JetBlue now has a new boarding procedure

[n2mm]

we just returned and JetBlue has changed how they board the plane. They are using the ABCDE system similar to other airlines. A is for even legroom passengers. There is more info on their website. If you are a B and family is a C they tell you that you have to board separately or wait and board with your C family. It says that if you are ALL booked on the same itinerary you will all have the same letter, but that was not the case for us. We ended up with all six of us with different positions. It seems that Disney Bags folks checks each person separately which caused us to get split up. Just wanted to give all my JetBlue family the heads up.

 

[Best Aunt]

If anybody flies JetBlue, I would be interested in hearing how the new boarding procedure went. Apparently it became effective October 17, 2017.

JetBlue apparently tweeted this:
We’ll have boarding groups A through E on our A320s and A321s. Our E190s will have boarding groups A through D.

And when I googled it, I found the following. No word yet on what puts you in Group B versus C versus D versus E.

Boarding order

• Pre-Boarding for customers with disabilities
• Mosaic and Mint® customers
• Even More® Space customers (Group A)
• Courtesy Boarding for active military personnel and customers traveling with children in car seats or strollers.
• General Boarding by group:
  • Group B
  • Group C
  • Group D
  • Group E (N/A for E-190 aircraft)
• All remaining customers
  

 

[Jimsig]

It's tough to say as for us this was our first time flying JB and not boarding with Even More Space and our forst time on JB's E-190. We flew from Boston to MCO on the 20th on an E-190. There was 10 of us going down. 5 boarded under "courtesy boarding" as they had a stroller. For the remaining 5 we had a total of 3 reservations split 3-1-1. One was in row 23 and she got group B (window), the remaining 4 were in row 21 and 3 of us got group b (window-aisle-window)and the single (aisle) got group C.

It seemed the usual at the gate, people getting up before there turn. On board it was pretty orderly. I did not notice a lot of people having to get up from the aisle and let someone in to the window seat, but I'm sure having 2+2 seating alleviates that to a degree.

On the way back we were in an A320 and as there was only 4 of us and we splurged and purchased the Even More Space so we had group A. We got on pretty quick as there was only 2 people with disability boarding and they were seated before they called for Mosaic and there were only a few of them getting on. They actually made a second Mosaic announcement as if they were expecting more to get on and when no one was moving to the gate they quickly called Even More. As we were in the front I didn't notice if there were a lot of people aisle passengers having to move for those with windows or middles.

For both flights it seemed that boarding went quicker then I have seen it and for both flights we were pushing back from the gate a couple min before departure time.

 

[goofy4tink]

We flew Worcester to Orlando, and back, Oct 30-Nov 5. Seats are two and two. Dd and I were in row 6, boarded in the C group. Not sure if specific seats made a difference...aisle vs window. Hard to tell with the two/two configuration. But, it seemed that the first two groups were further back in the plane.

 

[skyblue17]

We noticed this on our flight home from MCO last week. I had a window seat, and was in Group C. My friend in the middle seat was Group D. My friend on the aisle was Group E. This was row 8, so my guess is that they put window seats in a separate boarding group so that no one with aisle seats has to move when they arrive. I figure my Group E friend was such because she was on the aisle AND we were the second row behind the Even More Space seats, so it was a double whammy as far as early boarding goes. Can only imagine middle friend was such so that she still boarded before the aisle seat. The only concern is the overheard storage space but she ended up fine.

 

[pooh2001]

Do they consider seniors - age 65 - customers with disabilities?

 

[Kaytie]

Do they consider seniors - age 65 - customers with disabilities?

No. They do consider disabled seniors to be customers with disabilities, but simply being 65+ is not a disability.

 

[pooh2001]

Maybe we will just book extra space - worth not getting C tickets

 

[skyblue17]

It's really not that different than how they used to board, they just mix it up more. I fly JetBlue a lot and the main difference is that they don't exclusively board from the back of the plane any more. I honestly never understand why they didn't prioritize window seats boarding, so it's an improvement in that area. The flight attendants were also proactive in making the most use out of the overhead space as possible, even moving my backpack to a smaller section near the exit behind us so that a bigger bag could be accommodated. Not sure it's worth it to pay extra to sit on the plane longer while everyone is all discombobulated around you just because of this.

