May 21, 2013, 10:43 am
Last edit by: aacharya
Source: https://hub.united.com/en-us/News/Co...g-process.aspx
Pre-Boarding
Premier Access Boarding
*A Star Alliance Silver who is not a Premier Silver is not eligible for Premier Access boarding.
General boarding (Window Seats, then Middle Seats, then Aisle)
Note: If you’re traveling with a companion and one of you has a higher boarding status, you both may board with the earlier group.
Note: Self Boarding Gates are being tested at the following gates...
sUA Boarding Times by Aircraft (AFA)
Pre-Boarding
- Customers with Disabilities
- Global Services
- Uniformed Military Personnel
- Families with Children Age Two and Under
Premier Access Boarding
- Group 1: Premier 1K, Premier Platinum, BusinessFirst, and First.
- Group 2: Premier Gold, Star Gold, Premier Silver*, MileagePlus Presidential Plus, Club, Explorer and Awards, purchased Premier Access
*A Star Alliance Silver who is not a Premier Silver is not eligible for Premier Access boarding.
General boarding (Window Seats, then Middle Seats, then Aisle)
- Group 3 - Window Seats
- Group 4 - Middle Seats (Aisle Seats on UA Express)
- Group 5 - Aisle Seats
Note: If you’re traveling with a companion and one of you has a higher boarding status, you both may board with the earlier group.
Note: Self Boarding Gates are being tested at the following gates...
- IAH - Gate C25/C26 - See Post 2960, Includes YouTube video from CO777DAL
- IAH - Gate E4 - Old test from pmCO days, See Thread Here
- BOS - Self boarding gates are now back in *LIMITED* use at least at gates B25 and B26
sUA Boarding Times by Aircraft (AFA)
United's Current Boarding Process (with Wiki) [Revised, May 2013]
Jun 6, 2013, 11:26 am
#2896
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 71
For those of us that need aisle seats for medical reasons (knee locks up if I don't extend it frequently), is there any sort of waiver available that would allow boarding with the window seats? Otherwise it seems like I am going to have to gate check most flights due to lack of bin space, which seems like some sort of medial discrimination.
Jun 6, 2013, 12:38 pm
#2897
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Jersey Shore/YYZ
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Plat, Hilton Diamond, Hertz PC
Posts: 12,521
For those of us that need aisle seats for medical reasons (knee locks up if I don't extend it frequently), is there any sort of waiver available that would allow boarding with the window seats? Otherwise it seems like I am going to have to gate check most flights due to lack of bin space, which seems like some sort of medcial discrimination.
I would imagine there's nothing in the bag that is needed from a medically necessary perspective. This reminds of me of the thread of the person with a "really bad back" who was trying to get free luggage benefits. But if he/she didn't, he'd carry heavy bags. With a bad back.
Jun 6, 2013, 12:50 pm
#2898
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: SEA
Programs: UA Plat, HH Diamond, MR Gold, Hertz Prez Circle
Posts: 572
I demand you respect my need for an emotional support bag.
Jun 6, 2013, 1:00 pm
#2899
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Sacramento
Programs: UA 2MM/GS; SPG Lifetime Plat; MHC Lifetime; Tar Heel forever; and I "Dig the Pig" at Piggly Wiggly
Posts: 12,152
I know, I know, I know. It's all about me. 
But when I am flying F on an international ticket, I believe I should be given priority boarding.
But when I am flying F on an international ticket, I believe I should be given priority boarding.
Jun 6, 2013, 8:36 pm
#2900
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 71
United - Boarding Group BS
Last year I flew continental alot, lately I have flown southwest.
Now that continential has become united it has gone down hill.
They do this BS thing of boarding by groups instead of seat numbers like continential used to do.
All that happens now is if you are like row 11 but in group 5 then some jackass in the back of the plan will have put their bags in your overhead bin, so by the time you board there is no space left.
Its like united is trying to be like southwest but with the assigned seats. It makes no sense, if you have assigned seats then you should be boarding by seat number not by groups.
The only people who benefit from boarding sooner is 1st class so they can drink more free vodka.
I am very disappointed in United. None of the aircraft I flown on this year had internet or direct tv. It is pathetic.
I hate southwest in that they dont have assigned seating, but at least they have internet on the plane.
On my return flight ORD-IAH I flew first class which was great I drank 6 screwdrivers, but the food that they had was also pathetic. They had dried out overcooked cheese burgers. It was just sad. I dont even know why they served dinner if all they had was 2 day old cheeseburgers.
United has ruined continental. What a bad airline.
Now that continential has become united it has gone down hill.
They do this BS thing of boarding by groups instead of seat numbers like continential used to do.
All that happens now is if you are like row 11 but in group 5 then some jackass in the back of the plan will have put their bags in your overhead bin, so by the time you board there is no space left.
Its like united is trying to be like southwest but with the assigned seats. It makes no sense, if you have assigned seats then you should be boarding by seat number not by groups.
The only people who benefit from boarding sooner is 1st class so they can drink more free vodka.
I am very disappointed in United. None of the aircraft I flown on this year had internet or direct tv. It is pathetic.
I hate southwest in that they dont have assigned seating, but at least they have internet on the plane.
