Aussienarelle

I have a good friend who flies DL and he loves this feature. This is a friend whose luggage usually takes different flights than him - in fairness last few times have been AA.

He rarely takes any carryon, all checked bags.

Certainly frees up the space for others with a need for carryon.

He is also one of the last to board (stays in the lounge) but always gets a PDB. He has tried to convert me from UA for years - he has top tier status with both DL and AA and he hates UA with a passion (not certain why). He obviously has $$ but UA's new program does not entice him.

I still do carryon with UA and thus want to pre-board to ensure space in the overhead because just as I think UA has got good with delivery of bags (think LHR delivery time - superb) I get another LAS debacle where it is a wait (and you need to walk from the gates at the end of the terminal to the tram, take the tram, walk to the luggage at the end of the hall) and then they change the carousel. SAN is hit and miss - last week really quick, prior flight a very, very long wait.

Agree promised delivery time to luggage carousel of 15 minutes of arrival would mean less carryon by me with less desire to pre-board.

HeadInTheClouds

And Delta is really good at baggage. I check bags on Delta all the time, and I think I’ve only used the guarantee a couple times.

diburning

The downside of this guarantee is that the rampers rush to get the bags off the plane and onto the carousel, so they are rougher with the bags. My bags noticeably wear faster when I check them on DL.

threeoh

Before there were checked bag fees, overhead bin space was not much of a problem.

I think they should let any legal carry-on be checked for free, and charge for large bags or second bags.

findark

20 minutes from block-in to the bag scan onto the belt, or you are eligible for 2,500 miles. You have to proactively request, but it seems to be entirely automated. I was instantly approved for a 21 minute delivery -- something I would have let slide if I didn't have to stand around next to every wall plastered with "your bags in 20 minutes.. guaranteed" posters

That being said, I normally get my bags fairly quickly on United also - there's just something about the backstop that makes me feel better about it with DL. And yes, literally not caring when I board is a liberating feeling.

JimInOhio

It seems they almost always let you check a bag to its final destination for free at the gate. I know anytime a flight has a heavy load they proactively ask for people to do so.

tarheelnj

I wish UA could offer a hybrid model, where you can gate check your bag on a mainline flight and it's returned to you on the jetway like with UAX flights. They do this already for strollers, so there clearly is a process for this. If this were available, I would use it and board toward the end. Dealing with baggage claim when needing to head straight to a meeting or arriving EWR late at night isn't appealing.

IAH-OIL-TRASH

Why doesn’t UA go to back-to-front boarding like (I think) Delta has? Seems like bag storage isn’t a problem nowadays? Seems like someone who insists on boarding first because he/she has status or a forward seat gets proximal to the emissions (head level emissions, that is) of every subsequent boarding passenger. I’d be fine with this type of boarding for the time being.

econ

There's nothing forcing someone sitting up front to board first. These days, I'd be hanging out in the gate area until they made final call for boarding no matter where I was sitting.

radonc1

If I were flying today, I would do the same.

I don't know why, for a flight with 20 passengers on a 120 seat plane, we don't return to yesteryear and board back to front. Row 25 to 30, followed by 20-25 etc. It will definitely be faster.

If they don't do that, then I would wait until all were boarded to get on (unless I am at the back of the plane )

IAH-OIL-TRASH

Regardless of personal preference, back of front is the logical, most responsible way to do this at this time. It reduces the instances of proximity. I think Delta is doing the responsible (and right) thing.

threeoh

https://hub.united.com/united-corona...ial-distancing

"

• Boarding fewer customers at a time to allow for more distance during the boarding process. Following pre-boarding, we will board back-to-front by rows, but will space out customers to minimize crowding in the gate area and on the jet bridge.

"

DMSFCA

Except you have those people that are seated in 42B trying to stuff their oversized carry-on containing maybe a Jet Ski above row 4 so they don't have to hork it to the back. So by the time you board for 4A, the overhead compartment is gone.

WineCountryUA

Should be easier for FA's to monitor this with a back to front loading -- if they try.
Including closing the bins until the front cabin starts to load.

Silver Fox

My how we laughed. Wouldn't it be nice if they did put some thought into this though.