V-Flyer

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Although in reality, once the announcement for boarding is heard, everyone gets up regardless of seat number.

Indeed, in a 'lab' test this might work, you have literate people clearly following instructions.

In the chaos of an airport gate with so many other factors at play:

- child gone to loo delays family
- man in row 24 arrives late at the gate
- people scrum around
- 20% have had a couple of stiff drinks and are being leisurely
- man in 7D plays the game and tries to board out of sequence
- there are genuinely dumb people who don't understand what they're being asked
- etc. etc.

The whole theory will fall apart !

Can those travelling in UC and PE come forward to board....

At which point all pax stand up and start queuing.....

Given this generally happens, little hope of random numbers being called!!

I posted an article on this a few months ago when some other researchers or an airline(?) suggested that after boarding priority and premium pax the best way to board Y was via SEQ number.

Why not allocate a ticket at the boarding gate based on who you know is in there and where they're seated. A bit like the new queueless systems in use at large post offices where if you're buying currency or special delivery you get prority.

One of the US domestics does (or used to) board window seats, then middle seats, then aisle seats (in that order). I think it was a United flight from BOS to IAD a few years ago.

It didn't work any better, because as on all US domestic flights virtually everyone had a carry-on suitcase and the overhead bins were full after the window seats had boarded, creating massive congestion in the aisle as the next group scurried around looking for space. By the time the aisle seats boarded people were having to go back up to the door to check the bags.

And, of course, status passengers were let on first, which further messed it all up.

'Can rows 14 - 32 come forward' also at which point every man and his dog surge forward ensuing complete chaos as I found out on a BA domestic flight last week

When the second call for rows 1 - 12 came I was left in the terminal with 4 other pax despite it been a full A320. I was in row 4!!

All the gate staff where interested in was getting as many pax out of the terminal and down the jetway as fast as possible then just leave it to the cabin crew to sort out the chaos at the other end. That's also what you get for boarding a full A320 only 10 minutes before it's scheduled departure. Why not just start boarding 10 minutes earlier and do it in an orderly fashion FFS, but hey, that's BA for you

The design of LHR T5 also doesn't help when you have to negotiate escalators/lifts/stairs etc between the gate and the A/C as well as a longish walk.

I remember one of the US airlines (can't remember which) print 'Zone' codes on boarding cards, then they would board by zone areas. This system was strictly adhered to. That system seemed to work quite well.

mitchja wrote:I remember one of the US airlines (can't remember which) print 'Zone' codes on boarding cards, then they would board by zone areas. This system was strictly adhered to. That system seemed to work quite well.

That's AA, and of all the systems I've observed seems to work the best.

slinky09 wrote:

mitchja wrote:I remember one of the US airlines (can't remember which) print 'Zone' codes on boarding cards, then they would board by zone areas. This system was strictly adhered to. That system seemed to work quite well.

That's AA, and of all the systems I've observed seems to work the best.

I have been on International UA flights where they use 'Zones'. Don't know if they still do it.

I can't remember if the zones operated after F/J pax boarded or if they were pre-boarded.

Mind still didn't stop everyone rushing forward. I heard a few 'your card saya Zone 3 Sir we are only boarding Zone 1' with that tone of voice that really means 'go away you silly man'

You could have a trap door that passengers have to walk over before boarding. If you try to board early the machine bleeps (not in a good way), floor gives way and offenders fall down a shute and are dropped off land side too late to re-board! Tossers gone, flight boards on time RESULT.