Does pre-boarding exist anymore?
 

Does NW/DL still annouce pre-boarding for those who need a little more time to get seated? From my observations it seems hit and miss. I have a party of 8 flying MSP-MCO tomorrow. We are all seated together in Priority seats near the front of the 757. This includes two 5-year old twins and a 1 year old. I am SE. All are on my reservation. Will we be allowed to board early to get everyone settled in?

Suggestions? Should I discuss with the GA prior to boarding beginning?

Actually, read this thread: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/north...-may-19th.html

It discusses the new boarding process that was implemented today on DL/NW flights.

You may or may not find a gate agent that will call for "special needs" boarding for those who require extra time or have small children.

-RM

This has been going on for a while; I've noticed it since April. I've been on SFO - MSP and DTW - SFO flights in the last month where parents with kids have been asked to leave the pre-boarding line or just told that they're not part of the pre-boarding group anymore.

On another note....Rarely have I seen pre-boarding for small children offered on flights to MCO. That could be half the plane. I have heard gate agents announce that there would be no pre-boarding because of this.

I can't disagree that the plane will have lots of kids. However, with 3 of them under 5 who have not flown before, I hope they don't have to stand and get trampled in the non-elite/zone boarding queue.

Northwest removed children/families from pre-boarding about 4 years ago and this still stands today. To be exact there is no "pre-boarding" at all beginning today, 5/19/09, on all NW/DL flights.

On previous flights I always heard the GA say preboarding for families with kids.

This was CLT, DTW, MSP.

Typical, not supposed to though.

I know in the past on the DL side, if one person in the PNR was elite, everyone on that record would board in the elite boarding zone, which is now Zone 2. While it's not preboarding, it's still better than general boarding.

On most if not all of my DTW-Florida (MCO, TPA, FLL) flights the last few years, the gate agents have normally announced that they do not preboard children on these flights. They will still do wheelchairs, etc.

Based on you SE status and your entire party being on your reservation (same PNR), then I would assume that you will be able to board with the new Zone 2, elites.

Agents in MCO often make a joke PA by saying," We can't pre-board family with children today, because if we did, it means we are doing general boarding!"

You'll see that you're not the only one with with 3-4 kids traveling together. Often time, 2 adults or a single parent travel with 3-5 kids... So don't feel that you're the only family with kids on that particular routes (MCO-DTW/MSP/MEM vv)

It didn't even have to be the same PNR.

In name only. Overall preboard is hit and miss and pretty bad. The GAs are just trying to get people on the plane.

If you are the only elite, I would discuss it with the GA before boarding. I would generally think up to 3 or 4 companions is OK, but you have a very large group.

I do think that the GA would let your group board with the Elite boarding though.