WP: Airlines Look for Best Ways to Board

Airlines Look for Best Ways to Board
By Keith L. Alexander
Tuesday, June 27, 2006; Page D01

Who knew that boarding an aircraft would become the newest customer-service issue to rile passengers since the removal of hot meals on flights?

In the past week, two major airlines have altered boarding policies as part of an effort to appease customers while still getting their flights out quicker.

Last week, Southwest Airlines budged on its 35-year policy of no assigned seats. Next month, Southwest will begin assigning seats to passengers on flights out of San Diego as part of an eight-week trial. The move comes as the carrier is trying to attract more frequent business travelers who avoided the airline because it required passengers to check in for flights at least 24 hours in advance or arrive at the airport hours before departure to be part of the first boarding group with the best shot at preferred seats.

Northwest Airlines last week abandoned row-by-row boarding in its coach cabin and opted for open boarding on domestic and Asia-bound flights. That means, after first-class passengers, top members of its frequent-flier program and those needing extra assistance, the rest of the cabin can scramble. Airline spokesman Dean Breest said the change shaves about seven minutes off boarding times.

Boarding has become the latest quandary for airline executives. How do they get passengers on their flights quickly and easily so that the aircraft can close its doors and depart on time? The quicker they can get an aircraft back in the air, the more money that aircraft makes....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/26/AR2006062601156.html

How to board quickly: ban carry-on luggage.

Nothing bigger than a purse, camera case, or laptop case and
only one of those things. No more carry-on steamer trunks.

And if you really want to board quickly, load the window seats
first, then the middle seats, then the aisles.

Tesha

You are a GOD - I told a friend of mine at AmAirlines that this would be the best way to go and she said there was NO way they could ban carry on as the business traveller (biggest bucks) would go elsewhere.

luggage on international flights... If you are on a time critical trip, it just won't fly (pardon the pun)...

Size, however, is another issue entirely...

The size of some of the roller bags is getting ridiculous. If you need that much stuff to travel, then the 10 minutes you save waiting for luggage is irrelevant.

I use a small valise. It's about 18" wide, 8 inches deep, and maybe 13" high. I use that to travel for week in Europe or Asia. And i HAVE to check my bags because of my medical syringes!

Then people with bags are a third bigger in each dimension carry bags on. It's ridiculous.
The Professor

Travelling with kids is a bitch, but getting a bulkhead makes things a heck of a lot easier. That's one reason we love flying on Southwest. We can sit in the bulkhead nearly every time.

The reason it takes too long is people are self centered. The process needs to speed up, but THEY aren't slow. I'm thinking of say the guy who stands in the aisle while going through his carry on bag in the overhead bin blocking everyone else.

Is it really that big a problem though?

> Is it really that big a problem though?

Every minute a plane spends on the ground each day (and
not flying) is 0.07% wasted capital investment by the
airline for that day, so if it takes an extra 15 minutes
to board, then you've just wasted 1% of the airline's
capital investment in your plane for that day.

Yes, that's a big deal to the airlines as they're only
marginally profitable and that only on good days.

There's an excellent chance that real soon now, air
travel will be history except for the very, very rich.

Tesha

It's always felt to me that Southwest was the fastest turning around than other flights.

Maybe better designed overhead bins would help. It seems to me that whenever a flight is late taking off it's because the offloading took too long because some old woman couldn't get her bag, or some man was dawdling blocking everyone. Overhead bins that were easier to load and unload might help.

How bout loading through two doors? Use the rear door as well and have half the people go in the back door, and half through the front. That'd speed it up too.

Southwest's policy works great if you're on a direct flight.
But if your flight connects, you'll be flying seated in the
toilet for all subsequent flight segments after the first
because Southwest will get you to the connecting flight far
too late to get a good seat.

Or have they eliminated that inequity since the last time
I suffered through one oftheir connections?

Tesha

If you have to change planes you'll rush back and forth, and if it's cut too close you'll be screwed. Sure. Thing is that if you've got three tickets and two adults and an infant, they'll move people out of a row for you.

We've been fairly lucky with our transfers though. We make sure to book enough time, even if it means a longer wait in the airport if we can help it. Sometimes you can't, but for the most part carefull planning helps avoid the worst of it.

Now if I didn't have a child with me, I'd prefer assigned seating. With a kid though being able to get on first and get that bulkhead is HUGE.

What has always annoyed me about Southwest's policy is not the policy itself, but the assholes who insist on starting a line 90 minutes before the gate attendants show up, then make a brand new line an hour before boarding begins.

I traveled on Northwest a few weeks ago, when their new policy was just starting to kick in. People weren't really aware of what was going on, but as they become more aware, look for more standing around in line.