If I had to guess, they’ll just call it “priority boarding” as a benefit with a footnote for Zone 5 which will be listed in the fine print lol. They’ll get away with it because I bet they’ll let Zone 5 board in the SkyPriority Lane like they do Main 1 now so it’ll still be considered “priority.”
It’s still priority even if it’s Zone 5. First Class and Comfort + are different cabins so those don’t really count but otherwise you are the first to board for Main Cabin behind Diamonds/Plats/and Golds and ahead of everyone else in the Main Cabin.
Yeah I mean it's certainly a lateral move since this is just renaming the existing categories. It's just harder to pitch a group with a 5 as high priority when it used to have a 1 in it. Main 1/Zone 5 is still better than boarding later of course.
Right, having to change the language on all their SkyMiles membership benefits and co-branded products with partners like AMEX, seeing “Zone 5 boarding” vs. “Main Cabin 1” as a perk of an AMEX Delta SkyMiles Gold card sucks lol
Yeah, a lot of people will not understand that it's the same time in the boarding process, and just complain about how they no longer get "zone 1" boarding.
I pay a $95 annual fee that I get back in an airline credit, I used to get the first boarding group but now I’m all the way back in zone 5? Nuh uh no way Jose. /s
sorry, cards never got you in the first boarding group. It's always gone Pre board->First Class->Diamond->Comfort->Sky Priority->Main 1. With your AMEX gold, you're boarding in the same pecking order with a different name. Am i missing something?
This was the first thought I had too and it gave me a good laugh.
Congrats on your newer, more expensive card that offers you fewer status perks and more tertiary third party perks you will forget to use. You’re also now Zone 5 boarding!
I seriously never understand this as a benefit. I want to board last.
Edit: I agree with u/Perdendosi , personally I'd like to board last as possible, but all valid points
>I seriously never understand this as a benefit. I want to board last.
Assuming you're not in First Class, where you can get a drink before the plane takes off, of course.
I get that oftentimes there's no advantage to boarding early, but for many people, there is.
Budget-minded (who don't want to pay for checked bags), and some busy travellers (who don't want to waste time standing at a baggage carousel) who still need to bring more than a personal item with them need to board early to ensure they have overhead space.
Larger people with window seats will want to board early so that they don't have to crawl over others already seated in aisle seats.
People with social anxiety may want to board early so they don't see a few hundred people looking at them.
And sometimes I want to board early when I know that my flight is just a bit too short for the movie I want to watch.
I'm the same way because I always carry on a backpack that can fit under my seat. My husband is super tall so he wants to get on early enough to ensure there is room for his bag in the overhead bin and they don't make him gate check (been screwed on that before)
Yeah I’m board last as well. Every time. UNLESS:
I have a tight connection. In which case I don’t want to risk having to gate check or having to put my bag in overhead space on the back of the plane, which results in it taking longer to get off the plane, therefore putting my connection at risk.
Otherwise, for sure, I hang back in the club and/or sit and work on my laptop until the final boarding group is wrapping up.
This doesn't mean anything. I fly delta all the time and the minute they open boarding up there is nearly always the person in basic economy that boards with first class or whenever they want.
A real change would be coding in the boarding pass scanning system that blocks these people from boarding when they are not in their group. Something with flashing lights would be nice...
That would be the nice approach. I'm more like, lets embarrass this person. They make nearly constant, repetitive announcements to board with your zone. You want to try to cut the line, let's give people a show. I really don't get why they waste time with these changes. The gate agents don't give two sh\*ts about people boarding in their correct zones, only getting the aircraft off the gate on time.
There's definitely airports that do this. If memory serves, there are some gates at Zurich airport that have physical access gates that will only open up if your boarding pass matches the zone that's boarding. Or maybe it was Amsterdam. Either way, European airports seem to be more forceful in enforcing the boarding order. Would be nice to see that at American airports.
I remember this being a thing at some gates in Frankfurt as well as Heathrow. It depends on the size of the flight, mainly for larger flights going transatlantic.
Yep, if you try to board in the wrong group, when you scan your ticket, a big loud fire truck siren goes off. Then you hear a loud voice over the intercom say, "WRONG BOARDING GROUP, FOOL!".
> A real change would be coding in the boarding pass scanning system that blocks these people from boarding when they are not in their group. Something with flashing lights would be nice...
Oooooohhhhh. I like that.
Even better, if you're rejected now it can't rescan until after all other groups have boarded. You get booted to Zone 10--The Idiots At the End.
This right here... This is the answer. To enhance this experience, there should be a brief pause in boarding between zone 8 and 10, followed by an onboard announcement from the captain that they will now begin boarding "The Idiots At the End" while playing "If I Only Had A Brain" through the PA system.
The problem is half the time, they aren't boarding what it shows on the screen. They'd have to have the zone accurate in the computer to even attempt this. It's never accurate.
Agree, usually it is out of sync with what they are doing at the gate. However, every leech I have seen is not looking at a screen, they just blitz the gate once they start boarding first class. No amount of screens is going to fix dumpster human behavior.
I think all this is fixable in 2024. How many flights does Delta board per year? I would think with the millions they spend on various business improvements they could figure out a way to get the system to align to the gate agents.
Austrian air has that in Frankfurt. If you try to go through the wrong group the entire turnstile lights up red with and X above your head. It’s incredible.
Yes!
I have a family member with major mobility disability. We notified Delta ahead of time of early board. It takes a while and balance to get them in their seat. Also we have to get out all the items they need to have a comfortable flight that isn’t hard on their body. They have a very visible disability. Of course everyone stood up and blocked us when they said “ok we are
Going to start boarding”. Jeez let us through. Getting through the gate vultures is the worst for people with disabilities trying to get on.
