Boarding Etiquette when arriving late, after your boarding group - opinions wanted
 

As 1K, I get to board United flights in Zone 1. Occasionally I arrive at the gate late, when another Zone is already boarding. In this case, I feel that I missed my chance to board Zone 1, and get in the line of the Zone currently boarding (e.g. 2, 3, 4, 5). Today, I saw other Zone 1 passengers, who after missing Zone 1 still made use of their privileges by cutting to the front of the line of Zone 3 passengers currently boarding - and felt this was somehow "awkward".

Would you consider it poor social etiquette in this situation to cut in front of passengers currently boarding, when you missed the chance to board with your Zone? (I am more interested in social norm & expectation than than United's written policicy)

I tend to agree with you personally that if I am Zone 1 and get to the gate late I will just get in the queue that is currently boarding. I'm not sure if I would go so far as to call it rude to cut to the front of the line because that is what people who are either Elite or in premium cabins have paid for one way or another.

I usually just walk down the Zone 1 lane regardless of my arrival time at the gate. I suppose it might feel a little awkward, but I've never had anyone -- either the GA or other pax -- make any hay over it. I usually make eye contact with the person I'm stepping in front of before going to the BP reader; I never just push in front of anyone. I usually wait for the acknowledgment of the GA, too. And recall that the announcement usually goes something like 'boarding zones ### and higher'.

Completely agree! "rude" was not the right word, awkward describes it better.

That's what I do - usually, they announce boarding zone 1, 2, 3, etc and I jump in the zone 1 line, I've never really thought it would bother anyone and nobody has ever said anything,

If I have stuff that I need to stow, I go through Lane 1. If I'm travelling light, I just go w/ whichever group is boarding.

Won't say that i've never done this either, particularly on a TATL if I'm late I've jumped the enormous line a couple of times. I tend to be at the gate earlish by nature so it's not often an issue.

No, and the revised process that was used in Cleveland made it clear that United doesn't think so either. I had an instance about a month ago when I SDC'd from the B6 ORD lounge and ran over to C16 to find 1 and most of 2 had boarded. I went down the empty BG1 lane and the agent reached out to take my pass without issue.

Nope not rude or awkward at all. I’ve arrived at the gate late a few times and just walk through the crowd to the empty Group 1 line and the GA always stops boarding the other group and motions me over. I always make it a point to kind of have my boarding pass facing the GA when walking down the empty line so they know I actually belong to that group.

I have done this countless times. It is accepted procedure.

I just make sure not to be rude about stepping in front of the people boarding from a different lane.

Of course it's not rude! That's what the chutes are there for!

With the epidemic of gate lice, I should think someone "cutting" is the least of our worries!!!

It would be rude if the person going down the boarding group 1 lane was sticking out his tongue, smirking, etc at the passengers in the other groups. But to just walk down the line and wait to be waived over by the GA, nope not rude.

If I'm in a premium cabin, especially on an international flight, I'm going to board in the Group 1 lane regardless of my time of arrival, barring some unforseen circumstance. If I'm in the back of the bus (or the back of the bus plus) then I'll usually hang around whatever line is currently boarding. It's not like Group 2 benefits get me jack diddly once they start general boarding - it's likely the person next to me is already there.

As others noted it is totally fine to board through your appropriate BG Lane regardless of the time, I do it all the time. The problem I have run into is more with the GA, I have sat in my lane waiting while literally the entire adjacent lane enters until he/she called me forward. I usually do not barge towards the GA until I have been directed.

IF there is a separate Group 1 boarding lane, then of course it's not rude. That's my lane, I can go through it whenever I want.
If there is NOT a separate lane, then no way would I cut.