Boarding plane back to front?

[jerseygirl3]

I feel silly asking this, as we've flown thousands of times. We normally fly Spirit Air out of A.C. and usually have tickets for their Spirit Plus seats, so I've never paid attention before.

 

When general boarding begins, do airlines start calling for passengers who have seats in the very back first and then work their way forward? Or is it the other way around?

 

The reason I ask is because I'm flying tomorrow with just a carry-on and I don't want to be among the last passengers to board and find there is no space left in the overhead compartment. My carry on, while it meets the airline's regulations regarding size, is still on the large side (22 x 14 x 9).

[J-man]

Airlines have been experimenting with different approaches, including free-for-all general boarding, boarding by alternating zones (front, back, front, back), windows then aisles, and God knows what else. I'm sorry to say I don't know what Spirit's order of boarding is.

 

If your flight is quite full and there is no room for your rollerbag, a flight attendant will gate check it for you.

[FlyerTalker]

It depends on the airline. DL uses an elaborate zone system, NW boards first class, then elites, then everyone at once. Others are in between. Which one are you using??

[maofthree]

we just flew sky bus anf they loaded from both ends

[giblert]

It makes the most sense to load the back 1st, but on some aircraft that could actually tip the plane over!! Westjet have jetways wit two bridges one for the front and one for the back and load both at the same time.

[LHT28]

I found they usually do people that need assistance & children first (no matter where they sit) then from the back to front

But people do not listen anyway and line up early so you are tripping over them trying to get to your row while they leisurely put there luggage in the compartments then take off their coats etc....

 

Now we just wait till they are all down the jetway before we go by the time we get on most are settled in

[fti]

It makes the most sense to load the back 1st, but on some aircraft that could actually tip the plane over!! Westjet have jetways wit two bridges one for the front and one for the back and load both at the same time.

 

Not necessarily. Some airlines board some in the back, then some in the front (so while those in the back are getting settled, others can still be taking their seats and getting settled). Then repeat the process.

 

My question is - with all the money and research done on the most efficient and quick boarding process, why do different airlines come up with different conclusions of what is 'best"?

 

John

[tcocktail]

At Jfk I flew Iberia and they board a 747 from three doorways at once. Actually it was quite nice, there weren't any crowds. Do the airlines still do this?

[DougYWG]

To respond to fti, I believe it was America West that did some experimenting on this exact subject quite recently. My failing memory can't quote the solution they came up with. Damn! They reduced boarding times by about two minutes, on the average. It doesn't sound like a lot, but for a large airline it would be the equivalent of getting a free aeroplane.

[flhokie]

To respond to fti, I believe it was America West that did some experimenting on this exact subject quite recently. My failing memory can't quote the solution they came up with. Damn! They reduced boarding times by about two minutes, on the average. It doesn't sound like a lot, but for a large airline it would be the equivalent of getting a free aeroplane.

 

I believe it had to do with boarding zones according to row AND type of seat. I just flew US Airways (old America West) and had the same row on both flights (same aircraft type), but had a lower zone number with a window seat than with a center seat. Their new system did seem to move quicker.

[fbgd]

duplicate...

[fbgd]

At Jfk I flew Iberia and they board a 747 from three doorways at once. Actually it was quite nice, there weren't any crowds. Do the airlines still do this?

 

I've never heard of doing three doorways before, especially by jetbridge as they would at JFK. A lot of airports do two jetbridges, especially now at the gates designed for the A380 at the airports that aircraft will operate from. One jetway for First/Business and another for everyone else.