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]
Jan 18, 2013, 9:35 pm
#1306
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: IAH
Programs: UA Gold, Marriott Gold, HH Gold, Hyatt Explorist, Hertz PC, Avis 1st
Posts: 313
Jan 18, 2013, 9:35 pm
#1307
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: IAD
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Rewards - LTPP
Posts: 4,240
Jan 18, 2013, 9:36 pm
#1308
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: BOI, et. al
Programs: UA Premier 1k, Marriott Platinum Elite, Star Alliance Gold, SPG Platinum, Yelp Elite
Posts: 219
Jan 18, 2013, 9:51 pm
#1309
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: LAX/TPE
Programs: United 1K, JAL Sapphire, SPG Lifetime Platinum, National Executive Elite, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 42,200
There is a story of a PBI agent (not sure which airline they worked for) who got fed up one day after the jetway was filled with the flight's allotment of 20+ wheelchairs, ran in and yelled "Fire! Fire!" and watched while all the elderly people in the chairs jumped up and made Usain Bolt look like a snail.
Jan 19, 2013, 12:33 am
#1310
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: BOS<>NYC<>BKK
Programs: UA 4.3MM LT-GS; AA1MM; Amtrak SE; MAR LT TITAN; PC Plat; HIL DIA; HYA GLOB
Posts: 4,392
There is a story of a PBI agent (not sure which airline they worked for) who got fed up one day after the jetway was filled with the flight's allotment of 20+ wheelchairs, ran in and yelled "Fire! Fire!" and watched while all the elderly people in the chairs jumped up and made Usain Bolt look like a snail.
Jan 19, 2013, 12:47 am
#1311
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: DAY
Programs: UA 1K 1MM; Marriott LT Titanium; Amex MR; Chase UR; Hertz PC; Global Entry
Posts: 10,159
I haven't read through all the posts, but after some experience this month...
1) Why in the world isn't Global First offered pre-board along with Global Services?
2) The biggest improvement would be for GAs to actually wait appropriate time before calling the next group. Root cause of many issues....
1) Why in the world isn't Global First offered pre-board along with Global Services?
2) The biggest improvement would be for GAs to actually wait appropriate time before calling the next group. Root cause of many issues....
Jan 19, 2013, 1:28 am
#1313
Join Date: May 2005
Location: MNL
Programs: UA 1K MM, HH Diamond, Hyatt Diamond, MR Gold, Avis First
Posts: 664
I flew GUM-HNL On 1/17/13 and as a platinum was group 2 also.
Jan 19, 2013, 1:49 am
#1314
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: where lions are led by donkeys...
Programs: Lifetime Gold, Global Entry, Hertz PC, and my wallet
Posts: 20,340
I get it. United is a business. It needs to make money. At one time loyalty programs were seen as a way to keep good customers coming back and away from the competition. They made money and made returning customers feel good at the same time. Employees were apparently proud too!
Today, United - and the other majors in the USA - are not quite sure what "kind" of customer they feel are the best: full-fare payers; elites; low fare payers; credit card users; on line shoppers - except that they want all of the above! In doing so, they seem to have found that people who actually fly are (ironically) no longer the primary customers of an airline!
Over the years, I have dealt with all of the downgrades of my Million Miler Premier Executive Gold status. I have gotten used to less. I suspect that I will get used to the new boarding process too. Who knows what will be downgraded next? What more "less" will I have to get used to?
However, I suspect that I will remain a "loyal" United frequent flyer for three reasons: 1) United has a vast network and goes where I need to go. Besides, what other US airline is really any better? (Look at the other airline forum threads.) After all, it is just about getting from point A to B. 2) Economy Plus seating and some type of early boarding privilege. 3) On balance, Mileage Plus has been very good to me over the years - though much less so over the past 9 or 10 years. (I have been in it from the second month of the program in 1981. My old MP # began with 000 84...)
As I see it, mess too much with, or take away #2 (Economy Plus and early boarding privilege), and there is no other reason to remain loyal.
Today, United - and the other majors in the USA - are not quite sure what "kind" of customer they feel are the best: full-fare payers; elites; low fare payers; credit card users; on line shoppers - except that they want all of the above! In doing so, they seem to have found that people who actually fly are (ironically) no longer the primary customers of an airline!
Over the years, I have dealt with all of the downgrades of my Million Miler Premier Executive Gold status. I have gotten used to less. I suspect that I will get used to the new boarding process too. Who knows what will be downgraded next? What more "less" will I have to get used to?
