SkyClub a bit late as I only have a laptop bag so had no need for bin space.
When I got to the gate, there was a long Sky Priority line, and they had not yet started boarding Main Cabin.
It appears they told anyone who agreed to gate check that they could board with Sky Priority, and a TON of people obliged.
The result was that I couldn't bypass main cabin, since they had all become eligible for Sky Priority.
Bin space is my usual issue, so I don't really care today, but if I had a larger bag with me, this would have been quite annoying.
Mar 14, 2019, 9:43 am
#469
Join Date: Mar 2011
Programs: Delta Skymiles
Posts: 1,982
I like the new boarding order, it rewards customers who pay for premium products.
I do not like that it is much harder to bypass the next boarding group if you want to go after your zone has been called., especially annoying when in 1st class cabin and you have to stand in line behind all the Main Cabin 2 people....
I do not like that it is much harder to bypass the next boarding group if you want to go after your zone has been called., especially annoying when in 1st class cabin and you have to stand in line behind all the Main Cabin 2 people....
Mar 14, 2019, 12:19 pm
#470
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AC SE MM, BA Gold, SQ Silver, Bonvoy Tit LTG, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond
Posts: 44,324
I like the new boarding order, it rewards customers who pay for premium products.
I do not like that it is much harder to bypass the next boarding group if you want to go after your zone has been called., especially annoying when in 1st class cabin and you have to stand in line behind all the Main Cabin 2 people....
I do not like that it is much harder to bypass the next boarding group if you want to go after your zone has been called., especially annoying when in 1st class cabin and you have to stand in line behind all the Main Cabin 2 people....
On my rebooked flight (I've now boarded two DL flights out of SFO today), they called MC1 just after I got in the SP line. But they never opened the other line, so MC1 rushed in behind me.
If I'd come 2 minutes later, I would have been stuck behind everyone.
Mar 14, 2019, 1:10 pm
#471
Join Date: Dec 2018
Posts: 243
I like the new boarding order, it rewards customers who pay for premium products.
I do not like that it is much harder to bypass the next boarding group if you want to go after your zone has been called., especially annoying when in 1st class cabin and you have to stand in line behind all the Main Cabin 2 people....
I do not like that it is much harder to bypass the next boarding group if you want to go after your zone has been called., especially annoying when in 1st class cabin and you have to stand in line behind all the Main Cabin 2 people....
Mar 16, 2019, 10:46 am
#472
Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Central Florida
Programs: Delta 360/DM, Marriott Titanium Lifetime, Avis PP
Posts: 11
I don't stand behind anyone. I'm frequently late and go to the front of the already boarded/empty FC/DM line and the GA always halts boarding to allow me to come up and scan my boarding pass. I especially like when they've started mandatory gate checking bags, see that I'm in F and allow me to continue without checking my bag. Great customer service!
Mar 17, 2019, 6:41 pm
#473
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Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AC SE MM, BA Gold, SQ Silver, Bonvoy Tit LTG, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond
Posts: 44,324
MSP-SFO. They had started MC1 before I arrived. But they hadn't opened the general boarding line, so I basically boarded at the end of MC1, because there was no way to bypass them.
Mar 17, 2019, 9:55 pm
#474
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Vietnam & USA
Programs: Delta PM
Posts: 455
I have a somewhat different take on this.
I just experienced the new boarding process at LAX for the first time last week.
To me it's a total loser because it gives C+ folks nothing they didn't have before, but for the very few PM's who are sitting in the main cabin, it's just annoying.
Also, since they started this, NO ONE mentions my name or thanks me for being a PM.
I just experienced the new boarding process at LAX for the first time last week.
To me it's a total loser because it gives C+ folks nothing they didn't have before, but for the very few PM's who are sitting in the main cabin, it's just annoying.
Also, since they started this, NO ONE mentions my name or thanks me for being a PM.
Mar 18, 2019, 7:12 am
#475
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: NYC
Programs: Delta Gold, Marriott Platinum, Former Amtrak Select, Former Hilton Gold
Posts: 422
I have a somewhat different take on this.
I just experienced the new boarding process at LAX for the first time last week.
