Merger Update – May 2011 (Includes boarding & check-in changes)

[futaris]

Merger Update – May 2011 (Includes boarding & check-in changes) - FlyerTalk Forums

• New Boarding Process. There are about a zillion comments about this already, so I’ll spare you the gloss. If you’re accustomed to traveling on Continental subsidiary, the major change is allowing our top tier Elite members (Global Services, Presidential Platinum, 1K, and Platinum) to board along with First Class. If you’re accustomed to traveling on United, the major change is allowing Mileage Plus Premier and all Continental OnePass Elite members to have access to the carpeted bypass lane, plus the introduction of rear-to-front boarding for the general process. These were difficult decisions, but we ultimately went with an approach we could support consistently across both airlines. Thanks for your patience while we roll this out.

 

[clifford]

Does nothing for me, as a 1K, 2MM.

These and other silly changes are the reason why I've stopped flying UA (aka CO).

I still have over 700,000 miles in their frequent flyer program and I'm lifetime Star Gold (unless Mr Smisek takes it away), so I'll still have a bit to do with Smisek, but it won't involve much shelling out of cash.

 

[MH_fan]

The new boarding process has made a lot of UA regulars very unhappy.
I didn't think it was too bad but it comes down to the GA and how they organise the boarding procedure on that particular flight. Calling all elites at once is guaranteed to cause chaos but separating them out will clearly be more orderly and provide priority where priority is due. What I don't like is that the GAs close the priority lane after the elites have been called so when some elites arrive late (either from being in the RCC or coming late from a connecting flight), they have to line up with the rest of the non-elite passengers. That would annoy me no end. There should be another GA at the priority lane getting elites through if they missed their order of call for boarding. Of course, this makes way too much sense...

 

[ThunderbirdNZ]

There should be another GA at the priority lane getting elites through if they missed their order of call for boarding. Of course, this makes way too much sense...

Yes, that wouldn't be too hard to organise. They could have one of those standee/banner things clearly marked as for elite members (to queue here) so one could simply walk up to that point if late. They will no doubt argue that it will just create confusion as regular flyers play dumb and try queue jumping. Yes, that might happen but maybe the GA's need to harden up and enforce it.

I'm currently looking at some cheap Easyjet seats for a flight inside Europe - they are prompting me to to pay extra for a ticket that allows me to board first. But on my only previous flight on Easyjet I observed the GAs calling for these 'elites' to come forward for boarding at which point EVERY passenger surged forward to the gate. People who had paid to board first were presumably lost in that mob and the GAs just let everyone go. As is the Easyjet way, everyone ran across the tarmac to try and board the flight first.

The pending flight is with my 75 y.o. mother and I doubt paying for 'priority boarding' is going to acheive anything.

 

[clifford]

The pending flight is with my 75 y.o. mother and I doubt paying for 'priority boarding' is going to acheive anything.

I'd say it depends on where you are flying from. In my experience, the big UK airports such as LGW or STN don't have a problem.

I'm flying EZY MAD-LGW tomorrow so we'll see how it goes, but I don't expect any problems (other than perhaps unpronounceable Icelandic volcanos).