United Airlines just announced a new policy designed to limit the congestion when people board. Those with window seats will be allowed to board first, even in economy. Should be interesting to see if other airlines follow suit. It will also be interesting to see if those who always choose aisle seats will change their preferences.
Gifted article from Washington Post: https://wapo.st/3S7s06J
When I was travelling on business many moons ago, in the mighty USA, Southwest had that boarding procedure back then.
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they had 2 boarding doors: one for the front and one for the back
They do that quite often In Europe if the plane is in ramp parking and not at a gate.
Does anyone remember People Express Airlines (the one from the 1980's)? I flew in them quite a few times before they went defunct, and they had 2 boarding doors: one for the front and one for the back. Everyone would board at the same time. It really was a good idea and definitely eased the congestion.
When I was travelling on business many moons ago, in the mighty USA, Southwest had that boarding procedure back then.
Not any more. Southwest now assigns customers to groups A, B and C, and they board accordingly. People who need assistance board first, and I have to wonder how many of them actually need it. On my last SW flight, there were 22 people in wheelchairs waiting to board from Midway to Cincinnati.
Does this mean people travelling together will now be split up if one has window and the other has the middle seat? That should go over well with families.
Mardee--I think there will always be people who skirt the system, such as lining up to board early when they don't need to, but I also think many times we can't see what the disability is. I know after my first knee surgery, I was parked in a handicapped spot in a parking lot and a man yelled at me for nit being disabled. I was a couple weeks out from surgery, using a cane, but was young, early 40's, so he was making assumptions. I am dreading that now even as I got a new knee a week ago, and am mid 50's. So just waiting for someone to judge me without knowing. Maybe I will beat them with my cane or walker;) I will most likely be one of those people to board early when I visit my mom in December.
I thought United had already tried that in the past (maybe it was a different airline). I don’t think this will necessarily help (e.g., the person in the window seat in row 20 blocks the aisle while people in back row window seats wait to get by). To me, it seems like the people sitting in the back should get to board earlier.
I agree this will cause a problem with families.
I usually fly United and it seems like half the people who get on the plane are in boarding group 1 or 2 since so many people either have status or United credit cards.
edit: I see from the article United first implemented this in 2017 so it isn’t really new.
Does this mean people travelling together will now be split up if one has window and the other has the middle seat? That should go over well with families.
No, they thought of that. All paxs on the same reservation are supposed to board with the first applicable group in the booking. So middle seat people would board with their window seat partner. Or aisle people would board with their middle seat partner. A family with all three seats in a row would board in the window group.
"To me, it seems like the people sitting in the back should get to board earlier."
Long ago and far away this is how they used to board on Delta. It was before you had people bringing carry on and having to fight for overhead bin space. This would have been before 2001 maybe even 70's or 80's.
All paxs on the same reservation are supposed to board with the first applicable group in the booking. So middle seat people would board with their window seat partner. Or aisle people would board with their middle seat partner. A family with all three seats in a row would board in the window group.
Sound like a monumental snafu waiting to happen. Wish I had whatever they were smoking / drinking. Guess I'll wait to see how it shakes out before booking.
Another reason to not fly United..
This will be...interesting. I prefer United and also fly economy and like my aisle seat so I can stay as happily hydrated as I need to be, but I also like to be able to stow my carry-on tote bag in the overhead. Choosing a seat towards the back of the plane has usually allowed that without issue, so I can't wait to hear how this plays out. What the airlines need to do is start being stricter about the amount and size of luggage people are bringing aboard, that's what always seems to cause issues.
”It turns out that the only reason to get on first is amongst the "carry-on only" fantasits who panic about overhead bin space! So if you aren't one of those weirdos, just wait and get on last.”
Nick, yes, you’ve nailed it! I really don’t care when I board, but I want my backpack in the overhead bin above me, so that drives the “weirdo” behavior. : ). When I’m traveling a domestic flight with just a tiny bag at my feet, I turn into a normal person (a rare breed at an airport) who board at their leisure.
