Loading the bus

[Loon-A-Tic]

It's been a few years since I've travelled much as a passenger, when did they start loading the bus randomly by "zone number". In the past it was always from back to front, was reasonable smooth and everyone had space for their carry-on. This zone process is a dogs breakfast and why don't the airlines just start charging for the privilege of carry-on it would end that nonsense to a screeching halt.

[C-GGGQ]

it has gotten even worse it used to be zones 1-3 and it was 1 in front two and three etc. now its like zone 3 is Window seat. 4 is centre so now my wife and I aren't even the same zone etc.

[CpnCrunch]

It's been a few years since I've travelled much as a passenger, when did they start loading the bus randomly by "zone number". In the past it was always from back to front, was reasonable smooth and everyone had space for their carry-on. This zone process is a dogs breakfast and why don't the airlines just start charging for the privilege of carry-on it would end that nonsense to a screeching halt.

They've been doing zones since 2014. It's really just the same as front-to-back, which has been shown to be the slowest method. Oddly, the airlines made this minor change immediately after mythbusters showed it was the slowest boarding method, and the airlines themselves admit that it's useless, but "gate staff and flight attendants like it because it more structured and organized".

https://www.businessinsider.com/mythbus ... ong-2014-9
https://www.thestar.com/business/2014/1 ... zones.html

As mentioned in the comment above, I think they may also have recently change the zone process so that window and aisle are different, as I've been in a different zone to my wife sitting next to me on recent flights (in the last 3 months). I don't think it's speeded it up at all.

It's always a gong show watching the inefficient shambles of AC or WJ try to fill a 737 or bus full of passengers. The 787 is better, simply because they allow more time for boarding.

I see that easyjet now have a fee to put a bag in the overhead bins. I'm not sure how that works...do the FAs police the bins and ask to see if you've added that option to your ticket? I can't really see that being very efficient either, and it was just mildly annoying to me when booking that they nickel and dime so much.

[newlygrounded]

It's been a few years since I've travelled much as a passenger, when did they start loading the bus randomly by "zone number". In the past it was always from back to front, was reasonable smooth and everyone had space for their carry-on. This zone process is a dogs breakfast and why don't the airlines just start charging for the privilege of carry-on it would end that nonsense to a screeching halt.

They've been doing zones since 2014. It's really just the same as front-to-back, which has been shown to be the slowest method. Oddly, the airlines made this minor change immediately after mythbusters showed it was the slowest boarding method, and the airlines themselves admit that it's useless, but "gate staff and flight attendants like it because it more structured and organized".

https://www.businessinsider.com/mythbus ... ong-2014-9
https://www.thestar.com/business/2014/1 ... zones.html

As mentioned in the comment above, I think they may also have recently change the zone process so that window and aisle are different, as I've been in a different zone to my wife sitting next to me on recent flights (in the last 3 months). I don't think it's speeded it up at all.

It's always a gong show watching the inefficient shambles of AC or WJ try to fill a 737 or bus full of passengers. The 787 is better, simply because they allow more time for boarding.

I see that easyjet now have a fee to put a bag in the overhead bins. I'm not sure how that works...do the FAs police the bins and ask to see if you've added that option to your ticket? I can't really see that being very efficient either, and it was just mildly annoying to me when booking that they nickel and dime so much.

Every single flight into or out of Canada I've been on has had EVERYONE stand up when zone 1 or preboarding were called, even zone 5 people. Makes it so you can't even walk down to the other gates as everyone just stands in a big unorganized mass!

[Loon-A-Tic]

Its absolutely chaotic as best.

As for policing the use of the overhead bins that would be tied to the ticket as a purchased feature and fall on the gate agent to monitor with a visible indicator for the cabin crew awareness. So no visible tag; no overhead bin privileges, straight to the luggage hold with it.

[‘Bob’]

Zone boarding is by far the most efficient. But a few things conspire to make it a gong show.

1) Everyone rushing/crowding the gate. This dilutes the zones as Zone 2 people are often stuck behind entitled zone 3-4 people. Unfortunately the only solution to this would be segregated lines controlled by another agent.

2) People bringing their entire lives on board and not knowing what to do with them. It never used to be the race for overhead bin space when checked luggage was free. People trying to put obviously oversized luggage into the bins that their bingo wings are quivering while struggling to loft them.

[C-GGGQ]

The real problem with the bins is the bags these day. Full hiking packs as carry on. Carry on bags are now oversized too. I got a lovely carry on bag from my employer. Hard sided. Usb ports. Laptop compartment the works. Told it met all carry on size requirements. It does not. Not even close. I put it next to my swiss gear bag and its gigantic. I now take my old bag when commuting. Need to actually make people measure the carry ons so they fit in the bin

[digits_]

Zone boarding is by far the most efficient. But a few things conspire to make it a gong show.

1) Everyone rushing/crowding the gate. This dilutes the zones as Zone 2 people are often stuck behind entitled zone 3-4 people. Unfortunately the only solution to this would be segregated lines controlled by another agent.

