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airplane loading

window seat passengers get on first
  [vote for,

The day following a nationwide crash of its computer systems, WestJet, a Calgary, Alberta based discount airline tried catching up on their backlog by boarding faster. The idea was amazingly simple: let people with window seats board first, and those with aisle seats last. They also allowed individuals travelling together to board simultaneously. This cut boarding time by a third.
rjbb, Sep 15 2001

Airplane Loading Algorithm http://www.guardian.../theairlineindustry
Pretty much as per [phoenix]'s anno [imaginality, Mar 02 2008]

The Best Way to Board a Plane http://www.physorg.com/news122215582.html
[quantum_flux, Mar 03 2008]


       I've also sometimes wondered if this would be a better way. But I think the reason it's not widely-done is the fear that boarding will be delayed as the passenger in 27A and the entire line behind him waits for the passenger in 11A to wrestle her carry on bag into the overhead bin.   

       Unfortunately, if WestJet has actually done this, it doesn't qualify as truly halfbaked.
beauxeault, Sep 15 2001

       Start at the window seats at the rear of the plane, fill up the last row, move forward one row, repeat.   

       And should we consider it baked if one airline did it one time? I think the proposal is for an industry standard.
phoenix, Dec 12 2001

       Beauxeault, it can't be any slower than holding up a third of the plane while someone wrestles a bag into the overhead, and is likely to be faster, as the people in the window seats don't have to climb over the people in the outside seats who have invariably gotten on first...
StarChaser, Dec 13 2001

       Organized airplane boarding. Since not everybody shows up at the same time to board a plane, I don't really see how it could be done -- and understand why it is done the way it is done presently. It wouldn't really shorten much time because everyone would have to wait outside the airplane for the latest passenger. I'm not exactly competent right now so nobody throw stones please.
jimithing, Dec 13 2001

       Each side of each aisle has its own door and boarding ramp, see? This way, entering from the outside of the plane, the aisle seats would be first filled.
bristolz, Dec 13 2001

       //Since not everybody shows up at the same time to board a plane, I don't really see ....// Huh? In general, everybody is at the departure gate by boarding time, apart from the inevitable three stragglers. Most airlines now call passengers in groups by row-number. Calling window-seat passengers first would seem sensible.
MaxwellBuchanan, Mar 02 2008

       Everyone should be loaded in from the top like bowling pins.   

       Alternatively, hefty men should be employed to expertly slot hand luggage into the overhead storage.   

       You could have the layout of the gate seating identical to the largest plane that would use it so that people sit in the correct order at the gate. Then you can easily call them in any order you choose with more accuracy than just saying rows 30-45.
marklar, Mar 02 2008

       I don't quite understand what the obsession with boarding a plane quickly is when you are going to spend a half hour on the runway before takeoff anyhow. You have all but one crucial point here, you didn't incorporate the every-other-row rule of thumb. But good job nonetheless! [+]
quantum_flux, Mar 03 2008


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