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Wow. I'd hate to be one of the least valu...oh wait, I don't fly this airline for just this craptacular reason.
@tedyc03: This boarding order is exactly the same as any other airline. Even Southwest lets you pay them to board first.
Premier Executive, Star Alliance Gold guests, Seating Area 1 customers, Global Services, 1K, United First, Red Carpet Lane, United Business customers,Premier Executive, Star Alliance Gold members, economy class,cargo class, ad infinitum.
This feels like the car commercials that proclaim
Best in its Class. Every car is a winner because every car is in a class by itself.
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The reason you want to be on early is so you get a space for your carry on bag before the moron family trying to shove on their half dozen steamer trunks overhead bollocks up the whole works.
Actually, I don't mind being last to board...it's that much less time I have to sit in a cramped seat with no legroom, jammed in like sardines with the other smelly passengers. What's the rush to get onboard for that?
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@ILoveVermont: Heh, me too. I put my bag under the seat so overhead room is not important. I'd rather board last and spend less time in the cramped seat.
Actually what about Survivor:luggage
After you are on board you can watch as our Ground based entertainment team loads the aircraft with some of the passenger luggage. Only some will be chosen: did your bag make the cut?
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@starrion:
I used to think the same way, but traveling on a bi-weekly basis I stopped caring. I have my luggage (checked) and my carryon (Laptop bag) and that's it. I've yet to lose a bag (knock on formica) in 3 years. Hmm, about 52 flights per year, not one loss.
This annoys me so much when I fly. 1 of 3 things happens whenever they call the \"Gold member\" or whatever to board:
1.) There are none of them, but they still have to wait 10 minutes to seat the rest of us in case one of them jumps out from behind a tree.
2.) There are people who could be boarding early, but they aren't paying attention and wind up boarding with the rest of us.
3.) Non-gold members get in the special line, and they just let them board anyway because it is easier than pissing them off by making them sit back down.
They should seat the plane from the back to the front, that way you have less elbows and knees getting hurt.
@Gokuhouse: They used to, but then the front has no overhead space because people take their luggage, dog carrier, laptop bag, carry on bag, and small children and place them in the overhead bins.
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oddly isn't deap vein thrombosis a problem for people who sit too long in airplane seats... I think I will board last from now on and jump up into the isle as soon as the seat belt sign is out at the end of the flight... Let all the more valued patrons have the problems...
Although I do love the snotty looks I have occasionally got from the valued customers as I haul my kids, spouse and voluminous carry-on item through their section... bouncing off their seats... clutching at their seat backs... Maybe it would be a service if they were seated after the snotty nosed masses passed through \"Valued customer country\"?
it's not like any of the other legacy airlines are much different. This is just another group that gets to board first.
and for your interest, back-to-front is not the most efficient way! See here for actually entertaining simulations of how different boarding algorithms perform:
I really just don't get American airlines. This past summer, when oil prices were peaking, I flew to Southeast Asia. By far the cheapest deal I could find was to take some American carrier to the west coast, then fly Singapore Airlines to my destination. Like night & day. Seriously, on a short 2 hour flight, we started out with our choice of free newspapers, then had beverage service, breakfast, & another round of beverage service.
What is going on with US carriers that they can't keep up? Is it just that they're handing all of their profits over in CEO benefits or what?
@randomangela47: YES! I say dump the US legacies and let the foreign airlines do some US routes (JAL already stops in Honolulu on some Kona-Tokyo flights- but one intra-Hawaii flight is nothing).
US carriers don't have any profits. That's why they try to nickle and dime the infrequent traveller while they kiss the ass of the frequent one. I remember reading in the NY Times once where they mentioned how the handful of people who actually pay to sit in first class (and aren't there because of a complimentary upgrade) are responsible for some 38% of airline revenue.
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Why shouldn't people who fly more often be rewarded for their patronage?
If you're worried about overhead space: don't bring so much stuff.
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I don't know about you guys, but while I don't care about the order I board the plane in (being a business traveler, they book me the cheapest seat anyway, and that often means the back of the plane) but I would pay a premium to be able to get off first.
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Whether I'm the first on board or the last, the plane will leave at exactly the same time. I don't understand why people want to rush.
