threeoh

My only problem is when there is only one agent and they are processing status passengers at the same rate that they are showing up, resulting in the non-status line literally not moving at all. Seems like at some point they should start alternating or something.

Most of the time it's the opposite -- a bank of agents and the Premier agent will process the next non-status passenger if the Premier line is empty.

Had the misfortune one time of being in a (non-US) immigration line that was right next to the crew line and both lines shared one agent. A bank of wide bodies arrived and all their crews lined up. I don't think our line moved for like 25 minutes as the agent processed all the crew. Other lines processed 20-30 pax in that time. I have to admit I got impatient. I have no problem with crew having a special expedited line, but there was no mechanism to either alternate crew and our line, or have the agents working the other lines accommodate some people from our line.

dilanesp

Not rude at all on your end. But it's the airline's fault for understaffing.

lamphs

That was a great scene! One day, I want an opportunity to try it!

AStarr

Definitely not rude unless you go out of your way to be rude about using it.

Some people will certainly give you the look... and that's rude of them. They could get perks, too, if they flew more, flew in higher class cabins, and so on. But as was said above, many people just don't know these things exist so they're confused at what seems like arbitrary preferential treatment or what it takes to get it or what exactly it entails.

I got the looks of death at Napoli recently with lengthy wait times for economy/non-status partners
passengers... and not a soul in the *A Gold/Business Class check-in lines.

DCP2016

Considering HPN is one of my home airports, let me tell you, you were not rude in any way, shape, or form. HPN is full of many DYKWIA types, so they were probably jealous they weren't getting priority treatment for once. Plus UA only operates the CRJ-200 to ORD out of HPN, there is no "rush" to board to get overhead space/PDB, plus it's more comfortable staying in the terminal than sitting on the CRJ-200.

Smiley90

I got an "EXCUSE ME THE LINE STARTS HERE" two weeks ago. I felt really DYKWIA but all I could come up with was "*A Gold" and kept walking. (Boarded once it was already way down the boarding groups).

Don't feel bad for using what you essentially paid for.

Lomapaseo

I used my benefits this way in one of those decked out cruise ship elevators where it turned out my key to the elevator buttons gave me express service to my floor and passed up all the others. The other poor people on the elevator figured it was broken and got off at my floor to call for another working elevator.

I felt bad about this once I realized what was happening and wrote it up as a complaint in my comments

jp12687

yea they were pretty pissy-- but That isn't my fault and I just avoided eye contact.

I never fly out of HPN unless I'm going to ORD. Its 10minutes from my house-- but I hate connecting in ORD

Kevin AA

It's the agent's fault, not yours, for not properly managing the queue. They should be alternating Premier, not Premier, one from each line. A Premier line of 3 people would still get checked in far sooner than the non-Premier line.

LangerhansCellHistiocytosis

Did we meet the same guy? The exact same thing happened to me last Christmas, I didn't even make eye contact and just muttered "global". He yelled something about chopped liver to the agent, I rolled my eyes facing away from him and the agent made a 😐 face.

Gig103

Is that really how it's supposed to go on UA? On AA I've always seen priority members taken as next available, no alternating; but AA usually has a separate desk for priority check-in so maybe it isn't apples to apples. I wouldn't expect alternating, though. At boarding, if priority members arrive after general boarding on AA, they are boarded next, no alternating either.

WineCountryUA

Are you referingto single agent situation or a multi-agent situation.
While in a single agent situation that might be an equitable approach, not aware of any hard and fast policy on that.

IMissThe747

It's not rude to use premier benefits. I've been in similar situations, and simply gone about my business with a kind and humble smile.

SEA-Flyer

villox