Agent0069

As a gov't agent, I fly armed frequently for work, and nothing amuses me more than to watch these self-important fools jockeying for position on the red carpet. Just before they are about to be called by the GA to board, I get the nod from the GA to come up and board first as we have to meet the pilot, any FAMS on board, and show our creds. These folks go nuts that someone (they usually have no idea who or what we are) got to go before them and is treated with an obvious level of professionalism.

hawkxp

Hey, I resemble this thread. With bag + briefcase, narrowbody OH space can be a real problem. But, I do not have to crowd around the baggage carousel. So I am not a “baggage lice”. Talk about a zoo, and down there; there is NO way to separate yourself from the masses of the great unwashed.

sam123

Hey, lucky, where did you see me?! BT headset, check. BP in shirt pocket, check. Jockeying the pole, check. Gate lice, check

I never check bags, and for stress-free fit of my micro-duffel and rolling computer bag I exhibit the above behavior when seated in:
- RJs or 767 in any row
- Airbii, 737 or 2-class 777 in row 1
- non-p.s. 757 in rows 1, 8 or 9

The other 70% of the time I usually just show up as boarding commences and waltz right in...

Alas, my OLCI BPs are boringly white, perhaps I should invest in some nice gold paper stock!

CApreppie

Forget 1Ks, GS is where it's at.

mre5765

A lot of us travel with little bags too, and we find that than non-F pax feel entitled to park their bags in the F overhead bins. Hence crowding the red carpet. As others have noted when a 757 is boarding, it is often in a gate area designed for a 737, and there's no place to sit anyway. Try sitting in the gate area when a 757 is leaving SJC, Terminal C.

mre5765

We know who you are ... you guys blow your cover every time.

p.s. I like your handle ... 69

Markie

I tend to get to the gate 10-15 mins before boarding starts. If someone is in line on the Red Carpet I join the queue, if not I wait until a line starts.

meducate

I find this quite frustrating as well. I enjoy the privilege of pre-boarding. I enjoy a pre-departure beverage and relaxing in my seat during the boarding process. I like having my carry-ons stored in their proper places. I typically leave the RCC about 10 minutes before I believe that boarding will begin so that I can comfortably pre-board.

When I get to a gate and find that there are lines on both sides (red carpet and non-red carpet) and behind those lines there are swarming masses, I get really frustrated. Typically those on the red carpet side do have the right to be there, so I don't think that this is an issue of those who are not in the know. In fact, I have seen very few instances of people on the wrong line. This is, as the OP said, an issue of 1Ks and other red carpet eligibles exhibiting the same traits as all other gate lice.

Why is this the case? Easy: human nature. The herd mentality is prevalent! We do as the group does. Even if we know that it may not be necessary or even the right thing to do!! And face it, it is likely that many if not all of us have exhibited some form of this trait at one time or another.

What is the solution? Well, as an earlier post indicated, a structured (and appropriate) boarding model. If the GA clearly announces who may board and adheres to those rules then no matter who is standing at the front of the line, they have to make way for the group that has actually been called. Of course we know this not to be the case, as many GAs say "OK, let's begin boarding with our Global Services, 1K, F and C passengers. And Group 1 you may board now too." And this is not dependent on the size of the plane or the airport.

Oh wel....

lihue1k

Ummmm . . . guilty.

At least guilty sometimes.

I suppose we humans are programmed to clump into groups. I force myself to not start the RC line (at least not until boarding time -5 minutes). I amuse myself regularly by hanging out in the gate are prior to flight and watching to see who will initiate the red carpet line and how quickly it will grow . . . so far pretty normal behavior IMHO.

What happens next though is less rational and seems deeply programmed into my being. Namely, once the line has been initiated, and has grown to a certain point (5, 10, 15???) I start to feel anxious and ultimately I will succumb to the herd joining the line in ~ position 10.

Rationally, I know there's no chance whatsoever that I won't find bin space or someone else in my seat . . . but the pull to join the group is simply irresistible.

gre

I hope you don't really believe that, as mre said, we're not that clueless.

Anyway, welcome to FT!

Back on topic. Always the contrarian, I do something different. I wait with the real gate lice until the red carpet clears, and right when the GA opens the blue carpet floodgate I stroll up the red carpet for all the world to see how important I am. The GA then has to close the blue gate and tend to my eminence.

wxguy

All but the gold BP. I'm at the BOS RCC now with a blue one in my pocket from the EZchicken, even for my F seat. My RCC angel here told me that the gold stock is dwindling, and before long all we'll have is the white flimsy paper.

anc-ord772

I usually have a seat and wait for the RC activity to die down, walk over as the last RC pax is being processed and head down the jetway.

More annoying than gate lice is the inevitable wait on the jetbridge. Its nice when the GA gives a moment between groups.

weero

I never ever witness this!

As I am always the very first one standing at the very front of the red carpet, no matter how much later my flight will leave - armed with books and notebook computer in order not to loose too much time - I hardly ever notice the hordes of other 1Ks who stand behind me ...

magiciansampras

I believe it is an ego thing. UA is stroking our egos with the "red carpet" business, making us feel important. Some of us need that more than others.

timezone_trooper

This happens consistently in PIT. I fly the 6am PIT-ORD every Monday morning and the same people are lined up at the red carpet like it was their job. I watch these people every week, and it seems they line up whether they are flying F or not. The only time I ever line up is if I am flying F in a 737, because the overhead space is so limited. I also may line up if it's a CR7 and I have the opportunity to snag one of the two pillows/blankets on the flight.