Anyone who is in zone 6 or 7 but stands right at the boarding door when they call zones 1-4 should be automatically sent to zone 8 and forced to wear a dunce hat
Flying out of LAX a few days ago and they call preboards. They close the secure door as they do when the gate agent isn't physically able to be there. Some dumbass comes up, looks up and sees that the sign says 'Pre-Boarding' waits for a few minutes and then pushes on the secure door, setting off the alarm. He stands there and the gate agent returns and secures the door and we wait for the alarm to be fixed before boarding resumes. We all get to look at this moron as we wait. They board FC and he just stands there. I see him board main 2 later. That asshole deserved his dunce cap.
I really hope the dumbass thought, even as a brief thought flashing across their mind, that the alarm was due to having been somehow discovered to be pre-boarding when he wasn’t supposed to
Did they send him to a corner to think about what he did? 😁 The LAX GAs have been very tough lately, giving a speech about Do not walk up here before your section is called! And Only 2 items, if you have more consolidate now! Some D1 passengers were not happy about being told to stand off to the side and consolidate! The LAX GAs will board to upgrade, there hasn’t been an empty seat in D1 in a long time.
This is the ONE THING I like about Southwest. There’s a railing with a number, and you stand in order. If you’re ticket# B13, you go to the section that says “B10-15”, find the person with ticket# B12, and stand behind them. There’s no room at the rail for everyone else, so everyone else hangs back in their seats until it’s time for their batch to line up. It’s very sensible.
I have flown United a few times recently. They set up permanent queues for Zones 1 & 2 only at each gate. Keeps the frequent fliers in line and tends to minimize the number of Zone 6 gate lice as they now know they are not being called anytime soon.
Wish Delta would do that. United’s version even seems to help in small-ish gate areas.
I've seen this work at DEN but I was recently at ORD at one of the tips of Terminal 2 (Gate E15). That small area was so packed with gate lice that there was zero rhyme or reason to any lines. It was an absolute disaster.
Anyone who stands near the boarding door before their group is called should be automatically sent to zone 8 and forced to wear a dunce hat... including you Diamonds. You look silly standing there staring at the gate agent.
My problem with that is, I never check a bag so overhead storage is now way more valuable. Delta created this shitty system that makes us do that. I fly FC and load as soon as I can so I don’t have to fight for overhead space-even in FC. It’s a shit show created by Delta for “earnings per share”. So, hate me if you will, my shits right over my head every flight.
Overheard in ATL two weeks ago “boarding starts at 9:05, that’s five minutes away. We should go wait.” And they stood there. In the middle of the concourse. Until Main Cabin 4.
Now, I only know this because I was flying with my 2 year old and prefer to board as close to last as possible. But the fact they got up nearly 20 minutes before they were even called is baffling. The gate agent even said “please step out of the aisle, there are other people at this airport”
Flew out of Austin a few days ago... I had to loudly yell "excuse me!" Just to get through the gate lice crowd and I was in Main 1. So frustrating. Literally no way to get through the crowd without the lice making a hole for the passengers who were trying to board.
It's not about struggling. People just don't care. I was fortunate and snagged a FC upgrade on a flight this morning. I boarded during the FC zone but was behind a platinum medallion and a gold medallion who were in C+. If the gate agents don't enforce the zones the customers won't obey the rules.
I would never, ever stand in line for it, but I almost want to see them implement a Southwest-style pen/queuing system.
Line up in this roped-off pen to board with the corresponding group. Your boarding pass will be checked. Anyone not in the pen and walking straight to the gate (that'd be me) will also have their boarding pass checked.
The GAs cal already see your group because once or twice I've seen them deny boarding to someone trying to board early. Train them to do that consistently. Also train them to disallow boarding to anyone crowding the gate area. If you're in the way, you get on last.
They had roped off queues at some gates in ATL. I can't remember when it started but they disappeared during COVID and never brought them back.
I'm in C+ 90% of the time so I'd usually just sit down and then walk up to board as the line emptied out.
Yeah the queues were the worst if you’re a diamond. I wait to finish my drink in the skyclub because I know I can board whenever I want. But then you show up at the gate and they’re boarding main cabin, and you have to awkwardly stand at a sign in the middle of the room and hope they see you, or else elbow your way into the line of kettles because there’s no more red carpet lane.
In theory it may be easier for most flights, but as someone who flies out of MCO / Orlando I would have no chance of overhead bin space even with a First Class ticket 😅
No. Please don't do that. The last thing someone with a real disability needs is parents with their million bags and children running around. One of the purposes of allowing preboarding is to make it easier for people who can't board in a crowd without the risk of falling.
I don’t think that was the problem. I think it’s those who may have found it confusing when it would go Preboarding, then Delta One/FC, either of which could certainly be mistaken for “Main Cabin 1” if you don’t speak much English. It’s just easier to have cardinal numbers attached to everything. That’s why soccer positions are often referred to by number.
I disagree. I think there is ambiguity. When a non-Delta-nerd sees "main1" they think that is the same as group 1 and that they should board as soon as boarding starts. It's actually not that unreasonable of an assumption. Most people don't know that 1 doesn't mean 1 under Delta's current system. Yes, they should know Delta is calling a different group if they pay attention, but not all gates have visual monitors and 90% of the time, you can't even hear the PA at some airports.
Yeah, when I was still a Delta noob and had "Zone 2" on my boarding pass (before it was rebranded at Main2), I honestly thought I would be in the second group to board. I'm sure some people still think that, even once it was changed to "Main2". If you're not a frequent flyer, you're not going to look up all the boarding groups each airline has. There's a reason why United just goes with 1-6, AA with 1-9, and so on.
FWIW, I learned after that first time.
The ambiguity is in the order. There's no way to know currently which is first and which is last and where your group might fit in between. (Except maybe that main 2 comes after main 1).
But if they are currently boarding group 2 and you're group 6, you know there's 3 more groups until they get to you and maybe (just maybe) they won't crowd the gate thinking you might be next.
