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- Aug 20, 2002
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The Republic | azcentral.com
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US Airways on Wednesday will begin offering a separate boarding line for its most frequent fliers, a perk already offered by most of its major competitors.
The new Preferred Access line, which will debut in Phoenix and be quickly expanded to the airline's Philadelphia and Charlotte, N.C., hubs, followed by dozens of other cities, will be open to first-class travelers and passengers with status in the airline's frequent-flier program.
Those passengers already board first in the airline's boarding pecking order but those who are catching a connecting flight or running late often miss the privilege and find themselves standing in back of a crowd of people waiting to board.
"When that bubble of people is beginning ... they're going to be able to bypass that even if they've gotten to the gate after boarding has begun," said Fern Fernandez, US Airways' managing director of customer loyalty and marketing.
Fernandez said US Airways had received complaints from frequent fliers about the boarding logjam, with the biggest problem being finding overhead bin space. Airlines cater to frequent fliers because they are loyal customers and often travel last minute, paying top dollar for their tickets.
Rob Wiltuck, a Phoenix software consultant who travels on US Airways weekly and is in the top tier of its frequent-flier program, said business travelers running late have had a harder time finding a spot for their carry-on bags since airlines' began charging for checked bags four years ago. The upshot: The bag has to be checked and retrieved at baggage claim.
"As a business traveler, you've got to get off the plane and go," he said.
Wiltuck tried out the new system on a Phoenix-to-Atlanta flight when the airline was testing it last summer. He wasn't aware of the test and said he was thrilled to see the separate line.
"I saw it and I thought, 'Finally they're getting in with the times,' " he said. "All the other airlines are already doing it, and they've been doing it for a while.''
Wiltuck said the boarding process was smoother under the new setup. "It's not going to fix everything, but I do think it will help," he said.
US Airways is widely expected to eventually package the new Preferred Access line and related frequent-flier perks -- including priority check-in and a fast pass through the security line -- for sale to all passengers. United and American already offer the option for travelers.
"I think in the future we'll think about doing this," Fernandez said, adding that the emphasis now is on rolling it out to frequent fliers.
Wiltuck said there's no doubt in his mind that US Airways will follow its competitors.
"It's just a matter of time," he said.
US Airways said the Preferred Access line will be in place in 60 cities by summer.
.
Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/business/articles/2012/01/31/20120131us-airways-adds-boarding-line-frequent-fliers.html#ixzz1l8Yr0oFL
.
US Airways on Wednesday will begin offering a separate boarding line for its most frequent fliers, a perk already offered by most of its major competitors.
The new Preferred Access line, which will debut in Phoenix and be quickly expanded to the airline's Philadelphia and Charlotte, N.C., hubs, followed by dozens of other cities, will be open to first-class travelers and passengers with status in the airline's frequent-flier program.
Those passengers already board first in the airline's boarding pecking order but those who are catching a connecting flight or running late often miss the privilege and find themselves standing in back of a crowd of people waiting to board.
"When that bubble of people is beginning ... they're going to be able to bypass that even if they've gotten to the gate after boarding has begun," said Fern Fernandez, US Airways' managing director of customer loyalty and marketing.
Fernandez said US Airways had received complaints from frequent fliers about the boarding logjam, with the biggest problem being finding overhead bin space. Airlines cater to frequent fliers because they are loyal customers and often travel last minute, paying top dollar for their tickets.
Rob Wiltuck, a Phoenix software consultant who travels on US Airways weekly and is in the top tier of its frequent-flier program, said business travelers running late have had a harder time finding a spot for their carry-on bags since airlines' began charging for checked bags four years ago. The upshot: The bag has to be checked and retrieved at baggage claim.
"As a business traveler, you've got to get off the plane and go," he said.
Wiltuck tried out the new system on a Phoenix-to-Atlanta flight when the airline was testing it last summer. He wasn't aware of the test and said he was thrilled to see the separate line.
"I saw it and I thought, 'Finally they're getting in with the times,' " he said. "All the other airlines are already doing it, and they've been doing it for a while.''
Wiltuck said the boarding process was smoother under the new setup. "It's not going to fix everything, but I do think it will help," he said.
US Airways is widely expected to eventually package the new Preferred Access line and related frequent-flier perks -- including priority check-in and a fast pass through the security line -- for sale to all passengers. United and American already offer the option for travelers.
"I think in the future we'll think about doing this," Fernandez said, adding that the emphasis now is on rolling it out to frequent fliers.
Wiltuck said there's no doubt in his mind that US Airways will follow its competitors.
"It's just a matter of time," he said.
US Airways said the Preferred Access line will be in place in 60 cities by summer.
.
Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/business/articles/2012/01/31/20120131us-airways-adds-boarding-line-frequent-fliers.html#ixzz1l8Yr0oFL
