planes should switch to pods, then we get loaded in bulk. Everybody gets strapped in before the plane even gets there, then load us all up with a forklift!
I do imagine this will cause some chaos in reality. What might be better is if flight attendants carries cattle prods to punish the all the boobs who don't find their seat and stow their carryon in a timely manner. Way too many flyers behave like no one else's time is important.
On the other hand, maybe carry-on items shouldn't be allowed except for personal items. That way, boarding takes far less time because no one has to stow away anything.
That may not make an improvement because loading and unloading checked luggage can take a while, both in logistics to/from the aircraft but also in the actual fairly manual loading/unloading process.
The problem in practice with boarding people in back first is that:
1. They tend to put their carry-on in the first bin they find in the front of the airplane. So people sitting in the front have to put theirs in the back. This is a disaster later in the boarding process because there isn't enough room for people to circulate back up to the front after they stow their carry-on.
2. Frequent fliers and people who purchased premium economy seats expect to be able to bring a carry-on. They tend to sit in the front the plane, so the problem for #1 affects them more.
This is relevant to United's new policy because boarding people with windows in the back board before people with aisles in the front.
I personally haven't noticed this and I don't think it's very common. I thought that most people preferred to have their carry on in the bin closest to their seat in case they need to pull something out mid flight.
If the plane was more reliably boarded in some sort of order, I'd be more relaxed about it.
Frankly if I’m at the lounge, I’d much rather stay there another 15 minutes than spend it in a metal tube at the gate.
I think people want to board earlier because the airline says that earlier boarding denotes high status, and people love to be on top of a status game. It’s great to have the velvet rope open in front of you and be told you can go first. Unfortunately at the airport going first just means you get to sit in the tube longer.
> The problem in practice with boarding people in back first is that:
> 1. They tend to put their carry-on in the first bin they find in the front of the airplane. So people sitting in the front have to put theirs in the back. This is a disaster later in the boarding process because there isn't enough room for people to circulate back up to the front after they stow their carry-on.
What if every section had to put their bags in the compartments directly above them? Rows 50-60 get overhead section 50-60, rows 40-50 only put their stuff in overhead section 40-50 etc?
Or they could just start charging for carryons too. Then there'd probably be way less of it.
There used to be extra room in all that overhead storage for a ton of blankets and pillows.
Edit: I guess I'll have to keep a sharper eye out from here on to see if it's actually as common as you claim.
So many people have status (especially late in the year) so that Boarding Group 2 doesn't guarantee overhead at front of plane.
If you're boarding last (as I do voluntarily and involuntarily), you just shove your stuff wherever.
I guess in optimized boarding setups, anyone that voluntarily boards last is an asshole, but they tend to escape judgement.
I get what you're saying, but I pay extra (a lot extra) to sit in the front and have more leg room, and forget about the fact you hate rich people, there out to be a place for my one carryon near where I'm sitting. Because if I have to walk to the back of the plane to stow, how will get to my bag after we land?
the asshole approach really is the asshole approach.
I know, I know, rich and asshole go together. Me paying for that seat, that comfort, should be balanced by me not being able to get my bag till everybody else has left the plane /s
People like the parent who are boarding in later groups aren't causing the issue.
Your situation is irrelevant because you're boarding last. Of course you're looking for any empty space.
When I had status I used to sit in first class a lot. Some people try to dump their bags there, but get yelled at 100% of the time. People really love opening the bins for the people in the first row (no under-seat storage because there's a bulkhead; bins closed to make them less attractive to the dive bombers), but also usually get yelled at for that.
I have even seen this happen way in the back. I was sitting in row 21 or something and someone sitting in the last row put their bag right next to mine. Chuck it in there, walk to the back. Hope they put a passcode on their iPad!
I used to fly JFK-SFO and JFK-LAX a lot. Not sure I saw it as much on those routes.
My palletized human logistics startup is applying for YC S24, and we’re currently accepting applications for test passengers.
Also, queuing order is only about who goes first. If you're in an early section, but show up late, you can still get in line. So in this proposed system you can still have window seaters showing up late and defeating the whole point of having them board first.
Sitting in the middle can be pretty bad if you're a tall person. I once had a ~10 hour flight in the middle with a morbidly obese guy sitting on one side, and a ~200cm tall guy sit on the other. It was torture. I'm 188cm myself, so I'll be pretty crammed either way. I somewhat envy my girlfriend in that way, as she's asian-sized and can comfortably sit anywhere.
On my last flight with United, I got assigned a window seat in one of the exit rows. I thought 'great' as they offer extra leg room, but again, there was a morbidly obese person next to me, and he took up about 20% of my seat (or even more.) It was hard to breathe so I mostly sat on the bump of the emergency exit door. A flight attendant flew by and asked me if I was alright. I gesticulated to the guy (who was sleeping on an opioid pain killer mixed with Heineken) saying I can't breathe properly while being squished between a 300kg guy and the airplane window. She just shrugged and said there's nothing she could do as the plane was full.
I understand it is probably uncomfortable to fly for "extra size" people, but I also feel like I should at least get the very limited space I booked when I have to fly.
... Not too related but yeah.
what exactly is this supposed to mean?
https://vietnamnet.vn/en/average-height-of-vietnamese-among-...
Do you really not understand what he means?
According to the first few Google results, Asian women in Asia tend to be ~5ft on average, Asian women in America are 5'1 while white and black women in America are about 5'4".
Assign low numbers to special people, then group 4 is windows in economy, group 5 is middles, group 6 is aisles.
People can try to cheat, but when the gate agent scans the ticket and it says not yet, you don't get to go.
EDIT: Added AeroLOPA[2] for good measure.
[1]: https://www.seatguru.com/ [2]: https://www.aerolopa.com/