Baggage space.
They have intentionally broken the boarding system in order to get people to pay for upgrades just to get that baggage space. During covid they boarded from the back of the plane to the front, and it was gloriously efficient.
Literally a shittier boarding process because it’s more profitable that way. Freeeee market! 📈📈📈
Back to front boarding is not that great, you want window to aisle boarding.
You want back to front and window to aisle. It won’t help when the plane loads front to back whether it’s window to aisle or not
https://youtu.be/oAHbLRjF0vo?si=8NRov1SyjtNxIOsF
Funnily, just opening the gates is near ideal for boarding. Doing almost any grouping slows things down more than random boarding.
Here is an alternative Piped link(s):
https://piped.video/oAHbLRjF0vo?si=8NRov1SyjtNxIOsF
Piped is a privacy-respecting open-source alternative frontend to YouTube.
I’m open-source; check me out at GitHub.
That’s the exact video I saw a long time ago showing back to front window to aisle as best
A lot of commercial planes are tail heavy, loading a bunch of people in the back first is going to tip it. Doesn’t even need to tip all the way to cause damage. It’s a scary thing to see in person. So yes it does matter what order people are seated in.
If everyone is walking forward at the same time it will be evenly weighted
The best boarding method would be “everybody get on” lol
Learned that the hard way.
At least for Delta, they’ll book your carry-on for free. So there’s that.
I think every airline who gives you a free carry-on will check it at the gate for you for free. In fact, they’ll often beg you to do so. But at that point you’re losing the benefits of carry-on baggage like access to your stuff during layovers, getting to skip baggage claim, and no chance for them to lose your stuff.
You ever have your whole trip get fucked up because you checked your bag and they lost it? I have.
Also, by queuing up like that, you get dibs on limited overhead luggage space - 15 minutes in a queue is 30-45 minutes you don’t have to wait waiting for your baggage to arrive in Baggage Claim because you decided to not be one of those losers waiting for “reserved seats”.
It’s a good travel strategy to save time and energy later.
You also don’t have to arrive over 45 minutes early just to check your bag.
I bring 1 carry-on and 1 personal. If I have to pay, there’s a bigger problem.
Right and getting on the plane last likely means you’ll be checking that carry on at the gate.
Then we have a bigger problem.
On a return trip you can just put your stuff in a box and mail it home.
Edit: Unless you live in one of those countries where putting a box in a vicinity of a home counts as delivery.
Ah yes, I too have shipped a package to literally any country on earth
It also saves the checked bags fee that most airlines have these days.
Removed by mod
Gate check will auto transfer to subsequent or connector flights. If you have more than one flight, there’s always a chance that bag gets misplaced or someone makes an error. It happens all the time.
Removed by mod
Nothing to do with my seat. I’ll die before I end up having to check bags.
Keep sitting amateur.
I feel the complete opposite!
It stresses me out to feel encumbered on a plane. I don’t mind waiting at a carousel for a while to get my luggage if it means I can board with nothing but headphones and an overpriced pretzel.
If they lose my bags, I’ll get them back eventually. It’s not like they don’t have stores at [insert destination].
Depends on what’s in your carry-on. They don’t have acid stores (yet, well maybe in Portland) so I’ll be damned if my ten sheets are getting checked and stolen. Or my take-daily-or-die meds. Or my laptop that would be a huge clusterfuck to restore from backup.
Imagine flying in 1 day for a wedding and they lose your checked bag with the bridesmaid dress or fitted suit. Happens all the time.
So yeah, although stores do exist, I’m standing as soon as possible because I want to make sure not to cause myself extreme extended stress due to lost luggage.
I always pack as light as possible. IDC if I have to wear the same 3 pairs of pants for 2 weeks. Undies are what really matter and they’re small and easy to roll
At home I won’t wear a pair of pants for more than a day (unless I was only out for like, 3 hours)
But traveling? 1 pair of pants per week, and underwear is generally 0.5 pairs a day, as in I’ll wear it for like, 2 days if I can. But if I’ve been super active I will not be doing that.
I travel a lot and taking your bags with you on the plane is just inefficient as fuck. Sure, you’re out of the airport 5 minutes quicker, but you also have to take that shit everywhere with you. I consider you the amateur traveller.
Oh God I have to wear a back pack and have all my electronics on hand at all times!
Everywhere where? Inside the airport? What’s the big deal? Because once you’re out of the airport, you still have to carry all your bags, regardless of whether they were checked or not.
As they other two comments said, it’s for the overhead baggage space. Airlines need to start enforcing passengers to use their correct/allotted baggage space.
This is why I always make sure my carry-on fits under the seat, so I don’t need to fight for overhead baggage space.
Or bring back gate check for overhead bags.
They’ve done that on every flight I’ve been on in the past like 5 years. They start by asking for volunteers, then start yoinking people’s bags as they board.
I mean gate check where they give it back to you at the gate on the other end not regular bag-check at the gate.
They do that only on the tiny planes that don’t have bins large enough for carry-on bags.
I recall it being relatively common up until about 5 or 6 years ago on most flights where the overhead bins would likely fill up.
Hadn’t flown in like a decade. I was in group 4 and by the time I got on the plane, there was almost no space left in the overhead bins. I only needed space for a backpack, it was a tight fit. There were still at least 2 groups left plus anyone who arrived at the gate last minute.
So yeah, you better believe I’m gonna be first in my group, put my bag away and relax while the rest take 20 minutes to file in because it’s a very complex process…
True they will check your bag if it doesn’t fit, that adds a delay in leaving and as others say, increases risk of things going wrong (misrouting, theft).
So fkn dumb. Just have markers on the floor outside, where everyone needs to stand respective to their seat and have them go in in 3 or 6 waves, one for outer, middle and inner seat each. So much less headache for everyone and so much faster.
