Politics in Airline Boarding Process

Since 2017, three major airlines in US have made changes to their boarding process, in the face of different layers/tiers, ticket types and other privileges.

Here is a description of the mess before – “Under American’s old boarding call, Group 1 actually was the fifth group called for boarding, trailing the carrier’s elite frequent-fliers and first- and business-class customers who were subdivided into five groups of their own that all boarded earlier.”

 “Group 1 actually was the fifth group called for boarding”

What are the “new” procedures and how airlines value their customers?

American Airlines – 10 segments

Group Boarding pass type
ConciergeKey℠ members ConciergeKey℠
Group 1 First
Active duty U.S. military with military I.D.
(Business on a 2-class international plane)
Group 2 Executive Platinum
oneworld® Emerald℠
(Business on a 3-class plane)
Group 3 Platinum Pro
Platinum
oneworld® Sapphire℠
Group 4 Gold
oneworld® Ruby℠
AirPass
Premium Economy
Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive cardmembers
Travelers who bought Priority boarding
Group 5 (Preferred boarding) Main Cabin Extra (excluding Basic Economy)
Eligible AAdvantage® credit cardmembers*
Eligible corporate travelers**
Group 6 Group 6
Group 7 Group 7
Group 8 Group 8
Basic Economy to / from Europe
Group 9 Basic Economy within the U.S., Canada, Central America, Mexico & Caribbean

Delta Airlines – 7 segments

Pre-Boarding

Customers needing assistance or additional time to board, including families with car seats or strollers

Active Duty U.S. Military personnel with ID

Premium Boarding Zone

Delta One® customers
First Class customers
Delta Premium Select customers
Diamond Medallion® Members

Sky Priority Boarding Zone

Platinum Medallion® Members
Gold Medallion® Members
Delta Comfort+® customers
Flying Blue Platinum and Gold members
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club Gold members
Virgin Australia Platinum and Gold members
GOL Smiles Diamond members
SkyTeam® Elite Plus members

Zone 1

Silver Medallion® Members

Delta Corporate Travelers

Priority Boarding Trip Extra customers
Gold, Platinum and Reserve Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card Members
Flying Blue Silver members
Virgin Australia Velocity Silver members
GOL Smiles Gold members
Sky Team® Elite

Zone 2

Main Cabin Passengers

Zone 3

Main Cabin Passengers booked in T, X and V fares

Zone 4

Basic Economy Passengers (E)

United Airlines – 6 segments

Pre-boarding

  • Unaccompanied minors
  • Customers with disabilities
  • Active members of the military
  • United Global Services® members
  • Families traveling with children age 2 and younger
  • Premier® 1K® members

Group 1

  • Premier Platinum members
  • Premier Gold members
  • Star Alliance™ Gold members
  • Customers seated in premium cabins: United Polaris®, United First® and United Business®

Group 2

  • Premier Silver members
  • Star Alliance Silver members
  • Customers who have purchased Premier Access® or Priority Boarding
  • United℠ Explorer, Club, Presidential Plus℠ and Awards Cardmembers

Groups 3 – 5

  • Economy Plus®
  • United Economy®
  • Basic Economy*

* Customers who have purchased a Basic Economy ticket will be in the last boarding group, except for Premier members, Chase Cardmembers of qualifying cards and Star Alliance Gold members, who will still receive their priority boarding.

..

Just a reflection on the complicated business development efforts and corporate strategies… think about the internal slides behind the schemes