spudley007

A question here would be whether preboarding includes children, children under a certain age, strollers, car seats, or what? Or is it only wheel chairs and elderly?

Duke787

Back to front is fine with me as long as loads are light and/or they continue to defend bins. I would like to minimize my time on board (and minimize the time in either C+/F where someone is standing right above me breathing down).

The problem is back to front becomes problematic when Ma, Pa and Kid Kettle decide to bring 4x giant carryons and stuff them in the bin. Assuming we eventually get back to that scenario as loads return, F/D1/PM/Sky/C+ at least need to be given the option to board before everyone to get bin space if they require it (and if they are just traveling with a backpack they can wait until the end if desired).

Orange County Commuter

So I have noticed that when they call First Class that on a plane with 5 rows of First Class there are 40 people boarding. And when I get on I notice that Comfort is well seated.

So those of you who apparently have been waiting for your row to be called are not in the majority.

And I am sorry but quit blaming Ma and Pa Kettle. The elite frequent flyers are just as bad if not worse. Yes, I know you are DM but that doesn't mean you get 3 carryons (Ladies, a PURSE is a carry on, it's not computer bag, carry on and purse) Men, just because you don't call it a purse if you have an 'overflow bag" with your shoes hanging off your carryon, it's a bag LOL! (And screaming at the gate agent DYKWIA is not becoming when they call you out on your extras)

And I have been told more than once by a DYKWIA elite that 'since you are an elite you can put ALL your bags in the overhead' when I put my smaller bag under my seat LOL

rylan

I would expect they'll have to go back to traditional boarding zones. Otherwise as others mentioned, this will create a situation where the basic econ and no status consumes the overheads and there is little to nothing left by the time the 'preferred' status seats and C+ boards.

There is zero justification for having back to front boarding when they stop seat blocking. Same for the deplaning process where they want you to stay seated and wait for pax to be 6 ft away. Meaningless

MCO Flyer

The traditional zones are still printed or listed out on BPs so it does sound like they have a plan to go back to it eventually; the big question remaining is when?

MSPeconomist

I suspect GAs will make their own decision.

mattp1987

This is very similar to what United had been doing. Supposedly they went away from it as of April 15th, but that was not my experience on flights on and after that date. I thought it worked fairly well.

MSPeconomist

One obvious problem that there are too many PMs to board with FC/D1 on DL flights. On some routes/days/times, this could be almost half of the flight.

flyerCO

A purse is a personal item, like laptop bag or suitcase (business type).

As for "overflow bag" GA have consistently IME (when enforcing rules anyway) told people as long as it's connected together with say rollaboard, you have only 1 carryon. (Ie overflow bag doesn't count as another item) Strange though since hooked together you normally now have an oversized carryon. They ignore that issue.

DCAproducer

The other issue, pre-covid, DL put C+ ahead of Sky. This made for a strange boarding process in some instances when I had to buy last minute business travel tickets and C+ was full.
In my recent flights I'm not sure how many Diamonds or PM's there have been. Last week to SEA I got 2 of 4 F upgrades and on the two I missed I was at the top of the UG list as a PM. The two F upgrades I got were DTW-SEA and SEA-DTW. The two I missed were the DCA-DTW-DCA.

cmd320

I don’t think recent flights are going to be a very good indicator of the normal level of DM/PM/GM.

DCAproducer

I agree. But I’m referring to travel in the next couple of weeks, not six months from now. I have five upcoming trips in May/June. All business.

top1105

I've been flying first every other week for business travel. For some flights they say first class are welcome to board anytime. Other on short/regional flights ask us to board last. I always board in the middle between groups and haven't been stopped yet. Only exception was SLC to ATL on Delta One, had first board as the first group.

SuperG1955

Wednesday, on my mid-day LGA-ATL there were over 30 on the UG list for F on an A320.

The lead FA made it a point to individually thank the DM's on the flight and to provide us with connection information. That group was comprised of myself and 1 person in C+.

As has been discussed ad nauseum in other threads, the number of PM's will be huge, especially because of the 2020 to 2021 rollover and the Accelerator. IMO, including PM's in the D1/F/DM boarding group would be a disaster.

MinnTee

I have also been doing this and out of 6 recent flights, I have never been turned away.