avidflyer

This was a very lively thread indeed! I am still interested to know if you view the "Fast Track" security channel at Heathrow the same way. It is for Biz class pax only and can cut your wait time from 30 minutes to 5. You walk right past everybody else lined up for the regular line.

dmitzel

I'm not convinced this should be the case, and I'm certain that this is not the implemented procedure across-the-board. From what I understand, the NW perk is designed for elites that arrive to board during general boarding, so that they can skip ahead of the long "all rows, all seats" queue. When FC or elite pre-boarding is called, why would you want to queue up in the elite line, other than to cut in front of your fellow elite or FC pax? Keep in mind that the red carpet is further away from the GA and more inconvenient in most implementations, other than during the aforementioned cattle-call general boarding.

There has been many times where myself and other elites were standing off to the side of the podium, obviously waiting for the pre-board or FC call when somebody or somebodies cut right in front of us to queue up on "the carpet." IMO this was very rude and inconsiderate of the other elites and FC pax that were standing there already. NW needs to make the policy crystal-clear - is the carpet to be used for both pre-board and during general boarding ala CO, or is the intent to only implement a time-saver for late (post-pre-board) elites to avoid the general queue.

Absent this clarification and better implementation, the whole carpet thing will continue to cause confusion and add stress - obviously opposite the intent NW had with setting up the process in the first place. Not being a WC member, I'm finding myself disliking the whole elite lane thing due to the stated issues during pre-boarding.

Manthis1

Going back to what I believe the OP was trying to get at was what is the point of a perk if the GA don't use it. The OP is correct to be upset it would be no different then a Plat. flying in back with F seats available.

My two cents is there are two lines not 1. There is the elite line and the non-elite line. They happen to meet at the same point. The GA should alternate between the two lines to allow boarding once general boarding has started. If the other passagers want the same perk - fly more. It is a great perk for business travelers.

How is this perk any different than the preboard for elites?

macoz

There is one key difference between the grocery express line and the elite boarding line.

The grocery line has independent cashiers. If you insert yourself into the 10 items or less line, you are NOT pushing back a person in the standard line.

This would be an apples to apples analogy if the 10 items or less guy cut in front of the 9 users will full carts in line with a single cashier. In other words at a grocery store, you being in the express line does not delay folks that have patiently been waiting in line. You have your own cashier and your action does not delay the other line's processing.

This is in contrast to the elite line wherein there is only one 'cashier' and you are in effect 'cutting in' or inserting yourself in front of the queue/line and causing direct delay impact to all others in that line. Yes, there are 'two' lines, but there is only one cashier and one path to be processed. Very different than the grocery store example.

I am Ok with the concept of the Elite line as it is an advertised perk (just a fiasco in implementation), but I do think the analogy is flawed.

stpaulone

Actually, in my home city of MSP, I hear virtually exact announcement every once in a while (not sure if it is scripted) - that is, when I'm early at the gate area. I have found that I tend to sit in the WC later since the boarding lanes are there and just make sure I get to the gate during boarding. I use the lanes all the time now and only a few times have I had issues in MSP. Other cities have been spotty...I think I'm going to start making a list of the ones where I have issues and send them to TTU.

dodgeflyer

This thread humours me.

The point of Elite boarding is, at least with KLM, to board at your leisure. The correct 'etiquette', as the OP asked for can be viewed three ways: your side, the airlines and other passengers.

The airline 'etiquette' probably is the same as yours (at least mine): to board when you feel like it. The other passengers most likely think: "don't cut in line". But the question truely begs: who cares?

If you want to board at your leisure, then do so. It is a clearly stated advantage of an elite program. I usually go to the gate when I want to from the lounge. Just because I missed pre-boarding does not mean I should have to wait - if so, then I would always be in line. Waiting for me is a major irritation. If I can, I rather wait in my seat than stand in line when I don't have to.

Again, who cares what others think? If it is something you are 'entitled' to then do as you like. I do not care if people give me looks - in fact I find it funny that people can get mad about something as unimportant as elite boarding.

RKG

Thank you for not talking about this anymore. I will continue to use/enjoy my earned privileges from NWA!!

(and , it is not cutting - there are 2 lines)

motytrah

I agree totally. In fact with JL there wouldn't even be an issue as they have a dedicated GA and line for F/Elite. The F/Elite GA will literally stand there doing nothing for 15 minutes on the off chance that a qualifing PAX will show up.

This is why I don't get this thread. On most other major airlines there's no question that F/elite has a seperate line and they'll step up whenever they want. In fact, it's in the airline's best interest to use non elite PAX envy and jealousy to get more $$$. I would contend NW WANTS F/Elites to step ahead of everyone. You only need a few PAX to buy F tickets to pay for all the red carpets. Everything after that is cash money for the bottom line.

bocastephen

I think that NW's failure to properly train their ground staff in the use and enforcement of Elite boarding creates more problems than the service was suppose to correct.

