Confused over United's Boarding Procedures

[mikegood2]

We are flying United in June for our vacation to WDW, but are confused with United's Boarding procedure. SeatGuru lists it as outside-in with the order: first class, (fill-in-the-blank) members, window seats, middle seats, and aisle seats last. Is this correct?

We have a party of five with 3 adults a 4-1/2 and 1-1/2 year old. We are seated window, middle (4-1/2 year old) , aisle and aisle. How would we be seated? Would we have to follow the boarding procedures or would we get boarded as a family together? I can't imagine they would make the 4-1/2 year old seat herself.

 

[dudspizza]

We are flying United in June for our vacation to WDW, but are confused with United's Boarding procedure. SeatGuru lists it as outside-in with the order: first class, (fill-in-the-blank) members, window seats, middle seats, and aisle seats last. Is this correct?

We have a party of five with 3 adults a 4-1/2 and 1-1/2 year old. We are seated window, middle (4-1/2 year old) , aisle and aisle. How would we be seated? Would we have to follow the boarding procedures or would we get boarded as a family together? I can't imagine they would make the 4-1/2 year old seat herself.

You will all be able to board with the earliest family member....

 

[mikegood2]

You will all be able to board with the earliest family member....

thanks dudspizza,

Just re-read the SeatGuru page and don't know how I missed the line... Elite frequent flyers, passengers with disabilities, and those traveling with small children are asked to board before Zone 1.

I'm the 5th wheel in the group and am going with my brothers family. I had my brother buy all the tickets to make sure we got our seats together. Will they probably group all us at the same early time our do you think I'd have to wait my turn. I'm in an aisle seat so I'd be one of the last loaded?

 

[DebbieB]

Usually if there are different zones in your group, they will tell you to all board with the earliest number. With your small kids, if they call for early boarding, I would go then.
Worst comes to worse, all board with the higher number.

 

[crashbb]

Actually, I'd go against the grain and NOT have everyone do the pre-boarding.

You only gave four seats, so I'm assuming that the youngest is a lap-child. I'd minimize the time that the two little spent on the plane. It seems that you don't have any car seats (the 4 1/2 year old would have to be in the window seat, if you did), so there isn't anything that needs extra time to be set up.

If it looks like a very full flight and you need to store carry-ons in the over head compartment, send one or two adults early, but otherwise, I'd board later, rather than earlier.

Totally a matter of opinion, of course.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Elite frequent flyers, passengers with disabilities, and those traveling with small children are asked to board before Zone 1.

This is not exactly how it works. I fly United all the time. Families with small children do not board first or get pre-boarding on United. That is not their policy.

First to board are disabled passengers. Then first class passengers, business class passengers and elite members at the level of Global Services and 1K, who board on the Red Carpet. Next to board are Premier Executive members and Star Alliance Gold members. General boarding follows with seating 1, which are Mileage plus Premier and Premiere Associate members and Star Alliance Silver members. Seating 2 are window seats, Seating 3 are center seats, Seating 4 are aisle seats. General boarding is stopped when a red carpet eligible member arrives, as they have priority. Boarding is not back-to-front.

Groups traveling together are allowed to board with the earliest assigned seating member. If you travel with a 1K member, you can board with him or her, even if you are in Seating group 4. The OP can board his whole family with the aisle seat member.

 

[DopeyDame]

This is not exactly how it works. I fly United all the time. Families with small children do not board first or get pre-boarding on United. That is not their policy.

First to board are disabled passengers. Then first class passengers, business class passengers and elite members at the level of Global Services and 1K, who board on the Red Carpet. Next to board are Premier Executive members and Star Alliance Gold members. General boarding follows with seating 1, which are Mileage plus Premier and Premiere Associate members and Star Alliance Silver members. Seating 2 are window seats, Seating 3 are center seats, Seating 4 are aisle seats. General boarding is stopped when a red carpet eligible member arrives, as they have priority. Boarding is not back-to-front.

Groups traveling together are allowed to board with the earliest assigned seating member. If you travel with a 1K member, you can board with him or her, even if you are in Seating group 4. The OP can board his whole family with the aisle seat member.

A family member of mine works for United, so we fly them all the time as well. This post is exactly right. When they say small children, they don't mean toddlers. The gate agents often (but not always) allow people with tiny babies in carseats to baord first so they can get the carseat situated without holding up the line. An almost-two-year-old lap baby won't get pre-boarding. You can all board together with the lowest number in your group, though.

 

[mikegood2]

Thanks all, when I told my brother that United loaded outside-in he didn't believe me. But then again, even though he ordered the tickets, he was convinced that we were flying American instead. But after a few minute disagreement, I proved him wrong.

My concern, more than anything, is that we would need to all board separately. I figured they would not make the 4-1/2 year old board on her own but wanted to make sure and yes the 1-1/2 year old will be a lap-child. Also, I'm not sure how they would react if they could not load with their mom and dad, the separation could have scared them. If we are all able to board at the window zone that would be great. The flight is also completely booked, so the earlier we load, the better the chance that we will all be able to fit our carry-on in the overhead bins.

The outside-in style of boarding still seems like a strange way to load a plane. I guess back to front or a rotating zone technique just makes more sense to me.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

The outside-in style of boarding still seems like a strange way to load a plane.

Not at all - it makes perfect sense. If you board aisle first, then PAX in window and middle seats will have to wait for the person in the aisle seat to get out so they can get in. What a cluster! It makes far more sense to board window, middle, then aisle.