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Comment by Joeri | Hacker News Reader

The simplest way to avoid standing in line is to be fashionably late. You sit and read a book until everyone else has boarded, and only then do you go through.

I'm always surprised how everyone rushes to stand in line the moment boarding starts. Rationally speaking they should wait until the last reasonable moment to board, because the seat in the terminal is more comfortable than the one in the airplane.

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This works great when you have checked luggage, or if you use a non roll aboard bag, which I’ve moved to doing. Otherwise, it’s a race to get available overhead space - in part because of increased checked bag fees, and airlines not enforcing proper sized carry-ons.

The downside of this strategy is that you're often forced to check your carry on bag(s) if it's a full flight and all the overhead bins are full.

Though, as others have pointed out, carry-ons can put a damper on the idea, I tend to do this. Even before carry-ons became a consideration, I've been mystified by people that want to get on the plane first. Umm, more time in the aluminum tube in an uncomfortable seat? No thanks, I'll wait. I understand that it may not work for everyone, but I typically check everything but a laptop bag, and get on as late as I can. Grab a latte after getting off the plane, and stand by the luggage output for 15 minutes while sipping my delicious (okay, it's the airport: barely palatable) coffee beverage.

Even today when you get booked flights with no carry-on room, the gate agent comes on the PA: "if you check your carry-on, we'll let you board first!" If I check my bag and don't have a carry-on anymore, and I have an assigned seat, how about I board dead last instead? Because I personally don't view being first on the plane as a reward.

As I've mentioned elsewhere, I'd rather be on the plane because I know I'm not going to miss it, so I can actually focus on my book. And I say this as someone who's 6'5"...

You've never been bumped off a flight?

Never that I can recall. Common problem for others?

I think this is due to the diminishing supply of overhead storage space, and the goal of not checking or being far from your stuff.

I do this as well, at least when flying economy, because I want to spend as little time in that plane seat as possible. Overhead bin space has rarely been a problem, so I take that risk. Maybe I've been lucky or maybe it's because my carryon is fairly small and soft (squashable!)

Better even: I once waited by mistake until the departure time instead of the boarding time. They search for your case in the checked luggage to expell it. If you arrive before they found your case, you're allowed to take the flight.

Hint: Don't do that.

If you only have one bag that fits under the seat. That would be the best policy. Otherwise, getting there earlier to avoid the people that refuse to pay for a checked bag is better. [Overhead space is quickly taken]

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