When do you board a flight?

This is exactly why I pay up to sit as close to the front as possible. While I can't afford first class, I CAN afford whatever product that XYZ airlines offers that gets me close. I couldn't care less when I board, as long as I spend the least amount of time on board upon arrival at my destination.
I have never flown first class, and I'm in no hurry when I fly, I wish others would just relax. I know I have control over them, just like when at the checkout trying to rush out of a store to only see them leaving the parking lot AFTER you.
 
For more than a decade I flew somewhere and back at least once a week, sometimes more. Now I avoid flying like the plague.

Back then status meant something so I usually flew first class, in which case I always boarded last. Handed the first class stewerdess my small bag and they would stick it in the front closet with theirs. When I fly now I board with my slot.

Back when I flew weekly and my inlaws were alive my wife would fly with our then small children to see their grandparents in the summer. When they were really small I used points to put them in first class - there only 2 years apart so travelling with 2 babies by yourself isn't much fun. For a long time my kids thought everyone on the plane got ice cream.

My first business flight was right out of college for a extremely large household name company. Even though the office was business casual by that time, I was told I should wear a suit and tie during the flight because I was representing the company.

I now fly maybe a couple times a year at most and don't miss it one iota.
 
If I'm flying international business class, I'll board first and settle into the pod. It's nice!

If I'm flying Southwest, I'll board with A group. We pay the extra fee for early board. My wife gets anxious that we won't get to sit together so it's money to alleviate stress on vacation.

If I'm flying economy for work and traveling light or flying with my wife and we're checking bags, I'll wait until last call. I'd rather sit in the airport than wait in line down the jetway to board the plane.

Overall, people are nuts clamoring to get in the plane even though they have assigned seats.
 
For more than a decade I flew somewhere and back at least once a week, sometimes more. Now I avoid flying like the plague.

Back then status meant something so I usually flew first class, in which case I always boarded last. Handed the first class stewerdess my small bag and they would stick it in the front closet with theirs. When I fly now I board with my slot.

Back when I flew weekly and my inlaws were alive my wife would fly with our then small children to see their grandparents in the summer. When they were really small I used points to put them in first class - there only 2 years apart so travelling with 2 babies by yourself isn't much fun. For a long time my kids thought everyone on the plane got ice cream.

My first business flight was right out of college for a extremely large household name company. Even though the office was business casual by that time, I was told I should wear a suit and tie during the flight because I was representing the company.

I now fly maybe a couple times a year at most and don't miss it one iota.
How long ago where you asked to wear a suit and tie to fly? I remember my first business trip in 1990 and my older boss chided me for not wearing a tie to Ruth's Chris.
 
How long ago where you asked to wear a suit and tie to fly? I remember my first business trip in 1990 and my older boss chided me for not wearing a tie to Ruth's Chris.
Mid 90's. And yes, I too was advised by my seniors at the time.
 
Mid 90's. And yes, I too was advised by my seniors at the time.
I grew up wearing nothing short of a polo and khakis flying as a kid...while family always looked good in case we were upgraded to business. My dad traveled internationally for work and had status. Now the pajama clowns make flying commercially feel like a Greyhound.
 
People treat overheat storage differently, like people treat street parking differently.

While most rational people see the street spaces in front of their houses as 'theirs', they know it's not. But for others to abuse it regularly is a no-no, especially when those others have street parking in front of their own houses.

Most rational people see the storage space above their airplane seats as 'theirs' since everyone has their own. But many see it as a free-for-all and first on means first shot at overhead storage so they can bring on more crap, screw everyone else!

I've actually read somewhere about traveling 'hacks' that suggests putting your stuff in the overhead bins as far forward in the plane as possible to help you get on and off faster so you don't have to lug it all the way to the back of the plane then all the way forward and off, but to do so you need to be among the first on. Are you allowed to do that? Sure, I guess so. Is it selfish and lame as hell? You bet it is.

I hate people. Moreso every day.
 
I don't really care. I board when my ticket tells me to board. Doesn't make much of a difference to me.
 
What annoys me are the people with a high group number crowding the gate when they're boarding group 1!
And... those people are too stupid to listen to the gate attendants when they advise it's a full flight and recommend gate-checking their bags. Some do... others don't and act surprised when there is no available overhead luggage space.
 
Question for the frequent flyers:
What is the common denominator for the nigh percentage of non bathers and air travel?
Both of our trips in the last year I was parked beside folks that had either bathed in or ate a bushel basket of red onions and/or had a loaded dirty adult diaper. It was torture on a 5 hour trip….
 
I really wish airlines would charge for carry on's and discount checked luggage. It would be better for everyone. Carry on's would make boarding and hence travel faster, so the airlines save money and you get there faster. Those that value time can pay to carry and subsidize those that don't Those that are budget conscious can check their bags. The System is backwards.
 
Question for the frequent flyers:
What is the common denominator for the nigh percentage of non bathers and air travel?
Both of our trips in the last year I was parked beside folks that had either bathed in or ate a bushel basket of red onions and/or had a loaded dirty adult diaper. It was torture on a 5 hour trip….
I used to fly very regularly domestically, you've got some bad luck. I've never had what you describe.



I typically fly Southwest, so I board as early as possible to get my choice of seat.
 
People treat overheat storage differently, like people treat street parking differently.

While most rational people see the street spaces in front of their houses as 'theirs', they know it's not. But for others to abuse it regularly is a no-no, especially when those others have street parking in front of their own houses.

Most rational people see the storage space above their airplane seats as 'theirs' since everyone has their own. But many see it as a free-for-all and first on means first shot at overhead storage so they can bring on more crap, screw everyone else!

