Why dont airlines board back to front? (training, jet, flight attendants)
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It's the human element that screws up whatever plan they come up with.
It would seem that an absolute back-to-front scheme would work best. Window seats first, then middle, then aisle, left then right (or vice versa), then repeat for the next row forward. Forget boarding first class first - let them enjoy a few extra minutes in the lounge or whatever.
Once you add in people who normally require assistance, the above mentioned scheme no longer works. Add to that the people in the back who will place their carry-ons in forward bins, people who take forever to get in their seat, etc. and the whole plan goes to hades in a handbasket!
Truer words were never spoken. The last time I flew to Alaska, I couldn't believe how complicated this whole boarding process had gotten. "First up, people who need special assistance. Then, Diamond Club Airline Lubricant Members. Then Platinum Superior Stock Holder's Club Members. Then Gold Business Expense Account Members. Then Silver First Class Members. Then LASTLY, The Garden Variety Pond Sludge Customers of X Airlines." By the time we finished boarding, I was already aggravated
I also never understood the rush to board. I'd rather be the last person to board so that I spend less time in my cramped seat waiting for everyone else to board!
Why not create a waiting area that resembles the lay out of the plane, and find you seat there first and make appropriate adjustments with the situation long before any one boards .
People then would board the same as they are arranged in the waiting area and in that order.
Carry on abuse was bad before airlines got ridiculous and charged for bags. Now it has made flying even more insane. It's just terrible.
Yup. Plus people who pack so much into their carry-ons that they can't lift them. I can't even begin to count how many people I've watched struggle to lift their bags up (and get them down), and almost drop them on someone's head. If you can't lift it, you don't need to fly with it. Then there's the people who stuff them so full they don't fit, then pitch a fit.
As earlier posters have noted, the main issue is carry on luggage. This is an issue with many flyers. However, the solution is pretty easy.
The airlines can enforce existing size and weigh restrictions on carry on luggage.
In 2007, a Virgin Atlantic agent weighed my carry on and busted me for it being overweight (my laptop was in it). Since then I have been much more aware of the weight of the carry one. However, 2007 was the last time I saw a carry on being checked for weight.
I only rarely see a carry on checked for size. Heck, sometimes even the limit on the number of carry on bags is not enforced.
Enforcing the existing rules, limiting the actual number of carry on bags and enforcing the size and weight limits, would be a big improvement.
One last note. Something that I doubt the airlines can control, but causes significant delays in boarding, are the people who wait until the last minute to decide what they want to store in the overhead. They get to their seat, then stop the line as they put their carry on in the overhead, then get something out of the carry on, then take off their coat, ect.....
There's been published papers on boarding efficiency, and boarding back to front is not efficient. The most efficient way to board is window seats first, middle seats second, and aisle seats last. It does not matter if it is front to back or back to front.
Like I said , if the waiting area was laid out like the plane all that can be addressed.
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