Inclusiveness of Premier Access?
 

Hey,

I have noticed recently that at several outstations, United includes most travelers in Premier Access check in. Not that they are deliberately doing it, but many travelers who aren't entitled to priority check in, are using it, and United is not enforcing it. It seems like most of these smaller airports just don't have Premier Access clearly marked and easy to follow, and the Priority lines don't end up accessible as they should to the passengers who are entitled to it. Given, I am just a Silver, but I have seen the Premier Access at DCA being use by a non premier, walk up passenger who was looking to buy a ticket for another day... at the United counter. I have seen at BHM every passenger using the Premier check in. This past Sunday I was at PHX and there are only two lines. Economy, and 1K/Polaris... no general Premier Access. I got into the 1K/Polaris line, and noticed the majority of the travelers that were checking in using the Premier (roped off) area, were not entitled to it. I have noticed better organization at larger hubs, where Premier Access and Economy have much more of a contrast and separation. I don't think people are deliberately going in the wrong line, but it is a lack of clarity and easy to follow signs that confuse travelers, especially unseasoned ones. I have also seen MileagePlus Explorer cardmembers use Premier Access, thinking it was a benefit of the card. What are people's thoughts on this, especially those higher elites?

If Premier Access check in is busy enough to become a worthwhile benefit, I have seen it strictly enforced at DCA and many other places. Most smaller airports don't run into that situation very often.

Also curious how you are determining these pax are not entitled to PA.

Seeing their bags get tagged without the orange priority tag, or looking at their boarding pass and not seeing any indication of Premier Access. It is sometimes frustrating when passengers who aren't Premier are at the Premier counters and demanding things from the agents that they cannot do, and I have seen those passengers arguing with them for 20min or more (while I was still in line!). That happened at DCA a few times.

Were they not entitled to it because they were premier, but not 1K/Polaris, or just no status at all? United seems to have created some ambiguity with the new 1K/Polaris signage, which apparently includes other elites as well.

I will say that at Bozeman (BZN) a few weeks ago, with 3 or 4 United flights departing around the same time, it was a total mess of people pretty much going anywhere. The attendants had 20 foot long sheets of bag tags and were just calling people up as they saw them.

Have seen this happen at Premier Access at MIA a few times. United's operation at MIA is extremely unimpressive... seems like they are just giving up with AA looming over them as one of AA's main hubs.

I am talking about people with no status at all... not UA Premier, not *G or even *S...

ORD check-in is enforced (T1) with an agent checking boarding passes before allowing travelers into the roped off area.

I'm thinking that this is more of an issue at small stations where the check-in area is the same, the only divider is a small sign, and segregation is not really practical.

AVP (Wilkes-Barre/Scranton) has two check-in desks with two kiosks -- one on each side. The sign which divides Premier Access from the regular line basically means that Premier Access would line up in front of one agent, and everyone else (in a perfect world) would line up in front of the other.

I think that people just naturally form two evenly divided lines without regard to who is "entitled" to be in the Premier line. When the lines are long, the sign is hidden, and those who have no reason to look for a sign will not go out of their way to heed it. By the time the sign becomes visible, they have already waited in line for X minutes and feel entitled to keep their place.

My personal workaround is that I head straight for the kiosk on the Premier Access side -- which inevitably is open -- and the agent usually grabs my bag tag between customers. Yes, it results in dirty stares from those who have been waiting patiently in line, but there is nothing stopping them from using the kiosks.

A practical workaround which does not require any additional staffing would be for the agent on the Premier Access side to ask the next customer in that line "Are you Premier Access?" If the customer says "no" or looks puzzled, the agent can ask "Is anybody Premier Access?" I don't see anything wrong with the agent manning the Premier Access line(s) to course correct anybody who is standing in that line who does not have those privileges if people with the privileges are waiting behind them.

As discussed on another thread, there is an issue with the signage for Premier Check-In, if there is no general “Premier” lane, then those members can use the 1K/Polaris Line.

As far as Economy passengers, that’s a little strange. Sometimes the lack of an agent with too many kiosks will lead people away, as a fair portion of travelers want Full Service, and don’t understand that “Additional Services” is basically just a Full Service lane.

At a lot of the smaller stations, the whole concept of the premier line is just a joke. I was at OKC in December, flight cancelled before I arrived, so I thought I'd talk to a desk agent. 3-4 agents working and maybe 15 people in the regular line. No one in the premier line, so I stand at the front, and no agents will help me, they keep waving up people from the regular line. So I go wait in the regular line. 10 minutes, barely move. A new agent walks up to one of the stations in front of the premier line so I go back there. He never looks up, and eventually walks away. Now someone is in line behind me. We wait a few more minutes...no luck. Finally go back to the regular line and wait another 20 minutes or so before I can talk to someone.

And yes, I had called UA while I was waiting, but they told me all flights were full until the next day. So I knew I was grasping at straws, but still expect them to service the premier line.

Although, I think Premier Access check in is the hardest to enforce (across all airlines) as not all passengers have checked in online and already have boarding passes indicating Premier Access. Of course you could prove your status another way but at that point the process has taken too long and it is even pointless to try and enforce.

ORD is my home airport, and I have never noticed this... the most enforcement I have encountered is an agent just simply looking at me and saying "Premier Access or First Class?" and I said "Yes.", and then she pointed me to an open kiosk.

Which isn’t any help at all, considering there are Kiosks at the Economy lanes...

Not to by anti-kiosk, but pointing to a Kiosk isn’t a Premier experience whatsoever. Luckily ORD has some nice agents, that will help you if need be.

See this problem mostly at small stations.

Another question I have about premier acess is security lines at small airports. Usually you have multiple airlines using same checkpoint. Use to be you had your premium line and regular line. Now alot of these small airports have your regular line and a TSA precheck line. So if your premier but not precheck what line do you use?

Sometimes they end up in the same place anyway.

IAD has a separate premier/business/first check in area that is behind the regular check in area, and usually has someone manning the entry point (though I usually just say "business" and they let me by). It is very fast, and a good perk. Interestingly, the GS check in is in the front next to the economy check in. But I rarely see anyone at it as I walk by.