[bilfritz]

Most airlines who do assigned seats board by row or zone.

However, they typically load the front seats first, causing passenegers sitting near the back to have to go through the area where people are already getting seated and/or who are "in the way".

Doesn't it make more sense to board from the rear of the plan forward? Why hasn't anybody done this?

Just a common sense thought.

[The_Judge]

Oh brother. What airline are you talking about? Southwest....where they don't have assigned seats? Boarding from the rear going forward has been the norm for decades.

[PHXFlyer]

Originally Posted by The_Judge

Oh brother. What airline are you talking about? Southwest....where they don't have assigned seats? Boarding from the rear going forward has been the norm for decades.

I think what "bilfritz" is referring to are airlines with a first class cabin who board first class passengers first. First class passengers either paid a whole lot more for those seats or are very frequent travelers who were upgraded. In either case the airline allows them to board first because of this. If you dislike this preferential treatment then I suggest you fly an all-economy class airline such as Southwest or Allegiant.

[countrynewsman]

Once first class and "elite" (or whatever the airline calls it) board, then roach-coach is boarded from the rear forward. Pretty much the norm for most airlines.

[PHXFlyer]

America West, before "merging" with US Air to create arguably the worst (or second worst ahead of Delta depending on your opinion) airline in the US, experimented with a "zone" boarding system where aft window seats were the first in coach to board, then mid-section windows with aft middle and aisle seats and so forth until the front middle and aisles were the last to board. It was way too confusing and people traveling together would just board with the same zone as their traveling companion anyway so they quickly scrapped that system.

[jimworcs]

Coming soon to an airline near you.. you will have to pay to board. The more you pay, the earlier you get onto the plane. This is already implemented by the worst airline in the world...Ryanair

[IND2009]

Originally Posted by jimworcs

Coming soon to an airline near you.. you will have to pay to board. The more you pay, the earlier you get onto the plane. This is already implemented by the worst airline in the world...Ryanair

People Express did that.

[jimworcs]

Let's hope Ryanair go the same way as them..

[Jetliner]

I know what the original poster is referring to. A couple airlines have their zone boarding set up so that (after first class) zone 1 would be a few rows in the back, zone 2 a few rows up front, then back then front. But they also have it so that it's not just all whole rows. The first zone might be the last 4 rows, then the window and center seats of the next two rows forward, then the windows of the two rows in front of those.

The new way actually gets the plane loaded faster. With the old way of boarding you often have people who have a seat in the back of the aircraft stop in the aisle toward the front to put their bags in the overhead, instead of finding a place near their seats. So what happens is when that section of the plane is boarded, those passengers have trouble finding an overhead space, and it takes up time, and more congestion in the aisles since they have to find a place in the back, then come back up the aisle as people are boarding.

[abutterfinger25]

The airlines have actually paid to have studies done on what method is the most efficient way to board an aircraft.

They have tried rear first.
They have tried front first.
At one time, someone tried boarding the windows first, then the middle seats, and then the aisle seats.

Southwest still claims that it's "free for all" method works best since people will tend to steer themselfs to another section.

I think the third method I listed would have some merit since everytime I have a window seat, the folks in the aisle and middle seat seem to board before me and have to get up to let me in.

[jimworcs]

The big problem with window first, then middle and finally aisle, is that parties want to board together. Mum & Dad and kid, kid asks for the window... Mum & Dad refuse to let the kid board without them.. argument ensues at the gate... frankly, it is a recipe for posts on here!!

[The_Judge]

It's the airline's fault. They try to board by rows or sections, people don't listen to the announcements.......airline faulted for not enforcing the policy. They try to board them like Southwest, people whine cuz they have to walk past people already seated........airline faulted for stupid boarding policy.

Face it people, the airline is to blame for the greenhouse effect, the never-ending war in Iraq and anywhere else there is unrest. I think they are also at fault for the bailouts for the car manufacturers and lending institutions. And really, if you want to pinpoint it, it's the guys fault in baggage. Not management who can change things, it's the regular Joe who is their to help you who gets shat on by everyone. It's HIS fault.

[jimworcs]

Now now Judge, calm yourself. Although, frankly the airlines are to blame for some of the greenhouse effect, I think we can let them off the hook in relation to Iraq.

[The_Judge]

Maybe but I'm sure they'll be found out that they were responsible for the Hindenburg disaster. Also, the stock market crash of '29.

[jimworcs]

Exactly, it was a conspiracy to end competition from airships and ensure fixed wing became dominant. I think one of the Wright brothers was seen running away with a box of matches

[The_Judge]

The very first passenger probably left them on board.

[Corbel]

i actually flew united 2 months ago and had a connecting flight leaving LAX and going to ORD. of course they board by zones. they were currently boarding zones 1 and 2. from what i heard by the agent (actually following the rules!!!) she told 2 paxs that they were not yet boarding zone 4 and please step to the side so she can get the others boarded. they did (but still stood right by the line), she then called zone 3, once again, the paxs decided to try to board, she had to tell them again, that they are in zone 4 and please wait their turn, they started screaming at her and telling her she was being rude (they even pulled out the race card) i was shocked by the passengers behavior. the agent was never once rude or never raised her voice.

i like how united boards their aircraft, if only some people would listen

[jimworcs]

It gets on my nerves when people "pretend" not to understand the boarding zones and try to jump in. Even more annoying is when gate agents fail to enforce it and the good passengers (such as myself) are shafted. It discourages you from doing the right thing.

[Jetliner]

Originally Posted by jimworcs

The big problem with window first, then middle and finally aisle, is that parties want to board together. Mum & Dad and kid, kid asks for the window... Mum & Dad refuse to let the kid board without them.. argument ensues at the gate... frankly, it is a recipe for posts on here!!

Except that the rules normally are that if you have more than one zone in your group or more than one section, you can all board together.

[jimworcs]

Yeah, but if that applied to the window, middle, aisle method it would render the boarding system pointless.

[Jetliner]

No it would not. The point of window, middle, then aisle type boarding is to eliminate the case of you are sitting in the aisle, and the person with the middle seat comes along, you have to get up. Then you both have to get up when the window passenger gets on. If it is a family, then that wouldn't matter, as they all board together, and once on, nobody has to get up.

[Giddyboy]

Just got back from a flight this morning on USAirways.....I was mystified! After boarding after first class and those passengers needing more assistance they started with Zone1, then 2, then 3 and then made an announcement that if you had checked in online you could go on even if you were in Zone 4. Later when they called Zone 4..I overheard the attendent saying to another that at night they allow those that had done online checkin to go on first before they boarded by by Zone. Then on the second leg of the journey this exactly what they did!!! And if you did do online checkin at home, you had to tear the bottom 2/3 of the paper off inside of just folding it!

So screwy!

[Corbel]

well i just found out yesterday, that American boards by zones (which i have always known) but appearently people dont like to listen. the entire plane decided they were boarding at once (lax-NRT, 777) then we get to NRT and now flying on Japan airlines, they board first class, then their premier members, then its like southwest.....ALL ABOARD!! i hate that