Flightster

Boarding Blunders: Beat the Stress

It’s no secret that boarding is one of the most stressful parts of flying. People crowd the gate area as if the gate agent is giving away $100 to the first 10 people to board. Relax.

You’re all going to get on.

Here are some tips to keep in mind during boarding that can keep the process moving along and make it a bit less stressful.

Check your bag. If the airline you’re flying on doesn’t charge, get rid of the stress that comes with worrying about whether or not there’s going to be room for your luggage. If the airline you’re on charges for checked bags and you decided to bring a carry-on for that reason alone, listen to the announcements. Sometimes the agents will offer early boarding if you check your bag at the gate. Doing so comes without a fee. Also, as the bins fill up offer to the agent that you wouldn’t mind gate checking your bag. They will probably take you up on the offer and they won’t charge you a fee.

Have a roller board? Don’t push it, pull it! Time and time again I see passengers try to push their roller board in front of them down the aisle. It doesn’t work! Pushing the bag usually results in the bag hitting each and every seat on your trek down the aisle. Pulling the bag behind you, like the bag was designed to do, helps you to ensure the line keeps moving and you get to your seat quicker.

Wheels Out! If you do bring your bag on the plane put it in the bins with the wheels facing the aisle. It usually fits better (except on 737-300s, I’ve noticed) and it also helps free up space for those passengers who have yet to board. Placing your bag long ways takes up the same amount of space as two bags placed in the bin with the wheels out. Travel karma is the best karma.

Put your bags where they are supposed to go. If you’re traveling with a carryon and a personal item please be courteous and place your smaller item under the seat in front of you and only place your larger item in the bins overhead. The space is shared and limited.

Not in first class? Don’t use the bins. Place your bags in the bins associated with your cabin class. The first class and business passengers pay extra for “preferred” bin space. Placing a bag in the overhead bin in the first class cabin and then going to your seat in the coach cabin may result in your bag being moved or checked if the owner cannot be located.

There’s probably not a closet. Most airlines removed closets from their airplanes during the fuel crisis in the summer of 2009. The best place for your jacket is on top of any items already stored in the overhead compartments. You won’t have to worry about someone crushing and wrinkling your coat.

Sitting on the aisle? Don’t buckle up unless your row is full. If you’re sitting in the aisle seat and you’re the first person in your row to board, chances are you’re going to have to stand up to let other passengers into the window and middle seat. Not buckling your seatbelt until all of the passengers in your row have arrived will help expedite the boarding process.

Pay it forward. Just like the movie, help each other out. There’s no way a flight attendant can always be there to help all 150 people board. If you encounter someone needing help, why not help them? Not only will it be assistance for them, but it’ll also help the boarding line move along quickly.

Board with your group. Don’t try to “cheat” the system. There is a “system” on purpose. Boarding groups are set up to minimize your time in the aisle and to help you get into your seat quickly. Those people who board with later groups or before their group are called are usually the ones backing up the process.

Don’t close the bins. After you place your items in the bins overhead, don’t close the bin. Let the flight attendants who work the aisle during the boarding process do it. Most of the time bags can be shifted around to make more room for coats or smaller bags, allowing the bin to remain open allows the flight attendants to assess it’s contents and determine if more bags or items can be stowed inside.

What do you do during boarding to get to your seat faster and make the line move quicker?

PG

Bobby Laurie

Bobby Laurie, author of the book Planely Speaking and television travel correspondent, currently works as a Flight Attendant at a low-cost airline and as a freelance journalist. After graduating from the Pennsylvania College of Technology with a degree in Mass Media Communication, Bobby combined his passion for both journalism and travel by writing about the travel industry through his insider knowledge and personal experiences. You can read Bobby's blog about being a flight attendant and the airline industry by visiting UpUpAndAGay.com.

13 Comments

  1. 1 year ago
    Mark Lawrence

    If only more people followed these guidelines, the air travel experience would be enhanced forever. If just one person changes their habits from reading this, that’s a success. It all starts with one.

    Reply
    • 1 year ago
      Bobby Laurie

      I agree Mark! I was boarding a flight this morning and I pretty much read my tips over the P.A. for all to hear to see how many people listened. I would say a good 20 people actually rotated their luggage so the wheels were out, and a few even helped other passengers put their items away. It’s a grass roots movement!

  2. 1 year ago
    J.T. Wenting

    A major problem here is non-enforcement of carryon luggage limitations.
    On every flight I see people (usually women, but not always) try to board with 2,3, sometimes 4 large shopping bags totalling almost a cubic meter of luggage.
    This clogs up the system completely as not only do they take up massive amounts of bin space and the time to stow all that, but it prevents others from stowing their own more sensible luggage.

    I always ensure what I bring is within the size limits and get rather pissed off when it can’t be stowed anywhere (ever noticed that a bag that’s within the posted limits can still be too large to fit under a seat?).
    As my bags usually contain expensive and fragile items (photographic equipment, which is why I won’t check it, it’d be guaranteed to get damaged and/or stolen by airport workers) I’d rather not need to stow them in the far rear of the cabin when I’m seated at the front, I like to keep it in my sight whenever possible, the temptation for someone may be too much otherwise and insurance won’t cover it if the bag were not in my physical posession at the time something was stolen from it, one of those nice clauses in modern travel insurance..

