UA's Boarding Process with WILMA now - Inconsistent process / PreBoarding issues
#61
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: EWR
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For our DUB-EWR flight yesterday the DUB gate agent was nicely pro-active about getting GS and 1K pax in position to pre-board. Very well done.
#62
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: ORD
Posts: 82
Be kind of interesting to see what would happen if airlines were to forced to disclose number and seat locations of human spawn. Might see halo pricing effects for E+ and preferred seats around the larva in those seats.
I've never understood early boarding of sub-2s. Enables extended family to board for zero reason, enables cheating (i.e. using 2+ y.o. kid as prop), and doesn't seem to be a time saver. They are almost never ready to board when called, either.
I've never understood early boarding of sub-2s. Enables extended family to board for zero reason, enables cheating (i.e. using 2+ y.o. kid as prop), and doesn't seem to be a time saver. They are almost never ready to board when called, either.
#63
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Chicago, IL
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Flying this AM from ORD to IAD. The gate agent announces: "we're going to try something new today; Families will preboard first, then active military, then those needing extra time, then Global Services and then 1K. We'll start in a few minutes." I was off to the side waiting to preboard as a GS. I walked up to the podium and told the GA that you can't just change the boarding order. It's posted above your head. Stick to the order United has created. He made a face and then called the order somewhat correctly but still called "families" before GS. I walked up and scanned my boarding pass and boarded. Maybe a bit DYKWIA but I don't think GAs should just make up the order.
#64
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Flying this AM from ORD to IAD. The gate agent announces: "we're going to try something new today; Families will preboard first, then active military, then those needing extra time, then Global Services and then 1K. We'll start in a few minutes." I was off to the side waiting to preboard as a GS. I walked up to the podium and told the GA that you can't just change the boarding order. It's posted above your head. Stick to the order United has created. He made a face and then called the order somewhat correctly but still called "families" before GS. I walked up and scanned my boarding pass and boarded. Maybe a bit DYKWIA but I don't think GAs should just make up the order.
David
#66
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My last flight, cross country from LAX to EWR, we boarded from the awkwardly situated gate 72. Some 50 people boarded with the pax needing additional time group. The whole plane pax could have boarded, and GAs would have said/done nothing.
#67
Join Date: Jul 2013
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I think I had this guy last week. He called families first, then military, then 1k. Never called GS, which I pointed out to him as I boarded. “Oh I was going to call GS.” Remarkable
Flying this AM from ORD to IAD. The gate agent announces: "we're going to try something new today; Families will preboard first, then active military, then those needing extra time, then Global Services and then 1K. We'll start in a few minutes." I was off to the side waiting to preboard as a GS. I walked up to the podium and told the GA that you can't just change the boarding order. It's posted above your head. Stick to the order United has created. He made a face and then called the order somewhat correctly but still called "families" before GS. I walked up and scanned my boarding pass and boarded. Maybe a bit DYKWIA but I don't think GAs should just make up the order.
#68
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Ex-RIC:
1. Passenger needing more time, gate agent closed boarding door and helped out wheel chair down the jet bridge
2. Called for military next but no takers, but forgot another passenger needing wheelchair service; inexplicably, spent the next five minutes with someone wanting to switch seats
3. Finally noticed the other wheelchair passenger, closed the bridge door again
4. Family traveling with children, one boarded, but another needing to tag stroller
5. GS/1K/1st class all called at the same time. I decided to board from the side. Some guy at the front of BG1 asked why I was cutting the line. I responded I am part of the preboarding group. Gate agent tried to side with the guy, and asked me the same, I told her I am 1K, she reluctantly waved me through.
UAX has a 10 minute scheduled boarding time. This flight took a good 30 minutes or longer.
1. Passenger needing more time, gate agent closed boarding door and helped out wheel chair down the jet bridge
2. Called for military next but no takers, but forgot another passenger needing wheelchair service; inexplicably, spent the next five minutes with someone wanting to switch seats
3. Finally noticed the other wheelchair passenger, closed the bridge door again
4. Family traveling with children, one boarded, but another needing to tag stroller
5. GS/1K/1st class all called at the same time. I decided to board from the side. Some guy at the front of BG1 asked why I was cutting the line. I responded I am part of the preboarding group. Gate agent tried to side with the guy, and asked me the same, I told her I am 1K, she reluctantly waved me through.
UAX has a 10 minute scheduled boarding time. This flight took a good 30 minutes or longer.
#69
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Had a flight a couple of days back where the GA announced boarding in the order of: (1) disabilities; (2) GS; (3) active duty military; (4) families with children under 2; (5) group 1.
After the GA called military and only 2 pax boarded, a large group of pax surged the podium, pushing past a family with an infant and me (who was standing next to said family). Then, when they called group 1, skipping 1Ks, one of the group who'd crowded the gate stopped and complained to the GA that he had skipped 1Ks and also GS (the latter being wrong, as the GA clearly called for GS). The GA apologized, and the guy seemed to want to argue, but sheesh, just board at that point; you were the first 1K to board. I also almost asked said pax if his shouldering me out of the way was because he didn't think someone in a t-shirt and sandals was a 1K?
When we got to IAD, he then tried to cut through a bunch of folks boarding the moon buggy back to the main terminal (again, including me), and instead, I held my ground and he ran into my bag, scowled at me, but didn't say a word otherwise.
There's a difference between wanting to see the right process followed and being a jerk about it.
After the GA called military and only 2 pax boarded, a large group of pax surged the podium, pushing past a family with an infant and me (who was standing next to said family). Then, when they called group 1, skipping 1Ks, one of the group who'd crowded the gate stopped and complained to the GA that he had skipped 1Ks and also GS (the latter being wrong, as the GA clearly called for GS). The GA apologized, and the guy seemed to want to argue, but sheesh, just board at that point; you were the first 1K to board. I also almost asked said pax if his shouldering me out of the way was because he didn't think someone in a t-shirt and sandals was a 1K?
When we got to IAD, he then tried to cut through a bunch of folks boarding the moon buggy back to the main terminal (again, including me), and instead, I held my ground and he ran into my bag, scowled at me, but didn't say a word otherwise.
There's a difference between wanting to see the right process followed and being a jerk about it.
#71
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Really, how hard can it possibly be for United employees to follow policy consistently? Are they not trained at all?
#72
#74