I've actually read somewhere about traveling 'hacks' that suggests putting your stuff in the overhead bins as far forward in the plane as possible to help you get on and off faster so you don't have to lug it all the way to the back of the plane then all the way forward and off, but to do so you need to be among the first on. Are you allowed to do that? Sure, I guess so. Is it selfish and lame as hell? You bet it is.

I hate people. Moreso every day.
Someone stuffing their things in the overhead part by first class section, or anywhere else that isn’t above their own seat, is part of why I like boarding early. Sticking your crap above someone else’s seat is rude. It’s presumptuous. It is not a timesaver, since you hold up the line while you grab your trash from somewhere else on the plane.

It’s a selfish, “screw everyone else” move, not a legitimate “hack”

Stuffing every little item, like winter coat, backpack, and small bags, in the overhead is another rude traveler “hack”. It shows you‘re a selfish tool, not a seasoned traveler.

I board early. Rollaboard in the overhead over my seat. Small bag under the seat in front of me.

There are security and other reasons why I generally like boarding early, but they’re not germane to this discussion.
 
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I really wish airlines would charge for carry on's and discount checked luggage. It would be better for everyone. Carry on's would make boarding and hence travel faster, so the airlines save money and you get there faster. Those that value time can pay to carry and subsidize those that don't Those that are budget conscious can check their bags. The System is backwards.
There are many airlines that don’t charge for a checked bag, my own among them.

But people see the “super discount saver basic fare” - which doesn’t include a checked bag, or a carry on bag, and very clearly says so right on the site - and they then try to schlep a ton of crap on board.

You get what you pay for. And people click on price without reading.

My wife flew to PHX last month to see her daughter and granddaughter. She had a checked bag with gifts for both.

It was $800 round trip on United, free checked bag, priority boarding.

It was $600 on Southwest, free checked bag, steerage boarding. She decided to try SWA.

She had a tight connection going there. I paid for her priority boarding. $75.

She had a really tight connection in BWI coming back. 30 minutes. Two priority boarding fees (to get her near the front on leg one and have room for her bag on the second) would have been $150. And she was still worried about the checked bag making it.

I booked her on United. $400 one way. Free checked bag. Economy plus reserved seating. Early boarding. 90 minute connection in IAD. Low stress.

SWA refunded the $300 of that segment. I saved the $150 I would’ve paid.

United was cheaper, and a better product, than SWA on that leg.

So, yeah, airlines offer free checked luggage - but I‘m pretty certain that the average flyer is a price conscious, illiterate, selfish moron.

Don’t expect rational behavior.

And don’t expect to see Mrs. Astro lined up in the free for all that is SWA boarding.
 
I'm another Southwest flyer, and I vastly prefer their boarding process to everyone else's. It's best to think of it as a game, and there are various tricks to use to get a better boarding position. I'm pretty good at the game. But yeah, I like to board early, even if it's just to grab an exit row seat or the "unlimited legroom" seat.

Flight destinations sometimes make a difference what kind of crowd there is on board. I've flown to San Jose a few times, and found the plane full of business travellers and others who were packing light, so OH bin space was plentiful. At the other end of the spectrum, a place like MCO will see tons of families with kids, elderly people and college students on Spring break, all of whom are flying with all their earthly posessions. Bin space goes fast when Baby Cindy has brought along all her toys, college student Chad has brought his guitar, and Grandma has all her books and sewing stuff packed into the overhead bins.
 
I used to fly very regularly domestically, you've got some bad luck. I've never had what you describe.



I typically fly Southwest, so I board as early as possible to get my choice of seat.
Two flights out of JFK in the last year. (Heathrow & Dublin). Both flights the aircraft was full of adult people in need of a good bath, diaper change, and teeth brushing. Maybe I should be more tolerant of “cultural differences”. It was one time where wearing a mask/respirator would be a good thing…
 
Question for the frequent flyers:
What is the common denominator for the nigh percentage of non bathers and air travel?
Both of our trips in the last year I was parked beside folks that had either bathed in or ate a bushel basket of red onions and/or had a loaded dirty adult diaper. It was torture on a 5 hour trip….
It's not the norm, but it does happen occasionally.
 
There are many airlines that don’t charge for a checked bag, my own among them.

But people see the “super discount saver basic fare” - which doesn’t include a checked bag, or a carry on bag, and very clearly says so right on the site - and they then try to schlep a ton of crap on board.

You get what you pay for. And people click on price without reading.

My wife flew to PHX last month to see her daughter and granddaughter. She had a checked bag with gifts for both.

It was $800 round trip on United, free checked bag, priority boarding.

It was $600 on Southwest, free checked bag, steerage boarding. She decided to try SWA.

She had a tight connection going there. I paid for her priority boarding. $75.

She had a really tight connection in BWI coming back. 30 minutes. Two priority boarding fees (to get her near the front on leg one and have room for her bag on the second) would have been $150. And she was still worried about the checked bag making it.

I booked her on United. $400 one way. Free checked bag. Economy plus reserved seating. Early boarding. 90 minute connection in IAD. Low stress.

SWA refunded the $300 of that segment. I saved the $150 I would’ve paid.

United was cheaper, and a better product, than SWA on that leg.

So, yeah, airlines offer free checked luggage - but I‘m pretty certain that the average flyer is a price conscious, illiterate, selfish moron.

Don’t expect rational behavior.

And don’t expect to see Mrs. Astro lined up in the free for all that is SWA boarding.
Granted I mentioned I don't fly much anymore - but I never minded the SWA boarding process, and I always pay for higher priority in line - just because you pick your seat.

When I did fly a lot United was by far the WORST. I avoided them like the plague. They couldn't get anywhere on time. Might have something to do with basing your hub near the worst flying weather on earth.

As for people being idiots, that has been a universal truth for eternity, so if the airlines enable it then its on them.
 
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