    Reply
  3. 1 year ago
    Doug Willey

    Having achieved Exec. Platinum on AA and being a pilot for United, I agree with most of your suggestions. Most of the aircraft I have flown or ridden on (MD80, A320/319, 737-3/5/7/800, 757, 767) have bins where the bags typically fit better with the wheels placed in first (outboard). Additionally, this places the handle at an easily accessible place for departing the aircraft. Most of the passengers I have seen with the wheels facing the aisle usually have a much harder time trying to control their bag as they are getting it out of the bin. This usually ends up with someone getting at least a minor bump.

    Addendum to Board with Your Group…Please don’t crowd the area around the ticket reader. Allow at least a pathway through the crowd. As an Exec. Plat., I am almost always in first class, and I can’t believe how many people with Group 3 and 4 I have to wade through to get to the boarding bridge.

    If you want to study crazy human behavior, airports and gate areas are the place to do it. For the few people in line trying to get a new seat assignment or some such thing, please don’t line up so the line blocks traffic up and down the concourse. As the line gets long enough to enter into the traffic of the terminal, BEND IT so it lines up parallel to traffic and not across it. Funny thing is, after personally doing this, three people behind me have already started to block traffic by being oblivious to the world around them.

    Reply
    • 1 year ago
      Bobby Laurie

      Doug, you make a valid point! Everyone crowds the ticket reader as if they’re going to miss boarding with their group. Like I said, if you’re at the gate area and can hear the announcements: Don’t worry! You’ll get on! Relax!

  4. 1 year ago
    adventureswithben

    I recently flew with only 1 carry-on and a checked bag. Loved it. No stress worrying about bin space overhead. No worrying about being first in line. It was magic.

    Reply
    • 1 year ago
      Bobby Laurie

      When I fly on my time off, if I notice the flight is full, I always offer to gate check my bag. One less thing to worry about.

  5. 1 year ago
    ptahcha

    I do close the bin, but only when you cannot squeeze anything else in there.

    Also, I help out others with their bags. Not because i’m being nice, but it’s really for my own safety so it doesn’t inadverdently fall on my head.

    One more thing: keep the aisle clear for others.

    Reply
  6. 1 year ago
    Christina Baita

    Hi Bobbie,

    I even close the overhead bin at row 1 (if I am on the CRJ200, blah) because you would be surprised (or not) how many people even sitting in row two think they should be able to put their bag there. Only a foot from their seat! I joke around and say that row 1 should come with a disclaimer “No room for bags”. Some people understand and some are outright peeved by the thought that I would sensor that bin!

    For those that don’t understand the full concept of placing a bag under their seat instead of hogging up the whole overhead I will never understand myself. It’s just plain rude people! I know that will be a lot more difficult to control when I am with a major.

    Thanks for the great post. I am including you guys in my latest post. Sara knows.

    Reply
  7. 1 year ago
    FRANK

    wheels out? Bobby!!! You forgot the most important addition to that helpful remark. Make sure the bin door will close. If your bag is hanging TWO INCHES past the edge of the overhead, guess what? You’ve created a physics problem, because most likely the bin is full and the flight is close to departure time and there’s NO place to relocate it, sooooo, then I have to endure a debate with the passenger on why it has to be checked or why they didnt answer the numerous pages explaining the PROTRUDING bag. Funny, how they finally identify themselves when they see you lifting from the bin to check it.

    Reply
  8. 1 year ago
    MHA

    Hey, Bobby. I wish I could agree that “you’re all going to get on” is reason enough to relax and board towards the end of the process. Since I do always check my luggage, anything I’m carrying on board is not something that can be gate-checked. It’s my laptop and camera, all in one pretty compact bag. It’s my only bag, so I feel it’s reasonable putting it up in the overhead bin. In a real crisis, I’ll put it under the seat in front of me, but despite Christina calling me rude for it, I’ll keep that space open for my feet if at all possible. If my bag is where my feet belong, my feet have to go somewhere else, and then flight attendants yell at me to get them away from the aisle!

    Reply
  9. 1 year ago
    Traytable

    MHA, I think Christina is referring to people who bring a carry on AND a laptop bag and a handbag (which is more of a carry on than a HANDbag) and then want to put ALL of their items in, taking up an entire baggage bin needing to take bags for 2 rows’ worth of people. These ‘rude’ people are the ones that will NOT put ANY bag under the seat in front, even if it is a tiny purse and the flight is full. I had three of these today. We’re not talking about someone with one carryon suitcase who puts it up in the overhead bin.

    Bobby, the wheels out thing depends on the airline. 2 of the carriers I’ve worked for specify wheels to the back of the bin (either for safety reasons- bags can roll out easily) or due to the shape of the door of the baggage bin.

    Reply
  10. 6 months ago
    Andrew

    I also like to keep my carry on with me in my lap at my seat until my group has finished boarding, then try to arrange it so I am not blocking the aisle for others. This doesn’t work so well on full flights and definitely doesn’t work on a “pick-your-seat” boarding system like Southwest’s.

    With regards to the boarding with your group comment, I think part of the fault there lies with the gate agents as well. I, as a passenger have never seen someone turned away by a gate agent for boarding too early (except in pre-boarding), only to find that there are half a dozen able-bodied, child-free passengers blocking the aisle on the way to my seat. It is infuriating to me as someone who actually does wait for my (usually) row to be called. If the gate agents were more strict on this policy, people might understand that they can’t get away with it.

    Reply

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