2) People bringing their entire lives on board and not knowing what to do with them. It never used to be the race for overhead bin space when checked luggage was free. People trying to put obviously oversized luggage into the bins that their bingo wings are quivering while struggling to loft them.

Passengers are just behaving the way airlines and airports make them behave.

- Rushing to the gate: the majority of pax waiting to board a plane can not site at the gate. No airport I've been to has enough seats available for the majority to sit while waiting for a plane to board. If you are already standing, then why would you not wait in the line? What do you have to lose?

- Big carry ons: it saves waiting in line to drop off your bags. Saves time. Stories about airlines losing bags, and refusing to return them after pax tell them where they are with their luggage trackers, don't really do much to convince pax they'll get their bags. Combine that with delays the past few years and I can completely understand why people don't want to leave their bags behind.
Also, if you've travelled on the newest 737s before, with lots of overhead room, and then suddenly you get rebooked and are looking at a Dash 8 luggage bin, then that's a surprise. Not everyone expects the overhead bins to disappear.

Trust is easily lost. That's what the airlines are now dealing with.

[kilocharliemike]

get an aeroplan creditcard, buy all your gas, groceries pay all your bills whatever, you'll be 25k status boom like that. zone 2 boarding, walk past them like you balling.

don't tell anyone else...

[CpnCrunch]

get an aeroplan creditcard, buy all your gas, groceries pay all your bills whatever, you'll be 25k status boom like that. zone 2 boarding, walk past them like you balling.

don't tell anyone else...

I'm not sure how much groceries you're buying, but you need to get 100k aeroplan points to earn 25k status with a card.

WJ is much easier to earn status, especially if you have the credit card. They also run deals throughout the year, like the recent 2.7x qualifying spend offer.

[CpnCrunch]

Zone boarding is by far the most efficient. But a few things conspire to make it a gong show.

Well it depends what you mean by "zone boarding". Up until recently, zone boarding has simply meant front-to-back, back-to-front, or some combo. That may have changed to "important people, followed by window-middle-aisle plebs", but I can't find any actual confirmation of that change by AC or WJ.

The most efficient method is window-middle-aisle, then random, then front-to-back or back-to-front.

[kilocharliemike]

get an aeroplan creditcard, buy all your gas, groceries pay all your bills whatever, you'll be 25k status boom like that. zone 2 boarding, walk past them like you balling.

don't tell anyone else...

I'm not sure how much groceries you're buying, but you need to get 100k aeroplan points to earn 25k status with a card.

WJ is much easier to earn status, especially if you have the credit card. They also run deals throughout the year, like the recent 2.7x qualifying spend offer.

I put everything on that card, utility bills, car payments, teenager style groceries, gas, plus any work expenses. it all adds up.We were close to 150000 points but used some for March break! once you go zone 2 you can't go back.

[co-joe]

Ever since the media released the story that after 21 days of not actually looking for your lost bag, Air Canada just donates it and its contents to charity, even if you have an air tag and can tell them exactly what warehouse in YUL you bag is in. Everything has changed.

I flew AC from YOW-YYZ the next day and nobody took the gate agent up on the free gate check and everyong flat out refused to check a bag (Full A320). Since that day, I've noticed our checked bags number has decreased dramatically. Flair charges more for carry on and people are just willing to pay it no problem now. 189 people and 23 checked bags seems pretty common.

Anyway yeah the zone thing sucks, in the US it's hilarious how many zones they have. There must be a dozen or more including members of the military, etc...

[Donald]

get an aeroplan creditcard, buy all your gas, groceries pay all your bills whatever, you'll be 25k status boom like that. zone 2 boarding, walk past them like you balling.

don't tell anyone else...

I'm not sure how much groceries you're buying, but you need to get 100k aeroplan points to earn 25k status with a card.

WJ is much easier to earn status, especially if you have the credit card. They also run deals throughout the year, like the recent 2.7x qualifying spend offer.

The problem with that, is you're stuck flying WJ

[Bede]

[YouTube] https://youtu.be/qhxlZC8BZJ4[/YouTube]

[rookiepilot]

As someone said, the airlines made this bed, now they sleep in it.

Boarding is my single worst part of flying. Its every man, woman and infant for themselves. Its all about the overhead bins. Nobody waits, loading or unloading.

Airlines should strictly enforce the rules. If people weren’t ridiculous with their 2 hard case rollies each , I’d happily board last every time. I pack light — and its been an issue on narrow bodies too often.

I take any bin even close to my seat. They aren’t reserved, BTW.

[pelmet]

If they were not allowed to charge for the first two bags(like it used to be), we would not have this baggage problem, which is also a safety problem.

[TG]

What about awful airport sound systems 90% of the time or "Boarding zones" signages ridiculously small and at mid waist level so that you can't see which one is which one as soon as there is more than 3 or 4 people pilled up in front?