As a frequent traveler (by plane that is, and I specify because I don’t want to assume it’s the same in other modes of transportation) things on airlines couldn’t be more classist. Don’t get me wrong, I know that there has to be a certain procedure, but I feel that we’ve crossed the line. As I was waiting for my group, which happened to be number 2, please don’t get any ideas, G2 (and I don’t mean Gatorade) is really not good, it just means you are seating in the very back so they need you to go in first. As the AA personnel said through the speaker “Ladies and gentlemen, we are going to start boarding, so please listen to your group, thank you,” everyone stood up and got ready to board. The interesting thing was to see how everyone started forming a line as if we were cattle, intelligent and evolved cattle I might add, but cattle nonetheless. Now, we know the procedure, and we know how AA boards people, they do it by class and order of importance (below is my breakdown of those that I could remember).
1st Class > Executive Platinum > Platinum > Business Class – there is some other name > Group 1… > Group 6
As everyone has formed a line, and please know that there is no group order whatsoever, I feel like the AA person that is ticketing is rejoicing because he/she is about to rejoice and bask on the glory or calling by groups while exerting his/her power of “please go back to the line, we are in group X, I’m sorry, your bag is not the right size, etc.).
After all this, I would like to close with the following random thoughts:
I get why 1st class gets to go first, they are the 10 people that seat in the front of the plane – so logistically makes sense, but the other three groups that aren’t really groups? I mean they all have specific seats, and they are with the rest of the people? As a matter of fact, some of their seats happen to be in the middle, so they go in, and then they have to get up… mmhh interesting. Moreover, the best thing is to see their faces as they are walking in the plane, picture this…
1st class has gone in….
AA Person: At this time we will board Executive Platinum Passengers (EPP)
EPPs: You see that as they are approaching the ticketing individual, the only words coming out of their mouth are “excuse me, excuse me,” which is really nice, on the outside and if you are not looking, but if you are, like I was today, they are actually looking down at you, and instead of saying “excuse me” they are saying, “um, please move, I am needed on the plane, I have a seat to warm.”
Think of Titanic (1997) as the third class get locked in, and they are told “please wait, you will be next, as soon as the 1st class gets taken care of…”
“Used to be a better meal, now it’s a better life…” Dorothy, Jerry Maguire (1996).
is it?!
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