Jan 19, 2017, 11:05 pm
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
Source: United Boarding Process
We encourage you to make yourself comfortable while you wait for your group to be called, and we’ll let you know when we’re ready for you to board. Late arriving customers in Groups 1 and 2 are welcome to continue boarding through the blue lane at any time.
* Customers who have purchased a Basic Economy ticket will be in the last boarding group, except for Premier members, Chase Cardmembers of qualifying cards and Star Alliance Gold members, who will still receive their priority boarding.
================================================== ==============================
Pre Sept 2018 process
Pre-Boarding
General boarding (Window Seats, then Middle Seats, then Aisle)
Customers who have purchased a Basic Economy ticket will be in the last boarding group, with the exception of Premier members, Chase Cardmembers of qualifying cards and Star Alliance Gold members, who will still receive their priority boarding.
Note: If you’re traveling with a companion and one of you has a higher boarding status, you both may board with the earlier group.
Note: Self Boarding Gates are being tested at the following gates...
sUA Boarding Times by Aircraft (AFA)
Previous thread: United's Current Boarding Process (with Wiki) [Revised, May 2013]
New changes (effective 18 Sept 2018)
You will see some new boarding lane signs in the gate area that will guide you through the boarding process. There will now be two lanes that are color coded : to begin, Group 1 will board through the blue lane and Group 2 will board through the green lane. The remaining Groups 3-5 will then board through the green lane when called, and Groups 1 and 2 can continue to board through the blue lane .We encourage you to make yourself comfortable while you wait for your group to be called, and we’ll let you know when we’re ready for you to board. Late arriving customers in Groups 1 and 2 are welcome to continue boarding through the blue lane at any time.
Boarding groups
Pre-boarding
- Unaccompanied minors
- Customers with disabilities
- Active members of the military
- United Global Services® members
- Families traveling with children age 2 and younger
- Premier® 1K® members
Group 1
- Premier Platinum members
- Premier Gold members
- Star Alliance™ Gold members
- Customers seated in premium cabins: United Polaris®, United First® and United Business®
Group 2
- Premier Silver members
- Star Alliance Silver members
- Customers who have purchased Premier Access® or Priority Boarding
- United℠ Explorer, Club, Presidential Plus℠ and Awards Cardmembers
Groups 3 – 5
- Economy Plus®
- United Economy®
- Basic Economy*
* Customers who have purchased a Basic Economy ticket will be in the last boarding group, except for Premier members, Chase Cardmembers of qualifying cards and Star Alliance Gold members, who will still receive their priority boarding.
Pre Sept 2018 process
Pre-Boarding
- Unaccompanied minors
- Customers with disabilities
- Uniformed members of the U.S. military
- Families traveling with children age two and younger
- United Global Services® members
- Group 1: Premier 1K, Premier Platinum, Business/Polaris Business, and First/Polaris First.
- Group 2: Premier Gold, Star Gold, Premier Silver, Star Silver, MileagePlus Presidential Plus, Club, Explorer and Awards, purchased Premier Access
General boarding (Window Seats, then Middle Seats, then Aisle)
- Group 3 - Window Seats
- Group 4 - Middle & Aisle Seats (Aisle Seats on UA Express)
- Group 5 - Basic Economy
Customers who have purchased a Basic Economy ticket will be in the last boarding group, with the exception of Premier members, Chase Cardmembers of qualifying cards and Star Alliance Gold members, who will still receive their priority boarding.
Note: If you’re traveling with a companion and one of you has a higher boarding status, you both may board with the earlier group.
Note: Self Boarding Gates are being tested at the following gates...
- IAH - Gate C25/C26 - See Post 2960, Includes YouTube video from CO777DAL
- IAH - Gate E4 - Old test from pmCO days, See Thread Here
- BOS - Self boarding gates are now back in *LIMITED* use at least at gates B25 and B26
sUA Boarding Times by Aircraft (AFA)
Previous thread: United's Current Boarding Process (with Wiki) [Revised, May 2013]
United's Current Boarding Process (with Wiki) [2016-forward]{Archive}
Sep 28, 2018, 3:43 am
#1891
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: New York
Programs: EK Platinum, AA EXP, Marriott Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,147
Sitting at my gate here at IAH, waiting for my flight to EWR. The gate next door was boarding for ORD, and I was curious how the new process would go.
