How to solve the boarding process once and for all for United
Sep 20, 2018, 7:48 am
#16
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IMO for it to be successful you need to provide a structured area for them to do so, like WN does, rather than an unstructured line/mushroom into the walkway like UA does at hundreds of gates now.
Sep 20, 2018, 8:20 am
#18
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The boarding process has very little to do with efficiency and a great deal to do with making people feel special who are not special.
In the case of a standard single aisle 2-class aircraft, the sole reason to board sooner rather than later is to secure OH space. Otherwise, who in their right mind would want to spend an extra 30 minutes in a seat on an aircraft? Remember, in the old days, F boarded last. Just for that reason.
Putting aside disabled passengers and maybe people with kids in strollers, the rest of the boarding should be in whatever order is most efficient. Maybe that is rear to front or windows to aisles or whatever.
At the same time, the failure to properly enforce carry on rules is the root of the current problem. I would certainly like to be the last person to the board and to know that there is a place for my bag. While there is no guarantee that even if the rules are enforced, that there will be enough space, it is a safer bet. But, this means GA's being ruthless about number and size and FA's keeping an eye on the bins and removing "personal" items from the OH until after boarding is complete and there is room for them.
In the case of a standard single aisle 2-class aircraft, the sole reason to board sooner rather than later is to secure OH space. Otherwise, who in their right mind would want to spend an extra 30 minutes in a seat on an aircraft? Remember, in the old days, F boarded last. Just for that reason.
Putting aside disabled passengers and maybe people with kids in strollers, the rest of the boarding should be in whatever order is most efficient. Maybe that is rear to front or windows to aisles or whatever.
At the same time, the failure to properly enforce carry on rules is the root of the current problem. I would certainly like to be the last person to the board and to know that there is a place for my bag. While there is no guarantee that even if the rules are enforced, that there will be enough space, it is a safer bet. But, this means GA's being ruthless about number and size and FA's keeping an eye on the bins and removing "personal" items from the OH until after boarding is complete and there is room for them.
Sep 20, 2018, 12:58 pm
#19
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: IAD
Programs: united, american, alaska
Posts: 1,782
In the case of a standard single aisle 2-class aircraft, the sole reason to board sooner rather than later is to secure OH space. Otherwise, who in their right mind would want to spend an extra 30 minutes in a seat on an aircraft? Remember, in the old days, F boarded last. Just for that reason.
.
Not quite the sole reason.
I travel lightly enough that my bag will almost always fit under the seat in front of me. But I am also usually sleep-deprived when traveling and boarding earlier means I can fall asleep in my seat earlier. That extra 30 minutes of sleep actually means something to me.
Sep 20, 2018, 1:06 pm
#20
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: West
Programs: UA MP
Posts: 221
The boarding process has very little to do with efficiency and a great deal to do with making people feel special who are not special.
In the case of a standard single aisle 2-class aircraft, the sole reason to board sooner rather than later is to secure OH space. Otherwise, who in their right mind would want to spend an extra 30 minutes in a seat on an aircraft? Remember, in the old days, F boarded last. Just for that reason.
Putting aside disabled passengers and maybe people with kids in strollers, the rest of the boarding should be in whatever order is most efficient. Maybe that is rear to front or windows to aisles or whatever.
At the same time, the failure to properly enforce carry on rules is the root of the current problem. I would certainly like to be the last person to the board and to know that there is a place for my bag. While there is no guarantee that even if the rules are enforced, that there will be enough space, it is a safer bet. But, this means GA's being ruthless about number and size and FA's keeping an eye on the bins and removing "personal" items from the OH until after boarding is complete and there is room for them.
In the case of a standard single aisle 2-class aircraft, the sole reason to board sooner rather than later is to secure OH space. Otherwise, who in their right mind would want to spend an extra 30 minutes in a seat on an aircraft? Remember, in the old days, F boarded last. Just for that reason.
Putting aside disabled passengers and maybe people with kids in strollers, the rest of the boarding should be in whatever order is most efficient. Maybe that is rear to front or windows to aisles or whatever.
At the same time, the failure to properly enforce carry on rules is the root of the current problem. I would certainly like to be the last person to the board and to know that there is a place for my bag. While there is no guarantee that even if the rules are enforced, that there will be enough space, it is a safer bet. But, this means GA's being ruthless about number and size and FA's keeping an eye on the bins and removing "personal" items from the OH until after boarding is complete and there is room for them.
Sep 20, 2018, 1:13 pm
#21
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: ORD
Programs: UA Silver, Marriott Platinum/LT Platinum, Hilton Gold
Posts: 5,594
The boarding process has very little to do with efficiency and a great deal to do with making people feel special who are not special.
In the case of a standard single aisle 2-class aircraft, the sole reason to board sooner rather than later is to secure OH space. Otherwise, who in their right mind would want to spend an extra 30 minutes in a seat on an aircraft? Remember, in the old days, F boarded last. Just for that reason.
Putting aside disabled passengers and maybe people with kids in strollers, the rest of the boarding should be in whatever order is most efficient. Maybe that is rear to front or windows to aisles or whatever.