The carpets have been out for over a year now - to me, it's inexcusable for the company to let the training and enforcement gap go this long. It is so easy to correct, yet they make no effort.

Continental agents are not 100% on with enforcement either - I have witnessed quite a few boarding messes where everyone just went down the Elite lane and the agents failed to stop it, but by and large they are head and shoulders above NW - which is expected given they invented these lanes.

I think the conflicts would be easily managed by better communicating the rules to waiting passengers, including taking 5 seconds to announce that Elite/FC passengers boarding early must use the Elite lane, and sending them to the back of the Elite line if they cut in front by using the empty general boarding lane. Simple fix. Non Elite customers who try to use the Elite lane should be sent back to the end of the general boarding line. Simple fix there too.

As for the posters who think using the Elite lane is somehow rude, please give me a break. I am at the airport to travel with the least amount of stress and hassle possible, I am not there to learn how to be more altruistic. It's not being rude, it's just business.

I have absolutely no problem or regret about "cutting in front" of the hundreds of people in the general security line to use the express line set aside for Elite/FC, nor do I have any problem "cutting in front" of passengers in the general boarding lane so I can use the Elite lane anytime during the boarding process - and yes, I have received both stares and snippy comments when using the elite check-in lane, the elite security lane and the elite boarding lane, and frankly I could care less what Ma and Pa Kettle or some college kid thinks is going on. I fly over 75,000 miles a year and spend more on plane tickets in a year than most people spend in a decade. They are my benefits, and I'm going to use them without regret. If I didn't have these benefits, it's likely my travel would be cut substantially as it's all discretionary and I don't need the stress.

The airlines obviously don't have a problem with these situations, otherwise they would never have come up with these special lanes in order to avoid "appearing insensitive" to the 'regular folk'. When I fly another airline where I have no status, I accept that I am a 'regular folk' on that flight and I follow the rules that airline sets for passenger servicing. When I see their Elite members get perks, it doesn't bother me - I have my own perks waiting for me back at Continental.

It's an airport, not a Red Cross emergency food line. Get over it.

avidflyer

Great point. "Line Envy" can actually drive envious non-elites to buy FC or become elite by focusing their miles! I too am amazed at this thread. I always thought the "carpet" was one of the perks I missed most from United, now NW MUST get the GA's trained to implement the perk. I thought the op was joking at first...

sbagdon

The thread's 7 pages long now, and I haven't read the entire thing...

There's a sticky with sample TTU letters, one of the letters specifically for this instance.

Steve B.

RichMSN

This kind of thing happens all the time.

I had to use a check-in kiosk last week and there were about 30 people queued up waiting in the general line. There was a first class line and it was empty. I walked right through and went right up to the awaiting kiosk.

I heard some joker complain about me "cutting ahead" and I didn't even turn my head in his direction. I checked in, got my boarding passes, and headed for security.

I had a late connection at DTW last week and there were about 100 people queued up to board. Walked right up to the carpet and held my boarding pass out. Agent at the desk took the boarding pass and checked me in using her computer and I boarded immediately.

The person above who said they didn't care what others thought -- it's just business -- is accurate. It's not my job or problem making everyone feel special or important. It's a perk I've earned (or paid for) so I'm going to use it.

What amazes me is that people just ignore the carpet and the sign and assume you're "cutting in line."

asnovici

It may very well would be what you would have done, but this is not what an Elite should do.
Elites on NW are entitled (yes, entitled, per NW own rules) to board through NW Elite lane, at any time during boarding process, bypassing general line.
It works very well on CO, it should work on NW. This was clearly the case of GA not following the rules, and most likely not knowing the rules. I would write to TTU and ask to have that agent retrained.

lotalota

Wow. A guy flies to SFO and back overnight and the thread crested 100 posts!

To all the references to my earlier posts: My statements about right/wrong apply only to the way I behave. If I gave the impression of criticizing you because you do what the rule allows, I apologize. I was only writing about how I feel about it, and what I will do or not do.

I don't have the time to reply to everything, but wish I did.

I would have no problem with these situations if NW did a better job of communicating to non-elite pax what the rule was. If everyone in the gate understood that there really are 2 lines, and that they can use that red-carpeted line if they fly or pay more, then the problem would be solved for me. The best way to do it, probably, would be to put a very legible sign in the red-carpet lane that says, roughly, "Elite X,Y,Z passengers may board here at any time during general boarding". That way, everyone sees it and then can understand that the person isn't cutting, he is taking advantage of a perk.

davetravels

Originally Posted by lotalota
IMHO, you should have gone to the back of the line. It was your fault for being late.

Not to seem agumentative . . .there is no 'fault' here; the OP WASN'T late!!! There IS NO SUCH THING as being 'LATE' if the process is handled properly, until the door closes.