To me it's a total loser because it gives C+ folks nothing they didn't have before, but for the very few PM's who are sitting in the main cabin, it's just annoying.
Also, since they started this, NO ONE mentions my name or thanks me for being a PM.
I just experienced the new boarding process at LAX for the first time last week.
To me it's a total loser because it gives C+ folks nothing they didn't have before, but for the very few PM's who are sitting in the main cabin, it's just annoying.
Also, since they started this, NO ONE mentions my name or thanks me for being a PM.
What exactly is annoying about boarding after 15-20 people instead of with 15-20 people, unless your intention is to steal dedicated overhead space? No one in this thread has been able to articulate this.
Mar 19, 2019, 6:09 am
#476
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 112
The bolded is incorrect. As someone who sometimes pays for C+ this lets me have the dedicated overhead space I'm entitled to which previously was full from GM+ sitting in the back of the plane.
What exactly is annoying about boarding after 15-20 people instead of with 15-20 people, unless your intention is to steal dedicated overhead space? No one in this thread has been able to articulate this.
What exactly is annoying about boarding after 15-20 people instead of with 15-20 people, unless your intention is to steal dedicated overhead space? No one in this thread has been able to articulate this.
They also need to install more pillars at more gates. Flew through ATL last week, I can't believe the GAs let the congestion completely block the terminal aisle. Pedestrian traffic was single file and weaving through people standing right in the middle of the aisle. It looked like absolutely everyone got out of their seats to form rings around the jetway door that was impossible to get to when your Zone was called. Boarding took forever.
Mar 19, 2019, 2:54 pm
#477
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: SFO/TPA
Programs: DL PM
Posts: 199
Delta says, “As a result, Delta will increase the number of boarding groups to encourage fewer customers to line up in the gate area at any one time.”
I routinely fly SFO-TPA-SFO, usually through ATL, sometimes MSP/DTW. Have done SFO-MSP-TPA- and TPA-ATL-SFO since the new boarding process began and at no point did I see the slightest difference in the number of people lining up at the gate. I’m fine with this change, but if the point of it was to decrease the numbers of people lining up at the gate, it’s not working in any obvious way, at least in my small sample. And why would it? Why would boarding C+ before the rest of SKY and changing the nomenclature from zones to colors few people can actually see on their bp make any difference? The pillars work best, as long as there is room for them and PREM or whatever they’re calling it now isn’t marooned smack dab in the middle of a crowded little space with all the strollers in everyone's way.
I routinely fly SFO-TPA-SFO, usually through ATL, sometimes MSP/DTW. Have done SFO-MSP-TPA- and TPA-ATL-SFO since the new boarding process began and at no point did I see the slightest difference in the number of people lining up at the gate. I’m fine with this change, but if the point of it was to decrease the numbers of people lining up at the gate, it’s not working in any obvious way, at least in my small sample. And why would it? Why would boarding C+ before the rest of SKY and changing the nomenclature from zones to colors few people can actually see on their bp make any difference? The pillars work best, as long as there is room for them and PREM or whatever they’re calling it now isn’t marooned smack dab in the middle of a crowded little space with all the strollers in everyone's way.
Apr 8, 2019, 1:15 pm
#478
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: CT
Programs: DL DM 2MM, MR LTT, Hilton D, Hertz PC. National Emerald Exec, UA Silver(thanks to Marriott)
Posts: 2,026
Nice to see the GA actually enforcing the new boarding process this morning in LGA. A family of six with a stroller was hovering at the gate when pre-boarding started. The GA told them "babies and strollers board after first" and had them move out of the way.
Apr 10, 2019, 7:03 am
#479
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: DL DM 2MM, Marriott LT Titanium, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 15,193
So is a part of this that if you have F on one segment and C+ on another, you don't get F boarding priority for the whole trip like you used to?
Apr 10, 2019, 7:37 am
#480
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: MCO
Programs: DL PM, UA Silver, Marriott Titanium, Hertz Presidents Circle
Posts: 4,310
That was never the case. If you only had FC on one segment and weren’t already a PM/GM or in C+, you would get Sky on your Y flight and I assume that this is still the case with the new boarding process.