TheRoadie

SWABrian and the lurkers should be all over this, because lack of GA buy-in will sabotage the entire project, drive away potential BS traffic after one bad experience, and disillusion the rest of us FF.

Previously, the 45 of us in the A group were hardly ever polluted with B and C holders. If 45-60 or higher numbers are jumping to A1-15 through inexperience, greed, or whatever reason, that's WORSE for us than when the jumpers were commingled with the former A group!

The cattle have proven that they CAN'T be trusted to line up properly without being in the pen for the previous hour before boarding. So the GA need to step up and become cowpokes. STOP THE JUMPING!

curbcrusher

I think this is the key, and perhaps why some GAs are lackadaisical about enforcement.

nsx

They are, but you can hardly tell based on what's happening at the gates.

The A1-A15 gap is the critical problem, and this is the one aspect of the new boarding system that was NOT tested AT ALL.

It's pretty clear by now that the Ops Agents will not enforce the sequence consistently. They are just too far away for us to have any realistic hope of, say, 90% enforcement EVER.

I think it's time to try something different: pre-boarding for Business Select passengers. Then issue 45 A's as before, so that the gap is at the end of the A's. Problem solved.

This fix can be implemented overnight once the relatively minor software changes are in place. And it doesn't require even a press release, because the change will be invisible to everyone except the line jumpers.

joshua362

My thoughts exactly. And this way, the number of BS fares available can be elastic and transparent. And a special BS boarding announcement might actually prod people into thinking they are getting something special for the extra $20 and might actually help this fare survive.

I'm going BS for the first time tomorrow for 2 reasons, I won't be near a PC 24hrs in advance and the planes stopping in Mid America (MCI) are always mobbed with throughs. And the appeal of the extra long haul credit dispite I keep foolishly thinking it might be usable in the future. Hoping I can bury the extra $20...

freeflyin

Programming the gate readers to allow ONLY sequential boarding would seem to solve the problem and "out" the jumpers. There would be no questions and the enforcement of WN's own policy would not be left up to the GA's.

curbcrusher

This idea is complicated by no-shows with boarding passes and the official "groups of five" enforcement policy as described by SWABrian upthread.

cxn

I think the boarding groups are too big. 30 people at a time allows for many people to 'slip in'. Maybe groups of 10 or 15?

What I would like clarified is what happens when my family travels with me? Can they board in the 16 - 20 group or do I have to board later with them? I have taken my son with me and him board when I was in the 16 - 20 group but Sunday I take the whole family.

SAPMAN

If an A Lister or BS flyer has a companion, then they need to go to the Companion "slot", not have the Companion come up to where they are. Of course you can board seperately and then the first "save" a seat (not really allowed, but rarely does anyone not allow you this).

Today I had a flight LAS-PHX. The "poles" are not the standard fancy chrome ones and the sign showing the A group that switches to B, etc. are not electronic! In LAS of all places. GA said airport has not approved the new ones.

Anyway, I got to my A 17 spot and only 2 in front. One in front of me was A2 and I suppose other was A1. But one guy was in front of A11 section. I asked him his number and he was A 20 or so. I said you a bit bit back. He said number was not impt. I ignored and went in front of him. And no GA checking. When I mentioned go GA (while boarding), he said only 50% full, so not a big deal. Of course if you were on a 4 hr flight and the person in front of you got the remaining Exit seat -- it could be.

GA need to announce 2-3 times to get in numberical sequence. And enforce if someone is way out of position --- A 35 getting on after the A 18.

SAPMAN

As to BS fares doomed? I think a big improvement would be a priority Bag Check line (like they have in legacies). In LAS the line was long and they funnel the line into 4 "open" kiosks, where a mob forms. Then they call your name to put on bag tag - which is hard to hear in the mob scene. This is the worst check in I have seen. Line took about 15-20 min.

How nice a perk for Freq. flyer to have a priority check in line -- and at virtually no cost.

Also a priority Security line for busy airports (PHX, LAS, etc.) would help. Guess there is an extra cost there -- but legacies to it and again a real nice perk for Freq. Flyers.

If they had these 2 -- BS (and A list) would be much more valuable to most.

cxn

Why?

If I fly on AA with my family, they board with me. Why shouldnt this be the same on WN? Esp with a CP.

curbcrusher

It is the same in my experience.

cxn

I have flown twice with my 4 year old son. He has boarded with me. On Sunday, my family flies with me. I will see if anyone says anything about them being with me.

I really wish WN would come out with the official policy on this.

curbcrusher

If you combine A-List rule 8 and "groups of five," you get what amounts to the official policy. In other words, what SAPMAN describes is how you should handle it.

loboclone

I am Flying Mon-Wed to San Diego on Frontier, had enough of WN right now with the boarding mess. Friday we go to LAS, wife on CP me on RR and return to ABQ Monday. Is everyone suggesting my wife board with me (A-Lister), she won't have a A BP anywhere near mine.

Is that now the "suggested" method, WN isn't enforcing anything so it must be OK?

irabk

No, everyone is not suggesting that. In case you have not been reading, most of us want WN to impose some kind of supervision to the established rules.

Bottom line: A1 is before A6, A6 is before A11, A11 is before A16, and A45 is way back, behind A 20, A25, A30, A35 and A40. Does not matter who bought your ticket, who you are with or what you think you are entitled to.

As a 7 trip a year flyer, I know I will take what I get, and be happy with whatever benefits I can gain by following FT.

However, WN has answered our big complaint about the A line forming over an hour before the flight. We are now 5 or 6 weeks into this change. Are there bugs to be worked out? Of course. As SWABrian has told us, they are trying to get this on line and organized ASAP.

A Listers get their boarding pass automatically, before the rest of us. THAT is the perk, not having your family board with you. And yet, you complain when someone ELSE cuts the line. Lobby WN to change the rules. Don't assume you can make your own up as you go along, and complain when others do the same.