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Give them a break. They are losing hundreds billions of dollars these years due to high oil prices, and many airlines haven't been making any profit since 2000, so consider yourself lucky that you're not an airline company executive
@resilient: The oil price argument does cut it anymore and likely never was more than a small part of the problem to begin with. Oil is now 1/2 what it was and gas prices are nearly 1/2 what they were in most areas as well. If oil prices were the cause, then we should immediately see massive profits. Since that's not happening, and we all know it won't, the cause is obviously elsewhere.
@resilient: Yeah, seriously. I'd hate to be the United CEO, getting a meager $39.7 million. What horrid luck.
Give me a break. Of COURSE you are a less valued customer. You fly once, maybe twice a year. I fly 50,000 miles a year, all on one airline. I get my choice of overhead space, and I can go straight to my seat instead of standing in line for half an hour while the yokels get situated. I'm glad American has had this perk for lower tier elites for as long as I've been flying. Along with priority security lines and no fees for checked luggage (when I absolutely have to), priority boarding is one of the main reasons I keep all my loyalty with them.
@Mr. Kite: @caj11: Relax, he's likely a pawn in some generic corporation with not much of a family or life at all to speak of. Don't envy him too much, he gets all these perks when flying to business meeting #15853 while you get the privilege of flying to some destination you actually want to get to.
@Mr. Kite:
Mr. Kite and godospoons,
Yokels, was that what you called us? Of course you're entitled to your perks while flying, but please, get over yourself. The world doesn't revolve around you and not one of us standing in line at the airport cares if you were the valedictorian of your ivy league law school or business school class or that you're about to do some big deal in London or Tokyo. Oh, and by the way, gate checking works just fine for me - I don't end up paying the $15 fee and I get my luggage within minutes of getting off the plane. My cheap rental car will be right behind your big expensive limosine - please forgive me if I accidentally rear-end it and make you late to your next big meeting. Us \"yokels\" are such poor drivers sometimes.
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@caj11: I don't believe I did anything of the sort, but sure... join the General in completely misrepresenting the point.
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@Mr. Kite: Are you one of the ultra lounge dwellers who swifts onboard at the last minute to have the first class seat??? I got to hang with a sales guy from one organization I worked for. We were in the lounge and that was the deal- quiet, free booze and snacks... Of course he had first class upgrade and I was in steerage but aleast I got to hang on his coattails for an outbound and return flight...
@Mr. Kite:
LOL I don't care about your self-importance. I usually wait until the last minute to board just because I don't give a f*ck. I'm seated on the aisle as close to the front as possible. The plane isn't taking off any faster just because you boarded first.
@Inglix_the_Mad:
I never expected the plane to take off faster.
If it makes you happy to board last, knock yourself out.
Have fun gate checking your bag though.
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@Mr. Kite:
You're cute. Your employer pays for your tickets and yet you consider yourself the customer.
@General Halfshaftery: And everyone else as yokels. Wonder how that would have veen worded had he been PAYing for those thousands of miles himself. :D
@General Halfshaftery: In fact, yes... I do. Sorry you feel threatened by that in some way.
As someone who flies three times as much as Mr. Kite does in a year, I agree with him 300%. Though there are some loose rules on airline selection at my company, they also encourage me to try to reach a higher status on these airlines to save money on all kinds of things--baggage charges, early standby fees, waived change fees, waived phone-in reservation fees, exit rows/premium economy seating, class of service upgrades, complementary hotels on flight cancellations and free in-transit lounge access.
Of course, that's just the beginning... there's free drink coupons, priority luggage tags and handling, first meal selection on international flights, restricted check-in lines, duty free catalog discounts, special award seat inventory, waived award ticketing fees, same-day award tickets, priority upgrade clearance and a pantload of bonus miles (sometimes double or more). I could go on and on here, but Mr. Kite is right. Unless you fly at least 50K miles a year on an operator, you're likely a \"less valued\" customer.
Spend 100+ days a year on the road, much of it international, and you'll see both how important these things are. I mainly fly United, which is at the root of this entry, and I applaud them for continuing to provide excellent customer service to their elite customers. Because, if they stopped, so would I.
