Airlines are boarding wrong

[Ansett]

Airlines are boarding their planes all wrong

What way do you think is the best way to board for efficiency and comfort?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTaXUiDOMlc&feature=youtu.be

And how would they cope with PB?

 

[sezza]

I love Mythbusters. I think the window middle aisle would be the most efficient, but not great for families.

 

[Ansett]

I love Mythbusters. I think the window middle aisle would be the most efficient, but not great for families.

Now the trick there is that they allow Business and Families to board first so shouldn't be an issue.

 

[TomVexille]

Many airlines prefer to prioritise elite treatment over efficiency

 

[moa999]

Interesting boarding a 787 at DOH was they had dedicated seating sections for each area of the plane in the gate lounge.

Effectively priority, rear, middle, front.

Most of these efficient systems break down when you realise people travel together or as families etc

 

[TomVexille]

Most of these efficient systems break down when you realise people travel together or as families etc

And that's key

 

[sezza]

Many airlines prefer to prioritise elite treatment over efficiency

Yep, especially international airlines, I've found this to be the case.

 

[Milefest]

See this one also: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMgarcFkXz4

 

[Strategic Aviation]

United Is Testing Out A New Boarding Process - One Mile at a Time

United is now trialing a new boarding process at select gates at several airports.

Select customers will still be invited to pre-board as they are with the current boarding process. Beyond that, here are some of the changes you may see if your gate is testing a new process:

• Earlier boarding: On select flights, customers traveling in the premium cabin and United MileagePlus Premier 1K members will be invited to board before Group 1.
• No need to line up before your group is called: Simplified lanes with new signs will allow you to relax at the gate or within the airport longer.
• Smaller group sizes for select flights: With fewer customers in your group, you’ll experience less crowding while boarding the aircraft.
• More efficient boarding: Following priority boarding groups, we’ll board customers sitting in window seats first and then middle and aisle seats.
• Less crowding: Fewer lines will create more space and easier access to the boarding door for customers existing the plane from the previous flight and during pre-boarding.

 

[Denali]

No need to line up before your group is called:

This, so much this BUT people cant help themselves. Everyone thinks their wants and needs are more important so no matter what procedure they come up with, unless its enforced with military personal, it will always be broken by the pax.

Even though we usually have 1D & 1F, US Delta boarding has made me like this, because of the crowd push, especially in the US.

 

[Strategic Aviation]

unless its enforced with military personal

Military personnel are part of the problem as they often have super priority boarding

Even though we usually have 1D & 1F, US Delta boarding has made me like this, because of the crowd push, especially in the US.
View attachment 118255

Lol, we've all been to Sparta. Seeing a Neil Perry Rockpool-inspired menu make me be like.

Anyhow, it will be interesting to see whether window-middle-aisle boarding is actually efficient and whether it outrages the flying public.

 

[Ausbt]

VA surely beats Q though, with tarmac + aerobridge boarding & disembarking. There has been many a time when I've noticed rear-stair pax beating me to the aerobridge (and they have climbed stairs) when I've been seated in row 3 or 4. For real efficiencies, just get rid of the overhead bins and reduce cabin baggage to one underseat 15" laptop bag.

 

[Pushka]

It will help those with window seats who then have to ask the ‘entrenched with seat belt on’ passenger in the aisle seat to move.

Why the pref to boarding early - dratted hand luggage. People plonking their luggage in row 4 onwards then moving to row 20+. People with multiple large bags.

Adelaide usually has rear and forward boarding in Qantas so it’s clearly not an airline issue but something else.

 

[Flying Fox]

I'd like to see the window, centre and isle seat boarding process in action and find out the results.

Mythbusters did an episode on this too -

 

[Denali]

Some people cant even sit separately for a 1hr flight, how do you expect them to board separately?

 

[Quickstatus]

[QUOTE="Denali, post: 1747332, member: 41277]because of the crowd push, especially in the US.[/QUOTE]

I’ve seen crowds but never push in the US.
The zone boarding are very orderly. People try to sneak through but invariably get told to join the queue.

 

[Scarlett]

It will help those with window seats who then have to ask the ‘entrenched with seat belt on’ passenger in the aisle seat to move.

Why the pref to boarding early - dratted hand luggage. People plonking their luggage in row 4 onwards then moving to row 20+. People with multiple large bags.

Adelaide usually has rear and forward boarding in Qantas so it’s clearly not an airline issue but something else.

And this, my friends, is why minor tweaks will not work. Whilstever there remains the incentive to use carry on, and in large quantities, there will be a premium on overhead locker space. So those boarding last, wherever they are seated, will feel disadvantaged. In this scenario the aisle seated pax will be unhappy.

Rigorouly enforced carry-on standards would be my suggestion for speeding up the boarding and disembarking processes.

 

[JohnK]

And what happens to those, like me, who don't want to board early?

Simplest solution is to restrict carryon to 1 item in the overhead. Very simple.

 

[UP4014]

Boarding is slow because people bring their kitchen sinks with them and have to rush to make sure there is a space usually not above their own seat either. arrggh.