Preferred check-in etiquette?
 

I need a little feedback on a situation here.

I went to check in at USAir SJU a few weeks ago, and there were very few people in the main line- probably less than a dozen. The Preferred/ First Class line was open, though, so I cruised through there with my Silver Preferred status and First Class upgrade ticket. The kiosk didn't work for me (as usual, for some reason), so I waited in that area for the agent (the only one working) to call the next passenger in line, which I assumed was me.

The lady in the main line who would have been the next person called was a little peeved, and asked why I was cutting in front of her. I explained that with a First Class ticket, I got priority check-in, and pointed to the Preferred line I had just come from. She didn't back down, and continued to give me a hard time about it, and the guy behind her chimed in, too, saying he was flying First Class, too, and wasn't cutting in.

When the agent called the next in line, both the lady and I walked up together, and I figured the agent would settle it, and started to explain, but she ignored me with typical USAir indifference and just started checking me in. The lady was left standing there, ticked off.

Explain to me if I understand the procedure correctly. Do I only go through the Preferred line if it appears there is a dedicated agent servicing those passengers? If I'm at the head of that line, and the agent calls the next in line without acknowledging the Preferred line, how does that work? If I hadn't stepped up, I picture politely waiting until the entire regular line was serviced until I got my turn.

Who misunderstood the proper procedure here?

Thanks for any help!

David

I have found myself in this position on a number of occasions for UK domestic flights when traveliing in business or on status. I've always thought that it went by the screens above the check in desks. If the screen says all pax, then they draw from the general queue. If the screen says business, first, silver, gold or whatever, then it draws from the premium/elite queue.

If there's no staffed desk marked for premium/elite then there's little point in being in the premium/elite queue. Fume all you like to the airline's customer service desk but I'm afraid I think it is rude to the other pax to push in front of their line.

On another airline, I have been in the First line with other people in the coach line.

An agent whose sign is 'checkin' and NOT a First/Business sign, calls 'next First Class please'. Of course the coach pax get unhappy.

But thats one of the benefits of tier/premium cabin. Being served as quickly as possible.

My attitude... when the First/Business agent becomes free, the next pax is from the First/Business line. If a Coach agent calls to a First/Business pax, then by all means go (you are following their instructions)!

I always treat it as if there is no dedicated F/C/Elite check in agent and I am using the F/C/Elite check in line I can go to the first free agent. Otherwise what is the point of the having the F/C/Elite line? This is especially true in smaller stations where they might not have more than one or two people checking in a flight.

Actually, it's pretty simple. If there is a Preferred line (open and marked as such), I use it. If there is no Preferred line, then I use the coach line. I don't look at the signage above the TA (until I'm already in line and then just to compare which line is running quicker).

i would agree. especially if in addition to the screen not saying premium/elite, the agent does not specifically say "next premium/elite" customer, then you aren't next and you should probably be in the general queue.

So what do you do when you get to the front of the Preferred line, and are not specifically singled out and called? Go in front of the first person in the coach line? This was my quandary.

David

So when I get to front of the Preferred line and learn that the agent isn't calling preferred customers, then what? I get out of line and get in the back of the coach line? I wait at the head of the Preferred line until after the passenger in the coach line I'm guessing got in their line just before me gets called, and then cut in front of the next coach customer, explaining that I was keeping count? Wait until all the coach customers are called, and then go up last, thus my Preferred status actually is a punitive thing?

None of this makes sense, obviously. It can't be that complicated.

David

I'd wait there until a couple of passengers had been called to check in. If they didn't specifically call me up, I'd get the message.

I think there ought to be several check-in lanes, at least at the hubs.

1. First class / Elites for obvious reasons. Strickly enforced.
2. Quick check-in for people who have checked in online and just need to drop a bag. Strickly enforced
3. Urgent check-in for people within 10 minutes of missing the baggage cutoff, or will miss their flight if they don't get a boarding pass faster that the current line appears to be able to accomodate. Strickly enforced.
4. Regular check-in for people who get there early enough not to be stressed about check-in.

But, if there's just one person working all the lines I guess your taking your chances as to how much they value your status.

just ask
 

usually i put my cart with my bags at the end of the economy line, walk to the checkin agent and ask if there a first/gold customer can skip the line?

if they say yes please skip the line i go to the checkin, if they say sorry we are serving all customers one by one as we dont have enough people working today i wait in line.

of course F tickets should be treated first but, sometimes its just not worth the hassle to discuss it . waiting 5 minutes will be much easier .

(i hate waiting too, but i dont want to annoy others who have been waiting too, so it depends on the situation, but asking the checkin agent is the best approch i guess)

dp

I believe the OP acted correctly, and I believe the first/premium checkin line exists for just this reason. A F passenger is not being rude by using it. That said, he/she is not obligated to use it and in fact at certain airports the main line may be quicker. SNA for example often has a longer elite line to check bags with AA.

