Boarding dynamics

[Dont call me Shirley]

http://leeds-faculty.colorado.edu/vandenbr/projects/boarding/boarding.htm#section2

http://www.airliners.net/aviation-forums/general_aviation/read.main/5223580/


We've seen various boarding schemes at US - back to front (still used on the Shuttle), zones - including "reverse pyramid".

I understand that JAL or ANA can board 500+ people on a 747-400SR in less time than Americans board a 737-700. (Helps when people don't have an armful on carry-ons).

Take a look at the first link - fascinating study; be sure to click on the animations, The second link is anet discussion.

(I like it when the rear door is used as well; jetBlue does it at many locations, US uses aft deplaning on the Shuttle. And you may have seen the sixties era photos showing a 707 or DC-8 parked parallel to the terminal with jetways fore and aft.

Wonder if Tempe will look at this sort of study.

 

[BoeingBoy]

The professor who came up with HP's "reverse pyramid" boarding system said in his report that WN's old "cattle car" procedure - boarding order determined solely by check in order at the gate - was actually the most efficient. However, it doesn't fit well with assigned seats, elite boarding perks, FC, etc.

In theory the pure "reverse pyramid" order should be efficient, but it's been altered so much by modifications - elites boarding early no matter where seated, credit card holders likewise, members of a party boarding together no matter where individually seated, etc that much of the efficiency has been lost.

Jim

 

[Dont call me Shirley]

Great video showing a/c parking parallel with fwd and aft jetways. And people dressed nicely, too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrgA0yYhHic&feature=related

 

[Travelpro72]

Well in all fairness with regards to JAL boarding a 747 that fast, have you ever watched a subway boarded in Japan? I don't know why they don't test boarding as follows:
1. Special assistance
2. First class
3. The preferred customers AND choice seating
4. The rest open seating like Southwest.
To me you are taking care of everyone in order. It takes people more time to FIND their seat then simply choosing one. I'm sorry but Southwest does it and it works.

 

[crazystnic]

Great video showing a/c parking parallel with fwd and aft jetways. And people dressed nicely, too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrgA0yYhHic&feature=related

great video,,,, yes bring back 45 Inch seats and 60 % load factors!

I can remember as a kid going BOS-MIA on EAL... dad was rEAL.... and it was always what would you like ? steak or chicken? even in coach.

 

[Dont call me Shirley]

great video,,,, yes bring back 45 Inch seats and 60 % load factors!

I can remember as a kid going BOS-MIA on EAL... dad was rEAL.... and it was always what would you like ? steak or chicken? even in coach.

I was half expecting to see Don Draper on that flight. And there were no sagging pants or women's undies in sight.

 

[UPNAWAY]

As counter intuitive as it seems randomness seems best. Back to front is probably the worst.

 

[SS255]

As counter intuitive as it seems randomness seems best. Back to front is probably the worst.

I agree 100% that back to front is not very efficient. That's how CO does it, and they begin boarding 35 minutes prior to departure on the 737's, and 45 minutes prior to departure on the 757's. They need the extra time, due to all of the chaos concentrated in one section of the plane at any given time.

UA moved to the back-to-front boarding method in the spring. It became such a problem that they reversed course within a few weeks, and have gone back to zone boarding. Supposedly there is an IT-related reason why CO cannot do zone boarding, but I believe they are working on it. I hope they fix the problem soon!

I also like US's vigilance in monitoring the overhead space, and then moving to checking all rollaboards once the overhead space is taken. Sometimes they are over-vigilant, but for the most part they have it down to a science.

Although, I must say, I REALLY hate when GA's call "all rows" for Express flights -- especially those flights where you have to walk outside to board. I hate getting stuck in the freezing cold or rain behind slow-moving infrequent travelers who can't board quickly, because I wasn't prepared for an "all rows" cattle call.

 

[SS255]

http://leeds-faculty.colorado.edu/vandenbr/projects/boarding/boarding.htm#section2

http://www.airliners.net/aviation-forums/general_aviation/read.main/5223580/


We've seen various boarding schemes at US - back to front (still used on the Shuttle), zones - including "reverse pyramid".

I understand that JAL or ANA can board 500+ people on a 747-400SR in less time than Americans board a 737-700. (Helps when people don't have an armful on carry-ons).

Take a look at the first link - fascinating study; be sure to click on the animations, The second link is anet discussion.

(I like it when the rear door is used as well; jetBlue does it at many locations, US uses aft deplaning on the Shuttle. And you may have seen the sixties era photos showing a 707 or DC-8 parked parallel to the terminal with jetways fore and aft.

Wonder if Tempe will look at this sort of study.

Two boarding jetways for 747's is great -- especially when I'm headed to the left!

Boarding European flights is a free-for-all, especially when your plane is parked on the tarmac and not at a gate. My LO flight from KRA-ORD in 2008 boarded from the front and the rear. We were bused out to the tarmac, and got to choose which end of the plane we wanted to board. It was pretty chaotic. I much prefer the organized boarding procedures which the U.S. carriers follow.

 

[Dont call me Shirley]

http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20099450-1/physicist-cuts-plane-boarding-time-in-half/


A now from a physicist at Fermi Labs, no less.

Passenger jets seem designed to waste time, what with people trying to stuff oversized carry-on bags into undersized luggage bins, aisles clogged with people, and a billion other factors that delay your flight.
A few years ago, Fermilab astrophysicist Jason Steffen observed this while flying to a conference and got to thinking: is there a way to have passengers board a plane more efficiently?

Looks like random boarding is not without merits.

 

[BoeingBoy]

Most if not all the methods these people come up with are great in theory, just like the inverted pyramid US uses. Have everyone but families board as individuals and this latest model is probably very efficient (and would be more efficient if families boarded as individuals based on where they're sitting).

However, in the real world almost no airline boards strictly by the models. Elites board early no matter where they're sitting. Credit card holders, choice seat buyers, etc board early in the process no matter where they're sitting. Spouses, business associates, etc board with the person having the earliest boarding order. Etc. Throw all those variatiions into the model and pure random boarding with no seat assignments becomes more efficient. Something WN has known for over 30 years.

Jim