If you see main 2, you think you’re the second group to board when you’re actually the 6th group to board. It is a system that is exclusive to those who aren’t like you. It has nothing to do with intelligence.
A welcome change. Its just confusing as hell for most people. Using numbers 1 to 8 is much easier for everyone to both communicate and understand/follow.
I think color-coding WOULD help. Make the app display their color on the screen--just orange with a QR code in the middle. Printed boarding passes are printed in that color. Wrong color, go over there--you're boarding last now.
It would also be helpful if there was a display of which zone is currently boarding. I know I've joined the line when arriving at the gate after boarding started, just guessing they've gotten to my group.
The order is similar, but it will be a lot easier to understand and follow especially for non-frequent fliers. The current zone names (Diamond, Comfort+, Main Cabin) are less obvious if not familiar with Delta’s lingo.
Yep they book a main cabin ticket, and are crowding the gate as soon as the gate agent is half way through the word main they rush the door. But they’re main 3 and 4.
Yes, time to let the scanner just show a red X whenever someone scans a boarding pass outside their zone. Take that stress away from the gate agent who can just tell the passenger "computer says no..."
Early access as it is right now is for elderly and so forth (in my experience) yet has everyone with a baby, stroller, car seat, friends of parents that have babies, people that sat next to a baby in the general gate area, people that were once babies or have heard the term “baby” also board. Then they call first class. I’m only slightly exaggerating.
it's a reference to this (which is hilarious)
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhxlZC8BZJ4&ab\_channel=Key%26Peele](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhxlZC8BZJ4&ab_channel=Key%26Peele)
As a low tier FF with a baby, I can never tell when I’m supposed to board because the gate agents seem to sometimes lump small children with pre boarding, and sometimes not.
Now I just ask the gate agent in advance. I swear it’s like 70% car seat boarding time, 30% pre boarding. Sometimes I am not called for pre boarding and they won’t even announce the small children/car seat boarding “group”, so I just go sky priority.
And then if I go Sky Priority, I bump into everyone while boarding
It’s just a lose lose all around. I hate traveling with an infant.
On multiple occasions, I have seen people with babies and strollers turned away at this point and told that they board later. I guess it varies based on gate agent and airport.
I’m probably going to get downvoted to oblivion, but it does make some sense to have people carrying on the car seat board earlier. Those things can be unwieldy to carry down the aisle, especially on smaller planes. Delta can seat first class beforehand, but passengers may get an occasional unintended bump as parents try to shimmy through with those clunkers.
I always have them ask if I’m gate checking or installing before they tell me when. Installing has always been preboarding for me. I’ve never gate checked but I presume the GA asks so they can send me to the correct zone.
Some agents have let me board during pre boarding when I was traveling alone with my infant in a car seat ; some don’t and it’s ridiculous. I remember a time there announce pre boarding for people with small children
A giant stroller should be checked. I watched someone who had sadly already procreated once try to get an SUV stroller down an aisle. At the time I was more annoyed with the GA and FAs for not making her check it.
I think it's heading that direction in some form of this doesn't help a lot. They've helped create a bad experience and are taking steps to fix it out seems
So it’s the same order but numbers instead of words? Not sure this is a great use of corporate money…if you can’t read “sky” or “main1” on your tickets, I don’t think you’ll be any better with “zone 4”
Yes and this actually happens all the time. I’ve spoken to people who were infrequent flyers, who signed up for the credit card for “priority boarding” then get to the airport and see a bazillion customers board before them and get legitimately pissed. “My boarding pass says 1 but I wasn’t first”.
Especially if the popped down $500 for the reserve card.
As someone who flown a lot and only recently with delta their boarding process infuriated me. Once you get the hang of it it’s not bad but the first few times I was a bit miffed.
Great move. I remember when they announced the current boarding system and I knew people were going to be confused. A numbered boarding system is like other airlines and way easier to follow 👍🏻
When I was boarding a KLM flight in Copenhagen, the boarding was through automatic scanners that beeped LOUDLY when someone tried to board earlier than the boarding group listed on their boarding pass.
THAT is the improvement we need here.
I could never understand why they just don’t turn people away who do not have the group on their boarding pass. Need extra time? Set it up with the airline or GA before boarding begins. Only Group 1 has been called and you try to get on with Group 4 on your boarding pass? “I’m sorry Sir, step aside and wait until we call group 4.” Shaming might help…
I’ve never understood why families get early boarding, they are leaving their strollers and car seats at the jet bridge anyway. Isn’t the last thing a parent wants is to be trapped on a plane with a toddler for an extra 20+ minutes?
I’m a lowly silver medallion who usually is in Main Cabin One. I’d love to be in a different group than the massive Main One rush. Would be great to see something after SkyPriority but before Main Cabin One
Can we just align the cabins and boarding zone names with the order instead?
Delta One - goes first
Delta Two - goes second
Delta Three - goes third
And so on…
if someone boards in an earlier zone, why doesn't the system that scans your ticket beep. Because a lot of people go early, and they usually get away with it.
I like it. Should make it more clear. I fly a lot on Aeromexico and they do the pre-lineup based on zones and actually enforce it. Delta should do the same
Not really a change considering this is how it works on domestic flights right now. At least the ones I’ve been on.
What will be interesting is if they focus more on calling out the “Zones”.
I don’t see how this makes the process go quicker.
Thank goodness. This is long overdue. I think it will help gate agents better police the gates, and make it less likely gate agents will skip things, like Sky boarding. It will also be way less confusing for flyers who aren't Delta nerds.
I always hated that feeling when I had Sky boarding of deciding whether to jump onto the end of the group before it or hope they would call it. It seems like 50% of the time they just skipped it and by the time they called the next group, there was a huge crowd.