If I am flying AA or US or in F on another airline, I use the line without apology if checking bags. If I am flying some other airline in Y, I understand that their elites/F passengers will have priority over me.

if the screen doesn't say preferred customers and you dont see anyone else in the preferred line, then you are intentionally taking the risk of confrontation if the agent doesn't say "next preferred customer".

maybe the confrontation is unreasonable, maybe u did have the right to go first... but the person in the general line has a valid argument themselves: "the agent is standing under a screen that says all passengers, the agent said 'next customer', i've been waiting the longest, therefore i'm next". i'd buy that argument.

i would advice only taking advantage of your elite status when its explicit you have the right to do something so that no one else gets pissed of. in this case, both you and the other person had valid arguments. therefore, its not too surprising an argument ensued.

but... if there's only one agent... that means the line was probably short anyway. so your net gain was minimal. at busier airports or busier check in counters, you'll probably have multiple agents and at least one helping elite customers. so this question really only primarily applies when the wait is short. therefore its somewhat trivial (although i'm sure there are exceptions)

i like that idea.

I can't speak for US, but on UA, the elite lines are there for a reason!

I have no problem taking advantage of the elite lines where they exist and are staffed for this purpose. (If it's not clear, I would confirm with an agent first.)

Those of you who think it is rude are welcome to wait in the coach line, but don't get upset when people decide to take advantage of the few benefits that the airline entitles them to. (Or do get upset, if it pleases you, but don't blame the elite passenger!)

By all means take advantage of elite services when they are offered. But when the elite services are not being offered, then standing in the unmanned elite line and cutting in to the next general check in position is rude. It is like standing with your basket of goods at the unmanned basket checkout at the supermarket and expecting to cut in to the front of the next available trolley queue.

If the elite line is not open and you think it should be, take it up with the customer service desk - not with the other pax. Elite queues are one thing - queue jumping is another.

Learm something every day...
 

It has never crossed my mind to get in the general check in queue when flying FC. I figure if they didn't want FC customers to get in that line they would block it off. I've also never had anyone challenge me or complain. If they did I'd probably just tell them to complain to the airline if they don't like the policy!

Thanks to everyone for their replies so far. It seems the responses are pretty evenly split between: use the Preferred line every time, or only use it when there is a designated Preferred/1st Class agent working.

I must admit that I'm not sure I ever really paid attention to the sign over any particular agent's station, and may not have noticed there was one. I usually just get in line, and go up to whichever agent becomes available. I'll have to start paying more attention, and notice whether there is a dedicated agent or not.

I guess I always assumed that if there's an open Preferred line, I could use it, regardless of which agent had what sign at their staion. Often, especially at SJU and with US, the whole scene behind the check-in counter appears to be a free-for-all, with various people moving around somewhat randomly to different areas of the check-in counter. It's sometimes not easy to tell who is supposed to be working where, even if you're at the head of the line, much less at the back of the crowd.

Any other input appreciated.

David

My thoughts exactly and the same thing for an elite in Y. If they do not want me as an elite to be using the elite line they should have taken down the signs and rolled up the carpet. If a sign is there saying "XYZ Air Elite FFs" and I am an elite on XYZ Air I am going to use that line; even if there is only 1 agent checking in. The agent should call me over when I am at the front of the line ahead of a regular coach pax; otherwise the line has no purpose.

Before I get flamed I know this is queue jumping but that is a benefit the airline decided to create; not me.

Now don't get me started on people using the elite line on US with that stupid credit card down at FLL who are trying to check in their entire wardrobe and it takes forever to do so.

This is no different that the elite boarding carpets on UA, NWA, CO.... They are there for a reason, so don't feel bad about using them.

That's a security violation. Unattended bags are assumed to be bombs.

Apples and oranges. There is no Elite line in the supermarket.

I agree with AldoNOLA and the others. If they didn't want people to use the Elite queue then they would block it off and herd everyone into the General queue.

ever consider that if the airline was offering elite check in services at the time you arrived that they would make it obvious so that other customers don't get pissed off at you?

i think you are claiming intentional ignorance. there are hundreds of "non blocked off" lines, counters, gates etc at the airport that are not staffed. i doubt i would see you waiting at those lines... because its pretty clear those counters are not open even if its not blocked off.

so you want the airline to pick up all the elite signs and ropes etc and store them in a closet every time they decide to merge everyone into 1 queue?

lets assume that the intention of the airline is to temporarily only have 1 agent on duty and have asked the agent to serve in order of time waited. how much effort do you want the airline to put into making that clear?

No, I expect them to place a rope across the entrance indicating that line is closed. It's pretty simple--that's why the hooks are on each end of the rope. They move those ropes around all the time in the queues to shorten or lengthen the cattle chute as needed.

Same here

On my last trip the kiosk was not working, so the airline employee monitoring the line sent me to the front ahead of everybody else, there must have been 50 people on line. I'm not elite. I'm dirt. :D But the broken kiosk gave me priority.

Then the airline should rope off the elite line. Keep in mind that I did not create the benefit of the elite line; the airline did and I am simply taking advantage of any time saving devices open to me. I have never seen a checkin counter with only one agent and him/her calling people based on how long they have waited in line. However I have seen elite lines move much slower then regular lines for whatever reason.

