suec1

I just traveled ATL to ICN to BKK. ATL to ICN was Delta and then ICN to BKK was KAL - return was same metal. Now it seems to me that the Delta boarding is often a lengthy and bit of a scrum. When waiting for my KAL flights I kept wondering when they would start to board - many people waiting - not that long until scheduled departure time..... Once underway, it seemed to go much faster and I think it is because KAL boards those seated at the back, first - thus much less aisle jam up. I mean, this makes so much sense, doesn't it, or am I missing something? I mean, maybe board first / business class so they can get their free drinks but for general economy it seems to make a lot of sense to board back to front.

VFR

Delta's boarding order is not designed to be the fastest, it is designed to make people think "I should have bought a better fare" or "I should get a credit card."

vincentharris

Honestly if they boarded F last (but you still got to secure overhead space) I would consider that a real benefit. (as well as DM for example) I think boarding first is actually the worst. I equate it to "hey you spend a lot of time in planes already MR/MRS DM, well how about an extra 30-50 minutes?"

No boarding zones will ever make sense for one simple reason. People will always fight for overhead space no matter what. On international planes there is more overhead space and boarding is more spread out by the sheer size of a 777 or A380 versus a 737. Airlines did this to themselves by charging for checked luggage so now everybody tries to drag 7 bags and 3 trunks with them on the plane. Just bake the $35 into the fare and call it a day with "free luggage" again. If DL wants to put the extra $35 on their balance sheets as upselling every passenger on luggage I could care less if it makes them feel special.

DiverDave

I think one of the benefits to DL is there are no government fees or taxes on fees like this.

vincentharris

Never thought of that, and it makes complete sense.

Often1

Or making people feel important when they aren't.

There are plenty of people traveling with a single small item who still scurry onboard as though it were a free-for-all.

xliioper

So here are the facts on all those "fees and taxes" (which, as usual, are left out when people make these claims). It's a 7.5% Excise tax and it is charged on domestic flights only. That's it. The rest of the taxes and fees are fixed amounts and do not vary with the base fare. Note that since BE and C+ are separate fares, so DL does pay the 7.5% taxes on the upcharge amounts when going from BE to MC to C+. If they were really so determined to avoid the 7.5% tax, why didn't they leave C+ as a separate add-on fee rather than make it a higher fare?

Gig103

Also, if the fees were built into the base fare, DL would be paying out more Skypesos and MQD and I'm sure they wouldn't like that

I'd love for there to be a "cabin bag or checked bag" option. If you choose the free checked bag you only get a personal item on board. I know this puts too much extra work on employees though, who would have to 'clear' each roller bag by checking the boarding pass ahead of time (either at check in desks or at the gate, neither of which are good). And it wouldn't even guarantee fewer problems since even 20 minutes for a DL bag delivery is a waste of many peoples' time, so there will always be people carrying on.

Often1

The bag fee thing is a red herring.

Just try taking a WN flight. It includes two bags with all tickets. Does not change the fact that people still lug steamer trunks onboard.

In the legacy context, OH space is not likely to a problem other than at the end of boarding.if the GA's monitor the size of the steamer trunks. People want to board first because they think it makes them special. They forget (or don't know) that in the good old days (if they were good), F boarded last.

ATLflyer2017

I think they should charge for a carry on bag (or free for elites) and then allow free checked bags. Along with more strict screening of bag sizes. Additionally, window to aisle, back to front would seem to be a much better way to do things. I don't understand why people think SKY or PREM is a benefit. Why do you want to sit in the front of the plane while everyone bumps into you as they make their way to the back.

Repooc17

Asian airlines just do boarding so much better. Widebody aircrafts with 300+ passengers? No issues - 10 minutes, boarding complete from F to J to Y.

cfabar1

A couple comments:

Free checked bag will never happen instead of free carry on - why --- fuel costs....

First boarding last makes a lot of sense to me. They do have the dedicated overhead space, and particularly on larger planes you enter at a different door or turn a different way compared to most, if not all (anymore) passengers. Would people complain about losing their pre-flight cocktail too much? I wouldn't, but maybe others would. More time to hang out in the SC frankly.


What I have right now most about boarding order is the integrity of priority is not maintained. In the old way anyone could walk up with their sky priority at any time, now it is much harder to jump to the front of the line.

exwannabe

Widebodies should board faster. With 2 aisles they have less seats per row per aisle than something like a 737. Plus they typically have more bin space. And might have two boarding gates.

The other advantage for many Asian airlines is "scrum" boarding. Boarding by status will be slower as it will be boarding front and aisles first.

EDIT: Never have seen 10 minutes though.

Repooc17

I am comparing widebodies v. widebodies, JL and NH are especially efficient, and both have boarding groups.

Just the other day, I observed incredible fast boarding process on NH109.

jordyn

WN turns plans much faster than the legacy carriers. I have no idea how much of this is open seating (which definitely helps boarding speed!) versus less carry-ons, but it's definitely possible that the free checked bags results in less problems with space for bags.

Anecdotally, it seems like they run out of overhead bin space less frequently than the airlines that charge for bags, so I'm inclined to disagree that it's a non-issue.