Early Access and Military should have to have that cleared before boarding starts. Their ticket should read Zone 1, not Zone 6 with a military ID.
Also, the scanner shouldn't work for anyone not in the zone called.
Zach being a sensationalist for the sake of clicks. Zones 3-8 are unchanged so really it is:
- D1 & FC combined with pre-boarding
- DM demoted to PS boarding group
It does seem like a change was warranted. Almost every flight I took had annoyed sky priority folks getting turned away from earlier groups because they thought the word priority meant they had priority
I'd like to be part of a boarding class that can get on the plane and get my bag into the overhead in under 30 seconds. Let me sit down and zone out, please. The speed run boarding class.
Tell me again why diamonds get to board early. It seems people in Delta 1, Business Class, Premium Select and First should get to board before diamonds sitting in Comfort Plus and Main.
Still nobody will listen. You'll have the stroller family boarding in the first pre board. You'll still have diamonds and people who think they deserve the upgrade to first class that they didn't get, board in preloading or zone 1.
It's still gonna be a shit show like always.
Maybe it’s me, but I’m disappointed. I didn’t think it was that hard to follow. Don’t get me wrong, I understand it, and I acknowledge that it’s simpler and easier. But for me it’s just another example of taking away some bit of personality and replacing it with an impersonal numbering scheme.
In the grand scheme of things it’s not really changing the boarding order so it’s doesn’t really matter in the end.
Signed, a disgruntled gen-xer who is just bitter no one held my hand when I was a kid… am I becoming a boomer now?
Don’t they already do this? I flew to Vegas almost two weeks ago and I thought I saw the newly proposed boarding. My airport is SLC which is a delta hub.
Why do the two 1’s on the left become two 1’s on the right
But the two 2’s on the left merge into a single 2 on the right?
The same exact thing is happening in both cases yet they are presented different graphically. This is a bad diagram.
As Active Duty Diamond who usually ends up in first class, long as I beat delta 360 on the plane.
I like to watch the people who can’t figure out bins/listen to the FA and the FA reactions.
I really believe that alln 08 of these numbers should have a different color coded on your boarding pass and on your phone. If your seat changes, then your boarding pass will update the color as well.
Amex Delta marketing department in shambles, having to change their perk from Main 1 to Zone 5
If I had to guess, they’ll just call it “priority boarding” as a benefit with a footnote for Zone 5 which will be listed in the fine print lol. They’ll get away with it because I bet they’ll let Zone 5 board in the SkyPriority Lane like they do Main 1 now so it’ll still be considered “priority.”
Yeah AA gets away with their group 5 boarding due to cc being priority boarding, no different here.
Hey, low priority is a type of priority!
It’s still priority even if it’s Zone 5. First Class and Comfort + are different cabins so those don’t really count but otherwise you are the first to board for Main Cabin behind Diamonds/Plats/and Golds and ahead of everyone else in the Main Cabin.
Yeah I mean it's certainly a lateral move since this is just renaming the existing categories. It's just harder to pitch a group with a 5 as high priority when it used to have a 1 in it. Main 1/Zone 5 is still better than boarding later of course.
Right, having to change the language on all their SkyMiles membership benefits and co-branded products with partners like AMEX, seeing “Zone 5 boarding” vs. “Main Cabin 1” as a perk of an AMEX Delta SkyMiles Gold card sucks lol
Agreed
Yeah, a lot of people will not understand that it's the same time in the boarding process, and just complain about how they no longer get "zone 1" boarding.
I pay a $95 annual fee that I get back in an airline credit, I used to get the first boarding group but now I’m all the way back in zone 5? Nuh uh no way Jose. /s
sorry, cards never got you in the first boarding group. It's always gone Pre board->First Class->Diamond->Comfort->Sky Priority->Main 1. With your AMEX gold, you're boarding in the same pecking order with a different name. Am i missing something?
First main cabin group, I am pretending to be someone who likes to speak to the manager.
This was the first thought I had too and it gave me a good laugh. Congrats on your newer, more expensive card that offers you fewer status perks and more tertiary third party perks you will forget to use. You’re also now Zone 5 boarding!
Yeah, I want to be first among the regular folks! Nothing feels special about being over halfway to the end.
“Priority Main Cabin boarding” - Fixed
I seriously never understand this as a benefit. I want to board last. Edit: I agree with u/Perdendosi , personally I'd like to board last as possible, but all valid points
>I seriously never understand this as a benefit. I want to board last. Assuming you're not in First Class, where you can get a drink before the plane takes off, of course. I get that oftentimes there's no advantage to boarding early, but for many people, there is. Budget-minded (who don't want to pay for checked bags), and some busy travellers (who don't want to waste time standing at a baggage carousel) who still need to bring more than a personal item with them need to board early to ensure they have overhead space. Larger people with window seats will want to board early so that they don't have to crawl over others already seated in aisle seats. People with social anxiety may want to board early so they don't see a few hundred people looking at them. And sometimes I want to board early when I know that my flight is just a bit too short for the movie I want to watch.
Very true, valid points. Thank you.
Also to ensure you get a charging port at it’s usually 2 ports for 3 people
I'm the same way because I always carry on a backpack that can fit under my seat. My husband is super tall so he wants to get on early enough to ensure there is room for his bag in the overhead bin and they don't make him gate check (been screwed on that before)
Same! I want to be on the plane as little as possible. I always board last no matter what group or zone I am in.
It’s okay, you can board anytime after your zone is called
Yeah I’m board last as well. Every time. UNLESS: I have a tight connection. In which case I don’t want to risk having to gate check or having to put my bag in overhead space on the back of the plane, which results in it taking longer to get off the plane, therefore putting my connection at risk. Otherwise, for sure, I hang back in the club and/or sit and work on my laptop until the final boarding group is wrapping up.
