This was really startling to me the first time it happened, which must have been shortly after they implemented it. I was flying American out of LAX and was in boarding group 5 or something like that, so I was prepared to stand around for awhile, but they boarded first class and then asked anyone with a small bag to come forward. I had only a backpack, so I went ahead. From what I saw, nobody tried to abuse it and it was exclusively others with regular-sized backpacks like me.
Honestly, the only real advantage was not having to stand in the long line in the jetway waiting while Joe Dumbass 20 people ahead tried to stuff a riding mower in the overhead bin. I always get an aisle seat whenever possible, so I knew I’d have to get up again when the other people in the row arrived.
Here’s a Forbes article about it where American claims it shaves 2 minutes off the boarding time.
I have to admit that it is an interesting idea. Unfortunately, I’ll never be able to take advantage of it because I always have two carry-ons: My CPAP and either a roller bag or a small shoulder bag (the CPAP goes under the seat if I have the roller bag, which easily fits into the overhead, or the CPAP goes into the overhead and the shoulder bag under the seat).
I get on early because I have balance and chronic pain issues and it’s difficult for me to navigate the narrow aisle, without potential falling or knee-giving-out issues. It’s made worse by people being all impatient and crowding up behind not allowing anyone time to put their items away and get settled in the seat. The flip side is that, when the plane lands, I wait until everyone is off until I get up and take my progress-impeding time getting my overhead bin stuff and slowly struggling down the aisle with my rollie bag.
Yeah, I hate the time on the plane and would like to reduce it, but it’s easier on my poor back and legs to reduce the amount of time I have to stand in the aisle trying to manage carry-on items with people impatiently crowding me fore and aft.
I’ve never understood why they don’t load the plane from the back forward, and why they don’t have a few minutes of cushion built in between “Loading sets” (for lack of a better term). That is, load the last 10 rows, have the flight attendants disallow those loading first trying to put their items in the first overhead bins, let that group mostly get settled, then call the next 10 - 15 rows and so on. I think it would be a lot faster than “load first class and a few early boarders, then let it be a free for all, with everyone trying to put carryons away and getting settled” thing that they do nowadays.
This would make too much sense. I’d go even further, and have people board for odd and even rows, back to front. That is, rows 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 (counting from the back), then the odd rows. Most of the planes I fly on have somewhere between 1 and 3 seats on each side of the aisle, and trying to crowd 2 to 6 people in the aisle for each row is impractical.
Yes, that would really work well too coupled with back to front loading. Now I’m curious as to what their reasoning (and they must have some reason) is for not being more logical.
I travel a lot and in my experience, the lack of compliance with boarding rules approaches 50%. I’ll be in boarding group 1 and they’ll be a cluster of people in boarding group 5 hanging around the doors.
As for why people like to board early, the overhead space, plus it’s nice to get settled in, take off your jacket pull out your book before it gets too croweded.
I’m convinced that airlines like to board business and first class first because it is a living advertisement for those seats, people in economy walk through these areas on the way to their seats and some of them might choose to upgrade next time.
Also when I’m flying first class, getting on first gives me time to have a drink before takeoff (usually). Which is decidedly nicer than waiting in the airport with no drink.
This would be a big deal to me: I find standing still in a crowd to be pretty much the most uncomfortable way to spend time. I’d far prefer to walk for 30 minutes than stand. And, honestly, it’s probably easier to get your stuff into the overhead bin when you aren’t crowded in by all these people with nothing to do but get in your way.
I do the same. If I’m in business or first, do I want to sit (or, more likely, stand) around the departure lounge, or would I rather be in my comfortable seat, with my gear safely stowed, my book out, and a drink in my hand?
If I’m travelling coach, as is sometimes necessary, I like to get on early in order to get overhead space.
My theory is that these are the same people who get to the top of an escalator and then stop and look around. Did you happen to notice that you were on a big conveyor belt of people? Did you ever see the I Love Lucy where they worked in a chocolate factory? It’s kind of like that.
I’m all with you there. However, I have flown a lot the last couple of years with a friend who has a severe ants in his pants syndrome regarding getting on and off aeroplanes, which has made me rush as well to keep up with him. As for getting on board first I have found that, like so many others, it’s a matter of over-head space. I want to be able to put my single moderately sized luggage in the locker above my seat before it’s been filled up by people, not even seated in the neighbourhood, bringing with them two or three trunks the size of cargo containers.
Also, people want to get off the plane because they have connections to make. I’ve made it on board just minutes before they pushed back from the jetway because of delays in my origional flight.
When I flew TAP ( AKA Air Portugal, AKA Take Another Plane :mad: ) they boarded business and first class after the economy passengers were already on board. The lady in the lounge said it was one of the perks, since we could spend more time in the lounge.
I try to board early because I always try to get a window seat and I don’t want to bother someone else to get out so I can get in. Also, I’m paranoid about someone stealing my seat.
Flying would be much easier if they eliminate the overhead bins. People are such dicks about their carry ons, some of which hog nearly the entire bin meant for about 5 people. Plus, people are slow as shit getting their stuff out of the bin at the end of the flight.
If everyone is heading to boarding the minute you can board, I tend to hang back. But there are always the hangers back - and they are the ones most likely to cause issues with pulling out on time (can’t find overhead space, have to move two others to get to their window seat - one of whom is a small child in a carseat). So I tend to board when the “gotta get on the plane” people are done and before the “I don’t want to spend a minute more in that goddamned seat than I have to” Not everyone can be last. (Although as someone who likes aisle seats and does travel with a carryon I put under the seat in front of me, I’m a good candidate for getting on the plane last).
Back when checking luggage was free, I always carried on so I didn’t have to wait for my luggage. Now, if it can’t go under my seat, it gets checked and I wait - which has gotten a lot faster with less luggage under the plane. I don’t want to play the “not enough bin space game.” Since we live in the Twin Cities, 90% of all flights are Delta and a Delta AmEx includes a checked bag.
Where would people put their stuff then?
Airplane space is in short supply, so no way would they just throw away usable storage area to make sure no one hogs it.
I try to be the last one on the plane and the closest to first off possible, except when overhead space is an issue. When I can, I bring only what will fit under a seat. I hate to be trapped anywhere. My worst flying fear is not that the plane will crash, but that I’ll be trapped in it on the tarmac for hours for no justifiable reason while it gets hotter and hotter inside.