elite benefits on Shuttle?
May 30, 2001, 3:14 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: JFK/LAX
Posts: 1,436
elite benefits on Shuttle?
Do priority boarding and checkin exist? It's been so long I can't remember and a search yielded info about everything but. Thanks.
May 30, 2001, 4:16 pm
#2
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: New York City
Posts: 3,507
no on both counts. Since there are no allocated seats, it's just first-come, first-served.
May 30, 2001, 5:52 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: JFK/LAX
Posts: 1,436
It seems to me they could (and I kinda remember did) let Medallions board first.
May 30, 2001, 6:52 pm
#4
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: New York City
Posts: 3,507
Scribbler - you could be right. However, I've never seen it happen - unless someone wasn't paying attention. 
Agree that they could do perks for Medallions especially dedicated lines at check-in or the main ticket counter past security. However, there's probably a ton of Medallions on the Shuttle?? Anyway, personally, I think the Shuttle is one of DL's best products.
[This message has been edited by leroy11 (edited 05-30-2001).]
Agree that they could do perks for Medallions especially dedicated lines at check-in or the main ticket counter past security. However, there's probably a ton of Medallions on the Shuttle?? Anyway, personally, I think the Shuttle is one of DL's best products.
[This message has been edited by leroy11 (edited 05-30-2001).]
May 30, 2001, 8:07 pm
#5
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Niceville, FL, USA
Posts: 2,793
Having done only flight on the shuttle, I have no real perspective to add here.
But for what it's worth, my flight from D.C. to LaGuardia (first time in to the Marine Air Terminal..does this count as a separate airport?) was open seating. Very comfortable. Would have no qualms about doing it again.
Curious thing, though. When they called boarding--first come, first seated, no preboard for anyone--there were maybe 20 people at the gate. We got on. In the next 20 minutes or so, the plane kept filling up and filling up. No idea where they kept coming from. By the time we left, the plane was almost full.
Anyway, it was on-time service, comfortable, and no problems.
Maybe they could replace ASA with the shuttle? NAW, what is wrong with me? I'm dreaming here.
But for what it's worth, my flight from D.C. to LaGuardia (first time in to the Marine Air Terminal..does this count as a separate airport?) was open seating. Very comfortable. Would have no qualms about doing it again.
Curious thing, though. When they called boarding--first come, first seated, no preboard for anyone--there were maybe 20 people at the gate. We got on. In the next 20 minutes or so, the plane kept filling up and filling up. No idea where they kept coming from. By the time we left, the plane was almost full.
Anyway, it was on-time service, comfortable, and no problems.
Maybe they could replace ASA with the shuttle? NAW, what is wrong with me? I'm dreaming here.
May 30, 2001, 9:58 pm
#6
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: NYC
Programs: UA/1K, DL/PM, AA/PLT, NW/SLV; SW/PLT, HH/DIA
Posts: 1,732
Speaking as someone who does the shuttle thing 4-6 times a week, I'm never there when they call boarding. My goal is to get to the airport 15 minutes before departure, and be at the gate 10 minutes before departure.
I'm one of those people who keeps filling it up...
I'm one of those people who keeps filling it up...
May 30, 2001, 10:15 pm
#7
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: PVD/NYC/BOS/DCA (currently exiled in the wilds of Northern Rhode Island and as far away from Quahog, RI as it is physically possible to be and still be considered in the same state... :eek: )
Programs: UA 1P; DL FO; MR Silver
Posts: 179
Upon request, DL will preboard families w/children, elderly or others needing assistance. For the most part, however, it's first come, first served. Not a problem however, weekdays are mostly business commuters; weekends are both business and family travel due to w/e fare reductions. IMHO, the shuttle is DL's best product; really regret that the professionalism exhibited here is not found consistently throughout DL. In three years of commuting, never had a bad experience with DL's shuttle personnel. Wish I could say the same about their other operations...
May 31, 2001, 12:14 pm
#8
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Arlington, VA
Posts: 101
Taking the shuttle on a Friday afternoon is often worst than taking a Southwest flight. Talk about a cattle car!
The lines in DC often are a hundred deep 30 minutes before departure time. And they only board 10-15 minutes before departure.
I love the shuttle, but don't think its too much to ask for some pre-boarding for medallions!
The lines in DC often are a hundred deep 30 minutes before departure time. And they only board 10-15 minutes before departure.
I love the shuttle, but don't think its too much to ask for some pre-boarding for medallions!
May 31, 2001, 12:38 pm
#9
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: ny,ny
Posts: 396
no preboard on the shuttle.. i believe that they do respect status for standby though.. let me explain.. often the planes fill up, i.e. friday afternoons, often with people who've made a reservation but show up late and figure they'll just take the next flight as most coupons are full fare tickets and can be done this way.. they also allow passengers travelling on an under 25 ticket to standby during period when their tickets aren't valid for guaranteed seating.. they have the flat screens up and you can watch the rules appear for standby order right before the standby list comes up.. they specifically mention medallion status..
preboarding would probably be a pain.. often on fridays there's a line of people waiting to get on board who didn't make the previous shuttle.. i'd think a lot of people make at least silver on the shuttle..
often there are a lot of people who literally make it there with less than ten minutes to spare to make it onto the flight.. they don't require you to be on board until the door closes although you do have to check hand luggage within three minutes of push scheduled departure.. also a lot of people simply see what time it is and go to either us airways or dl depending on who has the next shuttle out since the tickets are endorseable without going to the issuing airline first..
preboarding would probably be a pain.. often on fridays there's a line of people waiting to get on board who didn't make the previous shuttle.. i'd think a lot of people make at least silver on the shuttle..
often there are a lot of people who literally make it there with less than ten minutes to spare to make it onto the flight.. they don't require you to be on board until the door closes although you do have to check hand luggage within three minutes of push scheduled departure.. also a lot of people simply see what time it is and go to either us airways or dl depending on who has the next shuttle out since the tickets are endorseable without going to the issuing airline first..
May 31, 2001, 5:47 pm
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: JFK/LAX
Posts: 1,436
When I used to take the shuttle regularly (5+ yrs ago) I often made it from my DC apartment to my NYC apartment in an hour and 45 minutes. Great product.