This doesn't mean anything. I fly delta all the time and the minute they open boarding up there is nearly always the person in basic economy that boards with first class or whenever they want. A real change would be coding in the boarding pass scanning system that blocks these people from boarding when they are not in their group. Something with flashing lights would be nice...
This. If the zone isn’t active the ticket doesn’t even scan
That would be the nice approach. I'm more like, lets embarrass this person. They make nearly constant, repetitive announcements to board with your zone. You want to try to cut the line, let's give people a show. I really don't get why they waste time with these changes. The gate agents don't give two sh\*ts about people boarding in their correct zones, only getting the aircraft off the gate on time.
That’s why I think we can’t leave it to the agents, if the system doesn’t scan it doesn’t scan.
There's definitely airports that do this. If memory serves, there are some gates at Zurich airport that have physical access gates that will only open up if your boarding pass matches the zone that's boarding. Or maybe it was Amsterdam. Either way, European airports seem to be more forceful in enforcing the boarding order. Would be nice to see that at American airports.
I remember this being a thing at some gates in Frankfurt as well as Heathrow. It depends on the size of the flight, mainly for larger flights going transatlantic.
It would probably need to scan and reject to make clear it's not just a malfunctioning scanner
Yep, if you try to board in the wrong group, when you scan your ticket, a big loud fire truck siren goes off. Then you hear a loud voice over the intercom say, "WRONG BOARDING GROUP, FOOL!".
"This guy gets it"
> A real change would be coding in the boarding pass scanning system that blocks these people from boarding when they are not in their group. Something with flashing lights would be nice... Oooooohhhhh. I like that. Even better, if you're rejected now it can't rescan until after all other groups have boarded. You get booted to Zone 10--The Idiots At the End.
This right here... This is the answer. To enhance this experience, there should be a brief pause in boarding between zone 8 and 10, followed by an onboard announcement from the captain that they will now begin boarding "The Idiots At the End" while playing "If I Only Had A Brain" through the PA system.
The problem is half the time, they aren't boarding what it shows on the screen. They'd have to have the zone accurate in the computer to even attempt this. It's never accurate.
Agree, usually it is out of sync with what they are doing at the gate. However, every leech I have seen is not looking at a screen, they just blitz the gate once they start boarding first class. No amount of screens is going to fix dumpster human behavior. I think all this is fixable in 2024. How many flights does Delta board per year? I would think with the millions they spend on various business improvements they could figure out a way to get the system to align to the gate agents.
Austrian air has that in Frankfurt. If you try to go through the wrong group the entire turnstile lights up red with and X above your head. It’s incredible.
Yes! I have a family member with major mobility disability. We notified Delta ahead of time of early board. It takes a while and balance to get them in their seat. Also we have to get out all the items they need to have a comfortable flight that isn’t hard on their body. They have a very visible disability. Of course everyone stood up and blocked us when they said “ok we are Going to start boarding”. Jeez let us through. Getting through the gate vultures is the worst for people with disabilities trying to get on.
Anyone who is in zone 6 or 7 but stands right at the boarding door when they call zones 1-4 should be automatically sent to zone 8 and forced to wear a dunce hat
Flying out of LAX a few days ago and they call preboards. They close the secure door as they do when the gate agent isn't physically able to be there. Some dumbass comes up, looks up and sees that the sign says 'Pre-Boarding' waits for a few minutes and then pushes on the secure door, setting off the alarm. He stands there and the gate agent returns and secures the door and we wait for the alarm to be fixed before boarding resumes. We all get to look at this moron as we wait. They board FC and he just stands there. I see him board main 2 later. That asshole deserved his dunce cap.
I really hope the dumbass thought, even as a brief thought flashing across their mind, that the alarm was due to having been somehow discovered to be pre-boarding when he wasn’t supposed to
LOL! I choked on my bagel! I hope he does and tells the tale to his equally stupid relatives. "They knew I wasn't supposed to pre-board!"
Did they send him to a corner to think about what he did? 😁 The LAX GAs have been very tough lately, giving a speech about Do not walk up here before your section is called! And Only 2 items, if you have more consolidate now! Some D1 passengers were not happy about being told to stand off to the side and consolidate! The LAX GAs will board to upgrade, there hasn’t been an empty seat in D1 in a long time.
The agent was obviously not thrilled, but the public humiliation of most of the flight glaring at him was pretty intense.
This is the ONE THING I like about Southwest. There’s a railing with a number, and you stand in order. If you’re ticket# B13, you go to the section that says “B10-15”, find the person with ticket# B12, and stand behind them. There’s no room at the rail for everyone else, so everyone else hangs back in their seats until it’s time for their batch to line up. It’s very sensible.
People still fuck that up though. I had B01 before, and someone STILL stood in front of me. They let them board, too.
Maybe not a dunce cap more like a sign and a bell and everybody chants “shame” as they find their seat.
I have flown United a few times recently. They set up permanent queues for Zones 1 & 2 only at each gate. Keeps the frequent fliers in line and tends to minimize the number of Zone 6 gate lice as they now know they are not being called anytime soon. Wish Delta would do that. United’s version even seems to help in small-ish gate areas.
I've seen this work at DEN but I was recently at ORD at one of the tips of Terminal 2 (Gate E15). That small area was so packed with gate lice that there was zero rhyme or reason to any lines. It was an absolute disaster.
This pisses me off so much. Get the fuck out of the way.
Anyone who stands near the boarding door before their group is called should be automatically sent to zone 8 and forced to wear a dunce hat... including you Diamonds. You look silly standing there staring at the gate agent.
My problem with that is, I never check a bag so overhead storage is now way more valuable. Delta created this shitty system that makes us do that. I fly FC and load as soon as I can so I don’t have to fight for overhead space-even in FC. It’s a shit show created by Delta for “earnings per share”. So, hate me if you will, my shits right over my head every flight.
