OFFICIAL: 1P and *AG get Priority Boarding thru the Economy Lane as of Nov 12
Nov 10, 2008, 11:58 am
#31
Join Date: May 2005
Location: East Bay, CA
Programs: AA EXP, Marriot LTP, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 291
Guess they don't like us much.
Nov 10, 2008, 12:04 pm
#32
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: BTV
Programs: UA 1P
Posts: 32
I already sort of experienced this extra priority boarding on 11/2 at IAD of all places. They called GS, 1K, and 1P to the red carpet. I was initially confused but then realized there were no GSs or 1Ks and I was the only person who got to use the red carpet.
Nov 10, 2008, 12:04 pm
#33
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: JAX
Programs: DL Silver Medallion
Posts: 2,671
As a long time 1P this is great news for me. I sympathize with 2P/3P's, but as others have noted the Zone 1 group can be insanely large for some flights so I feel this is a fair/good call. Its not like they're not doing away with Zone 1 altogether which would be a huge slap in the face to Premiers et al.
I am flying thru ORD on 11/13 so we'll see how this goes when I board my flights. Ironically, when I land in LHR I will be a newly minted 1K so this whole change will be moot.
I am flying thru ORD on 11/13 so we'll see how this goes when I board my flights. Ironically, when I land in LHR I will be a newly minted 1K so this whole change will be moot.
Last edited by drummingcraig; Nov 10, 2008 at 12:05 pm Reason: content/grammar
Nov 10, 2008, 12:04 pm
#34
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Boulder, CO and Waimea, HI
Programs: UAL 1K MM
Posts: 748
I guess I'd missed something....I thought 1P already got seating area 1. Does this really make much of a difference?
Nov 10, 2008, 12:10 pm
#35
Join Date: May 2006
Location: BOS and ...
Programs: UA 2MM, AA 600k, DL 500k, Hyatt GP 1M, HH Gold, Rad. Gold, CP Gold, Miracle Fruit-su Club
Posts: 9,950
1) This does add value at no cost, but make no mistake, it is zero sum. On the other hand, it builds in more incentive to attain 1P.
2) It comes at the time of year of lots of extra carryons, this year exacerbated by the new checked bag fees. Thus even more value to (and to becoming) a 1P.
Afterall, isn't pre-boarding all about the overhead bins?
2) It comes at the time of year of lots of extra carryons, this year exacerbated by the new checked bag fees. Thus even more value to (and to becoming) a 1P.
Afterall, isn't pre-boarding all about the overhead bins?
Nov 10, 2008, 12:13 pm
#36
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: JAX
Programs: DL Silver Medallion
Posts: 2,671
Nov 10, 2008, 12:23 pm
#38
Join Date: May 2006
Location: BOS and ...
Programs: UA 2MM, AA 600k, DL 500k, Hyatt GP 1M, HH Gold, Rad. Gold, CP Gold, Miracle Fruit-su Club
Posts: 9,950
(I hope it's better now, but still worth confirming that everyone thinks you're 1K.)
Nov 10, 2008, 12:28 pm
#39
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Pacific Northwest
Programs: UA Gold 1MM, AS 75k, AA Plat, Bonvoyed Gold, Honors Dia, Hyatt Explorer, IHG Plat, ...
Posts: 16,846
This change (currently) doesn't affect me. But it seems the process is getting more and more complicated. I'd guess that on my recent trips 10% of the people trying to boad over the red rug where sent back by the GA, so they either don't understand the announcements or just plainly choose to ignore them. I am not sure that this new procedure will help with this. Now the "Group 1" people are essentially the 3rd group to board. Or maybe the fourth, if they really want to sub-divide the Red Carpet people into 1K/GS/F and only then C pax.
Nov 10, 2008, 12:38 pm
#40
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Greater DC
Programs: UA plus
Posts: 12,943
... The whine has just got to stop 
Nov 10, 2008, 12:41 pm
#41
In memoriam
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: IAD, BOS, PVD
Programs: UA, US, AS, Marriott, Radisson, Hilton
Posts: 7,203
ahead of any 1P any time).
groups by color ... red, gold, green (with envy), orange (you going to make
Premier next year), and so on, down to (United, why you wanna make me) blue.
Nov 10, 2008, 12:43 pm
#42
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: JAX
Programs: DL Silver Medallion
Posts: 2,671
Not so fast, there, pardner. A word to the wise: You might want to make a note (including phone number) to self to check back with MP to be sure if (and when) everything is "ta", as they say. From experience, CS staff at LHR are contract, and can be either ignorant of important nuances - such as baggage allowance privilege when 1K is uncertain, for example - or very letter-of-the-law.
(I hope it's better now, but still worth confirming that everyone thinks you're 1K.)
(I hope it's better now, but still worth confirming that everyone thinks you're 1K.)
Besides, only thing that will really affect me is the "Red Carpet" boarding (bag allowances being the same for 1P and 1K).
It will still be interesting to see how they handle the new 1P/*G boarding group at LHR though, as sometimes the premier boarding can be a bit diluted there.
Nov 10, 2008, 12:45 pm
#43
In memoriam
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Chicago, IL (ORD), Phoenix AZ (PHX)
Programs: UA 1K 1.9MM, Starwood Platinum, a nothing in several others
Posts: 5,176
The new boarding order will be as follows: Global Services, 1K and customers sitting in United First will continue to board first through the Red Carpet Lane, followed by our United Business customers. ...
Nov 10, 2008, 12:58 pm
#44
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: JAX
Programs: DL Silver Medallion
Posts: 2,671