Well, GA definitely offered (very) long pauses between the groups, even though there were no military, no GS, and no families under the age of 2. And then came the moment of truth, what would she call next? You guessed it, straight to group 1. But she seemed really confused. Because she called group 1, waited for about 5 minutes, then announced again group 1 like it was the initial time they were allowed to board. Then moments later said groups 2 and 3, then said ladies gentlemen only groups 1 and 2, not 3. So no idea what was going on with her she just seemed confused in general.
Definitely going to ask the GA for my EWR flight if they'll be pre boarding 1K so I know where to stand.
Well, GA definitely offered (very) long pauses between the groups, even though there were no military, no GS, and no families under the age of 2. And then came the moment of truth, what would she call next? You guessed it, straight to group 1. But she seemed really confused. Because she called group 1, waited for about 5 minutes, then announced again group 1 like it was the initial time they were allowed to board. Then moments later said groups 2 and 3, then said ladies gentlemen only groups 1 and 2, not 3. So no idea what was going on with her she just seemed confused in general.
Definitely going to ask the GA for my EWR flight if they'll be pre boarding 1K so I know where to stand.
Sep 28, 2018, 4:42 am
#1892
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: where lions are led by donkeys...
Programs: Lifetime Gold, Global Entry, Hertz PC, and my wallet
Posts: 20,340
What is it about the instructions that are passed to UA GA that make it so difficult to understand? If they are using Agile that might explain everything though! But joking aside, how flipping hard can it possibly be to educate your staff on something that should be trivial in its implementation? I really don't get it.
And, any experience from Heathrow (LHR) with this new process?
And, any experience from Heathrow (LHR) with this new process?
Sep 28, 2018, 5:38 am
#1893
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: BOS<>NYC<>BKK
Programs: UA 4.3MM LT-GS; AA1MM; Amtrak SE; MAR LT TITAN; PC Plat; HIL DIA; HYA GLOB
Posts: 4,392
What is it about the instructions that are passed to UA GA that make it so difficult to understand? If they are using Agile that might explain everything though! But joking aside, how flipping hard can it possibly be to educate your staff on something that should be trivial in its implementation? I really don't get it.
And, any experience from Heathrow (LHR) with this new process?
And, any experience from Heathrow (LHR) with this new process?
Sep 28, 2018, 6:39 am
#1894
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: SFO, TPE, HNL
Programs: UA GS 4MM, RCC life member (paid), Marriott Lifetime Titanium, Hyatt Globalist, CLEAR
Posts: 1,822
Anyone experience the new pre-boarding process out of TPE? Haven't traveled there ever since the changes were implemented. From my previous experience, they "pre-scanned" GS and held us at the jetway entrance if the aircraft wasn't ready, then continued to scan everyone else when the jetway doors opened. Interested to see how it would play out now that 1Ks are involved in preboard, hopefully the aready wont get TOO crowded.
Sep 28, 2018, 7:03 am
#1895
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 57,581
i will take UA 872 this Sunday from TPE and will report back. TPE CSRs are some of the best and smartest of the UA system, I would be very surprised if the chaotic experience on UA871 24Sep18 at SFO is repeated (when all pre-boarding groups were called together without any pause, and large number of 1Ks and people standing at the beginning of BG1 lines converged towards the gate)
Sep 28, 2018, 7:21 am
#1896
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Morris County, NJ
Programs: UA 1K/*G, Avis Pres, Marriott Plat
Posts: 2,305
Boarded flights this week in EWR, ORD, SMF, SFO and DFW.
All preboarded 1K’s splendidly. Process is working just fine.
Quite smooth rollout in my book. They got this one very, very right. Uniform deployment in 5 different stations - hubs and outstations - tells me they thought this one through. Kudos to UA. Acting like one airline - finally firing on all cylinders.
All preboarded 1K’s splendidly. Process is working just fine.
Quite smooth rollout in my book. They got this one very, very right. Uniform deployment in 5 different stations - hubs and outstations - tells me they thought this one through. Kudos to UA. Acting like one airline - finally firing on all cylinders.
