All Aboard
The way passengers are loaded on an aircraft has always been a mystery to me despite having worked for airlines. For example, United Airlines boards passengers based on the window-seats-first principle. While this is effective and sounds logical it sometimes defies the very chaos it was designed to avoid. During business trips I prefer to be in an aisle seat. I also suffer from mild claustrophobia so if the aircraft is small or prone to be a packed route, I will sometimes opt for an aisle even on a long pleasure trip. Most business travelers prefer the aisle seats for a variety of reasons and this is where the trouble starts.
Passengers are instructed that one bag only may go above in the storage bins and if there is a second bag, it must go under the seat. This is repeated every two to three seconds over the public address system and yet most leisure travelers refuse to pay any attention to it and then claim they didn’t know when you frustratingly try to find space. The people seated in the window seats stuff the overhead bins to capacity so that by the time the aisle seats get on the aircraft there is no room whatsoever. This not only creates more chaos, but takes up valuable time as people jockey for space. The flight attendants do their best to remind people, but are unable to actually stop them from stuffing everything they own in the bins.
Other airlines board passengers based on the back to front system. This seems to be a little more effective with regards to getting people boarded quickly and making sure they do not take all of the space around them. This often works better than the window seat method, but I have been on flights that still end up having the forward bins full when some passengers decide they would rather put all their bags in the front so that they can just grab them on the way out rather than carry them down the length of the plane.
What this all amounts to is a lack of consideration. Have we truly become a society that just does not care about our fellow travelers? There is not much we can do to bring back the “joy” of flying anymore, but at least a little thoughtfulness would go far. Acts of random kindness are always appreciated.
-Morissa Pawl, vice president western region
May 2nd, 2008 at 11:36 am
A couple of years ago with the ban on large containers of liquids in carry on luggage I rediscovered the wonders of checked bags. For many years I would try and pack everything I would need for a week long business trip in a roll-aboard. The object, of course is to avoid the huge waste of time waiting for luggage, should it arrive at all. This leads to the dance that you describe trying for overhead space.
After the ban I heaved a big sigh, and started checking a bag. What freedom! I can take two pair of shoes now! Afraid of bad weather, no problem, toss in that bulky rain coat. As I spend more time each week in hotels than home I get to use a FULL size tube of tooth paste.
The other huge bonus is that I can now board the plane whenever I feel like it. I don’t fly Southwest, so I always have an assigned seat. I can get on the plane just before they close the door, without a care for storage space. More time in the club, less crowded on the plane.
The downside? Well there is the lost and shredded bags of course. Over the course of a year I average more than 3 trips a month. My bags go missing about once a quarter. Not bad really. They have always been located and delivered. Even when they are destroyed, the parts eventually make it to me. My home airport is Philadelphia, so this is hardly unexpected. I have a wonderful collection of T-shirts purchased in hotel gift shops!
Go ahead check that bag. Grab a coffee when you get off the plane and enjoy the next hour while you wait for it it to be unloaded. At least it will have your other shoes!
-Vance