New Boarding Process
 

Just got this email. Still no priority lane.

So, what's the actual process???

Apparently A320/A321 will be Groups A-E and the E190 will be Groups A-D. I contacted them and they said since I am in 15A on my upcoming flight I will board with Group B. Makes me think It's Mosaic, EMS, Window, Middle, Aisle, with the middle being taken out with the E190. This is purely speculation though.

If I recall correctly, on my last flight Mosaic and EMS were called jointly? After that comes small children (special needs), then "coach".

That would certainly be efficient (other than us Mosaics getting in the way, of course) :-)

I've been such a dedicated B6 flyer I haven't had the joy of experiencing these "group" systems on other airlines. How do these systems accommodate groups on the same reservation? I.e., if you're booked together in middle and aisle, will both passengers board in the same group (as in theory they could board with the "aisle" group and not block anyone else in the row)?

I've always felt like the biggest delays boarding B6 are inexperienced travelers fighting with E190 bins...

The systems work differently on every carrier. The problems arise from two separate problems:

1 -- The marketing need to strut "elite" flyers first to make them feel special. Bear in mind that back many moons ago, F boarded last.

2 ---- Failure to enforce carry-on rules and deal with carry-on issues prior to boarding. It is often not the inexperienced flyers, but the experienced ones gaming the system who hold up boarding while they jackhammer their steamer trunk into the OH.

If this is done right, studies show that the fastest way to board an aircraft is to send a smallish group to the rear of the aircraft windows & middles, followed immediately by middle of the aircraft and front. That way, nobody gets held up and there is time for people to get settled before the next wave of people comes to their area of the aircraft.

So long as there is OH space, it doesn't really matter when you board and there is something to be said for boarding last.

If they were called jointly, that is incorrect. It goes Extra Time and Assistance, Mosaic, EMS, Children under age 2, Rear, Middle, Front

I've got 2 separate trips this weekend: one on the E190 and one on the A320. I'll certainly keep an eye out for how this works at JFK.

I've noticed that at outstations like Atlanta, they will call Mosaic and EMS jointly if there's only one or two Mosaics (sometimes that number could be zero). The GA knows how many Mosaics there are on the flight.

It's not so they feel important. It's so they have overhead space.

There is not overhead space. This is due to baggage fees.

Military (in or out of uniform)?

This morning it went:

Disability

Mosaic

Group A (which seemed to be EMS?)

Strollers/Car seats/military

Then Groups B, C, D

This won't affect me but I would like to know the impetus for the switch. Seems needless unless they are going to upsell the boarding groups to nickel and dime people.

Any indication, for Groups B, C and D, whether it's just straight rear of the plane forward, or are they mixing it up based on row number and window/middle/aisle?