The problem is that families sit in rows together, not usually in columns. And in busy airports it's not very ideal to get split up from your travel partners, especially if they are young, old, need assistance, etc.
> How to accommodate the elderly, people with children, and groups.
Guys, you have to read the article at least. It's stated in the "further discussion" section so at least add something more than just repeating the topic.
Or, I suppose, rewritten in the vernacular of this site:
"This comment is obviously written by someone who didn't read the proposal properly".
Coming up with a better proposal than this is trivial. Here goes.
During flight, lock the overhead bins. When deplaneing, those without overhead luggage go first, from first to last row as now. This makes sense because they generally walk faster because they have less stuff. Those with overhead luggage have to wait for the steward or stewardess to unlock the overhead bins following the fast group, and then exit from last row to first. Therefore those who are slow to get things out of bins, do not slow others. Those needing assistance wait until the very end, as now.
Getting stuff out of bins is the gating factor here. And so there is no passenger conflict about the fast people leaving first, because the others are waiting on the bins being unlocked, then for people behind them to pass. And groups get to leave together.
There you go. A faster approach than now. With fewer problems.
I do not believe locking mechanisms in the overhead compartments are currently installed.
Controls to instantly lock/unlock such systems remotely by one attendant, thousands of times, reliably, is yet another challenge. Better to engineer a solution that requires no new equipment.
Engineering a solution that creates passenger conflict is not a good idea. I'd rather wait for slow people, than be around a loud argument at the end of a flight. I get enough stress already from hours of being cramped on a flight, I don't want more.
Also you are adding entirely unnecessary requirements to my solution. There is no need for the unlocking to be instant. Just to be doable one by one by someone going around the pace of people dragging luggage. The technology used for security tags in clothing stores would be more than adequate.
That said, I'm not seriously advocating for my solution. I'm just saying that it takes no more than 30 seconds to come up with something better than the one the blog post was about.
I've never had a problem going to the bathroom. People get up, sit down. And there is plenty of time to do this while waiting for the line to start moving.
Also, remember that this is not a proposal I'm seriously arguing for. Merely showing how easy it is to come up with a better proposal than the one made.
> Second Law Of Thermodynamics
Other than a few details to work out, my perpetual motion machine is going to revolutionize aviation.