Easy come easy go? Is it? Jet Airways had quietly updated their T&C earlier this year in June, talking about a new zone wise boarding process. Here, while the Premiere & First Class passengers could still board anytime, the Economy passengers would have to wait to board with their own zone, which was back to front.
So, if you’re a Platinum member and eligible to board ahead of everyone else, you were supposed to board ahead of your own zone and not everyone else. Truth be told, I’ve been lucky never to have run into this situation but my wife has gone through the grind at Delhi, Mumbai and other stations a few times and so have many readers, as is evident from the comments on that post.
Now, over the past ten days or so, I’ve already taken 4 economy class flights in Jet Airways, and I notice that things are now different. At Mumbai one time, I was on a bus gate so none of these rules applied, but the second time around, when boarding via the aerobridge, no one said a thing as we walked towards the front of the queue.
At Goa again, while the boarding sequence for economy was put up in the boarding lane, I noticed many a Platinum passengers just walking up and boarding. The rest of the economy crew did go per zone however. And at Jaipur, it was a bus again, so no rules applied.
Bottomline
Given the strong feedback Jet Airways got against this move to implement priority boarding zone wise, it is my guess that they are withdrawing the system and going back to the old order. I’m also hoping this turns out like the dud move to charge for hand baggage, and the next move to be upturned should be the ban on economy coats! While the company is in constant cost-cutting mode, these are small things that don’t cost a penny, and should continue after all!
Have any of you had any experiences one way or another? It would be good to learn from all of you about how this is working for all of us?
Here’s the new Priority Boarding as of today Aug. 12, 2017…
In our endeavour to continuously enhance our guests’ travel experience we request all guests to kindly follow the boarding sequence outlined below:
First Class guests, Première guests, JetPrivilege Platinum & Gold members shall board as per their convenience.
Guests travelling in Economy will board the flight based on the zone to which their seat belongs.
https://www.jetairways.com/EN/IN/JetPrivilege/benefits-and-privileges.aspx
@Ramesh this is good news.
On CCU-BOM last week the elites were allowed to board first along with Premiere passengers. Zone wise boarding was followed for economy passengers.
Last week I have flown BLR-DEL-BLR, there was separate Q for gold and Plats at both ports.
I have had mixed experiences on this one. I am based out of Delhi and have seen this enforced strictly while boarding at T3 to the extent that we once had 10 odd platinums who were asked to step aside while the rest of the passengers board. Exceptions – early morning flights where they start boarding really early so they don’t bother with zones. However at Mumbai airport, ground staff always call for Plats and Gold to board first, zone wise boarding is not enforced for Elites (observed on multiple flights out of Mumbai). As with everything else on Jet, there is no consistency at all.
Last week in Calcutta, they actually made a separate line for Premiere, Plats and Gold. BOM you get the bus gates 90% of the times.. so doesnt make any difference..
Sir at BOM you DONT get any bus gates… Very rare if at all!
@Rohan you do get a lot of bus gates in the morning. 45 is swarming with 9W
Always fly out of BOM in the afternoon/ evening.. Explains it!