New ATL boarding process Thursday
Mar 2, 2020, 5:36 pm
#46
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If only the WN PAX would check their bags instead of carrying them on. Boarding is delayed because most PAX will not obey the FA's instructions to select a seat and stand in front of it to keep the aisles clear. WN gets checked luggage to the baggage claim carousels quickly, and most PAX want a bathroom break upon deplaning anyhow. In the unlikely event that a bag isn't on the carousel when you arrive in baggage claim (~0.3%), WN will have it delivered free.
The chances of a bag being lost and gone forever are minuscule with the barcoded tags currently in use. The freedom of not having to wrangle a spinner through the concourse, jetway, and airplane aisle seriously reduces stress. Leaving a laptop or paperback in the airport bar/restaurant is less likely. A soft laptop case with only the essentials: laptop/tablet, meds, glasses, and a ziplock of one change of clothes (a water bottle on a carabiner attached to the handle) makes for stress-free travel.
Naysayers should try it once before insisting that they "save so much time not having to go through baggage claim".
The chances of a bag being lost and gone forever are minuscule with the barcoded tags currently in use. The freedom of not having to wrangle a spinner through the concourse, jetway, and airplane aisle seriously reduces stress. Leaving a laptop or paperback in the airport bar/restaurant is less likely. A soft laptop case with only the essentials: laptop/tablet, meds, glasses, and a ziplock of one change of clothes (a water bottle on a carabiner attached to the handle) makes for stress-free travel.
Naysayers should try it once before insisting that they "save so much time not having to go through baggage claim".
Mar 2, 2020, 7:10 pm
#47
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I was sitting in 13E ATL-DCA last week on the A321. That the seat in C+ in the exit row next to the FA jump seat. I had a great conversation with the FA about boarding. She showed me how the FA’s now use an app to communicate with the GA during boarding and let them know when the overhead bins are full. I thought it was an interesting tool.
She also told me the boarding mess is a direct result of what medallions and high value travelers have repeatedly said in surveys, they want to board first. I tend to agree with her. She asked me if I recalled surveys about boarding 2-3 years ago, and I do. She said DL did a big study and Medallions overwhelmingly want to be first, regardless of seat.
She also told me the boarding mess is a direct result of what medallions and high value travelers have repeatedly said in surveys, they want to board first. I tend to agree with her. She asked me if I recalled surveys about boarding 2-3 years ago, and I do. She said DL did a big study and Medallions overwhelmingly want to be first, regardless of seat.
The GAs also have an "estimator" on their computers. I got to the gate towards the end of boarding, as I am apt to do, and the GA tried to check my bag. I asked if the FAs had sent him a message and he said no, but the estimator told him bins were full. He was very nice and agreed to let me try to find space (and run back up the jetbridge if there wasn't any). I asked the FAs at the door, and sure enough there was plenty of bin space on board.
Mar 3, 2020, 8:15 am
#48
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Mar 3, 2020, 9:24 am
#49
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Maybe Delta doesn’t really care about boarding in 30
minutes vs 40 under most circumstances.
For most planes, it doesn’t change their utilization significantly and probably doesn’t change their labor costs either since the GA and ramp crew are the only ones being paid an hourly rate during loading and unloading.
minutes vs 40 under most circumstances.
For most planes, it doesn’t change their utilization significantly and probably doesn’t change their labor costs either since the GA and ramp crew are the only ones being paid an hourly rate during loading and unloading.
Mar 3, 2020, 9:29 am
#50
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I was sitting in 13E ATL-DCA last week on the A321. That the seat in C+ in the exit row next to the FA jump seat. I had a great conversation with the FA about boarding. She showed me how the FA’s now use an app to communicate with the GA during boarding and let them know when the overhead bins are full. I thought it was an interesting tool.
She also told me the boarding mess is a direct result of what medallions and high value travelers have repeatedly said in surveys, they want to board first. I tend to agree with her. She asked me if I recalled surveys about boarding 2-3 years ago, and I do. She said DL did a big study and Medallions overwhelmingly want to be first, regardless of seat.
She also told me the boarding mess is a direct result of what medallions and high value travelers have repeatedly said in surveys, they want to board first. I tend to agree with her. She asked me if I recalled surveys about boarding 2-3 years ago, and I do. She said DL did a big study and Medallions overwhelmingly want to be first, regardless of seat.