This reminds me of an old Tracy Ullman sketch in which airplane passengers are all seated according to their socio-economic class. \"Excuse me, but I my wife and I have been seated in lower-upper-middle class, and I believe we really belong in the middle-upper-middle class section.\"
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This is the kind of thing that makes me happy to be in Southwest Airlines hub city. Good prices, no baggage charge (yet) and with just a bit of planning, a good seat every time.
@JayDeEm:
You know, I always liked the egalitarian nature of Southwest when I lived near one of their cities, not to mention the fact that they were just all around more professional, pleasant and better run. It's a shame I now live too far away from where they fly. It was so easy to earn free tickets on them, even back in my student days when I didn't travel that much.
I travel every other week. Trust me when you live on a plane, it sux. And getting on so that there is somewhere to put your luggage is a perk that I enjoy a lot. Besides what is wrong with benefits for your best customers?
@s35flyer:
Absolutely nothing at all. Just don't let all those perks go to your head and call everybody else \"yokels\" like Mr. Kite did (see earlier comments).
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I must be in the Double Secret Probation Class - always on last, seated at the back by the lavs, & with a lovely view of a noisy MD80 engine.
I see NOTHING WRONG with this. Frequent flyers that have to fly a lot get benefits. So what? A Star Alliance Gold gets the same treatment on all other Star Alliance carriers. 1P and 1K and Gold fly a lot - and thus have to deal with baggage and the inconvenience of flying in the first place. I see NO reason why they should not get better treatment. It's not like the twice-a-year flyer ain't going to make in onto the plane.You are just sour because you aren't Star Alliance Gold I assume?
@EmeryGlaucus: \"A Star Alliance Gold gets the same treatment on all other Star Alliance carriers.\"
I have grave objections to this statement. I imagine any *A Gold customer who earned status on an airline like ANA or Singapore and had to fly United or US Airways would agree.
@jamar0303: I mean \"would also disagree\", not \"would agree\". But really- US-based Star Alliance carriers just aren't in the same category as their international partners.
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Beginning November 12, we will divide our passengers according to how much we rip you off. Business travelers who spend beaucoup bucks for first class and manage to fly over 200,000 miles each year will be called Premier, Executive and Gold and will be treated like golden goose you are and will board separately from the rest of the scum who don't want to give us money. We will give you roomy seats with built in entertainment systems and pretty stewardesses and will have plenty of free booze and gourmet food to make your flight enjoyable.
The other group will be called cheapskates will be crowded all together in a hot cabin with no leg room, no overhead storage, no movies, no food, no water and no alcohol. They will get jerked around by our jaded cabin staff who can't wait to retire next year and who have the power and attitude to force you to behave or be arrested by the closest air marshal. We'll make sure all families with crying children and overly fat cheapskates are spread evenly throughout the cabin to maximize their discomfort. Merely looking at a jaded cabin staff will cause them to rush over and charge you a $10 fee no matter what the issue is.
We strive to consistently reward you, our premium customers, for your loyalty. We hope that as a Premier Executive and Star Alliance Gold customer, you enjoy this added benefit.
Any business that does these blatant \"favored customers\" and \"not favored customers\" things is going to be on the bottom of my list for potential patronage.
When your going out of your way to treat one group of passengers or customers in an obvious sub-level fashion your going to lose the customers that have enough self respect to not put up with that crap.
Just because a hotel charged the guy in line in front of my $10g for his suite does not mean they should treat me in a sub-standard way for buying a regular room.
@bohemian: But that is the power of money. You will not get treated substandard but you also will not get any perks.
This is the same reason there are \"private bankers\" versus the rest of us having to skate down before 5pm Friday to chase our checks or deposits... The same reason for platinum rental car slots versus going through the third degree to get a Yaris rented. Another reason for AMEX Centurian Black Card versus the run of the mill AMEX card...
There never is a free lunch but the rich and wealthy get more free lunches than anyone...
@bohemian: They will never lose more dollars in your business than they make up for with their best most loyal customers. Frequent Flyer programs and the like are there because its way cheaper to reward frequent business with small perks that cost the company next to nothing than it does to win your business.Boarding first is important to me because you get to stow your bag where you want. Since I very rarely check anything anymore, this is important.
If you fly first or business class with your own money, then your elite status is indeed valid. The rest are poseurs.
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On a recent Delta flight I was on the stewardess announced that Delta would like to take some time to recognize the business class and first class customers and thank them for flying with Delta. I've learned to savor these \"WTF?\" moments in my life.