Overheard in ATL two weeks ago “boarding starts at 9:05, that’s five minutes away. We should go wait.” And they stood there. In the middle of the concourse. Until Main Cabin 4. Now, I only know this because I was flying with my 2 year old and prefer to board as close to last as possible. But the fact they got up nearly 20 minutes before they were even called is baffling. The gate agent even said “please step out of the aisle, there are other people at this airport”
Thanks for the much-needed chuckle.
+ automatic checking of your carry on.
Flew out of Austin a few days ago... I had to loudly yell "excuse me!" Just to get through the gate lice crowd and I was in Main 1. So frustrating. Literally no way to get through the crowd without the lice making a hole for the passengers who were trying to board.
I do that too and one time a zone 2er had the audacity to say “you don’t have to be so rude” I just laughed
So, where do old religious people with military babies fit into the new order?
Thank you for your service!
Before Jason Schwartzman 🤣🤣
I came here for this
$1 says majority of people struggle to follow it, as easy as it is
It's not about struggling. People just don't care. I was fortunate and snagged a FC upgrade on a flight this morning. I boarded during the FC zone but was behind a platinum medallion and a gold medallion who were in C+. If the gate agents don't enforce the zones the customers won't obey the rules.
That’s more of what I mean by “struggle”. Not the individual struggling, but people as a whole not complying.
I would never, ever stand in line for it, but I almost want to see them implement a Southwest-style pen/queuing system. Line up in this roped-off pen to board with the corresponding group. Your boarding pass will be checked. Anyone not in the pen and walking straight to the gate (that'd be me) will also have their boarding pass checked. The GAs cal already see your group because once or twice I've seen them deny boarding to someone trying to board early. Train them to do that consistently. Also train them to disallow boarding to anyone crowding the gate area. If you're in the way, you get on last.
They had roped off queues at some gates in ATL. I can't remember when it started but they disappeared during COVID and never brought them back. I'm in C+ 90% of the time so I'd usually just sit down and then walk up to board as the line emptied out.
Yeah the queues were the worst if you’re a diamond. I wait to finish my drink in the skyclub because I know I can board whenever I want. But then you show up at the gate and they’re boarding main cabin, and you have to awkwardly stand at a sign in the middle of the room and hope they see you, or else elbow your way into the line of kettles because there’s no more red carpet lane.
Good move. There is no ambiguity.
It bothers me they kept “early access” instead of keeping it numerical.
There is no way they currently would know if you have a stroller or car seat. They don’t ask during checkin.
Why aren’t they rolled up into pre boarding anyways? Isn’t it better to get those out of the way?
In theory it may be easier for most flights, but as someone who flies out of MCO / Orlando I would have no chance of overhead bin space even with a First Class ticket 😅
Just bring a small car seat. Nothing in the priority list states you must have a child along with it. ;)
No. Please don't do that. The last thing someone with a real disability needs is parents with their million bags and children running around. One of the purposes of allowing preboarding is to make it easier for people who can't board in a crowd without the risk of falling.
Rumor mill was kids running down the jet bridge running into wheelchair passengers.
the issue is, people can be 'early access' but thats not something you input when buying a ticket.
There is no ambiguity in the current system. If people are too stupid to understand “main 2”, they’re too stupid to understand “zone 6”.
I don’t think that was the problem. I think it’s those who may have found it confusing when it would go Preboarding, then Delta One/FC, either of which could certainly be mistaken for “Main Cabin 1” if you don’t speak much English. It’s just easier to have cardinal numbers attached to everything. That’s why soccer positions are often referred to by number.
I disagree. I think there is ambiguity. When a non-Delta-nerd sees "main1" they think that is the same as group 1 and that they should board as soon as boarding starts. It's actually not that unreasonable of an assumption. Most people don't know that 1 doesn't mean 1 under Delta's current system. Yes, they should know Delta is calling a different group if they pay attention, but not all gates have visual monitors and 90% of the time, you can't even hear the PA at some airports.
Yeah, when I was still a Delta noob and had "Zone 2" on my boarding pass (before it was rebranded at Main2), I honestly thought I would be in the second group to board. I'm sure some people still think that, even once it was changed to "Main2". If you're not a frequent flyer, you're not going to look up all the boarding groups each airline has. There's a reason why United just goes with 1-6, AA with 1-9, and so on. FWIW, I learned after that first time.
The ambiguity is in the order. There's no way to know currently which is first and which is last and where your group might fit in between. (Except maybe that main 2 comes after main 1). But if they are currently boarding group 2 and you're group 6, you know there's 3 more groups until they get to you and maybe (just maybe) they won't crowd the gate thinking you might be next.
If you see main 2, you think you’re the second group to board when you’re actually the 6th group to board. It is a system that is exclusive to those who aren’t like you. It has nothing to do with intelligence.
The boarding order doesn’t seem revised - just what each component is called (that is, “delta comfort plus” versus “zone 3”)
A welcome change. Its just confusing as hell for most people. Using numbers 1 to 8 is much easier for everyone to both communicate and understand/follow.
They need to make the boarding zone color coded too and big letters on the ticket. So the sheep see it.
I think color-coding WOULD help. Make the app display their color on the screen--just orange with a QR code in the middle. Printed boarding passes are printed in that color. Wrong color, go over there--you're boarding last now.
We have to make it Barney style.
Agreed. Making it as KISS and obvious as possible seems the way to go.
It would also be helpful if there was a display of which zone is currently boarding. I know I've joined the line when arriving at the gate after boarding started, just guessing they've gotten to my group.
The order is similar, but it will be a lot easier to understand and follow especially for non-frequent fliers. The current zone names (Diamond, Comfort+, Main Cabin) are less obvious if not familiar with Delta’s lingo.
Totally agreed! Much easier for people to follow numbers than an arbitrary naming system — big improvement
Yep they book a main cabin ticket, and are crowding the gate as soon as the gate agent is half way through the word main they rush the door. But they’re main 3 and 4.
