Does US Actually Have a Boarding Policy?

[YVINTERN]

My voice is like music from heaven and I think it takes longer to argue with someone over zones than it does to just put you on the damn plane? No speaky? Damnit. Fine. As long as there isnt ten of you. I always remember the first class and preferreds so they feel special.
And I also blow kisses and shake my booty.

In my dreams. Because, you know, I only work at Wendy's.

Shannon...I've queued for a double whopper before with you and that booty was shakalicious

as for the no speaky comments...be nice You know us FA type toting four bags to get all the double whoppers in London back need our overhead bin space we've worked so hard all these years for

*coughs* PIT Types *coughs*

Am I special?

 

[JetguyCLT]

I know the agents are under a lot of pressure to get flights boarded on time, but they do the airline a disservice by rushing the process and panicking. I have experienced agents asking if they could board early for a full E190. Geez, there are only 99 passengers. If an agent can't board 99 people in 30 minutes, perhaps it's time for a career change. For years we boarded our a/c of different sizes right on time. All of a sudden everyone needs more time. :unsure:

Um, not all of us agent panic when boarding. Even when boarding a 190 or 170 for that matter, its always nice to board ontime or early if possible because as well all know, people take their time putting their stuff away and taking their seats.

This message is brought to you by International Shannon who is stitting next to me saying and I quote "Amen Sister".

 

[LD3]

I've never had that problem in Los Angeles. I think, at least at LAX, if you tried that boarding-all-zones number it might constitute a safety risk.

I've certainly experienced it at other airports, however, and it's deeply frustrating when they don't pre-board. I see the problem a lot more in the East than in the West, probably because the East employees know how stupid the America West boarding system is and don't follow it at all.

The America West system works well in theory, but it's so different from other systems that it confuses the average joe.

The big problem with the system are the families and parties greater than 1. You've got people seated next to each other who have different zone numbers. We all know that you board all together with the lowest zone number of your party, right? WRONG. No one knows this. It's absolutely essential that the gate agents make some sort of announcement explaining the process every time they board an aircraft.

In Phoenix, I heard one lady who said the following:

"At US Airways, we board by zones. Everyone please take a look at your boarding pass and confirm your Zone Numbers. Don't be afraid if your neighbor isn't in the same zone. Your party may board with the LOWEST Zone number in your party." She sat there and made everyone look at their pass, explained to them exactly how they are going to board, and calmed any feelings of panic they might have had. That was perfect. Everyone "got it."

The problem is that, explaining this mess of a boarding process every time wastes time. In the time it takes for them to do it, they could have boarded the plane by rows. There is NO time saved because this method's alleged efficiency is contingent upon everyone knowing how it works up front. US Airways does a piss-poor job of informing people of how their bizarre boarding procedures work and, as a result, you have what we have now: chaos at every gate.

US Airways has done everything they can to eliminate frequent flyers. They're now dealing with a less-experienced, less-sophisticated, and generally less-intelligent crowd. This is what they've been salivating over...plane after plane filled with KETTLES. It's here.

At this point, I think it's time for US to abandon the zones and board the planes by the rows...back to front, with Preferred, First Class, and Active Duty Military having pre-board privilege. It works for everyone else.

Wow...now everyone is getting bashed!!!! Your a real princess...

 

[UPNAWAY]

Some OAL (I think CAL) commissioned a similar study by a mathematician and he concluded complete randomness is actually the fastest way to board and aircraft.
Short of that the inside out back to front with some mixing it up as US does is by far the fastest approach.

 

[InternationalShannon]

Shannon...I've queued for a double whopper before with you and that booty was shakalicious

as for the no speaky comments...be nice You know us FA type toting four bags to get all the double whoppers in London back need our overhead bin space we've worked so hard all these years for

*coughs* PIT Types *coughs*

Am I special?

Special Ned.

 

[rjh]

What does it mean to pre-board? Do you get on before you get on?
-George Carlin

 

[YVINTERN]

What does it mean to pre-board? Do you get on before you get on?
-George Carlin

Same thing with the the American Media and the public's views and their so called "Near Misses" don't they mean Near Hits lol Idiots...

 

[flybynite]

Some OAL (I think CAL) commissioned a similar study by a mathematician and he concluded complete randomness is actually the fastest way to board and aircraft.
Short of that the inside out back to front with some mixing it up as US does is by far the fastest approach.

Oh, bloody hell.

Complete randomness is a flight attendant's nightmare. I don't care what a math whiz says.


The math whiz isn't dealing with folks that have never stepped on an aircraft.. I am.

<_<

 

[YVINTERN]

Oh, bloody hell.

Complete randomness is a flight attendant's nightmare. I don't care what a math whiz says.


The math whiz isn't dealing with folks that have never stepped on an aircraft.. I am.

<_<

Yeah that's because the general flying public (this is not limited to America, I see it in Europe all the time) become dimwitted and nefarious as soon as they drive onto Airport Grounds...It's like a whole nother world for them...seriously...why are people so stupid when they fly? Think that's a PHD Worthy subject for research?

I flew BMI yesterday between London and some obscure french city outside of France, and as soon as we landed (we were still decelerating) some passengers get up and open the overhead bin and the FA is on the PA screaming SIT DOWN SIT DOWN...of course the pax doesn't listen so she walks to them and literally stomps on the way there SLAMS the Bin down and SCREAMS at the PAX to f**cking sit down LOL

everyone else clapped and laughed...

 

[flybynite]

What does it mean to pre-board? Do you get on before you get on?
-George Carlin

Naw....it's like pre-heating an oven.

Carlin wanted to be in the aircraft not on the aircraft....

He was the Master of the Word.

 

[SolidCactus]

I only flew Frontier twice, but I really liked their boarding process. It seemed pretty consistant too. The gate agent just called out rows from the back forward, and if you missed your row, too bad, you had to wait.

You guys are right when you comment about the "new US Airways passengers". Some of the flights i've been on lately have had some of the most clueless passengers ever. Very clueless.

Inconsistancy is probably my biggest complaint about US. Granted, I'd say it has gotten remarkably better over the past year or so, things are still messed up at times. The boarding process is the most inconsistant process in my opinion - varying a LOT from airport to airport - but even onboard service is inconsistant... Some FA's are phehominal, others really arent. Some do beverage service with the cart, others walk back and forth with the drink tray.

Eh, what can you do... you cant please everyone i guess

 

[rjh]

Yeah that's because the general flying public (this is not limited to America, I see it in Europe all the time) become dimwitted and nefarious as soon as they drive onto Airport Grounds...It's like a whole nother world for them...seriously...why are people so stupid when they fly?

On airport grounds? Nah. They turn stupid as soon as they leave their house, drive on the roads, and walk into a retail store.

 

[ussnark]

Short of that the inside out back to front with some mixing it up as US does is by far the fastest approach.

I think you are confusing wearing a pair of undershorts for four days with boarding technique.

The only boarding policy I've seen is to close the door ten minutes prior to scheduled departure time. Everything else is guideline and technique.

 

[ussnark]

Some of the flights i've been on lately have had some of the most clueless passengers ever. Very clueless.

<snip> and </snip>

Inconsistancy is probably my biggest complaint about US.

Does anyone besides me think that "inconsistency" of a corporation and the apparent "cluelessness" of their customers are tied together, somehow?

 

[YVINTERN]

On airport grounds? Nah. They turn stupid as soon as they leave their house, drive on the roads, and walk into a retail store.

So you know what the hell I'm talking about...THAT too