Aug 26, 2022, 5:21 pm
Last edit by: Adam Smith
AC link:
UPDATED HERE January 2, 2022
Boarding Process
https://www.aircanada.com/ca/en/aco/...g-by-zone.html
Pre-boarding: Customers who have requested wheelchair assistance
Zone 1: J and SE customers
Zone 2: 75K, 50K, 35K, 25K, Star Alliance Gold, Premium Economy, Latitude and Primary or Secondary Cardholder on Aeroplan black credit cards
Zone 2.5:
- Passengers travelling with children under the age of 6 or who require additional time to board the aircraft
- Passengers travelling with a musical instrument as part of their carry-on baggage
Zone 3: Comfort fares, passengers who purchased preferred seats in advance
Zones 3, 4 and 5: General boarding (back to front). AC Express flights will not have Zone 5.
Zone 6: Economy Basic
Companions travelling on the same PNR as an Aeroplan Elite/*Gold member will receive the same priority boarding zone.
UPDATED HERE January 2, 2022
Boarding Process
https://www.aircanada.com/ca/en/aco/...g-by-zone.html
Pre-boarding: Customers who have requested wheelchair assistance
Zone 1: J and SE customers
Zone 2: 75K, 50K, 35K, 25K, Star Alliance Gold, Premium Economy, Latitude and Primary or Secondary Cardholder on Aeroplan black credit cards
Zone 2.5:
- Passengers travelling with children under the age of 6 or who require additional time to board the aircraft
- Passengers travelling with a musical instrument as part of their carry-on baggage
Zone 3: Comfort fares, passengers who purchased preferred seats in advance
Zones 3, 4 and 5: General boarding (back to front). AC Express flights will not have Zone 5.
Zone 6: Economy Basic
Companions travelling on the same PNR as an Aeroplan Elite/*Gold member will receive the same priority boarding zone.
Original thread covering 2014-2019 can be found here
Zoned Boarding (2020 onwards)
Aug 1, 2024, 9:53 am
#1171
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Canada's worst airport....YYJ
Programs: AC: E75K, Marriott :Titanium, National: EXEC ELITE
Posts: 609
Aug 6, 2024, 7:50 am
#1172
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: YYZ
Programs: AC SE MM, Bonvoy Plat, Hilton G,Nexus, Amex MR Plat,IHG Plat
Posts: 4,484
Just boarded AC109 YYZ-YVR. Gate 45. They started boarding zone 1 from the front of the plane and simultaneously boarded Zone 2 from the middle door of the plane. So zone 1 in PE or Y (moi) boarded after zone 2. I don't know why they would not board zone 1 thru both doors first.
Another pet peeve is FAs who fill up the bins near the bulkhead or exit row. That means exit row will have to stow their bags further behind and it's a hassle getting the bags when disembarking. And off course exit row cannot stow backpacks with them for takeoff and landing
Another pet peeve is FAs who fill up the bins near the bulkhead or exit row. That means exit row will have to stow their bags further behind and it's a hassle getting the bags when disembarking. And off course exit row cannot stow backpacks with them for takeoff and landing
Aug 6, 2024, 10:29 am
#1174
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AC SE MM, BA Gold, SQ Silver, Bonvoy Tit LTG, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond
Posts: 45,080
Just boarded AC109 YYZ-YVR. Gate 45. They started boarding zone 1 from the front of the plane and simultaneously boarded Zone 2 from the middle door of the plane. So zone 1 in PE or Y (moi) boarded after zone 2. I don't know why they would not board zone 1 thru both doors first.
Another pet peeve is FAs who fill up the bins near the bulkhead or exit row. That means exit row will have to stow their bags further behind and it's a hassle getting the bags when disembarking. And off course exit row cannot stow backpacks with them for takeoff and landing
Another pet peeve is FAs who fill up the bins near the bulkhead or exit row. That means exit row will have to stow their bags further behind and it's a hassle getting the bags when disembarking. And off course exit row cannot stow backpacks with them for takeoff and landing
If you're going to split the boarding like that, it makes no sense to send zone 1 in not-J through the J cabin.
Aug 6, 2024, 11:23 am
#1175
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: YYZ
Programs: AC SE 100K MM; Marriott Lifetime Titanium, Avis Presidents Club
Posts: 1,505
Was on AC 221 from YYC to YVR on Sunday - 789 that they boarded from B37...total gong show as that gate is nowhere near designed to board that size of aircraft. They seemed to be adhering to the proper Zoned boarding, or were trying to, but it was nearly impossible to get through the little door from the concourse into the boarding area to get to the Zone 1 line as the inner section which is tiny was jammed and people were all spilled out into the concourse. Managed to fight my way through but it took a while and lots of jostling through the sea of backpacks.
