Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Miles&Points > Airlines and Mileage Programs > United Airlines | MileagePlus
Reload this Page >

Odd boarding process in DEN for 777 - simultaneous BG1 (Door 1L) & BG2 (Door 2L)

Odd boarding process in DEN for 777 - simultaneous BG1 (Door 1L) & BG2 (Door 2L)

Old Mar 26, 2019, 12:00 am
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Berkeley, CA
Programs: UA Gold, peon everywhere else
Posts: 988
Odd boarding process in DEN for 777 - simultaneous BG1 (Door 1L) & BG2 (Door 2L)

Last Thursday, flight 257 DEN->SFO on a 777 -- They did all the pre-boarding, then proceeded to open both doors and board both groups 1 and 2 simultaneously -- two gate agents, group 1 through the left-hand door (into the front of the plane), group 2 into the right-hand door (heading to the door between Polaris and Premium Plus). Really annoying because group 1 flyers in economy (like me) wound up taking the more roundabout route, then merging with the group 2 boarders at their door. Since I had a bulkhead seat with no storage, it was frustrating that most of the overhead space near me was gone by the time I got there (and I was 3rd in the group 1 line). If I'd been at the end of group 1 and wound up boarding after most or all of group 2, I'd have been pretty annoyed.

Has anybody else run into this wrinkle? (I'd never seen it before, and I can't seem to find anything via search)
danM is offline  
Old Mar 26, 2019, 1:19 am
  #2  
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: SAN
Programs: 1K (since 2008), *G (since 1990), 1MM
Posts: 3,213
I personally would contact United to inform them of this as what is the point if BG1? It causes the issues you have described.
Aussienarelle is offline  
Old Mar 26, 2019, 2:20 am
  #3  
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: HND, NRT
Programs: UA Gold (1K 2016–2023 by miracle extensions; RIP 1K status), 1MM
Posts: 219
I've had this happen at ORD before and I did send a note/complaint to the 1K email address. (This was before 1Ks could preboard.) I was in the same boat. I want on early because I'm usually at a bulkhead/exit row and don't want to have to put my bags behind me.
Kannai is offline  
Old Mar 27, 2019, 11:39 am
  #4  
Marriott Contributor Badge
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Programs: Hyatt Globalist | Jumpseat Platinum
Posts: 545
I've had this argument many times at DEN on widebody flights.

It's a station thing, and they insist that this is "the way it's supposed to be done" and that "There's just not enough time to board otherwise", ignoring the fact that somehow we manage to get the same planes with the same loads boarded on time at other stations, without doing this.

It's a complete cluster around the door 2 area as people try to merge together, and as you mentioned, ends up putting Economy BG1 fliers at a disadvantage for early boarding. Please write it in.
fezzington is offline  
Old Mar 27, 2019, 11:56 am
  #5  
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: NYC
Programs: Marriott Platinum Elite, National Executive, United Gold
Posts: 1,181
The GAs are doing something similar at LAX gate 74 for the 78X departure. BG1 and 2 are scanned at the same time and merge in the jetway.
764toHI is offline  
Old Mar 27, 2019, 12:01 pm
  #6  
 
Join Date: May 2015
Programs: All the programs!
Posts: 1,004
Tell Scott Kirby to stop pushing D0.
jasonp622 likes this.
oopl is offline  
Old Mar 27, 2019, 1:07 pm
  #7  
 
Join Date: May 2016
Location: SLC
Programs: United Gold, Hilton Silver, Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 768
It makes a lot of sense to use both doors. This really does speed up the process and doesn't force all of the Y passengers to pass through the business cabin in order to get to their seats. But doing it strictly by boarding number might be defeating the purpose a little. If they simply kept the forward door for business-class only, and boarded through the other door based on boarding group for the rest of the passengers, this would resolve the issue.
BBSHOPSINGER is offline  
Old Mar 27, 2019, 1:23 pm
  #8  
Original Member
 
Join Date: May 1998
Location: CT/NY
Programs: UA 1K/1MM, AA EXP, Marriott LT Titanium, Hyatt Globalist, IHG Plat Amb
Posts: 5,979
Originally Posted by 764toHI
The GAs are doing something similar at LAX gate 74 for the 78X departure. BG1 and 2 are scanned at the same time and merge in the jetway.
Also at LAX, but they did not board both group 1 and 2 concurrently. Instead, they asked folks with seats in farther aisle (crossovers) to go through door 1, and folks with nearer aisle to go through door 2. Much cleaner that way without the merging nightmare.
mikeyf likes this.
PTahCha is offline  
Old Mar 27, 2019, 3:53 pm
  #9  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Denver, CO, USA
Programs: Sometimes known as [ARG:6 UNDEFINED]
Posts: 26,623
At least they're not Airbus 321s, with their entirely useless (for boarding) 2Ls.