However, depending upon how Covid-19 progresses, the allure of FC boarding first, followed by an entire plane-load of potential carriers streaming thru the FC cabin, may tarnish.
Mar 3, 2020, 11:07 am
#51
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Agreed. I would love to board last. But I don't want to board last if it means my carry-on isn't stowed near me or has to get gate checked.
Mar 3, 2020, 11:16 am
#52
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I miss the good old days of boarding from the back of the plane. I also miss the L2 door on the 757. The A321 is a long airplane and it can take forever to complete the boarding process.
Mar 3, 2020, 11:29 am
#53
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So I told the FA if they were to close the bins in F and C+ and board from the back of the plane I would have no problem getting on later in the boarding. She said they asked people about that and people said the response was still board first. The boarding zones are also a product of revenue management. I'm sure DL is playing the numbers.
I miss the good old days of boarding from the back of the plane. I also miss the L2 door on the 757. The A321 is a long airplane and it can take forever to complete the boarding process.
I miss the good old days of boarding from the back of the plane. I also miss the L2 door on the 757. The A321 is a long airplane and it can take forever to complete the boarding process.
Mar 3, 2020, 12:00 pm
#54
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So I told the FA if they were to close the bins in F and C+ and board from the back of the plane I would have no problem getting on later in the boarding. She said they asked people about that and people said the response was still board first. The boarding zones are also a product of revenue management. I'm sure DL is playing the numbers.
I miss the good old days of boarding from the back of the plane. I also miss the L2 door on the 757. The A321 is a long airplane and it can take forever to complete the boarding process.
I miss the good old days of boarding from the back of the plane. I also miss the L2 door on the 757. The A321 is a long airplane and it can take forever to complete the boarding process.
Mar 3, 2020, 12:05 pm
#55
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I've flown DL several times in the last few months, mostly on the A321s. Boarding does take forever. And when they send me a survey the next day I always point that out. I still like the a/c compared to the others though.
I was in Australia a couple of years ago and flew Virgin Australia several times. They board using the front and rear doors. So they can board a full aircraft in 15 mins. If you're sitting in the back you do have to walk outside and up the stairs though.
I was in Australia a couple of years ago and flew Virgin Australia several times. They board using the front and rear doors. So they can board a full aircraft in 15 mins. If you're sitting in the back you do have to walk outside and up the stairs though.
Mar 3, 2020, 1:17 pm
#56
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I've flown DL several times in the last few months, mostly on the A321s. Boarding does take forever. And when they send me a survey the next day I always point that out. I still like the a/c compared to the others though.
I was in Australia a couple of years ago and flew Virgin Australia several times. They board using the front and rear doors. So they can board a full aircraft in 15 mins. If you're sitting in the back you do have to walk outside and up the stairs though.
I was in Australia a couple of years ago and flew Virgin Australia several times. They board using the front and rear doors. So they can board a full aircraft in 15 mins. If you're sitting in the back you do have to walk outside and up the stairs though.
You can choose to not take the stairs if you want... but given the choice between waiting and taking stairs most people are happy to use stairs.
Mar 3, 2020, 3:35 pm
#57
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Back on the subject of ATL boarding, I noticed when departing on Saturday night that almost all of the A Gates have had most of the boarding pillars removed. Most gates only had 2 pillars left with every gate having a First/DM pillar and either a C+ or SP Pillar. It sounds like the pillars will be going away soon.
Mar 4, 2020, 5:16 am
#58
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Back on the subject of ATL boarding, I noticed when departing on Saturday night that almost all of the A Gates have had most of the boarding pillars removed. Most gates only had 2 pillars left with every gate having a First/DM pillar and either a C+ or SP Pillar. It sounds like the pillars will be going away soon.
Mar 4, 2020, 11:09 am
#59
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It actually made things better on our flight. Although we were boarding out of Gate A1 which has a larger hold-room, everyone that wasn’t in FC or C+ just stayed seated or stood away from the gate. What I found to be weird was some gates on A had a SP pillar instead of a C+ pillar which could cause issues for boarding as C+ boards before SKY.