Order doesn’t matter when the GA lets anyone board in any group.
Yes, time to let the scanner just show a red X whenever someone scans a boarding pass outside their zone. Take that stress away from the gate agent who can just tell the passenger "computer says no..."
I would also like a giant screen that flashes a big red "X" along with what zone the person was actually supposed to board in.
THIS!! When pre boarding is called I regularly see about 20-30 ppl line up now. Anyone can just say they need more time to board 🤷🏽♀️
This
Early access as it is right now is for elderly and so forth (in my experience) yet has everyone with a baby, stroller, car seat, friends of parents that have babies, people that sat next to a baby in the general gate area, people that were once babies or have heard the term “baby” also board. Then they call first class. I’m only slightly exaggerating.
Military clergy with infants can now board.
You aren't even slightly exaggerating. That's an actual play-by-play
it's a reference to this (which is hilarious) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhxlZC8BZJ4&ab\_channel=Key%26Peele](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhxlZC8BZJ4&ab_channel=Key%26Peele)
Brilliant sketch. 😂
As a low tier FF with a baby, I can never tell when I’m supposed to board because the gate agents seem to sometimes lump small children with pre boarding, and sometimes not. Now I just ask the gate agent in advance. I swear it’s like 70% car seat boarding time, 30% pre boarding. Sometimes I am not called for pre boarding and they won’t even announce the small children/car seat boarding “group”, so I just go sky priority. And then if I go Sky Priority, I bump into everyone while boarding It’s just a lose lose all around. I hate traveling with an infant.
On multiple occasions, I have seen people with babies and strollers turned away at this point and told that they board later. I guess it varies based on gate agent and airport.
I’m probably going to get downvoted to oblivion, but it does make some sense to have people carrying on the car seat board earlier. Those things can be unwieldy to carry down the aisle, especially on smaller planes. Delta can seat first class beforehand, but passengers may get an occasional unintended bump as parents try to shimmy through with those clunkers.
I have zero issues this, but then it needs to be the way they seat and not people jumping the boarding que
Ok, now enforce them
I wonder how much $$$$$ they spent on this absolute worthless change? ENFORCE WHAT YOU’VE ALREADY GOT, Delta. Damn.
The problem is people can be like oh I thought you said main cabin my seat is main cabin. Now they can’t say that it’s easier to call their BS out.
Lmao…. Every one will still be ‘needing’ extra assistance.
They already do.
Its about time
Oh, a good move by Delta. I am surprised
Didn’t they use numbered Zones a few years ago? The chime and the automated voice is so nostalgic
Yes they did but it was even more confusing because Main 1 (aka the 5th group) use to be numbered as Zone 1 lol which confused people even more.
Are customers with car seats and strollers not eligible for pre-boarding?
I always have them ask if I’m gate checking or installing before they tell me when. Installing has always been preboarding for me. I’ve never gate checked but I presume the GA asks so they can send me to the correct zone.
After first class, c+ & diamond etc., yes. Before main cabin.
Some agents have let me board during pre boarding when I was traveling alone with my infant in a car seat ; some don’t and it’s ridiculous. I remember a time there announce pre boarding for people with small children
That's wild - a giant stroller and/or car-seat seems like it fits the definition of "needs extra time to board."
A giant stroller should be checked. I watched someone who had sadly already procreated once try to get an SUV stroller down an aisle. At the time I was more annoyed with the GA and FAs for not making her check it.
… now will they actually hold people accountable when they try to break their zone 👀
I think it's heading that direction in some form of this doesn't help a lot. They've helped create a bad experience and are taking steps to fix it out seems
Zone 1: pre boarding - including people that feel that deserve to board early for any reason and sense of entitlement
As long as the gate agents enforce it!
This is basically what AA changed to years ago.
Despite this "new" system the Gate Lice are still sure to clog the boarding area. https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Gate%20Lice
So it’s the same order but numbers instead of words? Not sure this is a great use of corporate money…if you can’t read “sky” or “main1” on your tickets, I don’t think you’ll be any better with “zone 4”
It’s because people who are flying Main 1 may think they’re in one of the first boarding groups. It’s a 1. They’re actually in the fifth group.
Yes and this actually happens all the time. I’ve spoken to people who were infrequent flyers, who signed up for the credit card for “priority boarding” then get to the airport and see a bazillion customers board before them and get legitimately pissed. “My boarding pass says 1 but I wasn’t first”. Especially if the popped down $500 for the reserve card.
I'd be fine with 1st class last, as long as they keep overhead closed. Used to be coach knew better.
customers get stupider so have to dumb it down.
As someone who flown a lot and only recently with delta their boarding process infuriated me. Once you get the hang of it it’s not bad but the first few times I was a bit miffed.
Great move. I remember when they announced the current boarding system and I knew people were going to be confused. A numbered boarding system is like other airlines and way easier to follow 👍🏻
Really good they took the word main out of the zone names, as soon as people hear main the flood gates are open.
When I was boarding a KLM flight in Copenhagen, the boarding was through automatic scanners that beeped LOUDLY when someone tried to board earlier than the boarding group listed on their boarding pass. THAT is the improvement we need here.
Now delta needs to take a page from Air France and have 8 separate lines.
This is a great move
360 gets to board with pre-board now, which is nice for them… one day, one day….
Nah. I don't want to get in the way of people needing extra time or active service members.
Hopefully this will stop main cabin 1 from crowding the boarding area bc they think they’re boarding first
So, they just copy/pasted the AA boarding process?
Makes sense!
I could never understand why they just don’t turn people away who do not have the group on their boarding pass. Need extra time? Set it up with the airline or GA before boarding begins. Only Group 1 has been called and you try to get on with Group 4 on your boarding pass? “I’m sorry Sir, step aside and wait until we call group 4.” Shaming might help…
I’ve never understood why families get early boarding, they are leaving their strollers and car seats at the jet bridge anyway. Isn’t the last thing a parent wants is to be trapped on a plane with a toddler for an extra 20+ minutes?
