zombietooth

CF wants Red Carpet gate escorts who will call your name and then part the sea of lice so that the "exalted ones" may pass.

[Unduly personalized remarks deleted by Moderator.] In fact, whenever I am late boarding, which happens a lot in my case because I like tight connections ( i.e. I hate airports! ), I usually have to force my way through the mass to reach the RC, not a queue by my understanding of what that should be, dodging around people holding position as close to the ticket reader as possible even though their boarding area hasn't been called yet. Sorry, if I can't see the downside to getting there early and avoiding the sheeple. I have seen numerous instances where probable elites seem to form a blocking wedge around the RC so as to not allow access to it prior to boarding call. These types get what they deserve when someone forceful strides right through and past them onto the RC---Maybe that is what is really upsetting them.

EsquireFlyer

I've flown out of IAD plenty of times and still never seen a gate that was so crowded there was literally nowhere to stand except on the red carpet.

If you want to disagree with my views, and say that standing on the red carpet for 20 minutes is relaxing, fun, and efficient--fine.

But please don't make incorrect factual assumptions about my personal travel history, and say that I must not know better.

Please show me where I said that, or else please don't attach my name to viewpoints that I have never expressed.

In my opinion, a good time to get in line to board is when your boarding group is called ("first class," "GS/1K," "Star Gold," "Seating Area 1-4," etc.). If everyone did this, no one would have to worry that if they don't get in the red carpet line 20 minutes before boarding starts, they will lose all the overhead space to the people who did get in line 20 minutes before boarding.

Not coincidentally, it is also the full planes and crowded gates where gate-licing creates the biggest congestion problems and impedes boarding the most.

Of the people who are criticizing me and others for making "stupid" or unreasonable complaints about red carpet lice who "speed up boarding" and don't affect the "complainers" at all:

• Which if you are in the habit of standing on the red carpet yourself 10-20 minutes before boarding, and starting a line, and are reacting angrily because your habit is being critiqued? (If so, then I see that you've made up your mind, we are not going to agree, and I should not spend time trying to explain my opinion to you.)
  
• And which of you are not yourself in the habit of waiting on the red carpet, and simply disagree with the critique theoretically because, watching from the sidelines, you see that red-carpet-lousing actually makes boarding go faster, and doesn't harm anyone? (If so, then we may still be able to agree, and perhaps I am either not explaining clearly enough what the problem is, or perhaps I am not properly understanding what you're saying about the benefits of having a line waiting on the red carpet.)

Thunderroad

I guess we see FT differently, just as we see the Red Carpet lane differently. To me FT is a place to share travel info and exchange opinions--which we're certainly doing here!--as opposed to a place to try to set standards when many folks obviously disagree with them. But I of course respect your right to try to make what you see as a constructive suggestion or to otherwise state your opinion. And I see the Red Carpet lane as a place that qualifying passengers can use as they want, rather than a place established so that folks won't wait on line.

As for your post in question, I read and then re-read it and, sorry, still don't get how people lining up in front of me 20 minutes early is any different from their doing so when boarding is called. I would also suggest that it would more constructive to not view the person sitting next to you as a potential "seat opponent" with whom you'd compete for personal space, as you'd previously done, but again you're entitled to your view and I realize that you're putting it that way to try to make a constructive point.

I bolded one particular line because, while I don't think anyone would characterize standing in line as fun, you've captured at least part of the bottom line with your comment--various folks see and experience waiting in the Red Carpet Lane differently from you. Some see benefits; some legitimately want to do as they please and aren't persuaded by your points about it being a counterproductive practice; some don't get in line early, but just don't like the idea of trying to establish a standard that many disagree with. I think that a lot of the pushback you're getting from many of us is because of all of that.

I'd add that taking someone's offhand comment about your not being to IAD to heart this way may be over-reacting, especially since there's been some back and forth in this discussion in which folks have been criticized--such as your endorsing the photos that label people waiting in the Red Carpet lane as gate lice. (Though I realize most of us are guilty of using "lice" in one way or another in this discussion.) But again, you're entitled to your opinion.

More to the point: If there were a real consensus here on what you're suggesting, then some collective light bulb would be going off and the vast majority of responses would be agreeing with you. I don't see the point of continuing to push a standard that so many people disagree with and even find inconvenient--but once again, you're entitled to your opinion and to voicing it here.

Probably the single most insightful comment in this entire thread. I'm sure this fruitful discussion will continue quite nicely without me. Have fun!

DreamlinerI

I agree with both of you! This thread has just been about some people making fun of others and putting down FF's who are minding their own business and exercising their own right and freedom to get on the RC when they deem fit. I find the posting of people's pictures to make an absurd point to be highly unethical and I am not sure why the moderators did not delete them? It really amounts to a personal attack IMHO.

EsquireFlyer

As I mentioned above, the photographs I took were not illegal. Please state the basis for your conclusion that they are "highly unethical."

And, please read what the rule on personal attacks actually forbids before you accuse me of making a personal attack by posting a picture of unidentified people in a public area to illustrate my point (and whether you think my point is absurd or not does not make a general statement into a personal attack).

Whether or not some people have a "right" to stand on the red carpet whenever they please (which I doubt, for various reasons), other people certainly have a right to speak freely about the practice of standing on the red carpet.

cordelli

because they don't agree with you?

iluv2fly

The Mods have discussed this thread and decided that we shall close it for now until recess is over.

iluv2fly
Moderator, UA