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Why stand in line to board an airplane? (lemmy.world)
submitted 2 years ago by to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml
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The seats are assigned. People have been standing in line for 15 minutes now. Why on earth would anyone want to stand there, when they could just sit and wait until the line clears?

I understand wanting to get off a plane ASAP, but boarding? You just end up sitting on the plane, waiting for everyone else to get on.

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[–] 303 points 2 years ago (4 children)

The seats are assigned, the baggage compartments are self-serve.

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  • [–] 81 points 2 years ago (6 children)

    A long time ago most airlines checked at least one bag free. I used to always do this and as op suggests, not stand in line. It was great not having to take a bag through security and haul it around through airports and connecting flights, and avoid the stress of if the overhead space would run out.

    But airlines have done everything in their power to make boarding and the whole flying process miserable in attempt to suck every dollar they can from you for their upgrades and priority boarding.

    I do often take advantage of the airlines offer to "we expect a very full flight, overhead space is limited, and will check your bag for free to your final destination"

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  • [–] 46 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    Yup at this point I call that a free checked bag. Oh no... Out of space? Guess I'll just have to be the hero and ditch my bag...

    Sidenote people who do things like throw their coats up there when they've announced there is limited space are dicks.

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  • [–] -1 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    im 6+ feet tall, where is the coat going if not the overhead? what’s in your bag, a coat?

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  • [–] 3 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    Yes. The overhead is for the carry-on bags. If there is space after everyone has gotten on the plane, then go for it, throw the coat up there. But if you use overhead space for a coat when they announce that space is limited and you see them forcing people to check bags, then that's a jerk move for sure.

    I pack my coat in my bag. If it doesn't fit, I wear it on the plane. If that doesn't work, then it's time to start thinking about checking a bag from the start.

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  • [–] -1 points 2 years ago* (1 child)

    oh, they'll check my coat now? every time i ask they say it's for bags.

    wearing the coat for an 8 hour flight works if you're staying in the same climate but I travel longitudily a lot.

    i like how you skirted around your own bullshit rule by putting your coat in a bag.

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  • [–] 2 points 2 years ago

    I.. put my coat inside my bag. Whether a carry-on or checked. Even if I go to a cold climate I will have my bags before I walk outside the terminal. I can stop, open my bag, and grab my coat. I don't know how that's skirting around it.

    If you don't want to wear it, cool - then put it in your carry-on or hold it for the flight. At the very least wait until everyone has boarded and there is room. Taking up space in the overhead while people are still boarding is selfish, it's saying "My bag and my coat deserve more space than the next person's single bag".

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  • [–] 23 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    We've largely done this to ourselves. The cheapest price is king in air travel. Unless you're traveling for work, everyone goes for the cheapest option, so airlines are incentivized to get the base price as low as possible. Like if the option was to pay $100 more and get 2 checked bags, a meal, and more legroom, I'm still not going to do it.

    The price of air travel has come down astronomically over the past few decades.

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  • [–] 6 points 2 years ago

    ike if the option was to pay $100 more and get 2 checked bags, a meal, and more legroom, I’m still not going to do it.

    It's depending whether you need check bags. As soon as you need check bags, suddently, main airlines becomes competitive with cheap ones like Ryanair, especially considering the airport they desserve which tend to be better located (The difference between a Metro ticket for the main one, and a 20 € Shuttle bus to a remote one also impacts the total price

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  • [–] 4 points 2 years ago

    Now they've even started offering this at the check-in counter! Critically it's after the "pay us $35 to check your bag" screen. It says it's a one time special offer but I've done it a half dozen times now on American and twice on United. Bag just is supposed to be carry on sized. I don't even have to take it through security when this option is available.

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  • [–] 2 points 2 years ago

    I just flew with 2 kids and 4 carry ons. We had to go to the service desk to check 2 car seats anyway, so I asked the lady if we could gate check our carry ons while we were there. They did it free of charge. I don't know if all airlines/ airports will do it, but Delta did. It was super convenient to not have to lug around 4 bags through security and around the airport/ layover airport while chasing 2 kids. Unfortunately, I'm flying United back who only allows a "personal item" so I'm assuming that's not going to be an option on my return flight.

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  • [–] 12 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    I didn't realize this factor until I started traveling with my wife, who packs much more than me. I've always fit everything into a single personal item that goes under the seat, which has always meant casually reading a book until my zone is nearly finished boarding

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  • [–] 9 points 2 years ago (3 children)

    And methods have been worked out to load passengers smoothly and efficiently. Alternate sides, every other row, if I recall correctly, leaves plenty of space and time. But nobody uses this.

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  • [–] 10 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    these methods don't account for all the variables that reality has. People across all boarding groups will be late, there will be people that need assistance from flight attendants, there will be people who want to switch seats to be near their family, there will be people who can't sit in the exit row, there will be people who need to use the rest room, there will be people who've never been on a plane before.

    There is no great, full proof way to handle it because people are unpredictable

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  • [–] 8 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    β€œThe plane is here, everyone get on” (random order) is actually faster than the method they use now, so it wouldn’t take some complex system to increase speeds.

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  • [–] 2 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    That's essentially what Southwest Airlines does. No assigned seats, just a boarding group and number for "controlled" self-service boarding.

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  • [–] 1 point 2 years ago (1 child)

    Too bad you end up in a Southwest plane after all that. I flew them once, in the extra room seat (I’m a tall bastard) and there has apparently been 600 lb life people using the seat before, it was like sitting on an old wicker chair that had blown out.

    One of the worst flights I’ve had.

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  • [–] 3 points 2 years ago

    No the most recent conclusion is random works best if the participants are "normal". Any strategy about this seat or that row first requires trained participants to maximize that effort.

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  • [–] 1 point 2 years ago (4 children)

    But you can fit your hand-luggage under the seat in front

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  • [–] 7 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    That fact doesn’t do you much good if you have a carry-on. And most everyone is trying to get by with a carry-on and a personal bag to avoid checked bag fees.

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  • [–] 2 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    Isn't "carry on" just the American name for "hand luggage"? As in you're only getting one free bag which has to be small enough to fit under the chair anyway, right?

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  • [–] 1 point 2 years ago (1 child)

    No, the carry-on is a piece of luggage that can be stored in the overhead compartment (assuming there’s room, hence the waiting in line). In addition you can bring a personal item (backpack/purse). It’s those bags being put up top as well where the dick moves come in since, on a full flight, there’s not enough space up there and the passengers who boarded before you have put BOTH their carry-on and personal item up there.

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  • [–] 4 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    At the cost of leg room.

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  • [–] 0 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    You can bend your legs under the chair? Obviously I'm exaggerating but I don't think it really takes away that much of the tiny amount of leg room you get anyway!

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  • [–] 2 points 2 years ago

    With the backpack I have, I do lose a good part of my leg space from having my backpack underneath the seat in front of me. That's why I sometimes pull my backpack out and then set it down in front of me, but not underneath the seat in front of me; this lets me stretch/move my legs more than before.

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  • [–] 2 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    I will always do everything in my power to NOT check a bag and have them lose it. So I bring a roller bag and a backpack.

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  • [–] 2 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    I always check my bag and haven't had any go missing in nearly 15 years. It's a lot better with the bar-coded tags and automation.

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