Also keep in mind that "official" policy can go out the window if the gate agents don't play along. On a recent Lufthansa flight from Munich first they boarded business, naturally, and then we expected them to board premium economy and then economy by groups or rows. Nope, they just said everyone board and it was quite a free for all. Especially since they now use those turnstiles where you have to scan your boarding pass and there was only one open and every 3rd pass or so had an issue.
Mardee--I think there will always be people who skirt the system, such as lining up to board early when they don't need to, but I also think many times we can't see what the disability is.
mikliz97, I totally agree with that. My sister has had bad knees for years and finally got a placard for her car, but people sometimes glare at her when she parks in a disabled spot. And my very fit-looking SIL once had major surgery on his Achilles tendon and had to use a wheelchair at the airport. But 22 wheelchairs on a relatively small flight? I know some are legit but I am also pretty certain that many of them were in those chairs because Southwest does not assign seats and it's first come first served. And those in wheelchairs are first. It makes a mockery of those who do need the chairs to get on.
It turns out that the only reason to get on first is amongst the "carry-on only" fantasits who panic about overhead bin space!
That's another reason for me to check a bag.
Mardee--Yes, 22 wheelchairs would make me mentally question it as well. Today was my first outing, to physical therapy, and we went and picked up sandwiches afterward. My husband parked in a handicapped spot and for a moment I thought that was crazy. I am only a week out of surgery, so yes I was the crazy one;) I figure if those people that are skirting the system think they need it then let them. They have bigger problems than I do, and I do believe karma catches up;) Like others, I just want my seat, and a bit of bin space above and my foot space. I have actually had people ask me before to see my foot space as well as theirs and some have just taken it. Yes, their stuff was removed by me and not a word was said. It never ceased to amaze me at how entitled some people act.
The window first group applies only to economy, not "even to economy." All sorts of folks board before this "new" WILMA plan, and some of those will be in the economy cabin and it won't matter if they have a window seat or not (status & credit card holders, for example.)
Don't mean to shill for this guy, but he does breakdown the boarding groups of this plan...
https://thepointsguy.com/news/united-airlines-new-boarding-process-window-middle-aisle/
Officials wrote in the memo that the process would save the airline up to two minutes of boarding time.
Two minutes ---wow...... oh, wait it's "up" to two minutes --double wow
UAL tried it in 2017 and abandoned it...... draw your own conclusion
I'm always grouped in the last boarding. And half the time, I am required to gate check my bag anyways, even being within the size/weight limit. The only time I got to board in an earlier group was when I volunteered to gate check my bag. Told my husband, might as well volunteer since our bags are going to be gate checked anyways since the flight is full. Either try and find overhead space, and end up gate checking, or just gate check and reduce the stress. We buy cheap tickets.
But I like the window seat idea. One of the things I hate the most is trying to crawl over someone who doesn't want to stand up to let me get to my seat. Those cheap seats have no leg room and I end up half way stumbling and falling into my seat. Not pleasant. I dislike it so much, I once paid for an aisle seat. When I boarded, my seat was taken by someone who boarded with a wheelchair. They got the seat since, well, it's not like they can sit by the window. And once again, no luck and had to stumble over them to get to the widow seat. That was a waste of money.
I recall that airlines in early covid boarded this way, then gave it up.
My choice is an aisle seat so I don't have to disturb others for restroom use. But when United did this type of boarding previously, it meant that there never was any overhead space left by the time I (aisle seat) was allowed to board. (I find United never calls out people boarding with oversize or multiple bags.) I stopped flying United for Europe travel. Unless United starts enforcing carryon limits, they will get the same complaints that apparently caused them to abandon this process in the past. Like others have said this will mainly only affect those of us that fly without upgrades.
What the airlines need to do is start being stricter about the amount and size of luggage people are bringing aboard, that's what always seems to cause issues.
Yes! Yes! Yes! We've seen "carry on" bags taken aboard that wouldn't fit into a sizing box if one used a gallon of WD-40. We've seen a number of people take an oversized bag, a huge purse almost the size of a small suitcase, and a plastic shoping bag aboard -- and nothing was said by any airline personnel.
