New boarding process
 

As of today LATAM has a new boarding process. Boarding will be conducted in groups, where there will be 6 groups in total + pre-boarding. According to Peruvian LATAM website (I couldn't find it on the Chilean one yet) the groups are:

Pre-boarding:

• Passengers with children up to 2 years old
• Pregnant women
• Passengers older than 60 years old
• Passengers who require special assistance

Group 1:

• Passengers in categories Black Signature or Black
• Oneworld Emerald members

Group 2:

• Passengers in Premium Business y Premium Economy
• Passengers in Platinum category
• Oneworld Sapphire members

Group 3:

• Passengers with tickets LATAM+
• Passengers with tickets of tariff TOP
• Passengers in Gold Plus category
• Passengers with credit cards of accosiated banks which offer benefits of preferential boarding

Group 4,5,6:

• All the rest passengers, depending on the seat number and its location (window, middle, aisle)

For now it's available in Chile and Peru, and starting from June, 24 it will be implemented in Brasil, Colombia, Argentina and Ecuador.

I flew today (domestic flight, from SCL) and my boarding pass already had a group number. However, the boarding was done as previously.

I am already looking forward to the labyrinths that they will be setting up in front of the gates, once this really kicks in (and is meant to be handled efficiently).

Hopefully, this will make boarding actually faster, because where's the fun in boarding first, if then you have to endure one hour in your seat, before all passengers enter a tiny A319? (yes, I know, you are free to board last, but, especially in SCL, with the "new" longish walks, this is often a little risky).

And wow! Huge perk for the handful of Blacks and Black Signatures remaining after 2019: they will now enjoy priority over the Business, Emerald and Sapphire plebeians.

I wonder how they will do this in the limited space they have at LIM, specially for some gates that are kind of hidden (not sure if 18 or 19), and for US-bound flights...

How Black and Black Signature are prioritized over Emerald when they are in the same Group 1? Are you going to ask Emeralds to move to the back of the group? :-)

Sorry, my bad! I overread that Black Signatures, Blacks and Emeralds are actually all Group 1. Basically, it is a downgrade for the Platinums, Sapphires and the (occasional) C/Y+ travellers who used to "enjoy" priority boarding together with the above.

But they also messed up something. Flying LIM-SCL I was in group 2 (LATAM Platinum, but also premium eco flight) - but LIM had old signs. Flying SCL-ANF the next day, my boarding pass was showing group 5 (again Latam Platinum, seat 1A), but I passed without any issues with group 2.

It's - I think - 5th boarding process change in 2,5 years I have been living in Chile.

You mean years, right?

So true :D

How if someone who is healthy and fit at age 61 and zero status and on a cheapie fare (pre-board for reasons of age alone) a higher value passenger than someone who's 59 and Black Signature and bought a last-minute expensive ticket? :confused:

I've never seen another airline include people in the pre-board category simply because of their age and for no other reason.

And then, separately, regarding:

• Passengers with credit cards of accosiated banks which offer benefits of preferential boarding

How is one supposed to know if their card qualifies, given that this boarding process didn't exist before? My credit card still stays LANPass on it (two programs ago, given that LANPass->LATAMPass->MultiPlus), that's how up to date it is. :rolleyes:

I believe this doesn't apply to all markets. For example this is a obligatory requirement from Peruvian law but not at Chile

I got an email from LATAM saying that I qualify :)

Here is rather excellent example of how such "group" boarding works in the real world (see a discussion below):

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/brit...p-queuing.html

While such "group boarding" looks wonderful on the paper, in reality it can be quite messy (especially in the airports with limited space around the boarding area). Witnessed it numerous times in airports around the world. Interesting to see how it will work out down here.

Group 1 and Group 2 totally mixed on SCL-AKL :D not a big deal anyway. The problem was on mine as I was in mini J cabin and was getting hit by bag packs during boarding when moving to the coach...

Datapoint from yesterday's MAO-GRU LATAM Brazil flight as a OW Emerald (BA). Despite my BA number being properly added on the booking, the boarding pass was showing Group 5 (both mobile and printed). I inquired at the check in desk, and they confirmed that I am eligible to use the Priority line and I should have been in Group 1.
Looks like the IT isn't quite working with OW statuses (yet)....