This. Best boarding experience (in F) I had was a few years ago in Chicago at a crowded UA gate. GA asked for F to line up on one side, high level elites on the other then asked everyone not lined up to take three steps back away from the gate.

I actually saw a couple things that surprised me when boarding in FLL this last weekend because it had been so long since I'd seen them before. A), they used the separate lines for priority and regular - the agent had people start lining up in the regular line for main1 while finishing up the last of the priority groups. B), this agent (at least during the priority segments) was walking along the line waiting to board and confirming with people in the line that they matched what she'd called so far - and get this, actually kicked people out of line that didn't. I'm not sure I've ever seen a delta agent kick someone out of line before.

I was not aware of the change in boarding policy and *thought* I had heard the announcement for "FC" as opposed to "FC and Diamond". Yesterday I was able to ask the GA in PHL as I was boarding if my hearing was correct. She was very sheepish and apologetic and asked to see my boarding pass, but I explained that I'm in FC and that I wasn't trying to get on early - I just wanted to make sure iI had heard correctly. She said that she still lets DMs board with FC, but she confirmed that it is a new policy.

I fly mostly out of ATL, which is lackadaisical as to following the correct boarding order. However, the boarding process from CDG was a complete free-for-all. No announcement, the gate agents just started letting people board. My wife and I were, I believe, around the 6th and 7th to board the plane despite flying MC. On the opposite side of the spectrum was a recent flight from SJO - the boarding process was the strictest I have ever seen for a Delta flight. Each boarding group was lined up before the flight, the agents checked out boarding passes at least three times to ensure we were in the correct line. We boarded in the correct, published order - no exceptions.

Side note, I was flying out of MKE last summer, and when the announcement was made that Diamonds could board, I overheard an elderly lady inform her friend that she had a Diamond Citi card, so she must be a Diamond. She boarded without question.

I think Delta's boarding is chaotic and wonder if they could simplify it with the actual boarding zone and go to a straight number system like AA.
Pre-Board handicapped
1. First Class/360/Diamond
2. C+/Platinum
3. Sky Priority/Military/Families with Children
4-6. Main
It really seems like it could be that easy.

Frankly, I wish they would just give active duty military a status in the system (they already use their military ID number as their KTN for precheck, surely this could be done fairly simply) and put them into Sky Priority status so they don't even have to do the PR mention every time. I'm all for giving them the benefit, but don't know that we need to be making a show of it.

The whole point of it is recognition of their service, so a silent benefit may defeat the purpose.

I understand your point on flights where half the flight are military members or people who need assistance, but they are the one percent to step up to the challenge of putting their very lives on the line if necessary, so it's a pretty small ask on the rest of us to recognize that sacrifice.

I do like your ordering and classes. Makes sense to me, but then gets confusing on the military appreciation bit if the military is not actually the first on.

I very very very rarely (I think once) use that option when that is called as I don’t really need to be singled out and feel a bit awkward jumping the queue that (in theory) was created to be effective.

Now I’m also a Diamond so it also isn’t a deal regarding boarding order and overhead space for me. YMMV

But then why would the airlines do it? It's pure virtue-signaling by the airlines. It's not like active-duty military (typically young, able-bodied) actually need the extra time.

But then Delta can't sell their co-branded Amex's if passengers were only getting boarding group 4!

Works for AA. The equivalent of the Reserve Card gets group 4, other co-branded cards gets group 5 boarding.

Uniformed LEO scanning boarding passes
 

This was a first for me. On this afternoon’s flight (DL 1323) from GPT to ATL there was an armed, uniformed local law enforcement officer assisting the gate agent. She was at the desk announcing boarding groups while the LEO was at the door scanning BPs. He was quite polite, even jocular, and seemed to have a good rapport with the gate agent.

And absolutely no one tried to cut the line.

Just before the door closed the LEO came aboard and asked the couple seated across the aisle from me if he could see their boarding passes. Apparently one of them had not properly scanned at the gate. After the officer left, the guy admitted to being a little nervous when the LEO asked to see his BP again.

I just wonder if they’ve had some sort of “trouble” at the gate in Gulfport recently.