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Can traveling companions board with me (in a earlier boarding group)? How many?

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Old Jan 30, 2020, 12:15 pm
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Last edit by: WineCountryUA
Yes, UA allows traveling companions, even if on a different PNR or different boarding group, to board with the higher boarding group traveler. This includes pre-boarding groups.

While there is no stated maximum, common courtesy calls for appropriate use of this "unwritten benefit", such as just your immediate family or a couple of traveling companions.

Best to be first to the scanner and tell the GA, "these following passengers are with me."

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Can traveling companions board with me (in a earlier boarding group)? How many?

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Old May 18, 2017, 11:29 am
  #31  
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Tx
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This reminds me when a GS boarded and took 10 of his employees with him before group 1. Only 3 of the eleven total were in F. The reason i could tell there was 1 GS is that he was waving for employees to come on down and they all appeared confused.
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Old May 18, 2017, 11:37 am
  #32  
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Originally Posted by eng3
... The actual UA policy and practice is the question
Which is also shared with DL, AA, ... Companions can board with the elite. Never in 30+ years has that ever been an issue for me.
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Old May 18, 2017, 11:52 am
  #33  
 
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At boarding time on USAirways they used to say that companions can board with the smaller number.

I did not pay attention if usually United says that but they did mention it on our flight from EDI last week. The only thing is that when my wife (Group 2) boards the plane with me (Group 1) the gate agent has to press one button in his/her computer to allow her in.
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Old May 18, 2017, 1:28 pm
  #34  
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
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Originally Posted by IanFromHKG
If you are so desperate not to be parted from your co-workers, even for 15 minutes, you could always board with your co-workers' boarding group, surely?

Or are you really asking for permission to push other passengers (some of whom may themselves be entitled to priority boarding) down the privilege list by pulling four or five unentitled non-priority passengers into the priority queue ahead of them?

I think if you recast the question in this way, the answer should be fairly obvious.

As with all things, there is a balance to be drawn. I think most priority passengers would be unfussed by someone bringing their spouse or other family member into the priority queue. But four or five co-workers? If I were behind you in the priority queue I would be very unimpressed*

* (British code for "really pissed")
OP, it will be perfectly acceptable for you to bring your single companion along with you for boarding in Group 1, neither UA nor any sane passenger will mind.
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Old May 18, 2017, 11:10 pm
  #35  
 
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Originally Posted by malgudi
What is British code for not reading the OP's post correctly and jumping to the wrong conclusion?
Re-reading OP's post, which said "Is it permitted for a group 4 or 5 co-worker of mine to board with me", I realise I did indeed read it incorrectly, and mentally inserted the word "of" before "4 or 5". Sorry, an innocent mistake.

(That's British code for an apology, by the way )
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Old May 18, 2017, 11:30 pm
  #36  
 
Join Date: May 2009
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Originally Posted by homanga
This whole thread/idea seems to support the opposite stance that FT takes on every other issue in related to getting undeserved benefits..
That's my feeling. If you want to board with your Group 5+ coworker, then you should board with him instead of him coming up with you. The GA may not want to argue, but IMHO they shouldn't allow it.
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Old May 19, 2017, 2:24 am
  #37  
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Originally Posted by eng3
Somewhat unrelated, my last flight with my boss, I wanted to get him E+. I was in the bulkhead window. I called in and said he was my companion and asked to give him a window E+ seat. The agent complained that the benefit is so you can sit WITH your companion. I said, who wants to sit in a middle seat, the point of the benefit is so the companion can sit in E+. The agent then agreed to make the change.
Bad agent.. for a few times that I've called in, I'm actually in a CPU'ed F seat and they will still move my co-worker into E+.
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Old May 19, 2017, 8:08 am
  #38  
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: TX
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Originally Posted by IanFromHKG
Re-reading OP's post, which said "Is it permitted for a group 4 or 5 co-worker of mine to board with me", I realise I did indeed read it incorrectly, and mentally inserted the word "of" before "4 or 5". Sorry, an innocent mistake.

(That's British code for an apology, by the way )
^
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Old May 19, 2017, 11:00 am
  #39  
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Programs: 1 thousand
Posts: 2,112
I've done this when travelling with my "SO", and had no issues, IIRC I've only ever tested while a 1k (I wasn't plat for very long). Regardless of being in the same class of service or not. I just need to say they're with me, and the GA overrides the system. (When we manage to travel on the same ticket we both end up with G1, but mostly we're on different tickets.)

I was once travelling with coworkers, but no one seemed to believe that they could come through with me (I would've only brought one person along), so I didn't test what happens in that situation.
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Old Nov 22, 2018, 8:27 pm
  #40  
 
Join Date: Nov 2018
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Family with Different Boarding Group

I’m Gold Status and BG 1. Family is BG 2. Will United let them board with me in BG 1?
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Old Nov 22, 2018, 8:30 pm
  #41  
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Welcome to FT, David Jordan!

Originally Posted by David Jordan
I’m Gold Status and BG 1. Family is BG 2. Will United let them board with me in BG 1?
Yes.
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Old Nov 22, 2018, 10:23 pm
  #42  
 
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Location: What I write is my opinion alone..don't read into it anything not written.
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Why not just board with BG2 and the family, and there won't be ANY questions or errors that stop the boarding process?
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Old Nov 22, 2018, 11:06 pm
  #43  
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Any children under two in the family? If so, you can be part of BG -1.
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Old Nov 22, 2018, 11:10 pm
  #44  
 
Join Date: May 2010
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Originally Posted by kale73
Any children under two in the family? If so, you can be part of BG -1.
You probably mean pre-boarding group, not BG1.
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Old Nov 22, 2018, 11:16 pm
  #45  
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Originally Posted by narvik
You probably mean pre-boarding group, not BG1.
I probably should have spelled it out: Boarding Group Negative One

After GS (Boarding Group Negative Two) but before 1K (Boarding Group Zero).
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