On my return flight ORD-IAH I flew first class which was great I drank 6 screwdrivers, but the food that they had was also pathetic. They had dried out overcooked cheese burgers. It was just sad. I dont even know why they served dinner if all they had was 2 day old cheeseburgers.
United has ruined continental. What a bad airline.
Last edited by COMMONC3NTS; Jun 6, 2013 at 10:09 pm
Jun 6, 2013, 8:41 pm
#2901
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: BOS
Programs: MP,MR Silver,Avis
Posts: 848
Jun 6, 2013, 8:43 pm
#2902
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Northern Calif./Eastern Ida.
Programs: Amethyst Premier Plutonium Medallion
Posts: 20,628
BTL
this post is my favorite of all time. bonus points toward favorite status for use of jack@** and confession to drinking 6 screwdrivers. i am envisioning that consumption on a route of ORD-PHL length.
edit to add i was right, routing was IAH-ORD as relayed in another thread by the OP
this post is my favorite of all time. bonus points toward favorite status for use of jack@** and confession to drinking 6 screwdrivers. i am envisioning that consumption on a route of ORD-PHL length.
edit to add i was right, routing was IAH-ORD as relayed in another thread by the OP
Last edited by PV_Premier; Jun 6, 2013 at 8:53 pm
Jun 6, 2013, 8:50 pm
#2903
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: What I write is my opinion alone..don't read into it anything not written.
Posts: 9,685
Last year, CO was incorporated into UA as well (or the other way depending on your perspective.) Zone boarding isn't new. Flying either UA, CO, or the combined UA last year alot would have gotten you a group 2 boarding as long as you had a UA/CO frequent flyer number in while flying. What do you consider "alot"?
Jun 6, 2013, 9:47 pm
#2904
Join Date: Sep 2009
Programs: UA GS>1K>Nothing; DL DM 2MM; AS 75K>Nothing>MVP
Posts: 9,341
Jun 6, 2013, 10:12 pm
#2905
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 71
I am just completely disappointed in United taking over Continental.
The whole boarding group thing copying southwest is really annoying when you have a seat number already.
The old way of boarding by rows was much more efficient.
Their engineers must freak out about the group boarding when they look at how their boarding efficiencies have dropped.
The whole boarding group thing copying southwest is really annoying when you have a seat number already.
The old way of boarding by rows was much more efficient.
Their engineers must freak out about the group boarding when they look at how their boarding efficiencies have dropped.
Last edited by FlyinHawaiian; Jun 7, 2013 at 5:05 am
Jun 6, 2013, 10:21 pm
#2906
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Northeast Kansas | Colorado Native
Programs: Amex Gold/Plat, UA *G, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott LT Gold, NEXUS, TSA Disparager Unobtanium
Posts: 21,597
Jun 6, 2013, 11:05 pm
#2907
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Between EWR & PHL
Programs: UA MileagePlus dirt (former hard-way Silver); AS Mileage Plan MVP; Hilton Honors Silver
Posts: 1,586
The whole boarding group thing copying southwest is really annoying when you have a seat number already.
The old way of boarding by rows was much more efficient.
Their engineers must freak out about the group boarding when they look at how their boarding efficiencies have dropped.
Last edited by FlyinHawaiian; Jun 7, 2013 at 5:02 am Reason: personal attack removed, per FT Rules
Jun 7, 2013, 11:44 am
#2908
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Houston
Programs: UA GS 2.6MM & Lifetime UC, Qantas Platinum, Hilton Lifetime Diamond, Bonvoy Platinum, HawaiianMiles
Posts: 8,682
United's Current Boarding Process (with Wiki) [Revised, May 2013]
80% in groups 1&2 IAH-EWR
Jun 7, 2013, 11:57 am
#2909
Join Date: Feb 2013
Programs: Hilton Plastic, Delta Silver Emeritus
Posts: 1,037
"Hey, everyone get on the plane," is actually one of the more efficient boarding methods for time. I'd bet it actually beats WN boarding because people tend to prefer the front on WN and people are (most likely) spread all over the place when they have assigned seats and there is what is essentially a general boarding call.
This is of course small comfort if your bag gets checked at the gate.
This is of course small comfort if your bag gets checked at the gate.
Jun 7, 2013, 11:59 am
#2910
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Portland
Programs: UA GS, AK MVP Gold 75
Posts: 47
Today I flew MCO-DEN. They had the older two arrow system - Premier Access to the left and general boarding to the right. They also took the ropes and made a diagonal from the general line over to the Premier line to close it off in front. They then also closed off the Premier line in the back, so it was closed on both ends. My partner and I walked up exactly 5 minutes before boarding, and stood at the front of what was the PA line, in front of the rope. The gate agent came over and asked us what we were doing there. We said we were waiting to board. Are you disabled or military or Global Services? No, we said. She told us we had to leave. I asked her where she would like Group 1 to line up, she said "no where, I'll call you when I am ready for you". We went to the back of the rope for the Premier Access area, and waited quietly. She then opened the rope, called for disabled (no one). Called for military (no one). Called for GS (no one). Then she opened the front diagonal rope and called for Group 1. Made these two 1K / First Class pax feel real great about UA today, I can tell you that.