Baze

I had a good one a couple weeks ago. GA called for "passengers with disabilities who need extra time to board". A couple with their baby walked up and from somewhere in the back of the lines someone yelled, "since when is having a baby a disability". Just about everyone started laughing and the couple turned beet red. But the GA let them board anyway.

miasmal

Pregnant, maybe. But after the baby is out, no. Or maybe the baby had a disability. Context may matter ...

I am happy they got rid of the 'families with young children to board first' nonsense. They should announce 'families with young children to board last.'

Global321

Along that lines... I am sure UA has the power to cure many people.

"Those needing a little extra time, please have a seat and board last." Like a miracle, I would imagine they will all be cured."

Board wheelchairs first. Then everyone else in whatever order they see fit. And when we land. Make sure the wheelchairs wait for everyone to deplane. Then go up the ramp. I am sure UA would see a huge reduction in wheelchairs and 'those needing extra time'.

(Why do I say that about the wheelchairs? Simple... 'The Miracle Flights' ... in the fall the FA's say on flights from the Northeast to South Florida, the number of wheelchairs boarding vs wheelchairs deplaining is less than half. )

sf4dfish

At HND last week the gate agent allowed families to preboard with the disabled.
UA876

dank0014

I still love our "comfort animals." I do believe some are true and legit, but boy, I am starting to see one every flight or two. My last flight had three comfort pets.

And yes, UA has the ability to cure so many passengers upon arrival. Love the mad rush of disabled passengers upon boarding but upon landing them jumping up and running off from the gate area. Have to love the people that abuse the system, but guess that is our government and country for you.

jackal

Actually, there's a legitimate point in here. Why not board those taking a little extra time last? Typically there are several minutes where almost all passengers are on-board and seated while the plane is still at the gate with the pilots and crew waiting for paperwork, so it's better to have those who move slowly to be behind the crowd rather than in front of it holding it up. As well, most of the people needing extra time tend to be seated in aisle seats (and most of the handicap-designated seats are aisle seats), so boarding last means that they aren't having to repeatedly move/stand up to let their row's window and middle seats in.

It seems it would actually make the boarding process more efficient--unless they are boarding these folks while the cleaners are still working the aircraft and they wouldn't be starting general boarding yet anyway, but I don't get the impression that's what's actually happening now.

Global321

I think this is going to increase significantly in the near future.

My college age daughter shocked me the other day when she said, ' oh I think I will bring my cat home with me. I will just get that comfort animal paper and it will be free'. (Note - I have never talked about this with her.) And for what it is worth - she loves the cat and is more comfortable traveling with the cat.

So add them to the pre-board list.

lincolnjkc

Not to mention discouraging abuse of the system and potentially decreasing United's SSR costs (I'm convinced, thanks to the >50% 'miracle cure' rate on my flights -- and not just to/from Florida, that many of the people requesting special services are doing so only for the preferential handling)...

YXUhomebase

So today printed boarding passes for United flight. 016 ticket and UA metal. For a long while as a SE with AC I have been given zone 1 on united boarding. But today I got zone 2 on both segments. Anyone else have that? Is it a recent change or a glitch?

Been a month since been on United so perhaps a change since then?

superangrypenguin

This should have never happened.

Group 1 – Premier Access boarding
o Global ServicesSM (for those customers who didn't board during the pre-boarding announcement)
o Premier 1K®
o Premier® Platinum
o Premium cabins, including United First®

Read more at https://hub.united.com/en-us/News/Co...eLrI0plstVR.99

Kensterfly

United Silver, even Gold does not get First boarding zone unless sitting in FC. If you were not in FC you were rightfully in the Second Group.

24left

Although the date on Penguin's link to the UA Hub was 2013, this info is also there.

Group 2 – Premier Access boarding
o Premier® Gold
o Star Alliance™ Gold
o Premier® Silver
o MileagePlus® Club Card members
o Presidential PlusSM Card members
o MileagePlus® Explorer Card members
o MileagePlus® Awards Card members

Note: A Star Alliance Silver member who is also a MileagePlus Premier Silver member traveling on United is able to board in Group 2 with a companion, as part of the MileagePlus Premier Silver benefit. This benefit does not apply to travelers who are Star Alliance Silver members from another airline.

pewpew

OP is talking about how UA used to give Group 1 to foreign *G but not its own. It was undocumented, but when I traveled with others who had A3*G, they'd get zone 1 while I get zone 2 /. The last time I recall this happening was as late as December

agjil

This sounds like a question better asked on the UA board.
Just to make this clear, you were not given boarding group #1 before as an SE, but rather as Star Alliance Gold.

Last year, I always received boarding group #1 when flying on UA with my AC ff number, but I haven't flown on UA recently.
I'm not sure myself whether things have recently changed.

Adam Smith

Funny, I've never had boarding group 1 on UA unless seated in J.