Odd boarding process in DEN for 777 - simultaneous BG1 (Door 1L) & BG2 (Door 2L)
Mar 29, 2019, 12:05 pm
#31
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, AA, DL
Posts: 7,418
I've experienced this on ORD-PEK a few years back, before 1Ks preboarded. They started boarding Group 1 through Door 1 and Group 2 (followed by other groups) through Door 2. Between F, J, 1K, and platinum, almost exactly half the plane was in Group 1. The tail end of Group 1 -- which included me (had to get my passport checked at the last minute) -- boarded at the same time as Group 4.
I appreciate the desire to be more efficient. But early boarding is a defined privilege of certain ticket classes and status classes, and screwing up the system so that those folks board with Group 4 is not cool.
I appreciate the desire to be more efficient. But early boarding is a defined privilege of certain ticket classes and status classes, and screwing up the system so that those folks board with Group 4 is not cool.
It's fine if you're Group 1 and in J. Not so great if you're Group 1 and Y, as I was.
Mar 29, 2019, 2:32 pm
#32
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: SYD
Programs: UA 1K; VA Gold; QF Gold; HHonors Gold; Marriott Gold; National ExecElite
Posts: 419
But yes, I think you're right with one exception - UA started marking the bins for E+ on many of their aircraft. So I suppose it's also against the "rules" to use one of those bins unless you're seated in E+.
Mar 29, 2019, 4:37 pm
#33
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: USA
Programs: UA Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,195
I don't know about rules but I think it's pretty darn rude to suck up bin space at someone else's row before you even figure out whether there's room near your own seat. It's annoying to get to your seat with empty rows all around and find your bin completely packed.
Mar 29, 2019, 9:08 pm
#34
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Delaware
Programs: UA Mileage Plus, Amtrak Guest Rewards
Posts: 1,393
We had this happen in NRT on our way to EWR. ABCDE through Door 2, FJKL through Door 1. We pushed back less than 25 minutes after boarding began.
Mar 30, 2019, 12:56 am
#35
Moderator: Hyatt; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: WAS
Programs: :rolleyes:, DL DM, Mlife Plat, Caesars Diam, Marriott Tit, UA Gold, Hyatt Glob, invol FT beta tester
Posts: 18,938
I went through 1L, then wished I'd listened to myself as I slowly made my way through the first half of the cabin and then had to merge into the 2L traffic...So, left side of the plane through 2L and right side through 1L. I assume that would work as long as you had BG1 and BG2 signs and cattle chutes at both doors; you just have to tell people to look at their boarding pass and if it is a seat ABCDE, please go to door 2, and FGHJKL-Z (because you just know UA is trying to figure out 11-across seating at some point), board through door 1.
Doesn't help the poor guy in 1A at all.
Doesn't help the poor guy in 1A at all.
Or if you wanted to get really granular 1A/D-4A/D could use 1L
Mar 30, 2019, 2:52 am
#36
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: LAX
Programs: UA MM | BA Silver
Posts: 7,193
777HD DEN-LAX today.
I arrived at the tail end of BG1. BG1 and BG2 were not boarded together. F (and preboards at anytime?) had access to L1. BG1 and I assume all remaining groups used L2. FA's were directing people onboard.
We departed ~30 minutes late due to late arriving fuel. It was for the best as we were able to accommodate a few folks that would have misconnected, and we still arrived on time.
I arrived at the tail end of BG1. BG1 and BG2 were not boarded together. F (and preboards at anytime?) had access to L1. BG1 and I assume all remaining groups used L2. FA's were directing people onboard.
We departed ~30 minutes late due to late arriving fuel. It was for the best as we were able to accommodate a few folks that would have misconnected, and we still arrived on time.
Mar 30, 2019, 8:16 am
#37
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 1,353
I've seen a variant of this done in TLV a couple years ago -- BG1//2 on one side in sequence, with BG3/4/5 starting in parallel on the other side, with all the issues noted here. And more recently at the same station done "corrrectly": Pull/ask people from the *current* group to go to the other side as needed to keep full volume 2-door boarding without creating the problems here. I'm not sure why it's so hard for the GAs to figure this out, or why their written policies aren't clearer about how to do it.