Since you are on FT Bobster instead of being a member of the unwashed masses you can be a member of the washed masses. :D:p

Reminds me of my saga while waiting to check in for a DUB-FRA-SIN flight last December.

The LH Economy line was long enough that it curled around blocking off access to the Business/*G desk. I politely asked to get through and the seas parted, no problem there. Somebody was being seen to and I was next in line.

It was then a Russian lady (saw her passport) proceeded to start berating me, in Russian, from the Y line. I ignored her, of course, which lead her to come over, grab me by the arm, and try to pull me to the end of the Y line. The LH Station Manager, who was behind the desks, saw this, immediately came over and persuaded her back to her place. From that moment on until I was checked in and outta there, she did not stop yabbering in my direction for one second.

Later on boarding, I'm in my C seat as she gets on. On spotting me.... well, after a few seconds, you should have seen the look of embarrassment on her face when, finally, she got it. ;)

Suppose you had been in the small seats but also had equally legit access to that line through *A status. She might have continued to yell at you throughout the flight! :)

I have used the F line in SJU for US Airways when only one agent was checking in both lines. I did not feel at all bad about it, the line is there for a reason. I have also used the F checkin line at several other airports where both lines feed into 1 agent. I just let the agent either point to me and say next or call the next First Class.

What is a tad more awkward, but I still use it, are the express boarding lanes. If you enter the express boarding lane and they will ask the regular line to stop boarding and call you over to board.

I am in no doubt, should that have been the case, I'd have been sat next to her ! :D

Reminds me of our experience in the SEA elite security line awhile back.

No way. I always, always get in the F line with NW and I always, always go next when there's one line. If someone starts complaining, I ignore them. I fly 120K+ miles with the airline and Platinum Status and the special line means I don't have to wait in the Economy line.

Same when loading the plane. If there's an Elite boarding lane, it takes priority.

Preferred check in etiquette is having the non-elite check-ins waiting in line scatter rose petals ahead of us and bow and curtsy as we sashay past them to the first available check-in agent.

Just kidding. We almost always travel with carry-on only and print our BPs on line, and head directly to security, bypassing check-in. At some stations there's an elite security line; at others there isn't. But that's another thread.

On the occasions we do use airport check-in, we get in the F/elite line and wait for an agent to call us over. Sometimes it's a dedicated F agent; sometimes it's one of the others, who calls the F pax over ahead of the next general pax; whichever, I guess it's correct to wait to be aknowledged, rather than just barge up on one's own.

I think the key point here is that you waited to be called - rather than just jumping into an unmanned queue and pushing unbidden into the front of the general line at the first opportunity.

I think all pax understand that there are premium services for people who have paid premium prices (not sure they all understand the concept of frequent flyer status) and accept this. What is galling, though, is if you are in a general queue for a desk that is not marked as premium and someone decides to create their own premium service by pushing in front of you without being called by the agent.

This is really interesting. It would have never occurred to me that I was supposed to stand in the general line at a small station where they have an elite line to the side of the general line.

I have always gotten in the F line and waited for the agent to call me over. I don't jump ahead without being called, and only once did it appear I was going to stand there forever--it was at DCA and I was extremely miffed.

The idea that they merged into one line on purpose is a totally different perspective with which I don't think I agree, but I had never thought about it before.

I guess it's the idea that elite pax are supposed to be served by a dedicated person. I never assumed that to be the case. After all, if you have 1/3 the pax being served by 1/3 the dedicated agents then the queue throughput will bethe same and there will be no benefit to the elite line at all! The elite line only confers a benefit if there is either a greater ratio of dedicated agents->pax or if all agents pull from the same queue and elites go to the head of the line.

That's why I don't buy that I'm supposed to wait just because there's no dedicated agent.

Instead, what I expect to happen is that they may call a few additional pax out of the Y line and then call an F, then call a few more Y, then an F, etc.

OT

Hello Robb - your descriptor made me smile. I had a vision of you - whatever you may look like - visiting the airports of the world like Father Christmas to moderate any naughty LGBT travelers.

Sounds good to me. :D

Is it asking to much to have the welcome us with a beverage of some sort once we do reach the counter? ;)

With Northwest I use the First Class/Priority line, and I expect the agent to call me next, ahead of people waiting in the coach line. It sounds like the USAir agent didn't handle it too well. She should have made it perfectly clear to the other customers that you were next. You didn't do anything wrong, and as long as you could document you were flying First Class, you owed no one a long explanation. The people from coach who tried to bully you to the back of the line were in the wrong, and who cares if bullies are upset. Being a short female, I encounter any number of people who want to yell at me and send me to the back of the line, even though I'm in First and they're not. As far as I'm concerned, it's music to my ears when a bully is embarrassed and left sputtering in shame. It should happen more often.

Wirelessly posted (Blackberry 8700: BlackBerry8700/4.1.0 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/102)

That sounds about right. :)