 

[goofy4tink]

Do they consider seniors - age 65 - customers with disabilities?

You didn't seriously just say that, right??? A lot of us that are 65+ will take umbrage at the customers with disabilities comment!!!!

 

[Kaytie]

Maybe we will just book extra space - worth not getting C tickets

If you want the Extra Legroom seating, go for it. But jetBlue (in a disappointing move toward aligning with legacy carriers) is simply assigning boarding zones to streamline, well, boarding.

 

[piccolopat]

As long as they enforce the carryon limits, this should be fine but if they continue to allow people to bring oversized bags on board that hog the overhead space I can see problems and arguments. Unlike SW, most people have their seats assigned ahead of time and so boarding order doesn't make much difference. One downside is that families could be split up but again it is just for the actual boarding. DH and I always buy the extra legroom seats because he is 6'2" so this doesn't impact us. I do wonder if we will see more 10 year olds showing up in strollers so they can board with the courtesy group!

 

[n2mm]

You didn't seriously just say that, right??? A lot of us that are 65+ will take umbrage at the customers with disabilities comment!!!!

Lol.....yep my husband is 67, he married a younger women...lol...never considered his age a disability either. The boarding problem seems to be with checking in with RAC at the resort. Everyone on your itinerary should have the same boarding letter...only if you checkin together. The BAGs folk check everyone individually, which causes everyone to get different boarding letters. I did send some feedback to JetBlue yesterday. I have the JetBlue elite card which gives me free luggage for my itinerary. But occasionally I do have to use overhead, esp my trip this weekend, which was a 3 week trip which included a 7 night cruise...we did do laundry twice! But those fancy clothes = extra packing...ugh.

 

[goofy4tink]

Lol.....yep my husband is 67, he married a younger women...lol...never considered his age a disability either. The boarding problem seems to be with checking in with RAC at the resort. Everyone on your itinerary should have the same boarding letter...only if you checkin together. The BAGs folk check everyone individually, which causes everyone to get different boarding letters. I did send some feedback to JetBlue yesterday. I have the JetBlue elite card which gives me free luggage for my itinerary. But occasionally I do have to use overhead, esp my trip this weekend, which was a 3 week trip which included a 7 night cruise...we did do laundry twice! But those fancy clothes = extra packing...ugh.

I'm 68, dh is 59....I'm much younger, physically and mentally, than he is. He's always been a very old man, hiding in a young man's body, just waiting to get out!!!!
I have to say that I found no difference boarding in the C group, row 6, than I have before they started this proceedure. I had no issue with overheard space. It was a bit more crowded on the way to Orlando due to some people feeling that they could put their stuff in the forward overheads even though they were much further to the rear of the plane. But, that was only a few people.
My dd and I both had C group, coming and going...both times in row 6. No issues whatsoever. I will say that I do like the way SW boards...yeah, I went there.....it's so much nicer than having to wind my way through the gate gnats that just stand there, waiting to board. Not sure why they think they're going to get on faster. It's the one reason I try to book further forward seats. But then, I have to stand and wait, in the aisle, while those who just had to get on the plane faster, stand around trying to figure out how to stow their bags and which seat each member of the family is going to take!!!! Drives me nuts. Get on the plane, go to your row, stow your overhead stuff, and sit the heck down!!!! That doesn't seem to happen with SW.

 

[dixielanfan73]

We just flew Oct 21st and Oct 29th. I didn't really see how the new boarding procedure was more efficient than boarding from the rear to the front of the plane or how there was any advantage to an earlier group other than maybe overhead bin space, especially since they still pre board those that need assistance. So I guess I was left a little confused about the whole process.

I was however, a little annoyed that on our return, when I was I was assigned group C, my husband in group D and my children in group E. We just waited to board with my kids and were the very last on the plane (row 7). It just seemed very weird and disjointed, no one really understood what was going on, maybe it will get better. I mean with Southwest, you know why you want a group A or B priority.. I don't understand why its really an advantage with Jet Blue especially since you already have seat assignments anyway? Ugh.. unless I just answered my own question...

