Kick Tail vouchers for Ops Agents who enforce boarding order: post your reports here
#1
Moderator: Southwest Airlines
Original Poster

Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: California
Programs: WN Companion Pass, A-list preferred, United Club ex-Lifetime Member
Posts: 19,987
Kick Tail vouchers for Ops Agents who enforce boarding order: post your reports here
If Ops Agents enforced boarding order 100% of the time these scammers would stop trying after the first couple of flights. Now it will take much longer to train them to stop trying.
Ops Agents have a classic free rider problem: The lazy ones create extra work for the diligent ones.
From now on I will give one Kick Tail voucher to every Ops Agent who turns aside a line position cheat. In an extreme case I will write a commendation letter.
Ops Agents have a classic free rider problem: The lazy ones create extra work for the diligent ones.
From now on I will give one Kick Tail voucher to every Ops Agent who turns aside a line position cheat. In an extreme case I will write a commendation letter.
#2
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 233
While C21 trying to board at A25 is extreme, just curious what you consider boarding out of order?
+/-5 is what I've normally said something to the person in line, and I've never seen something so egregious that I need to say something to the agents.
+/-5 is what I've normally said something to the person in line, and I've never seen something so egregious that I need to say something to the agents.
#3
Moderator: Southwest Airlines
Original Poster

Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: California
Programs: WN Companion Pass, A-list preferred, United Club ex-Lifetime Member
Posts: 19,987
I agree. A few places off is no big deal. People who cheat are normally in the wrong group of 30. I see it near my boarding number maybe one flight in 15. So I figure at least one person is trying it somewhere in the line almost every flight.
#4
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Rochester, NY
Programs: AirTran A+ Elite, Marriott Rewards Plat, Rapid Rewards A List, National Exec, USAir Div Mil
Posts: 322
I agree that a few places off is no big deal, unless it's around A-15. That can be (and usually is) the difference between exit row or not.
#5
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 5,518
I am usually in the A-2[0-9] region, the sweet spot for line cutters. The sophisticated ones try to exploit the break between BS and the the A-16-30 group. Usually when BS is called A-16 moves to the front pole creating an opportunity to blend in and limited opportunity to ask about BP number..
The most current scam I noticed is a couple claiming "We are A-2x" I've seen that one a couple of times lately. I suspect one actually has A-2x and their companion has C-xx.
#6
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 1,320
That's been going on for years with CP. Sometimes people are oblivious to the rules and think they can board with the A lister since they are that person's companion. It doesn't help that the legacies (AA for example in my experience) generally let companions board with the person with the higher group on BP.
#7
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 5,518
That's been going on for years with CP. Sometimes people are oblivious to the rules and think they can board with the A lister since they are that person's companion. It doesn't help that the legacies (AA for example in my experience) generally let companions board with the person with the higher group on BP.
They hide the BP and don't actually enter the line but stand off to the side until actual boarding starts. By standing off to the side they avoid having to explain to A-2x+1 why there are two of them.
#9
Join Date: Oct 2001
Programs: LTP, PP
Posts: 7,977
#10
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 5,518
I don't think it's ever really been determined who they are given out too. Not all A List Preferred got them.
#11
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: La Jolla, Ca
Programs: AA 2MM LT PLT; AS MVP Gold; HHonors Diamond; IHG PLT
Posts: 3,081
How do you know the boarding position of other passengers? Virtually impossible to see phone BPs, I avoid showing personal information in public.
Someone attempting to cut the line will likely hold their BP close.
Someone attempting to cut the line will likely hold their BP close.
#12
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: La Jolla, Ca
Programs: AA 2MM LT PLT; AS MVP Gold; HHonors Diamond; IHG PLT
Posts: 3,081
Less of an issue on full service carriers, with assigned seats. When traveling together on AA / AS / US, my wife boards with me so our rollerbags make it on to the flight; quite the gymnastics exercise on the few occasions we travel together on WN, she ends up with a significantly higher boarding position.
#13
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: ORD, MDW or MKE
Programs: No change fees keep me tied to WN. Hilton and Choice hotels primarily.
Posts: 6,182
#14
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 5,518
#15
Join Date: Oct 2001
Programs: LTP, PP
Posts: 7,977
6 or 7 people squeezed into a spot for 5 maybe another clue in addition to the above!