AirMiles2001

Luckily my experience has been the exact opposite. I arrive in the Group 1 line often after a later group has started boarding and I always get scanned without much of a wait. I think that is pretty much the point of the lines.

exerda

Hmm; I have never had that experience, and I'm arriving in the middle of boarding 75% of the time or more. If it happened, I think I'd write my first ever letter to Jeffy.

In the PMUA days, I'd use the red carpet, and the GA would stop boarding others, unhook the rope, and scan my BP. These days, I just use the Group 1 lane, and the GA takes my BP as soon as she's done with the BPs already in hand.

Boo_Radley

Likewise. GAs have always been on the ball with letting me through if I board after my group finishes.

PushingTin

That's why I hate boarding configure that are too tight for the premier lines. Just because you have a late connection or want to grab a snack shouldn't mean that you miss out and have to wait with all the people qued up.

Xyzzy

Where have you seen this? Every UA boarding area I've seen in the last few years has at least two lines - one for Premier (1+2) and one for everyne else (3,4,5).

seasiaflyer

Reminds me of a time I showed up for a 5 a.m. flight from PDX-SFO and group 3 or 4 was boarding, so I jumped the queue going down lane 1, as I was entitled--no problem with that--however I got halfway down the jetway before the GA came running after me to say I was boarding the wrong flight (it was PDX-DEN, I wasn't paying attention... oops). I had to do the walk of shame back out past everyone I had just cut. I shrugged and said, "Sorry, haven't had coffee yet."

dmurphynj

Never ever had an issue. I've walked down the Group 1 lane when later groups are boarding and had the GA hold up the others on my behalf many times.

Perfectly acceptable. No worries.

StingWest

I thought only the children of Lake Wobegon were above average..

tjf739

I agree. When SHD and LWB were United Express until a few months ago, with service by 34-seaters usually occupied by fewer than a dozen passengers, even they had those two lines. I can't think when I haven't seen them.

I also agree with the general attitude in this merged thread. My understanding is that the premier lane exists so that premier members who arrive during general boarding can use it. I've used this privilege a few times when a tight connection got me to the gate late. I try to make it easy on the GA by holding my boarding pass so that it's visible and waiting to be waved through, and I try generally not to be a jerk. There's definitely a difference, which a few in this thread have alluded to, between a DYKWIA and someone respectfully using a privilege (of status, that they've paid for, or otherwise).

dcpdxtrans

+1. I almost always arrive @ my departure when boarding has started &go straight to grp 1 lane & wait to be called. GAs have always performed this function correctly by holding the next person & calling me (&my family when applicable)

Xyzzy

Exactly! In my experience, this something where UA cnsistently gets it right at all stations at all times.

bocastephen

Is this your experience or opinion? I would be very shocked if a GA told you to join the next unboarded group if you're in G1 or G2 - they always have priority. Now if you're in G3, and they are boarding G5, can you walk up the empty G3 lane and cut off G5? I don't know the protocol for that....but if I arrive late, I don't hesitate to walk up the G1 lane and no GA has ever made me wait - everyone either motions me to approach, or actually barks at the waiting minions to stop and calls me over.

p924s87

I've always walked down the group 1 line after boarding had started and they will finish the passenger they're scanning and then scan me before continuing the boarding process. If I remember correctly wasn't the big sales pitch from UA on this boarding group change was so that Premiers could board at their leisure rather than stalk the gate?

exerda

DEN for the Express flights boarded downstairs is like that. Yeah, they have the numbered lanes upstairs... and they call boarding by number... but then you go downstairs and wait some more, and no numbered lanes there. (I suppose sometimes they actually really are ready to board downstairs, but it's happened to me less than 10% of the time.)

I think some of the smaller CA stations also don't have the separate lanes, though they'll usually call nonetheless by group--although again, I've had many call "all groups" if they're running the least bit behind.

fgirard

Bolding mine--

Premiers are still going to stalk the gate so that there is adequate space in the overhead bins for carry-on bags.