Sep 28, 2018, 7:36 am
#1898
Join Date: Jun 2014
Programs: UA MM
Posts: 4,122
How anyone can defend this treatment of a paid F passenger is beyond me. Back before the merger, when I flew longhaul (TCON or TATL/TPAC) I was almost always in C or F thanks to instrument UG or purchased UG. I always remained in the UC until just before boarding, because I never had to worry about OH space, and boarding usually wasn't chaotic. I don't have to worry about OH space on an internationally configured bird now, but I still go early, because the red carpet lane is gone. And for a NB long haul, there is no way I'm not near the front of Group 1, thanks to the situation described above. I don't carry a lot on board with me, but if I've shelled our $$ for paid F domestically, UA ought to have the common courtesy to make sure OH space in F isn't poached.
I never have this kind of trouble when flying *A partners in Europe. Why can't UA do this correctly?
I never have this kind of trouble when flying *A partners in Europe. Why can't UA do this correctly?
Sep 28, 2018, 7:46 am
#1899
Join Date: Jun 2014
Programs: UA MM
Posts: 4,122
Pretty obvious, isn't it? As opposed to elites with paid coach with complimentary upgrades.
The point is that some people with no status pay for high F fares but don't get first class service.
(I don't think it is as big of a deal as many here do, as the majority of paid F are probably GS/1K/Plat/Gold anyhow)
The point is that some people with no status pay for high F fares but don't get first class service.
(I don't think it is as big of a deal as many here do, as the majority of paid F are probably GS/1K/Plat/Gold anyhow)
Sep 28, 2018, 8:40 am
#1900
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 2,531
What is it about the instructions that are passed to UA GA that make it so difficult to understand? If they are using Agile that might explain everything though! But joking aside, how flipping hard can it possibly be to educate your staff on something that should be trivial in its implementation? I really don't get it.
Not making excuses for UA -- they should do better -- but I think people on this board underestimate the difficulty of the task. It's been 10 days since the roll-out. Give it some time.
Sep 28, 2018, 8:55 am
#1901
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 57,581
I'm not talking about a RJ. I'm talking about 737/A319/A320s, with the A319 being the worst offender.
Sep 28, 2018, 8:57 am
#1902
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 4,115
What is it about the instructions that are passed to UA GA that make it so difficult to understand? If they are using Agile that might explain everything though! But joking aside, how flipping hard can it possibly be to educate your staff on something that should be trivial in its implementation? I really don't get it.
As has been stated, it’s status quo for UA. It will be fine in 6-12 months. GS preboarding with the 5 lane setup was similar. In the meantime, enjoy your role as a trainer!
My experience so far has been a very mixed bag. But one thing I will say is that it seems obvious 1Ks are very pleased with their newfound respect. That is positive. But the preboarding “cluster” will need some practice to sort out some rules of the game.
Last edited by HeadInTheClouds; Sep 28, 2018 at 9:03 am
Sep 28, 2018, 9:11 am
#1904
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 57,581
Because the changes in preboarding groups was tossed in at the last minute without any testing? When UA seemingly didn’t even know they were going to do this (else one can only assume it would have been part of the lengthy test process), you can’t expect a fully baked implementation and training plan.
As has been stated, it’s status quo for UA. It will be fine in 6-12 months. GS preboarding with the 5 lane setup was similar. In the meantime, enjoy your role as a trainer!
My experience so far has been a very mixed bag. But one thing I will say is that it seems obvious 1Ks are very pleased with their newfound respect. That is positive. But the preboarding “cluster” will need some practice to sort out some rules of the game.
Sep 28, 2018, 9:16 am
#1905
Join Date: Jun 2014
Programs: UA MM
Posts: 4,122
Because the changes in preboarding groups was tossed in at the last minute without any testing? When UA seemingly didn’t even know they were going to do this (else one can only assume it would have been part of the lengthy test process), you can’t expect a fully baked implementation and training plan.
As has been stated, it’s status quo for UA. It will be fine in 6-12 months. GS preboarding with the 5 lane setup was similar. In the meantime, enjoy your role as a trainer!
My experience so far has been a very mixed bag. But one thing I will say is that it seems obvious 1Ks are very pleased with their newfound respect. That is positive. But the preboarding “cluster” will need some practice to sort out some rules of the game.
United would have to be complete wizards to devise a system that accomplishes their goals of an orderly boarding process for 100% of their flights. Is it even possible? If the process works better than the old one 75+% of the time then we should count it a significant improvement. By my rough experience/score, they are exceeding that 75% figure.