 

[Shanti]

We just flew Oct 21st and Oct 29th. I didn't really see how the new boarding procedure was more efficient than boarding from the rear to the front of the plane or how there was any advantage to an earlier group other than maybe overhead bin space, especially since they still pre board those that need assistance. So I guess I was left a little confused about the whole process.

I was however, a little annoyed that on our return, when I was I was assigned group C, my husband in group D and my children in group E. We just waited to board with my kids and were the very last on the plane (row 7). It just seemed very weird and disjointed, no one really understood what was going on, maybe it will get better. I mean with Southwest, you know why you want a group A or B priority.. I don't understand why its really an advantage with Jet Blue especially since you already have seat assignments anyway? Ugh.. unless I just answered my own question...

The main advantage in this scenario is overhead bin space.

 

[skyblue17]

It seems weird that they are breaking up kids from their parents in doing this. Not having kids, does JetBlue ask when you book if the other tickets you are purchasing are for children? I'd think they'd figure out a way to make sure the kids aren't boarding in a separate group from their parents if this ends up being a widely rolled out boarding procedure.

 

[cruisin5]

I'm sure you can always board with the lower group if staying together is important.

Does JetBlue enforce the number of carry-ons and sizes? I hope so. I have an aisle seat in row 7 in a couple of weeks, of course with wheeled carry-on.

 

[n2mm]

We just flew Oct 21st and Oct 29th. I didn't really see how the new boarding procedure was more efficient than boarding from the rear to the front of the plane or how there was any advantage to an earlier group other than maybe overhead bin space, especially since they still pre board those that need assistance. So I guess I was left a little confused about the whole process.

I was however, a little annoyed that on our return, when I was I was assigned group C, my husband in group D and my children in group E. We just waited to board with my kids and were the very last on the plane (row 7). It just seemed very weird and disjointed, no one really understood what was going on, maybe it will get better. I mean with Southwest, you know why you want a group A or B priority.. I don't understand why its really an advantage with Jet Blue especially since you already have seat assignments anyway? Ugh.. unless I just answered my own question...

Did you use RAC? If so, this is a bags issue. According to the jetblue website, if you check in as a group you all have the same boarding letter, but if you check in individually you get different boarding letters. Seems the method the bags folks check you in, is one person at a time. I did send jetblue feedback about this issue.

I think next time I’ll check us in first, then go check my bags. Not sure if this will work.

 

[Jimsig]

Did you use RAC? If so, this is a bags issue. According to the jetblue website, if you check in as a group you all have the same boarding letter, but if you check in individually you get different boarding letters. Seems the method the bags folks check you in, is one person at a time. I did send jetblue feedback about this issue.

I think next time I’ll check us in first, then go check my bags. Not sure if this will work.

1. You should also contact Disney as the check in is done on their end by their people (BAGS/RAC). If they change the way they are doing it by checking in everyone together it would not be an issue. All JB knows is someone is checking in, they don't know who is doing it. However JB should have it set up that no matter how people are checked in on a reservation if their policy is that everyone get's the same boarding on the same res that's the way it should be regarless of how you are checked in.

2. You could try checking in first but Disney is quick at checking in right at the 24 hour mark. When I extended my stay a couple weeks ago I was trying to do it online right before 2p the day before my flight which was at 2p. I looked at one flight and was able to click on the modify flight and get to the next screen. But that flight was no good for us so I went to check a different flight. It the mean time the clock had struck 2p and I could not do anything to change the flight online, it gave me an error message. I called JB and the rep told me I had already checked in, Disney had done it for me. She was able to change my flight on her end though. I also got the bag tags and boarding passes delivered to my cabin for the original flight.

Maybe you can call the DME and request that they don't check you in so you can do it on your own if they allow that? Though I think they do as you can call up and just tell them you need to get to the airport and don't even have to give them flight info. Then you could go to the RAC early enough and have them tag your bags and probably print out physical boarding passes too.