iluv2fly

That's what I got at ORD which really pissed me off. Hence my calling GS on the spot.

chavala

nomad420

Given all the dysfunction at the gates I suggest boarding last. I know this cuts against the grain of a lot of FT'ers but with little to no carry-on, aisle seat or F, just board last. My co-worker has done it for years and I have started doing over the past several years. Hang out in UC having another cocktail and relax. I often just stroll on at last boarding call. I have had GA get a bit miffed when they see me sitting to the side, call last boarding call, and I stroll on.

IAH-OIL-TRASH

Boarding last at end of BG1 solves all that. All of the scrum is ahead of that point. BG2 knows where they are. Before BG2 you got DYKWIA 1Ks frantic to be 1st on, some "Premier Access" loons, disabled (and "disabled"), service people, GSs, parents/spawn, other (patient) 1Ks in pre-board area, 1Ks in BG1 line wondering what the heck is going on, Ma and Pa Kettles with their once-in-a-lifetime F tickets, the odd non-UA FFP business F buyer wondering why everyone gets to board ahead of him/her, Plats, Golds puffing out their new BG1 chests - let all of 'em sort it out themselves.

If I have just a backpack, yes, I'll be close to dead last.

mr8

All the 1Ks still left will essentially qualify as GS if they keep raising the PQD.

bocastephen

The danger in this is an overzealous GA offloading you early and clearing someone else into your seat, or a seat poacher wanting to sit with their friend/colleague/spouse/child/attractive random person/whatever deciding to plunk themselves into your vacant seat and then you have the stress of getting them ejected.

I prefer to be onboard early so I can put my things away, do my disinfectant wipedown of the seat/table/area, last minute emails/messages etc. So, if only United could train their staff and contractors to do things correctly across the board, consistently, like other airlines, then perhaps we can have a predictable experience.

I do agree that premium customers should really be boarded earlier, and the correct order really is:

Wheelchairs/Unaccompanied
1. GS
2. 1K
3. Premium Cabin
4. Families
5. G1
6. G2
7. G3
8. G4
4. Basic Economy

This way, experienced, faster moving customers are on board first, seated, and out of the way before everyone else with their clutter, car seats, bags, screaming children, stinky sacks of take out, etc etc come on next

IAH-OIL-TRASH

It's a long way to $50k at 1K $3k hurdle increase every couple of years - and there's nothing to say UA won't tighten up GS restrictions if things get good.

I think UA sees the huge value in the swath of business travelers that aren't probably going to get to GS-level spending due to the nature of their work, but still can be relied onto cough up the larger chunks of the revenue UA needs. Getting those travelers to commit to UA is the goal of the 1K perks that have been trotted out. To me, E+ at booking and free food/drink in my E+ seat are very appreciated perks as are the upgrade certs (which I can use). The new boarding is sort of a "meh" to me, but to some 1Ks on some routes, it's huge. I think UA is creating a Dr. Evil and Mini-Me with GS and 1K.

wanderingkev

At RDU this morning on the EWR flight they announced GS and 1k together after group 1

LAXOGG

After Group 1? A new low!

It took awhile to get the GS pre boarding done correctly when that was implemented a couple of years ago. They finally got it right after 3 months or so.

How difficult can it be this time around to make the following changes:
1. Move GS ahead of families with children 2 and under.
2. Add 1K after families with children 2 and under.

Simple....and BTW, make sure to pause between groups.

WineCountryUA

WIth the future delta still @ >3x, that's a long. long way off

Another way to look at it, PQDs started in 2014 @ $10K for 1Ks, and in 2019 it will be $15K --- so an increase of $1K /year -- 35 more years to GS.
Or 50% / 5 Years -- that would take 20+ years assuming GS does not move.

Neither of these considered inflation adjusting but that just make it further out.

cerealmarketer

I guess the 211 posts here are consistent boarding policy by Delta

Delta simply does not know how to police their boarding!

Not many other big carriers in this country. So I assume AA has perfectly predictable boarding every time.

Southwest is ready and waiting.

HeadInTheClouds

bocastephen

I don't fly DL that often, but the times I have, always in F, their boarding process was always consistent, properly communicated and well managed - however since I used the SP lane and boarded early, it's possible that calamity ensued behind me once I was on board which I never saw.

The AA process is also consistent, properly communicated, but with a lack of enforced lanes and signs, ends up being a complete cluster-you-know-what of people in each category shoving forward in a giant wave while those caught behind flail and push their way forward just as the next category is announced and the cycle repeats. As I mentioned in a previous thread some time ago, I flew two AA widebody flights last year where as a nobody in a further down group, I had palpitations just standing there watching the elite and premium cabin people rushing forward through the other groups as if it was final boarding call for the last ship to leave earth before the meteor hits. I've never seen anything like it, and hope to never see such a thing at United. The one thing I learned from the AA experience - get to the front early, and stand your ground until your priority is called, then get ready for some combat to fend off the others lurching forward around you.

In a perfect world, everyone would remain in the gate seating area, sitting in their seats, and only stand up when they are called to board, just like it was when I traveled as a child and everyone was dressed in a jacket for gentleman and a dress for ladies and the sight of someone pushing their way through would be received with gasps of horror and revulsion. Oh well, the good 'ol days, gone but not forgotten.

I will say that most of the time, Alaska Air boarding at SEA is usually well managed without the scrum at the gate, but that is likely also a NW culture thing.

wanderingkev

Assuming GS stays the same !! some possibility that the hurdle for that will raise

cerealmarketer

The DL folks are busy trying to figure out if the agent that day will play 'you board you lose' and remove them from the upgrade list when they board.

Here they are - memories of Xmas 1985 at PIT. Plenty of milling around at the gate but what's missing....

Rollaboard bags!! The end of civility in domestic air travel.