At the same time, the failure to properly enforce carry on rules is the root of the current problem. I would certainly like to be the last person to the board and to know that there is a place for my bag. While there is no guarantee that even if the rules are enforced, that there will be enough space, it is a safer bet. But, this means GA's being ruthless about number and size and FA's keeping an eye on the bins and removing "personal" items from the OH until after boarding is complete and there is room for them.
In the case of a standard single aisle 2-class aircraft, the sole reason to board sooner rather than later is to secure OH space. Otherwise, who in their right mind would want to spend an extra 30 minutes in a seat on an aircraft? Remember, in the old days, F boarded last. Just for that reason.
Putting aside disabled passengers and maybe people with kids in strollers, the rest of the boarding should be in whatever order is most efficient. Maybe that is rear to front or windows to aisles or whatever.
At the same time, the failure to properly enforce carry on rules is the root of the current problem. I would certainly like to be the last person to the board and to know that there is a place for my bag. While there is no guarantee that even if the rules are enforced, that there will be enough space, it is a safer bet. But, this means GA's being ruthless about number and size and FA's keeping an eye on the bins and removing "personal" items from the OH until after boarding is complete and there is room for them.
I disagree that rule enforcement is the root of the problem. It has some impact, but honestly I don't see very many bags that are over the size limit, and I only see a handful of DYKWIA's placing both their items in the overhead bin, rather than placing one under the seat. The root causes, IMO, are 1) the fee to check bags -- everyone know has carry-ons. Even 10 years ago, it wasn't unusual to see a number of people walk onto a plane with no bags. 2) the bin space, while it has been increased on some planes, still isn't enough to fit every bag.
The reality is, at $25/bag, UA is never going to change this. So what if they have to check a few bags for free after the elites are boarded? It's better than letting people check all their bags for free.
Sep 20, 2018, 1:15 pm
#22
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Not quite the sole reason.
I travel lightly enough that my bag will almost always fit under the seat in front of me. But I am also usually sleep-deprived when traveling and boarding earlier means I can fall asleep in my seat earlier. That extra 30 minutes of sleep actually means something to me.
I travel lightly enough that my bag will almost always fit under the seat in front of me. But I am also usually sleep-deprived when traveling and boarding earlier means I can fall asleep in my seat earlier. That extra 30 minutes of sleep actually means something to me.
As opposed to grouping up in a way that publicly telegraphs your status / class hierarchy, your value to the airline, and perhaps your personal economic means?
Southwest boarding culture does require you to get in line and consult your line-mates. But that is altogether better karma than being bulldozed by DYKWIAs and hanging back shamefacedly while awaiting Boarding Group 9.
With Southwest you are more inclined to make friends in line. It is egalitarian. With the others you are more inclined to resent other groups of pax and count them as opponents. It is nakedly classist and brings out the worst in people. Notice gate lice syndrome, where elites mass early in the priority lane so the proles can see who's most important, is virtually nonexistent at WN.
Southwest boarding culture does require you to get in line and consult your line-mates. But that is altogether better karma than being bulldozed by DYKWIAs and hanging back shamefacedly while awaiting Boarding Group 9.
With Southwest you are more inclined to make friends in line. It is egalitarian. With the others you are more inclined to resent other groups of pax and count them as opponents. It is nakedly classist and brings out the worst in people. Notice gate lice syndrome, where elites mass early in the priority lane so the proles can see who's most important, is virtually nonexistent at WN.
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Sep 21, 2018 at 3:40 pm
Sep 20, 2018, 1:24 pm
#23
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 57,617
At the same time, the failure to properly enforce carry on rules is the root of the current problem. I would certainly like to be the last person to the board and to know that there is a place for my bag. While there is no guarantee that even if the rules are enforced, that there will be enough space, it is a safer bet. But, this means GA's being ruthless about number and size and FA's keeping an eye on the bins and removing "personal" items from the OH until after boarding is complete and there is room for them.
Sep 20, 2018, 1:53 pm
#24
Join Date: Apr 2000
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Sep 20, 2018, 3:25 pm
#26
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Sep 20, 2018, 4:00 pm
#27
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 90
Are you kidding? That's the best time to fall asleep - no one moving up and down the aisles, getting up in their seats, etc. Plus, I love the sensation of just rolling down the tarmac, it's quite sleep-inducing. With a good pair of noise-cancelling headphones, you don't hear anything anyway. I probably doze off somewhere between push-back and takeoff 75% of the time.
Sep 20, 2018, 5:07 pm
#28
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Washington DC
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Are you kidding? That's the best time to fall asleep - no one moving up and down the aisles, getting up in their seats, etc. Plus, I love the sensation of just rolling down the tarmac, it's quite sleep-inducing. With a good pair of noise-cancelling headphones, you don't hear anything anyway. I probably doze off somewhere between push-back and takeoff 75% of the time.
Sep 20, 2018, 5:15 pm
#29
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: NYC
Posts: 5,025
Is this really a problem? What percentage of baggage on a flight will not fit in the oh? I make it a point to be one of the last to board and I had to gate check one time.granted I only travel 5-6 times a year so hopefully people can tell me how often they are forced to gate check because they didn't board early enough.