ユナイテッド航空では 10 月 26 日から、メインキャビンの搭乗順を以前採用していた WILMA 方式へ戻します。
WILMA とは、Window, Middle, Aisle の略で、窓側 → まんなか → 通路側 の順に着席させるわけです。
プリボーディングのほうは、現在ゲートにはこういう立て札が表示されていますが…
こちらは、以下のように一人旅の小僧が追加され、ちょっとだけ変わります。
1．ご不自由な皆様
2．保護者のいない、おひとりさまのガキンチョ *New
3．現役の軍人 ＝ ユナイテッド航空の最大手のお客様♥
4．Global ServicesSM の、本当のホンモノのお客様
5．２歳以下の赤子連れ
6. プレミア 1K® の、ここまではお客様扱いできる皆様
以上がプリボーディングの対象で、以下の搭乗者は順次 屠殺場 座席へ御案内いたします。
（実情を鑑み、以下は『お客様』という単語を用いておりません。ｗｗｗ）
グループ３あたりからが変更（というか、以前に戻った？）になっています。
グループ１
・ プレミア・プラチナ、プレミア・ゴールド会員
・ スターアライアンス・ゴールド会員
・ ポラリス、 United First、United Business キャビンの搭乗者
グループ２
・ プレミア・シルバー会員
・ スターアライアンス・シルバー会員
・ プレミアアクセスまたは搭乗プライオリティのある搭乗者
・ MileagePlus Explorer, Continental President Clubカード等を持つ搭乗者
グループ３
・ 窓側席の搭乗者
・ 非常口席の搭乗者
・ 有償ではない搭乗者（ここは英語でも Customers でなく Travelers と表記ｗ）
グループ４
・まんなかの席の搭乗者
グループ５
・通路側席の搭乗者
グループ６
・ベーシックエコノミーの搭乗者
以上のように、大切なお客様にご搭乗頂いた後は、いかに素早く残りの搭乗者を 屠殺場送り メインキャビンへ収容できるかが、変更のポイントです。
推察するに… MileagePlus エリート資格を持たずにメインキャビンの通路側へ向かうと、頭上の物入れは既に満杯。…という状況が手に取るように判ります。ベーシックエコノミーは、仕方なく乗せてやっている感がダダ漏れです。
【記事後悔後追記】
岡山の先生から『最初の写真、左手奥・ジェットブリッジの手前にいるのはこのUAフライトの機長ですか？ ゲートで個人的に客を出迎えているんでしょうか？』というご質問へのお答えです。
最初の写真には、このUA838便のコックピットクルーがふたり写っています。
岡山の先生がご質問されたのは、遠方にいる白い口髭のコパイ First Officer でしょう。
どこの航空会社でもたいがいの場合、どれが機長かは腕章の線の数で判定出来ます。
ちなみに機材は B777-200 だったので、コパイがもうひとりどっかにいるはずです。
この時点ではプリボーディングの15～20分前で、キャビンクルーは既に搭乗済み。
コックピットクルーは普通、出発前の機材チェックその他のプロシージャで多忙なために、Chairman's Circle とか、個人的によっぽど大事な客とかでないとお出迎えしたりしませんが、機長はこの時イイムードだったんでしょう。
その後、コックピットクルーはさっさと搭乗して、その後よっぽどの事がないと座席まで挨拶に来ません。儂の場合はその昔、家人と二人で上海便に搭乗した時、硝子工房の生徒が機長でエスコートしてもらった事があります。あとはUAって B757 の機長がフレンドリーな人が多くて、B757 の写真が入った名刺にサインして United First キャビンの搭乗者に配って廻る事があります。
見かけだけでいくと、確かにコパイのおじさんのほうが機長よりも風格があります。
Based on this article, the changes in United Airlines' boarding order are clarified. It also provides your evaluation of these changes, coming from your years of experience as a loyal customer of the airline. This is very informative.
ReplyDeleteThe WILMA method you mentioned at the beginning of your piece stands for boarding passengers from the Window seats first, followed by the Middle, and lastly the Aisle seats, right? This method is designed to promote efficient boarding. I can't exactly recall when it started, but it's commonly seen on domestic flights in Japan as well.
"Pre-boarding" refers to allowing specific passengers to board before general boarding begins. This is also a familiar sight on Japanese domestic flights. However, according to this article, a new category of "an unaccompanied kid" has been added. Moreover, it's intriguing that an unaccompanied kid has priority over active military.
There are numerous expressions interspersed with irony and humor, such as comments about the "slaughterhouse seats" and "basic economy passengers." These expressions seem to lighten the tone of the article and engage readers. Without even realizing it, readers may feel drawn into the "obaKoba World."
The article provides detailed descriptions of the changes to the boarding order, highlighting which groups board when. It's explicitly stated that passengers with specific statuses can board first and basic economy passengers are called last. This surely has all readers, including myself, resolving never to fly United's basic economy.
In the final paragraph, you express your personal views and impressions about the changes in boarding order. The part mentioning, "Without MileagePlus elite status and heading to the main cabin aisle, overhead bins are already full," not only provides clues about the reasons behind the changes but also offers readers a reference when choosing between window or aisle seats in such situations.
Overall, this article thoroughly explains the changes in United Airlines' boarding order and potentially why these changes were made, all with a touch of your unique humor and irony. After reading the last sentence, "Seeing these modifications, I thought selling my soul to United Airlines might not be a bad idea," I felt the allure of having elite status with an airline.
By the way, is the person on the far left of the first image the captain of this UA flight? Is he personally greeting passengers at the boarding gate? Isn't that a common sight?