Do you guys not just put your hand luggage under the seat?
The result of charging for checked bags.
More people carry on as much as they can to avoid extra fees, so we get crowds standing at the gate and blocking the walking areas because they all want to be close to first in their boarding group to put their stuff in the overhead bin.
Special fuck you to the people that refuse to stow stuff under the seat, thereby taking up even more bin space with giant purses, backpacks, coats, etc.
Regarding your stow under the seat comment… I’m a tall dude. I’m cramped enough as is so I’m not putting crap under the seat in front of me as it’s the only place I can stretch out. I also check my suitcase virtually everytime.
I do however bring on a carry-on relatively small backpack with my laptop. I put it in the overhead bin… not under the seat. I don’t feel guilty at all. All the other people bringing the biggest ass suitcase possible, along with a backpack and maybe a purse too… they’re the ones hogging space, not me with my one backpack in overhead. Seats are crammed enough. You wanna be angry, be mad at the airlines making seats so small and being bag charge crazy.
As another tall guy, I don’t really understand.
My backpack fits under the seat, but it has no impact on what my legs can do, because that’s not where the bottleneck is. I don’t think legs bend that way to be able to use that space under the seat. My thighs end up wedged between my seat back and the seat in front of me, and they can’t really point towards the floor there.
At the same time, there is absolutely zero chance I am letting my backpack with my laptop out of my sight. The airport already made sure I pulled it out and showed everyone that I am carrying an expensive device. If it’s my device, then I paid too much to just shove it in a shared bin with strangers’ stuff for a few hours. If it’s my work device, then I’m not willing to risk any delay in getting my work done, because that’s terribly inconvenient for me.
Not sure why you felt the need to reply…people are allowed 2 carry on bags, one goes overhead and the other under the seat. If you’ve got just one, you’re game for either IMO.
Yeah, I’m over 6’, yet somehow I manage to stuff a satchel or my coat under the coach seat and not be the dick taking up all the bin space, but I dunno…maybe I’m the asshole for thinking other people are dicks for being selfish. Nobody seems to feel guilty. I mean, we can blame the airline for being greedy bastards for charging per bag driving the issue, but the same could be said about the customer who just looks for a low price thereby motivating the problem in the first place.
Not sure why you felt the need to reply
You said fuck you to those who refuse to stow under the front seat. I’m telling you why. It’s the only way I can stretch my legs out a bit, having my feet under the seat in front of me. My backpack goes in the overhead bin and obviously doesn’t take nearly as much room as a full-size carry-on. Might get 2 or 3 backpacks in the same space. Some people think because my backpack could go under the seat in front of me I should be obligated to put it there. Some demand a stewardess help them find the backpack owners and get them moved so they can put their suitcase overhead. No, screw that… check your suitcase. I checked mine, you can check yours. I’m not making myself more cramped because you wanted to save $40.
I’ve always thought it was completely rediculous that airlines charge a premium to board the plane sooner, like yea sure you wanna spend extra money to be on the cramped plane for a LONGER period of time? lol. Edit: I read some of the other comments mentioning getting dibs on overhead space and yea, if you’re carrying on you bags that would make sense.
Airlines overbook almost every flight. That means if you’re not in that line, you have a good chance of getting booted off the flight. It has happened to me a couple times.
They normally give you a voucher to compensate you for the trouble that can be used on a future flight. They will typically try to rebook you (at no cost) the same day if they can arrange it.
You must be American
Have flown at least twice a year for two decades and never even heard of an airline overbooking a flight.
The EU would tear you a new arsehole if you tried to sell something that doesn’t exist
Actually this happened to me this summer, came to board the flight and there weren’t any seat left, so they told me to go to the gate in case somebody didn’t show up. I was lucky enough to board the plane, but yeah, overbooking is a thing in Europe
Yes it is, but a passenger has so many consumer rights that it can end up more expensive for airlines to overbook than it is to lose a fare or two. It’s very rare for it to happen, and it’s usually US airlines that do it in the EU because their US passengers don’t know their rights in the EU
It can happen in Europe maybe depends on the airline not sure. I have been asked recently if I was okay traveling the next day in Athens.
They will pay you to get you off the flight + plus hotel but it’s definitely possible.
Man, don’t go reading into Failure to Delivers (FTDs) and Naked Shorting then. Those two economic concepts are absolutely raping the American economy.
Can you tell us which airline you are talking about? Never been booted out of anything.
They will usually announce that they are overbooked and ask over the local section intercom if anyone is willing to take the next flight. You can actually get cash out of it if nobody else wants to go later, sometimes more than you paid for your ticket. Plus a free ticket for the next flight.
If you’re not lined up (or late) and the plane is already full, then they can’t seat you and you’ll have to take a later flight by default.
https://wanderwisdom.com/transportation/why-do-airlines-always-overbook-their-flight
United
Unless you’re flying Southwest. That shit is a free for all
I was reading about them, it sounded like they had a “boarding group” for each individual seat? But do they say “groups 1 through 60” or something?
Each ticket assigns you a boarding group, A through C, say. Each boarding group has 60 people in it. When your boarding group is called (alphabetical order) you line up in order at the gate next to a sign that has your number on it. Passengers 1 - 30 of that group board, then when the last person gets on, 31 - 60 board. Everyone gets to choose their own seat, meaning the later you board the more likely you’re going to be in the back in a center (not aisle or window) seat, so boarding slows down tremendously by the last few boarding groups.
You queue for overhead space so some damned Karen doesn’t hog an entire bin with their carryon, purse and jacket.
This makes sense for Southwest, though. Absolute free for all.
deleted by creator
He had to teach the old man another lesson
deleted by creator
