mikeef

One of the "fun" things about going to the airport is trying to guess how Northwest will pre-board your flight. It's always different and always keeps us on our toes.

Many of us have proposed going to a consistent, boarding group number system, but until that time, I would like to start a game of "boarding tic tac toe." The rules are as follows. Take the following nine situations, and fill them into a tic tac toe board (I tried to put it together myself, but could not copy the excel spreadsheet into this message.). You can fill them in anywhere you like, but you must do it before your next trip. Each time a boarding "situation" occurs, put an X in the box. Traditional tic tac toe rules apply: a vertical, horizontal or diagonal line is required to win. There is no prize, other than the glory of knowing that you fly way too much.

Here you go. Remember, you can fill these in anywhere you like, so put the most common occurences in the most strategic slots on the board. This is all on the honor system that you do not make any changes after you have established your initial board.

1. Preboard First Class only
2. Preboard elites only
3. Preboard exit rows only
4. Preboard any combination of the two
5. Preboard all three
6. Preboard nobody
7. Wild
8. Any preboard combination involving small children
9. Anything else you can think of

Enjoy!
Mike

nomod

I love the post! Nobody ever knows what a gate agent will do. I've been denied preboarding on a paid first ticket because it was cold outside. Explain that. This week I was denied boarding (seated in F) as I sprinted to good old G20 in MSP running a bit late. I was told that only emergency exits were being boarded and this was an FAA rule that first class couldn't board until the exit rows were aboard. Guess United and American don't have the same FAA bulletin with this update.

he he he he (my attempt at laughter)

TRVLRZ

I like the idea! Could we make it work for bingo too?

My absolute favorite was the one I heard in PHX this weekend. The gate next to mine was boarding and apparently it was like herding cats because people were coming up sporadically. The GA finally told every one that there were 20 stand by’s; if those sitting in rows 20 thru 15 did not board now she would give their seats up. (I think she was joking because it seemed like she had a great sense of humor) The response was great; it was almost like a stampede.
When she came back over to my gate I was still laughing.

bubbashow

Last Friday, flying DTW-LAS, was told that there would be no elite pre-boarding because the flight was full. Isn't that when we need the pre-boarding most to secure overhead space? I think it is the agents all making up their own rules. It would be nice to see NW make a policy and stick with it.

supercalifragilistic

There actually are guidelines but many agents aren't familiar with them. In a perfect world with no delays, the boarding is SUPPOSED to go like this [drumroll please ]

1) Customers with disabilities and Exit rows [2 min. pause to allow them to get situated/allow FAs time to brief Exit Rows on their duties]
2) First Class [no pause]
3) NW, KL, CO, DL, AS Elites [2 min. pause; again to allow customers time to get situated]
4) Main Cabin, from the rear of the aircraft and moving forward--three rows at a time.

Of course, Elite pre-boarding may be thrown out the window if the flight is delayed.

Many times the GAs ask customers in one part of the aircraft or another not to board due to, for instance, a mechanic or catering in the main cabin, so no Elite Main Cabin pre-boarding--First Class may be asked to wait a few minutes for the aforementioned reason as well. Depending on type of aircraft, aircraft boarding door used, etc., can also figure in to how the GAs board.

Does this make sense?

Dick Ginkowski

This thread picks up on the one I wrote below mentioning that twice in the last week or so elite preboarding was dispensed with -- once because "the flight was full" -- and yesterday elites were preboarded by color, i.e., platinum, gold and silver.

I agree that there needs to be consistency here. The full flight excuse is the lamest. NW wants and needs full flights.

We need consistency but I think it's almost pointless just to discuss this among ourselves.

If we E-mail customer service, all we'll get is a canned non-response.

I think this is a subject that can and should be discussed reasonably and intelligently directly with Beth Shultis. If there is support for doing this, I'd be willing to write a group letter pointing out for regular business travelers, preboarding is an important issue. Many of us travel with "noncheckable" equipment which we need available and in one piece when we land. Being able to get seated and stowed is important to us and it's also important to have consistency.

In the one "full flight" excuse I saw it was on a 757 where firsts board to the left and elites to the right so there was no reason why firsts and elites could not have boarded at the same time. The station manager at BZN told me that "elites always board with first" and they have either DC-9 or Airbus equipment there.

I don't think it's whining or unreasonable to ask for the consideration we expect in exchange for our loyalty and, more important, consistency.

mikeef

Dick,

Actually, I got the idea for this thread after I read yours, so I'll give you royalty fees when I roll out the board game.

Boarding groups would be the way to go. Let the computer do the hard work, or at least establish the process according to the letter of the NWA law.

On the other hand, if the worst problem that I have is inconsistent boarding (and the fact that NWA always runs out of a meal choice by row 3 in FC), I see that as a reason to smile.

Mike

mikeef

Dick,

Actually, I got the idea for this thread after I read yours, so I'll give you royalty fees when I roll out the board game.

Boarding groups would be the way to go. Let the computer do the hard work, or at least establish the process according to the letter of the NWA law.

On the other hand, if the worst problem that I have is inconsistent boarding (and the fact that NWA always runs out of a meal choice by row 3 in FC), I see that as a reason to smile.

Mike

cabinpressure

Agreed something needs to be done.

I hate to say it, but I liked the Continental boarding system last time I used it. There are two groups: #1 elite (loyalty) and first-class ($), and #2 all others. The gate agent starts by saying something like "Please remain seated in the gate area because general boarding will start in a few minutes" and then starts #1 boarding. No confusion. Elite/FC pax get to load all their overhead bin stuff and get their drinks and hand off their coats. No confusion, no uncertainty.

Delta's zone thing is time-consuming and annoying. Boarding a flight at CVG recently, I felt like I was trapped inside a computer, with 3 adjacent gates all boarding at the same time, with 7 (or more - I was in zone 7 so I know there were that many) zones each getting a separate computerized boarding announcements, plus miscellaneous computerized announcements in between.

But at NW, the minute the GA taps his/her microphone, about 50 people instantly rush the boarding area, mostly just blocking access to FC and elites while they wait for their row to be called (or just board anyway before it's called, to make sure there's enough overhead space for them to hoist up their washer-dryer).

Ginger K

This is so true

As regards the appliances (and this is so off topic), but it seems to be getting worse. Is there no direction (or spine) from corporate to GAs in enforcing the rules?

buck hunter

You are correct on the stampede ... I hope if a memo is issued it reaches NRT as well...last few times through there, a 5'2" GA holds up a placard with "ELITE" etc. written and people simply igore and stampede toward the gate....Has to be a better way to announce the boarding situation - and hopefully be a bit more observant in letting pax on with over sized carryons....along with a back pack, gifts, exra bags etc. (all on one pax!). On the positive side.... I have seen some GA's who are very good at it -- and there is no misunderstanding when they announce boarding procedures.

slippahs

Last time I flew CO this past weekend, the GA said the same thing and about 50 people rushed towards the boarding area and crowded the line so me and my SO had to fight to get to our flight. Indeed, it doesn't matter if there's confusion or not -- some people out there need to "chill out" about getting on the plane first. Just my gripes.

aloha

GeorgeBurdell

We noticed a change this week. LAX and Memphis both now call families with "children under 2" (LAX) and "pre-schoolers" (Memphis). This was done right after FC/elite. Before it was "families with children".

Of course, the family with FIVE kids, most pre-schoolers, in Memphis waited until everyone else had boarded before answering the call. That meant two adults had to unbuckle and let one of them get to the window seat. To their credit, they were well-behaved and parents waited to deplane until other pax had moved off.