Yamada Denki sensei,
DeleteFirst off, please refer to the added notes in regards to the cockpit crews.
Otherwise, I am simply telling the real world; United should shout “Look! People are like rubbish!!” (© Studio Ghibli, 2馬力)
Yes, United Airlines’ “customers” are 1K, GS or above. Even you sit in Polaris Business, unless otherwise you committed to spend 50K dollars per year or spent 15K dollars; you are a part of livestock they are lording to the aircraft.
Therefore, WILMA is expected to be the better and smoother livestock loading method. No respects to livestock in the cattle class at all. Welcome to the Friendly Skies!
I'm truly grateful for the additional note you've provided.
ReplyDeleteI see. The individual in the initial photograph, positioned on the left towards the back near the jet bridge, wasn't the captain of this UA flight but the co-pilot. At first glance, he seemed rather distinguished, so I assumed he was the captain. The individual personally greeting passengers by the gate must have been the actual captain.
I understand from your note that "Since the equipment for UA838 was a B777-200, there should be another co-pilot somewhere," does this mean two co-pilots are on duty because it's a large aircraft, or because it's a long-haul flight? Or both?
Given that the departure is at 16:45 and the time shown is 15:35, this must be around 15-20 minutes before pre-boarding, and the cabin crew would have already boarded by now.
By the way, I tried searching for this unfamiliar term you stated, "Chairman's Circle," on FT. I'm now quite intrigued thinking that these Chairman's Circle members might be the ones the captain personally greets. I first encountered the information on FT suggesting "A rank above Global Services is Chairman's Circle?", which I hadn't heard of before. While I initially approached this with some skepticism, further search revealed the following:
The exact number of members in this program remains uncertain, but it's estimated to be in the low hundreds. To join the Chairman's Circle, one must be nominated either by the CEO of United or by the Senior Vice President of Worldwide Sales. Typically, the relevant company must have a significant contract with United. These companies are required to spend at least $5 million USD with United annually. One individual from each company is chosen for the Chairman's Circle, and it's usually granted to the CEO or board chair. If selected, even the spouse of a Chairman's Circle member is eligible for Global Services status and a complimentary United Club membership. If United decides to remove a Chairman's Circle member from the program, they would still receive 1K or Global Services status and a complimentary United Club membership for the following year.
If these search results are accurate, it's indeed a fascinating and exclusive world. It would certainly be interesting if there were blogs or something exposing the inner workings of the Chairman's Circle.
Yamada Denki sensei,
DeleteJust FYI: the jargon we used “co-pilot”（コパイ）is typically being used by aviation nerds（航空ヲタク）in Japan. United calls them as “First Officers” instead.
Usually, United assigns 3 cockpit crews, a captain and 2 first officers, for trans-ocean flights and if the flights are over 15 hours, United assigns 2 captains and 2+ first officers – means; two teams of cockpit crews. Therefore, SFO⇄TYO is only 9 to 11 hours so there would be 3 pilots, EWR⇄TYO or SFO⇄SIN must be operated by 4 pilots, for example. Nevertheless, I saw only 3 pilots on SYD⇄IAH so it’s not so consistent rule…
Chairman’s Circle is a hidden status, really behind the curtain and no one knows the actual situation like J.P.Morgan Reserve Card. (lol)
The easiest way to be invited as a member of Chairman’s Circle, it’ll be a big-shot of United’s largest customer – military of the United States! So if you join the Navy, killed bunch of people of shithall country (those words were referred to former president Donald J. Trump. I personally prefer to say “people like rubbish”), then ranked O-9 or higher, named Admiral, then in charge of human resources or travel who is the highest ranked person to United, Then United Airline would be happy to invite you as a member of Chairman’s Circle. (Why Navy? Don’t ask Don’t tell. (lol)) However… we are too old to achieve this plot fortunately or unfortunately.
Ah, I see. The term "co-pilot" that we use in Japanese is a common term among Japanese aviation enthusiasts. However, United Airlines calls it the "First Officer".
ReplyDeleteEven if the flights are the same which cross the Pacific, the number of captains and first officers may vary depending on whether the flight duration exceeds 15 hours. I'm not sure if this is a rule common to all airlines, or unique to United...
Hmm, I understand now that the Chairman’s Circle is a hidden status. But even more surprising is that the actual situation with the J.P.Morgan Reserve Card is lesser-known. Wasn't this card previously called the J.P. Morgan Palladium Card? In fact, it's your main card, and I saw it with Dr. Doi in Azabu.
A quick search revealed the following:
It's advertised as the "card for the 1% of the 1%".
The card was launched in 2009 by J.P. Morgan Chase in partnership with VISA, intended for top clients of private banking, and is invitation-only.
The J.P. Morgan Palladium Card is made of a rare metal called palladium and 23-karat gold, crafted with laser engraving.
Since the card is made of a rare metal, its material value is said to range from tens of thousands to over a hundred thousand yen.
Weighing one ounce, the card boasts a weight five times that of traditional plastic credit cards, making it the pinnacle of metal credit cards (including the AmEx Centurion metal card!).
An additional plastic version of the card can be produced upon request?
Like the AmEx Centurion metal card, there's a high risk of the card jamming in ATMs, so it's safer to use the plastic version in such cases?
The card is silver-colored, with a stylish "JP Morgan" inscription in the top right corner, and "VISA SIGNATURE" engraved in the bottom right, equipped with an IC chip.
Initial invitation conditions after its release reportedly required assets of more than 30 million dollars?
Hmm…
Only about 5,000 people in the world possess this card. There are even rumors that former US President Obama has one. This card certainly has an air of mysterious allure around it.