Is American Airlines denying families early boarding so that they can squeeze an early boarding fee from them? A story emerging from Dallas seems to indicate just that. Plus, flight attendants are calling the new boarding process “chaos.” AA denies it.
In his column published in the Star-Telegram, David Lieber tells this story:
American Airlines no longer announces pre-boarding for families with small children, as was the previous practice. But if a family asks a gate attendant to let it board early, the attendant, if possible, will comply.
Good advice. That’s AA’s policy.
But when the four family members tried that strategy at the airport, Phelan says, they were told that the pre-boarding fee was $9.50 per person for each leg of the trip. Since there were six legs, the cost would be $228.
The family turned that down and struggled to board, the granddad says, “with their backpacks and all the paraphernalia that young parents have to travel with nowadays. It was very disappointing to me.”
We have to realize that the airlines are taking advantage of more crowded overhead space on airplanes to lure passengers to “early boarding” options. AA has created an entire category of fees that generate cash from the crush of carry-on baggage.
They sell Express Seats Option that gives passengers “the ability to reserve a seat in the first few rows of the coach cabin, including the bulkhead seats.”
And AA sells Group 1 Boarding that provide passengers “the convenience of boarding before all other General Boarding groups for your entire one-way journey, including any connecting flights.”
(Note: Even on their own AA.com website, these “options” are presented with no costs associated. Not even an indication of the range of fees. I am sure these fees are somewhere hidden in the website. But, wouldn’t it be nice to see a line of copy on the “option” pages saying something like, “Available for a fee ranging from $xx to $xx based on ….”)
What makes these early boarding options so enticing? Some speculate that checked-baggage fees are driving more and more passengers to bring more and more luggage onto the aircraft. As overhead bins fill up and baggage that can’t fit is gate-checked passengers are looking at getting aboard early to snag luggage storage space.
I guess passengers either pay the checked-baggage fees or they pay the early boarding fees. AA’s new check-in process combined with anecdotal evidence seems to show that the airline may be making boarding more difficult and not making early-boarding gate area announcements for families in order to sell more early boarding options.
The newly implemented AA boarding processes are described as “complete chaos.”
Last month’s changes by the AMR Corp.-owned airline include spreading passengers throughout the cabin instead of boarding in groups by seat location, Jeff Pharr, a union spokesman, said last week. The process takes more time, pressuring gate agents to let people board earlier than normal, time for which attendants aren’t paid, the union told members on its website.
“More often than not, the result is congested aisles, and flight attendants having to explain to bewildered and already stressed passengers why there is complete chaos in the cabin,” said the union, which is in contract talks with American.
“Priority boarding is a product American is selling,” said Henry Harteveldt, vice president of Forrester Research Inc. “The customers who use it choose to pay for an optional service that they value.”
Again from the Star-Telegraph article, AA responds that they haven’t changed anything substantial, but that passengers just have to ask. AA, these days, isn’t offering early boarding to anyone except those who pay. However, if families or the aged ask for early boarding the gate agent will help out if “it’s operationally possible.”
Spokesman Smith says, “Our policy is we don’t announce it, but anybody who feels like they need some extra time or some reasonable reason for pre-boarding is more than welcome to tell us about it, and if it’s operationally possible, we’ll make every effort to do that.”
Operationally possible? That means the plane arrived on time, its cabin has been cleaned and the catering service is complete. If a plane is ready, and you have a special need, AA staff is supposed to let you on, Smith says.
Yes, AA does charge for pre-boarding, but if you walk with a cane, have more than two children or might slow down boarding in any other way, don’t pay for the service.
Ask for it for free.
If the gate agent isn’t helpful, take their name and let AA know. If a family with small children or an elderly passenger is not provided with advanced boarding for free, get their name, jot down the flight number and file a complaint with DOT.
The online complaint forms are easy to fill out and are guaranteed to get some kind of action. At least DOT will forward the complaints directly to the airlines and nothing gets attention like a missive from DOT’s Enforcement Division.
Charlie Leocha is the President of Travelers United. He has been working in Washington, DC, for the past 14 years with Congress, the Department of Transportation, and industry stakeholders on travel issues. He was the first consumer representative to the Advisory Committee for Aviation Consumer Protections appointed by the Secretary of Transportation from 2012 through 2018.
