The "advantage" of boarding first?
 

As a newly minted flyer of status, I was very eager on my last flight to exercise my rights to beat the queue in "boarding group 1" and managed to be the first or second passenger on board my recent flights.

Of course, I haven't earned any of the snazzy upgrades yet, so I'm still in my economy (plus) aisle seat near the front of the plane. And I watched hundreds of passengers file past me, getting smacked on the head by at least three bulky backpacks and one flier's backside as they squeezed around the person getting into the row across from me. And my carry-on, first in the overhead bin, ended up getting relocated by a later flier who decided to put his even bigger bag over my head (despite his seat being a few rows back). Ugh. I was almost wishing I had stuck to my usual routine from "boarding group 4" of waiting until everyone had boarded and they were making the last call before casually strolling to my aisle seat and not having to deal with lines or smelly passengers encroaching in my personal space.

I'm curious about other FTer's opinions on the matter. Am I the only one who thinks they might choose to avoid exercising priority boarding in the future? Or are the benefits (not waiting in the long boarding line and claiming overhead space) so valuable they're worth another 20 minutes in a small seat with a herd of cattle mooing their way by?

(Obviously this question doesn't apply to the C and F fliers who need to board early to get their great drink service, and have much more comfortable seats to while away the extra 20 minutes.)

You must remember this ...
 

One problem with boarding later in the process is that the passenger (you) runs the risk of finding that all the overhead space has been taken by passengers seated farther back. Yes, they actually do that as you yourself observed. Believe me, the passengers to the rear usually have a lot of carry-on baggage, and they don't hesitate to take YOUR storage space. In other words, if you want the storage space you must claim it and then defend it.

The advantage is overhead space. I fly a lot in 2 cabin "F" and those bins usually fill up quite quickly. This is on an airline that serves a choice of water, or water, prior to departure. But for the overhead space, I'd board near last. When I'm flying in an int'l front cabin, I like to go onboard, relax, have a champagne or pisco sour (did I give that airline away? :D) and peruse the menu, where they usually start taking meal orders pre-departure.

With upgrades getting tougher much of the time, about the only point of elite status nowadays is preboarding. It's all about the bin space.

Even when I have boarded last without elite status, I've never had a shortage of overhead space near my seat (perhaps because I was further back?). Perhaps because my carry ons (a "sky roll" and laptop case) are actually very easy to squeeze around other bags in apparently full bins.

And on one flight this past weekend, even though I was first on board and claimed my spot in the bin, another passenger started rearranging the bins above my head and moving my bag around. A smelly passenger, with arms lifted as he leaned directly over my head as he manipulated his and my bag for a minute or two, and then a FA came in to assist in relocating my bag (since mine was small and easier to fit elsewhere).

Two reasons why I always board first:

1) Overhead space.

2) Meal selections.



If the airline could GUARANTEE that I would have space above my seat for my luggage, AND that I would get my first choice of meal on every flight, then I absolutely would board last in order to spend as little time in the metal tube as possible.

But the airlines certainly wouldn't guarantee either.

So I'm always among the very first passengers to walk on board, if not the actual first.

I usually don't use any overhead storage, but I board early anyway. With a window seat, it's easier for me to get in first, I don't have to deal with seat poachers, and I don't get smacked in the head when other people are boarding. For the remainder of boarding, I either look out the window or people-watch.

I´m with the OP, I don´t like spending any extra time on the plane. But here in Europe people don´t tend to carry on as much as in the US.

Next time, don't let anyone move your bags. It's first-come, first-served. And never let someone put your bag behind you -- you'll have to swim upstream when you deplane or wait until everyone leaves to retrieve it.

Another benefit of boarding first that no one has mentioned: not having to stand in the aisle while "less experienced passengers" try to figure out how to cram their 20 pounds of carp into a 10 pound bin.

Rather than board first, can I change to alight first. I think this is better.

The backpack thing is a problem. I usually block it forcefully enough to at least startle the clueless GM.

Re your bag that you allowed someone to move - rookie mistake! No one touches my bag!

both AquaDyne and JohnWM are right-it's all about o/h bin space. it doesn't matter if you're in f, c, or the village-gotta make sure you get your bag up there (and in a location nearest to your seat)

Do not let anyone move your bag to a different bin without your permission, or you may have a hard time finding or getting it later.

If it is fragile (especially if it is not obvious that it is fragile), be prepared to assist later boarding passengers if they need to rearrange the bin to put stuff in more space efficiently.

overhead, overhead
 

I agree with the others, overhead space is key. Also by boarding first you get to sit in your seat so that when someone comes to say " that's my seat"- probably because they're reading the wrong boarding pass or can't read the rows properly- you are in the seat and can say politely, "let me ring for a flight attendant" . It's easier to be in the seat already when these conflict arise.

Indeed - never had a problem with boarding last, but my carry on is small and flexible. It's actually easier if people with the big cases get on first and I can slot my stuff into the gaps. I simply don't recognize the horror stories from our transatlantic friends about overhead bins, seat stealers and the like.