The last time I flew, I tried to find information about what I could and could not take on my carryon online, not when I was actually at the airport. And I found all sorts of contradictory information, sometimes on the same official website.
Pardon me for trying to find out what I should do BEFORE I get to the airport, instead of trying to re-arrange everything when I’m in line. And pardon me for only requiring a flight every few years, instead of every week. What seems obvious to people who deal with something every day isn’t necessarily obvious to someone encountering it for the first time.
Yes, a lot of people figure that the rules don’t apply to them. But when someone tries to find out the rules ahead of time, so she can pack properly, then maybe the rules should be easier to find.
It’s been many years since I’ve been to those, so I might not remember. SFO was more recent, and I didn’t see it there, nor at Logan or Baltimore. I guess I’ve just been lucky.
I did recently see some people trying to cut in line for security, but they looked pretty panicked so I was happy to let them.
If you have a seat assignment on your boarding pass, you have a seat regardless of when you board the plane. If you make it to the gate on standby, they’ll print you a boarding pass with your seat assignment. If you don’t have a seat assignment, you won’t get a boarding pass, meaning you won’t board, period.
FYI, my flights are domestic US, on major carriers. International flights and airlines may be different.
I fly Dulles-LAX round trip 2-3 times a month. Monster planes that are completely full. I see this every single time I fly.
As far as being confused and not understanding the boarding process I don’t buy it. 75% of the time the attendant will announce, multiple times, something along the lines of:
“Landies and gentlemen. Please look at your boarding pass. You see that BIG BLACK NUMBER in the middle? That is your boarding group. You don’t get to board until I call it. Additionally, unless your boarding pass (for united) says “Pr Exec, GS, or 1K” you do not have priority boarding”"
But invariabley gangs of people try to jump on as soon as they stop boarding first class.
And for those that think getting your carry on gate checked is no big deal you obviously don’t travel much for work. I don’t check any bags so getting my carryon checked will add AT LEAST 30 min to my travel time collecting my bag, and that’s on a good day. When you fly 4-8 times a month that time adds up quickly.
Like I said, it really doesn’t matter whether or not you agree with the boarding process. It is what it is. Don’t pretend to not understand what the giant number 4 means on your pass. No one is buying it.
FWIW I am 1K on United and board first. If I see a confused old lady/man or old couple I’ll generally bring them on with me since I get to bring 2 boarding buddies on with me if I choose. Flatbrimmed-hat-Lil-Jon guy? Nah. You know what you’re doing.
I heard someone say recently that the most efficient way to board would be to have the window seat passengers board first and the aisle seat passengers board last. That way you don’t have everyone trying to get settled all in one section – they’re spread evenly throughout the cabin. And also, once you’re seated, you don’t have to get up to let someone else get to an interior seat.
I just watched this happen on both my flights from Denver to Seattle and back again. It was Frontier, and they simply said, “this line is for Zone one only, you’ll have to wait until your zone is called.”.
Both people feigned ignorance, and one tried to argue, but the heavy sighs from the people behind her apparently got to her and she left the line.
Seconded! This really burns my ass - I’ve actually had to put my luggage several rows behind me, and then to see some fucker pull his shit out of a bin near me just about caused a nuclear level explosion. I had to wait to go to the back and get mine. Its shit like this that leads to the problems noted by the OP.
I totally don’t get people who put their luggage in bins that aren’t near their seat. What’s the advantage? Am I the only one who actually puts stuff I might want during the flight in my carry-on? If my seat is in row 18D, having my bag be above seat 3C is completely unhelpful and very inconvenient if I suddenly decide I want that bag of M&M’s, or I’d rather have my book instead of the iPod. What if you forget where it is?
I am what might be called a “tourist” flier - I only fly maybe once or twice a year, sometimes business, sometimes personal.