Last edited by DenverBrian; Mar 27, 2019 at 7:28 pm
DenverBrian is offline  
Old Mar 27, 2019, 4:30 pm
  #10  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Programs: UA*Lifetime GS, Hyatt* Lifetime Globalist
Posts: 12,277
There are similar boarding processes: (not exactly the same) as described by the OP in airports around the world.

HKG is one. Some of the larger China airports do the same. LHR has this multiple-lane concepts. Melbourne too. All the examples mentioned have either 2-door gates or two lanes process at the podium. Sometimes, they do it at SFO as well when they try to get planes out faster.

What OP described is a bit different. Each gate door leads to separate jetway vs those lead to a common area before spliting two separate jetways.
UA_Flyer is offline  
Old Mar 27, 2019, 4:56 pm
  #11  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Hilton Contributor BadgeMarriott Contributor Badge
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: TOA
Programs: HH Diamond, Marriott LTPP/Platinum Premier, Hyatt Lame-ist, UA !K
Posts: 20,061
Originally Posted by UA_Flyer
There are similar boarding processes: (not exactly the same) as described by the OP in airports around the world.

HKG is one. Some of the larger China airports do the same. LHR has this multiple-lane concepts. Melbourne too. All the examples mentioned have either 2-door gates or two lanes process at the podium. Sometimes, they do it at SFO as well when they try to get planes out faster.

What OP described is a bit different. Each gate door leads to separate jetway vs those lead to a common area before spliting two separate jetways.
But what the OP was getting at is having a convergence of groups at the L2 door itself from both inside and outside of the aircraft so that turbulent flow ensued.

David
Aussienarelle and fezzington like this.
DELee is offline  
Old Mar 27, 2019, 5:15 pm
  #12  
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: back in the saddle in AMWAJ
Programs: EK PLAT 2022-2023, UAplat soon to be LH senator!
Posts: 367
i would much rather board only the C cabin thru the front door and everyone else thru door 2 that way there would be no reason not to do a PDB and keep the foot traffic thru the C cabin down, i asked a DEN agent yesterday after reading this and they feel that in order to board the 364 passengers in 40 minutes it helps to board simultaneously BG1&2 and then close the front door and focus on 3,4&5 thru door 2, i can see their point but anymore it would seem more of the preboarders(GS/1K)are already up front to begin with so just boarding the door 2 would make sense to me...just my 2 centavos
drewguy likes this.

Last edited by cosflyer; Mar 27, 2019 at 5:24 pm
cosflyer is offline  
Old Mar 27, 2019, 5:40 pm
  #13  
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: SAN
Programs: 1K (since 2008), *G (since 1990), 1MM
Posts: 3,213
Originally Posted by cosflyer
... i asked a DEN agent yesterday after reading this and they feel that in order to board the 364 passengers in 40 minutes it helps to board simultaneously BG1&2 and then close the front door and focus on 3,4&5 thru door 2, i can see their point but anymore it would seem more of the preboarders(GS/1K)are already up front to begin with so just boarding the door 2 would make sense to me...just my 2 centavos
I am 1K so was able to get my carryon in the overhead in the first row of Y on Sunday for my ORD-LHR flight. My neighbor who boarded a while after me (BG 3 I believe) was unable to get her carryon in an overhead anywhere near her seat as people behind us used the overhead above our seats and opposite our seats. I had tried to point out to people that my seating companion would have no where to put their carryon and personal item (and as a bulkhead row there was no underseat storage) but the third person I made the comment to just ignored me. Fortunately the FA put her carryon and personal item a few rows in front of her seat on the other side of the plane.

Those in BG 2 struggled to find somewhere to put their carryon. We boarded in BG order (although I did pre-board).

If I were in BG1 and BG2 were able to access the overhead before me then my carryon would have been no where near me. Why have BGs if there is no advantage in BG1? May as well have a free for all.

DEN failed abysmally in the boarding for the flight in the OP.
ExplorerWannabe likes this.
Aussienarelle is offline  
Old Mar 27, 2019, 5:52 pm
  #14  
 
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 1K MM, Marriott Gold
Posts: 4,765
Originally Posted by DELee
But what the OP was getting at is having a convergence of groups at the L2 door itself from both inside and outside of the aircraft so that turbulent flow ensued.

David
Is there ever laminar flow in a boarding situation?
Boofer, drewguy, MHDFLYER and 5 others like this.
JAaronT is offline  
Old Mar 27, 2019, 5:54 pm
  #15  
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 2,530
Yes it would make more sense to board J through L1 and Y through L2, starting with BG1.

The method stated in the OP is an inconvenience to Plat and Gold Y pax, but not to anyone else, right?

I applaud their attempt to use two doors, though. Unfortunately I think the main bottleneck is in the aisles, not at the door(s), so not sure it really speeds things up compared to just boarding everyone through L2.
threeoh is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.