Aug 6, 2024, 11:51 am
#1176
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: YVR - MILLS Waypoint (It's the third house on the left)
Programs: AC*SE100K, wood level status in various other programs
Posts: 6,406
Was on AC 221 from YYC to YVR on Sunday - 789 that they boarded from B37...total gong show as that gate is nowhere near designed to board that size of aircraft. They seemed to be adhering to the proper Zoned boarding, or were trying to, but it was nearly impossible to get through the little door from the concourse into the boarding area to get to the Zone 1 line as the inner section which is tiny was jammed and people were all spilled out into the concourse. Managed to fight my way through but it took a while and lots of jostling through the sea of backpacks.
Aug 6, 2024, 12:45 pm
#1177
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: YYZ
Programs: AC SE 100K MM; Marriott Lifetime Titanium, Avis Presidents Club
Posts: 1,505
It was one of the rare occasions that I cared as I was in Y on the bulkhead so needed to have bin space for my carry-on, so extra annoying as I saw all those people inside the little chamber boarding as I was trying to fight my way in...really bad design...maybe the damage from the storm yesterday will give them an opportunity to re-configure?
Aug 6, 2024, 5:15 pm
#1178
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: YYZ
Programs: AC SE MM, Bonvoy Plat, Hilton G,Nexus, Amex MR Plat,IHG Plat
Posts: 4,484
Yes, I agree. Most of Zone 2 had boarded by the time Zone 1 in PE/Y made their way thru the J cabin.
Aug 8, 2024, 2:15 pm
#1180
Join Date: Oct 2022
Location: Ottawa, Canada + Edinburgh, Scotland
Programs: AC SE, Star Alliance Gold
Posts: 982
Was puzzled last weekend by the following:
PNR1: me (SE) and Jr1 booked in J YOW-YYZ-EDI, with the first leg downgraded to Y a couple of weeks out because of a Jetz plane swapping in
PNR2: SO (50k) and Jr2 booked in J YOW to EDI, same as above re first leg in Y
I never linked the PNRs, but when I called in to link them I was told they were already linked (I booked them both using my SE account, originally on different days and then moved PNR1 to the same day as PNR2 using the auto tool after a schedule change).
The printed boarding passes for the YOW-YYZ segmented showed all of us as Zone 1 except for 50k mom, who was zone 2. She was zone 2 and the minor child travelling with her was zone 1.
Anyone able to figure out why this could have happened? It made no difference on the day, I am just curious as it seems odd.
PNR1: me (SE) and Jr1 booked in J YOW-YYZ-EDI, with the first leg downgraded to Y a couple of weeks out because of a Jetz plane swapping in
PNR2: SO (50k) and Jr2 booked in J YOW to EDI, same as above re first leg in Y
I never linked the PNRs, but when I called in to link them I was told they were already linked (I booked them both using my SE account, originally on different days and then moved PNR1 to the same day as PNR2 using the auto tool after a schedule change).
The printed boarding passes for the YOW-YYZ segmented showed all of us as Zone 1 except for 50k mom, who was zone 2. She was zone 2 and the minor child travelling with her was zone 1.
Anyone able to figure out why this could have happened? It made no difference on the day, I am just curious as it seems odd.
Aug 9, 2024, 2:05 pm
#1181
Join Date: Jun 2023
Programs: None. Like Zero. :(
Posts: 177
Data point: YYC-YOW, yesterday. No status or anything like that and I am on lowest reward fare. I decided to gate check a bag in to see if I can get zone 2 boarding. Answer was: After Zone 2 boarding. Well, somehow I got Zone 3 on my ticket so that didn't help.
Do note as well-- It was a gate with the dreaded Zone 1-2 signage on it.. so there was a lot of mixture of Zone 1/2 ppl lining up together.
Do note as well-- It was a gate with the dreaded Zone 1-2 signage on it.. so there was a lot of mixture of Zone 1/2 ppl lining up together.
Aug 12, 2024, 10:42 am
#1182
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: YVR - MILLS Waypoint (It's the third house on the left)
Programs: AC*SE100K, wood level status in various other programs
Posts: 6,406
I do like that the GAs have been explicitly calling on PREs to board first, with an announcement to look at your boarding pass for exactly those letters. Multiple times.
I'm not 100% sure that it has relieving gate congestion (my recent Summer flights have had battalions of strollers clustered near the gate), but I like the intent.
I'm not 100% sure that it has relieving gate congestion (my recent Summer flights have had battalions of strollers clustered near the gate), but I like the intent.
Aug 12, 2024, 12:28 pm
#1183
Join Date: May 2023
Location: YUL find me in Montreal
Programs: Air Canada SE, Bonvoy Gold, Hotels.com Gold
Posts: 685
This was the state of things 10 minutes after official boarding time at HND today.
The plane and cabin crew were ready to go, the gate agents were just thoroughly disorganized and slow. Not uncommon at Haneda, sadly.
And don't get me started on how at least 30 people bound for economy class boarded via the dedicated Signature gangway.
Aug 12, 2024, 3:18 pm
#1184
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: YYZ
Programs: Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold, Club Accor Silver, AC 75K
Posts: 266
That's unfortunate, I was at HND 5 weeks ago and it was very smooth and organized. I had also sat in the lounge till Y was boarding, they picked me out and sent me straight to the front of the line.