@frankadelic: LOL, what, she didn't ask them to get up and take a bow, so the rest of the assembled congregation could give them the applause they were due?
I feel sorry for anyone who has to fly 150K miles a year on business. That's not a life.
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I have never understood why they don't hold the first-class cabin til after the hordes are on board. The way people have to stop and wait in the aisle, you end up sitting there with economy-class crotches in your face. Ew.
Also it feels good to sit in first class and watch all the other people troop by knowing the 350 lb guy will have the center seat and want to raise the arm rest. Awe the power. I like it when they curtsey as they pass or stop to kiss my ring it makes me feel like someone. Even if I am really just a little guy who was upgraded because my company was to stupid to book early enough to get a discount fare. But man for that 15 minutes of fame sure beats a cops episode.
As one who flies tens-of thousands of miles on one airline each year, I too like getting on early for the overhead space etc. And I like that, if the flight is canceled/delayed, I usually get rebooked without question. And I like that I don't have to stand in a long line at the counter. And I like the shorter security lines.
I am a United elite status flier and, yes, they treat me well.
If I flew just a few times a year, then it wouldn't matter. But I spend a ton of my time at O'Hare.
As for Southwest? I just don't see the appeal. Jovial flight attendants don't make up for the fact that I can barely reach down to get the laptop out from under my seat.
I hate to break it to everyone, but most world airlines are adding more biz/first class seats and getting rid of economy class seats. See the Air Transport World article this month.
And for the guy who compared it to hotels...I'd say that airlines are operating both the Ritz Carlton and the Holiday Inn Express. They just have to operate both on one property: a Boeing or Airbus plane.
And those of us who get into the Ritz Carlton section of the plane? Generally I'd say we've earned it because we're the airlines' best customers.
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I always preboard, even before first class.
/cripple power FTW!
Once I was on plane, and this girl sitting next to me gets ejected from the plane to make room for a premium elitist platinum customer.
She had a valid ticket and everything, but she wasn't as important and the plane was full, and a storm was coming and there wouldn't be anymore flights for over a day, so the airline ejected her and gave her seat to this higher paying customer.
@dequeued: Some details are missing in this story. That couldn't have happened the way you described it. Either she volunteered to be bumped (she probably spoke with them before she boarded) or she was on standby and knew she might get bumped.
Why the heck don't they board the back of the plane first? I always have to wait to get back to my seat while the early boarders block the aisle trying to wrestle the oversized magician's cabinets and golf bags they think are going to fit into the overhead compartment. (OK, SLIGHT hyperbole) If you want the rich people to board first, hook the skyramp to the back door of the plane.
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Jetblue is all I've got to say!
This is why I do not fly on United. Here's to their demise.
Actually this is nothing new, it's been going on for some time. Try being a company employee, they get on dead last, and they can still be taken off for super late customers. Everybody relax, you get what you pay for.
Anything to get me away from those dang gatelice. ugh, that I even have to share a plane with those people. Hah! I'm a Premier Exec won't make it for next year and I'm disgusted with UA. I fly UA mostly b/c that's what my office uses but with all these craptastic fees, I'm very hesitant in taking a flight with my family b/c while I might get treated like a human being, I'm afraid my family won't. United get a clue and treat all your customers with care.
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Meh...the order you board just seems to feed into someone's ego. As long as you get on the plane before it takes off, I don't see what the big deal is. If someone thinks they have a bigger wang than me because they're a Super Diamond Premier Ultra Member, then they have bigger problems to worry about.
@downwithmonstercable: It is not a ego thing, those of us who have to fly every week don't check our bags so getting on first is the only way we can fit our bags in the overhead.
On a side note, this is no real change, gold and higher members were always given zone 1, no one else would get zone 1. So the only change is people that used to get zone 5 now get zone 4 and so on...
Agreed. I travel with equipment that I simply cannot put into checked luggage for fear of it being lost/stolen/broken. I would pay extra just to reserve overhead space. Oh S%&t, maybe I shouldn't have said that.
@downwithmonstercable:
It's a very big deal if you care about overhead space. Early boarding is a godsend, considering that now everyone and their brother brings steamer trunks onboard rather than pay the $15 to check them.