At one time Lufthansa had a lady in Atlanta that would walk around the gate area and pick up bags. Saw her send several to be checked because they were too heavy and / or large.
I hope this works and they keep it. I usually fly United and I always choose a window seat if possible.
We’re excited to bring WILMA back to provide a smoother boarding process flow that helps get passengers in their seats even faster and saves precious time during our boarding process,”
This isn't exactly new, it's actually the only boarding system I've known flying United. What is new is taking basic economy and moving them from boarding group 5 into their own boarding group 6. At least it's generating the marketing buzz and all the media outlets are reporting on it.
Just another form of discrimination.
So basically those of us who prefer aisle seats will use up those “saved” two minutes wandering up and down the aisle trying to find an overhead bin that isn’t full for our carry-ons. There’s no way there’ll be any room left by the time aisle seats board.
Wonder how United will handle those of us who pay for aisle seat AND priority boarding (group 2). Looking forward to hearing about your experiences.
There’s no way there’ll be any room left by the time aisle seats
board.
I always fly Basic Economy or "El Cheapo" or what ever the particular airline calls it. That means I am in always in boarding group 86. Which also means carryon only. In all these years of toursm, I have never not found a place in the overhead at or on the way to my seat. I doubt this will change things much.
And I would almost guarantee couples get to board together at the earlier boarding group, they generally let them do it now.
Initially I thought this type of boarding would cause issues for families where folks may be seated together in a row (window, middle, aisle). Well, on second thought, it's not necessarily a problem. The person holding a window seat doesn't have to board with their group; they can board later with the middle seats or aisle seats. I don't really see this as a problem.
Wonder how United will handle those of us who pay for aisle seat AND priority boarding (group 2). Looking forward to hearing about your experiences.
Nevermind whether one buys economy + or preferred seats, you don't pay for aisle seats on United, and if you've paid for priority boarding or Premier Access well you get priority boarding or Premier Access and boarding group 2. That's been the case.
Initially I thought this type of boarding would cause issues for families where folks may be seated together in a row (window, middle, aisle). Well, on second thought, it's not necessarily a problem. The person holding a window seat doesn't have to board with their group; they can board later with the middle seats or aisle seats. I don't really see this as a problem.
For those concerned with families boarding, United has stated that multiple customers on the same economy reservation, like families or partners traveling together, will be assigned the same and highest boarding group number and board together, except basic economy.
A few more reasonable articles
https://thepointsguy.com/news/united-airlines-new-boarding-process-window-middle-aisle/
And I bet this link updates to the new boarding groups come 26 October https://www.united.com/en/us/fly/travel/airport/boarding-process.html
What boggles my mind is the level of fantastical headlines trumpeting this revolutionary new boarding system in the mainstream media along with the amount of hand wringing and angst leveled at it.
It appears there were some inaccuracies in the original article, as clicking on the link now will indicate corrections were made today. Didn't compare the articles so not sure if they were large or small.
Maybe that explains why I am always placed in Group 4 and among the last passengers to board. I fly almost always United , always Basic Economy and never choose a window seat when going over.
Fred, the same, that's why I am always behind you in line. And I always find a place for my carryon cause us Basic Economy don't afford the big fancy carryon luggage so there is always room above the cheap seats.
@ Mister E.....Based on the recent experience of this summer's trip SFO - FRA, the most unpleasant , and I mean, irritating, aspect of being in Basic Economy, Group 4 is that by the time the group is called to board, you can basically bet that any overhead bin space has been taken over, occupied by those already seated, leaving no adequate space for my single carry-on . My aisle seat is towards the rear, say 2/3 to 3/4 to the back. Bins on either side of my seat are hogged by these people.
No problem flying Basic Economy, United, to FRA or being in Group 4. If it's not your lucky day, no overhead bin space left for you.
So far in dozens of flights basic economy I have always found room. But I put it in the very first opening see no matter where it is.