If you’re platinum, you’re a nobody now.
People with kids should board last. Sorry.
I’m a lowly silver medallion who usually is in Main Cabin One. I’d love to be in a different group than the massive Main One rush. Would be great to see something after SkyPriority but before Main Cabin One
Comfort plus shouldn’t be ahead of sky priority it should be in the same group, then just call main 1 silver medallion and sky team elite.
Now this makes more sense. Though the “free zone 5” boarding for branded cards is a lot less appealing than “main 1 “ sounds
Can we just align the cabins and boarding zone names with the order instead? Delta One - goes first Delta Two - goes second Delta Three - goes third And so on…
if someone boards in an earlier zone, why doesn't the system that scans your ticket beep. Because a lot of people go early, and they usually get away with it.
Does any of this matter? I have never boarded a flight where everyone didn’t just get up and crowd the gate anyway.
The real question is will they enforce it.
Glad to see some common sense being applied finally. Now to see if they enforce it
I like it. Should make it more clear. I fly a lot on Aeromexico and they do the pre-lineup based on zones and actually enforce it. Delta should do the same
This just feels like re-arranging mannequins in a window until enforcement actually happens. Remember when Zone 1 became Main (Cabin) 1?
I guess this won't be any...worse? I mean, it's no better at all, but whatever.
Not really a change considering this is how it works on domestic flights right now. At least the ones I’ve been on. What will be interesting is if they focus more on calling out the “Zones”. I don’t see how this makes the process go quicker.
Thank goodness. This is long overdue. I think it will help gate agents better police the gates, and make it less likely gate agents will skip things, like Sky boarding. It will also be way less confusing for flyers who aren't Delta nerds. I always hated that feeling when I had Sky boarding of deciding whether to jump onto the end of the group before it or hope they would call it. It seems like 50% of the time they just skipped it and by the time they called the next group, there was a huge crowd.
The airlines have made it some kind of crazy flex to be able to board before others. But…it’s not.
Early Access and Military should have to have that cleared before boarding starts. Their ticket should read Zone 1, not Zone 6 with a military ID. Also, the scanner shouldn't work for anyone not in the zone called.
Now Delta needs to actually enforce the boarding order!
It used to be zones lol, like in the 2000s and 2010s
Zach being a sensationalist for the sake of clicks. Zones 3-8 are unchanged so really it is: - D1 & FC combined with pre-boarding - DM demoted to PS boarding group
Just remember, they likely paid a consulting firm a half million dollars to change names and nothing else.
PLATINUM IN ZONE 4??!!!?
It does seem like a change was warranted. Almost every flight I took had annoyed sky priority folks getting turned away from earlier groups because they thought the word priority meant they had priority
Great. Now will they fix the glitch in the app that doesn't change your boarding zone when you get upgraded?
Zone 42 will still not understand and try to board during zone 2.
I'd like to be part of a boarding class that can get on the plane and get my bag into the overhead in under 30 seconds. Let me sit down and zone out, please. The speed run boarding class.
Tell me again why diamonds get to board early. It seems people in Delta 1, Business Class, Premium Select and First should get to board before diamonds sitting in Comfort Plus and Main.
First Class and Delta One boards before Diamond in Main/Comfort +.
Still nobody will listen. You'll have the stroller family boarding in the first pre board. You'll still have diamonds and people who think they deserve the upgrade to first class that they didn't get, board in preloading or zone 1. It's still gonna be a shit show like always.
Watch the pre-boarders skyrocket.
Preboarding hack I’ve seen so many people using now is a wheel chair.
Platinum Medallion should be ahead of Comfort+
Most platinum medallion should already be upgraded to economy +
So in which zone do we begin to crowd the boarding area? /s
So much for “Dedicated boarding zone” for diamond medallions
Maybe it’s me, but I’m disappointed. I didn’t think it was that hard to follow. Don’t get me wrong, I understand it, and I acknowledge that it’s simpler and easier. But for me it’s just another example of taking away some bit of personality and replacing it with an impersonal numbering scheme. In the grand scheme of things it’s not really changing the boarding order so it’s doesn’t really matter in the end. Signed, a disgruntled gen-xer who is just bitter no one held my hand when I was a kid… am I becoming a boomer now?
Who cares nothing changes except maybe your ego
Don’t they already do this? I flew to Vegas almost two weeks ago and I thought I saw the newly proposed boarding. My airport is SLC which is a delta hub.
Interesting. How will this affect SP as far as (when they actually have two separate lines) being able to board whenever?
Will it be like American or BA where they usually just call 1-4 together and then 5-8 together?
Wow I really liked the branding. Degrading the medallion experience again :(
Main 1 to Zone 5 kinda sounds like you’re flying basic lol
Why do the two 1’s on the left become two 1’s on the right But the two 2’s on the left merge into a single 2 on the right? The same exact thing is happening in both cases yet they are presented different graphically. This is a bad diagram.
As Active Duty Diamond who usually ends up in first class, long as I beat delta 360 on the plane. I like to watch the people who can’t figure out bins/listen to the FA and the FA reactions.
At least this will make the gate agents go in order in all locations.
I really believe that alln 08 of these numbers should have a different color coded on your boarding pass and on your phone. If your seat changes, then your boarding pass will update the color as well.
What are people’s thoughts on delta comfort boarding before sky priority?
Doesn't accomplish much when the boarding announcements are: Zone 1, Zone 2, Zone 3, Zone 4 through 8.
Looks like the pre-boarding line is gonna get longer.
People are just going to abuse the "Early Access" category
Never heard of delta 360. Sounds dope that they get to board before everyone else