nomad420

I do it almost all the time (board BG1 after it has cleared). Getting over head for me is often not an issue and I usually take the isle seat so why board early. I get some bad looks out of smaller airports but out of SFO most travelers there seems a bit more savvy and know the dance.

Aussienarelle

Kudos to the GA!

narvik

I've stood in-line with current boarding groups on several such occasions, despite being Group 1 eligible.
Won't always do this; but sometimes I just couldn't be bothered and am not in the mood to elicit the death-stares.

FlyerTalker70

My preferred way of boarding is hang out in lounge, waiting 20 or so minutes before boarding starts, then casually stroll to the gate, walk up to the Priority lane and proceed to cut off the kettles and lurkers!

I'm getting too old to wait in queues, especially if it leads to a narrow metal tube that I'll be trapped in for several hours!

-James

mapleg

If people feel "guilty" or "rude" for using a priority line designed for their benefit, may I suggest a few assertiveness training seminars or books.

narvik

Nah, I'd feel way too guilty and diffident to attend such a seminar or buy such a book!

katan

If looks could kill. I've had the looks a few times, but had the one that I would not let it pass.

SYD->SFO inbound, making my way through with a few of my team members. They all had a little later flights to DEN, so we walked slowly. I got there when group 2 was just finishing up. I walked up and made eye contact with the agent, and she motioned me forward. The person in group 3 stepped in front of me and said "I'm in line ahead of you.". Awkward moment, where the GA stepped in said I was group 1 and should board first. The other person said "oh, so you are late getting here".

Of course this person boarded behind me, and then we go onto the jetway and wait behind a pile of people. They were just behind me. Maybe it was the pain of the already 14 hours of flying, but I finally couldn't hold it in - turned around and asked, "how do you know where I came from?" "Why do you know so much about when I arrive at the gate?" Certainly a DYKWIA moment, and I hope i would not do it again.

I will still always aim to get the attention of the GA and then proceed, no matter when I arrive. I think that's the only safe answer.

nomad420

When departing from UA hubs it always seems that most people (not all) do know the "rule" that BG1, or for that matter BG2, can board anytime through their respective row. I see it all the time now. But I realize the confusion with travelers not familiar with UA boarding rules.

canadiancow

Ugh. I've had this happen dozens of times on AC, but even UA annoyed me once. I was booked in Global First SFO-LHR, and went into the GF check-in line.

The business/status/economy lines all cleared out before I was called up. Even a few Y pax who entered their line after I entered the F line were served before I was.

But if that wasn't enough, when I was finally called, it was a rude "Are you Global Services?". No, actually, I'm not. I'm the other thing your sign says this line is for.

Once on AC, I actually called out to the agent who called someone up from a different line, and she said "I'm not serving priority". I don't think she understands the definition of priority. The guy behind me moved to the Y line, and he was served before me.

As a software engineer, I understand how priority queues work, and that you can't just ignore the Y line indefinitely. But when you get to a point where the front J pax has been waiting longer than the front Y pax, and you decide to call the Y pax, you need a lesson in queue management.

Aussienarelle

I actually think there are some check-in agents who actively dislike customers who have priority (for whatever reason). I call them the "communism check-in agents". It is an inside joke, after my colleagues and I not being provided "service" when standing in an elite check-in line and watching the whole non-elite line check in before we were called. There is a communism check-in agent in SAN, but Dan is back now so hoping to avoid her going forward.

FlyerTalker70

Yikes! The whole point of priority (and in particular SE) is that you get served well and fast! In fact I would expect all things being equal that priority queues clear faster since they are filled with experienced travellers who have done this routine dozens if not thousands of times before. This encounter reminds me of a similar encounter going through Gold Track Security at CAI earlier this year which took over 2 hours to clear. Made me wonder, if this queue took 2 hours to clear, I wonder how long the normal economy queue took‽

As much as I like to rip on AC, I will say that at least at some Canadians airports they run a pretty good operation. In particular, at YYZ, it's nice to see that they have a priority check-in area that is physical separate and barrier'd off to kettles. They also segment out priority by status and flight (i.e. 25K, 35K/50K/Gold/75K then SuperElite counter). I wish UA had this at their hubs, but sadly it's all self serve kiosks and the occasional generic Premier Priority lane.

Safe Travels,

James

davie355

Question for the forum.

If you are Group 1 when Group 3-4-5 is boarding, do you wait to be called up by the GA, or do you cut/merge in at the front of Groups 3-4-5?

I was in this situation ORD-SFO, I tried waiting for the GA to notice me, but the gate area was so large (normally for 2-door INTL departures) that I could not be noticed. So I cut in front of Group 3-4-5, but one of those passengers made a big show of walking in front of me to "reclaim" the spot I had cut.

WineCountryUA

I always wait and if occasionally the GA did not notice immediately , they will soon enough.
Best to let it be clear that UA is extending the benefit and not something you are doing on your own.

FlyerTalker70

I follow what the boarding pass says. If it says, Zone 2 (since I'm UA Gold), I'll enter that line, which admittedly, by the time I get there, is typically empty and then proceed to board. If they jump into my queue, then it's on them to prove they're Zone 2. Is it rude? Not really, fellow pax had the option of boarding whenever they wanted. Nothing stopped them from having a seat to avoid catching a nasty case of gate lice. This was precisely the approach I took when I had UA Premier FoTSG status or are travelling on VIA Rail.

Safe Travels,

James

findark

I merge and basically have never noticed anyone getting upset.. although a lot of the time I am at the gate early enough to slide in at the end of the Group 1 line.