IT'S NOT ROCKET SCIENCE

[wnbubbleboy]

Perhaps the simplest approach is the open seating plan famously practiced by Southwest Airlines since its earliest days in 1971. It may seem slightly quaint next to its more elaborate cousins, but it has helped make Southwest a turnaround champion that claims to take only 25 minutes on average to unload, clean and reload its 137-passenger Boeing 737s.
“That’s very fast,†said Mr. Swierenga, the consultant, adding that there are no industry benchmarks on turnaround time. “It depends on the size of the aircraft,†he said. “A 747 jumbo can take hours.â€

Seating, Rows... Southwest’s turnaround time is “below those of our competitors,†said a Southwest spokeswoman, Beth Harbin, who added that the range is 35 minutes to an hour for most airlines.

Southwest’s system is also cheap and uncomplicated, requiring almost no exotic technology. Customers get assigned to Groups A, B or C on their boarding passes, in the order in which the passenger checks in. Groups are called in alphabetical order, with passengers rushing to occupy the seat of their choice.

Though some Southwest passengers liken it to a cattle car, they are generally good sports. But in blogs and other forums they grouse that they have to be at the airport early to get the best seats.

To show off the effectiveness of its simple system, Southwest’s scheduling department has come up with a what-if model, in which turnarounds take five minutes longer. To keep its current schedules of 2,773 daily turns for its fleet of 461 737s, the airline would need 18 additional aircraft costing a total of $972 million — not including the cost of crews and maintenance workers.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/14/business...mp;ref=business

 

[ngneer]

Northwest, which has traditional assigned seating, recently replaced its back-to-front loading with Southwest-style open boarding. Some corporate travel managers have complained that their fliers are getting the Southwest open-seating treatment even though they are paying full fare. But Northwest, like most major airlines, provides a separate boarding lane for elite business travelers, even when they are late to the gate. And it says its system reduces boarding time by seven minutes.

I hadn't realized NW was trying WN's open seating. Interesting.

 

[LCC_#1]

I have flown SW and experienced the boarding and it didn't bother me in the least. Everyone should be at the airport early anyway. The responible are rewarded and the procrastinators get what they deserve. At SW, families and elderly still go first.

Assigned seating is a pain. One dup seat and the boarding comes to a screaching halt. Then theres the scattered party issue with everyone wanting to sit with their party and being seperated by seat assignments. Not everyone is helpful and more arguments have developed over assigned seating issues. With the SW method, you just get on and sit down.

The only problem I see with this system is that it seems to work better at airports where connections aren't made as it seems one is punished for not living in a city that has a nonstop where they are going.

Also, alot of airports like LAX just aren't SWA BOARDING friendly. TOO congested.

 

[JS]

The only problem I see with this system is that it seems to work better at airports where connections aren't made as it seems one is punished for not living in a city that has a nonstop where they are going.

I've changed planes on Southwest a few times. It's no big deal. Southwest doesn't operate banked hubs, so you often get layovers of an hour or two anyway. There is a limit to how far in advance you can wait in line because you have to wait for a gate assignment first. Besides, people who wait in line more than an hour before departure are morons.

Granted, with a connection, the inbound might be late and you board last, but on the other airlines, you're probably screwed anyway from seat poachers (and good luck getting the flight attendants to accept a delay to move people around to their assigned seats).

 

[LCC_#1]

I've changed planes on Southwest a few times. It's no big deal. Southwest doesn't operate banked hubs, so you often get layovers of an hour or two anyway. There is a limit to how far in advance you can wait in line because you have to wait for a gate assignment first. Besides, people who wait in line more than an hour before departure are morons.

Granted, with a connection, the inbound might be late and you board last, but on the other airlines, you're probably screwed anyway from seat poachers (and good luck getting the flight attendants to accept a delay to move people around to their assigned seats).

Thats all good to hear. I just wish SWA could somehow stream the customers so there isn't so much congestion in the cramped airports like the terminal in LA. God that place makes me nervous.