I still know how to board, for crying out loud, it isn’t that hard. But yes - every time, someone is trying to skip the line and cause problems. I love it that I’m taking a ~2-hour flight from Philly to Orlando, and between getting to the airport early, security, baggage, etc … it’s an 8-hour ordeal.
Anyway, I also wanted to add that SeatGuru has an interesting description of how the different airlines do their boarding zones differently.
Let’s say I want to know whether or not I can take my baseball bat on a plane. Under sporting goods, you’ll see it very clearly lists BASEBALL BAT-- Carry On: NO. I don’t know how much more clear that can be. Let’s see if I can take my meat cleaver. Hmm, under “sharp objects” it says: MEAT CLEAVER-- Carry on: NO. What about one of those sweet gel candles? Under “other items”-- Gel type candles-- Carry On: NO. How much easier can that be, honestly? Or wait! How do I know how to pack my liquids? Oh, that last link clearly lays out how to pack my stuff and what the procedure at the airport is.
If you are literate (and not at a high level, this stuff is written so any ol’ person can understand it), there is no reason you should have any issue finding out how to pack your stuff for your carryon AND what the procedure at the airport is.
I vote that people that are stating they don’t see this aren’t noticing it. I fly maybe four or five times a year at the most and see this every. single. time. Zone 1 is called and the zone 4s are pressed so close to the front that the zone 1 people can’t even get through. Then when they are told, yet again, they have to wait for their zone to be called, the same guy with the zone 4, hands it in when zone 2 is called. Lather, rinse, repeat.
I prefer to board last since I shove my backpack under the seat in front of me and don’t like to be on a plane any longer than necessary so I get a kick out of this drama. I don’t know how the gate attendants keep patient.
I don’t even get First Class. How irritating must it be to board first, sit down, and then the entire rest of the flight starts walking past you, many of them hauling a couple of huge “carry-ons” which bump into you or come close to it? I would be more annoyed than if I was the last to board. First Class is segregated either way, so it’s not like there’s a worry of the proles taking up your luggage space.
It would be a lot cleaner and more efficient if they boarded from the rear (though I don’t know how many aircraft models have a rear door). First Class goes in first, then the plane fills up behind them. Disembarkation happens at the front, so First Class gets out first and everyone filters out behind.
Not that it should all be about making First Class happy, but it seems a lot more efficient.
From my own experience, they give you a free soda while everyone else boards. That’s in addition to the free soda they give you mid-flight. Yep, $50 for a freakin’ cola.
As far as TSA rules being vague and inconsistent, that was very true when the TSA was new. In Boston everyone was required to remove their shoes. In Detroit I asked if I should take my shoes off and they looked at me like I had lobsters crawling out of my ears. This was a few weeks after the shoe bomber.
I actually use this to my advantage. I wait until the plane is nearly done loading, then get on. I’m forced to “gate check” the heavy, awkward carry-on that I’d rather not drag around and deal with during my layover/connecting flight(s). Free baggage check!!
It is or I would fly first class all the time. When we were booking our trip back east for next month, it was about $3k more apiece for first class than economy.
Funny enough, I flew first class for the first time the other day (Continental— and I have to say, I think Virgin’s COACH is nicer than Continental’s first class, but that’s neither here nor there)-- and it was SUPER AWKWARD sitting on the aisle. Not only are there people bumping into you, but people straight up awkwardly stare you down. Like, the line would be stopped, I’d look up from my Kindle and realize someone was mad dogging me something fierce. Lather, rinse, and repeat during the entire, drawn out boarding process.
BTW: when I went to online check in for my flight, it offered me a first class upgrade for $49, so I did it just for the (ultimately, crappy) experience.
It’s not as much “can’t afford” but “feel cheated by.” Especially if it’s a bag in the ‘questionable’ range (one that I’d be happy to check, but is small enough to fit into overhead baggage). Even more if they’ll check it for free if I manage to get it to the gate, but charge me if I check it when I’m at the ticket counter.
It feels like I’m getting screwed by the airline.
