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A-List Preferred pre-board?

torzone74
Explorer C

As an A-List Preferred customer, if you book a lower fare ticket (i.e. wanna get away) or anything less than Business Select, will you be able to pre board as an "A-List Preferred" customer or have an automatic higher A category boarding position A16-60?  or even automatic check in ?  or do you still get treated like the rest of the cattle 🙂 

5 REPLIES 5

Re: A-List Preferred pre-board?

floridaguy
Aviator C

Under rules of the Federal Air Carrier Access Act, those who pre-board are first on the plane, regardless of A-list, Business Select or anything else.

 

Pre-board does not require any type of upgraded ticket.  That's the law.  Period.

Re: A-List Preferred pre-board?

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

Oh @floridaguy, let's try to actually answer the OP's question shall we?

 

Clearly there's some confusion here with the terminology and mixing fare classes and tier status benefits. All A-List and A-List Preferred flyers are automatically assigned boarding positions in the A boarding group regardless of the fare type purchased. Automatic assignment of an A boarding position is a perk of A-List and A-List Preferred status. The A1-15 boarding positions are assigned only to Business Select flyers and this includes A-List and non A-List passengers. Anyone, regardless of status, can purchase Business Select fares and get an A1-15 boarding position. Without purchasing Business Select the best boarding position anyone can get is A16.

 

Automatic assignment of A boarding position requires the flight be purchased more than 36 hours before departure. Purchase or changes within 36 hours may result in A-List passengers receiving a higher boarding position, but they are allowed to board immediately following the A group at what is known as A61 regardless of their assigned boarding position.

 

Preboarding is something completely unrelated to A-List status or Business Select fares and is used by individuals who for one reason or another "have a specific seating need to accommodate their disability and/or need assistance in boarding the aircraft or stowing an assistive device". These individuals board before A1.

 

Hopefully that clarifies things for the OP. 

 

--TheMiddleSeat

Re: A-List Preferred pre-board?

dfwskier
Aviator A

@TheMiddleSeat wrote:

 . All A-List and A-List Preferred flyers are automatically assigned boarding positions in the A boarding group regardless of the fare type purchased. Automatic assignment of an A boarding position is a perk of A-List and A-List Preferred status.  

 

Well, that is not always true. There are times when more than 45 A_Listers buy tickets on flights (assuming none bought BS fares ). When that happens, some of those A-Listers will get B boarding positions.

 

Heck, I've been A-List since the program started and on very rare occasions have gotten   C boarding positions.

Re: A-List Preferred pre-board?

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

@dfwskier wrote:

Well, that is not always true. There are times when more than 45 A_Listers buy tickets on flights (assuming none bought BS fares ). When that happens, some of those A-Listers will get B boarding positions.

 

 


And can board at A61.

 

--TheMiddleSeat

Re: A-List Preferred pre-board?

DancingDavidE
Aviator A

@torzone74 wrote:

As an A-List Preferred customer, if you book a lower fare ticket (i.e. wanna get away) or anything less than Business Select, will you be able to pre board as an "A-List Preferred" customer or have an automatic higher A category boarding position A16-60?  or even automatic check in ?  or do you still get treated like the rest of the cattle 🙂 


Pre-boarding is based on the passenger reporting a need to sit in a certain location, or needing more time for boarding.

 

A-List and A-List Preferred get checked in automatically at 36 hours prior to the flight, so they would be starting at A16 and going up from there however many members are on the flight.

 

A1 through A15 are for the business select tickets or upgraded boarding position tickets if available.

 

So I think the answer is "yes" an ALP or A-list customer will usually be in the A16 to A60 range unless there are more than 44 such members then it could stretch into the B's.

 

 

 

 

 

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