However, I suspect that I will remain a "loyal" United frequent flyer for three reasons: 1) United has a vast network and goes where I need to go. Besides, what other US airline is really any better? (Look at the other airline forum threads.) After all, it is just about getting from point A to B. 2) Economy Plus seating and some type of early boarding privilege. 3) On balance, Mileage Plus has been very good to me over the years - though much less so over the past 9 or 10 years. (I have been in it from the second month of the program in 1981. My old MP # began with 000 84...)
As I see it, mess too much with, or take away #2 (Economy Plus and early boarding privilege), and there is no other reason to remain loyal.
And referring to the weasel words in post #1, I would love to see the data from us travellers that we "expressed" that this change was based upon.
Jan 19, 2013, 1:53 am
#1315
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: TPE
Programs: UA Gold, HA Premier, Hertz #1 Gold PC, SBUX Gold
Posts: 603
+1. The group system that was implemented post 3/3 was just fine and divided up all the status levels the way they should be with CC folks at the end of priority boarding in group 4. The only complaints that I ever heard and had myself were that UA (some GAs) could at times be bad at enforcing and implementing the group system that was in place. When it was implemented properly, it worked great.
Jan 19, 2013, 1:56 am
#1316
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: PHL, EWR
Programs: UA Gold; AA; Amtrak Select Plus;HH Diamond;Hyatt Disc;Hertz PC; Total Wine Grand Reserve!
Posts: 2,401
Just flew two elite heavy routes Friday evening (EWR-IAH and IAH-SNA). The boarding process was a mess, particularly in EWR where boarding groups 1 and 2 accounted for almost half of the 767-300.
If you are a gold, are flying in coach and want overhead bin space, you have no choice but to join the gate lice!
If you are a gold, are flying in coach and want overhead bin space, you have no choice but to join the gate lice!
Jan 19, 2013, 3:37 am
#1317
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: UA 1K MM, Marriott Life Plat, various others of little note
Posts: 2,763
I think they want to find a way to keep the credit card revenue coming, and a separate boarding group for cc holders after all elites as not living up to "you're in" on the minds if their masters at chase.
Jan 19, 2013, 6:15 am
#1318
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: JZRO
Posts: 9,169
RNE, but I don't like the lesser card holders being in Group 2 too.
Jan 19, 2013, 8:51 am
#1319
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: between SFO & SJC
Programs: UA 1MM (and no longer flying much)
Posts: 777
UA 1283 on Friday 1/18 SFO-DEN (last flight of the day, end of workweek, so lots of frequent fliers).
Huge crowd builds around gate before boarding begins.
GA makes repeated announcements that people in group 5 should check their bags now because they're not getting them on board. ^
Then the re-"organized" boarding process begins...
GA starts off with people with disabilities.
Then starts boarding people from the line without making any announcement.
Then announces groups 1&2 to board (which was about half of the 737).
Huge crowd builds around gate before boarding begins.
GA makes repeated announcements that people in group 5 should check their bags now because they're not getting them on board. ^
Then the re-"organized" boarding process begins...
GA starts off with people with disabilities.
Then starts boarding people from the line without making any announcement.
Then announces groups 1&2 to board (which was about half of the 737).
Jan 19, 2013, 10:07 am
#1320
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: UA 1K/1MM; Marriott Lifetime Titanium, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Globalist,
Posts: 180
Maybe this will get better when they actually roll out the new lanes and signs, but not holding my breath. Today at BWI on a full flight to IAH the massing at the lanes started as soon as the GA announced we would board in 15 minutes. Lots of groups 2 and 5 from what I could read on boarding passes because the GA announced "full flight so plead come gate check your bag. If you are in group 3 there probably will not be space. "
Group 1 folks pushed through in both the regular and premiere lines causing an additional slowdown once group 1 started. People in the non premiere lane complained when the ga said she would take the premiere lane people first, so the ga relented and took them first.
BWI is also one of those places where they take ALL military , not just in uniform, to pre board. They do not check Ids, and 5-10 folks routinely go ahead. Maybe they are military. Who knows.
Personally, I think the entire process would go MUCH better everywhere if they limited pre boarding to disabilities only, and then really just had groups 1-5.
Group 1 folks pushed through in both the regular and premiere lines causing an additional slowdown once group 1 started. People in the non premiere lane complained when the ga said she would take the premiere lane people first, so the ga relented and took them first.
BWI is also one of those places where they take ALL military , not just in uniform, to pre board. They do not check Ids, and 5-10 folks routinely go ahead. Maybe they are military. Who knows.
Personally, I think the entire process would go MUCH better everywhere if they limited pre boarding to disabilities only, and then really just had groups 1-5.