Aircraft onboarding is often inefficient and chaotic. Anxious passengers crowd the gate queue, sometimes out of order, causing a bottleneck even before they get to the plane. Once onboard, they encounter cramped, slow-moving aisles. Overhead bin space is limited, and the process for everyone to find their seats and stow their belongings takes far too long. But could the process be done better?

The current state of affairs

To understand why the boarding procedure with most airlines seems so sluggish, let's explore the most common methods and how they work. As we've previously discussed, many airlines will pre-board certain passengers, like active-duty military or families with young children, before onboarding most of their other travelers.

Different airlines also typically have their own priority boarding systems based on fare class, frequent flyer status, and other paid perks. Last month, Simple Flying took a closer look at the specific procedures at major US carriers. Beyond that, the following summary outlines the boarding process for all other passengers.

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Wizz Air Airbus A320 With Stairs
Photo: M101Studio/Shutterstock

Various different methods

Block boarding from the rear to the front of the plane is the standard onboarding method. Passengers board the aircraft by group, based on their seat number, beginning at the plane's rear toward the front until everyone is seated.

Rear-to-front block boarding seems logical at first blush. Ideally, passengers get seated quickly without impeding the progress of those in the preceding rows. However, this is not how it works out in the real world. Instead, the time it takes for everyone to find their seat and place their hand luggage in the overhead compartment causes a backup that delays subsequent boarding groups.

In the random boarding method, passengers do not have assigned seats, but are given a boarding "zone" on a first-come, first-served basis, usually according to the order in which they checked in. Southwest Airlines utilizes this process, and this also used to be the case at easyJet. Efficiency is achieved as this "free for all" system allows for multiple travelers to be seated simultaneously.

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Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 Disembarking Via Ramp
Photo: Joe Kunzer | Simple Flying

Then there is the WILMA method, which stands for "window-middle-aisle." United Airlines has used this process to onboard passengers with window seat assignments first, followed by those with middle seats, concluding with aisle seats, beginning at the aircraft's rear. Like the random method, WILMA is faster than rear-to-front block boarding because multiple passengers get seated simultaneously.

Putting the methods to the test

The US television show 'Mythbusters' experimented with several boarding schemes in episode 222, which premiered in August 2014. Using a realistic airplane set with 173 seats and overhead bins, the presenters found that the rear-to-front block boarding method was the slowest, clocking in at 24 minutes and 29 seconds.

The WILMA process, meanwhile, was found to have been much more efficient at 14 minutes and 55 seconds. The random boarding method with no assigned seats was the fastest method tested, at 14 minutes and seven seconds.

Boeing 737 & Jetbridge At Night
Photo: Holger Graebner/Shutterstock

Other research into the fastest method

While the random and WILMA methods are considerably faster than the typical rear-to-front system, neither are the fastest schemes available. That would be the 'Steffen Method,' developed by Jason Steffen. Published results in the Journal of Air Transport Management in 2012 showed that his process was nearly twice as fast as the rear-to-front method and faster than WILMA or random boarding.

Using this system, priority is given to passengers who need extra time to board, such as those with disabilities and people traveling with young children. Then, beginning in the plane's rear, individuals with window seat assignments begin boarding in alternating rows on one side of the plane, followed by the opposite side.

The same process is then followed for the middle seats, then the aisle seats. Once the first round is complete, then the remaining rows are filled using the same pattern. However, airlines do not use the Steffen Method for onboarding. This is likely because it would be too complex to implement smoothly, among other considerations, such as concern about separating families during boarding.

United Airlines Window Seat Passenger
Photo: United Airlines

Why don't more airlines change the way they onboard passengers?

Contributing to the long lines during onboarding are the increasingly complicated grouping systems utilized by many airlines. These allocate boarding priority according to the traveler's fare class or another status. For example, United Airlines' boarding process entails a hierarchy that allows for three distinct groups of travelers to board before the seating of the economy class can even begin.

Additionally, baggage fees compel travelers to bring as much as they can in their hand luggage. It is a time-consuming process for passengers to stow their bags in the overhead compartments, which quickly fill up as more people board. As long as airlines rely upon paid perks, loyalty programs, and baggage fees as revenue streams, we should not expect a more streamlined process anytime soon.

Ryanair Rear Airstairs Boarding
Photo: Philip Lange I Shutterstock.

What about the fastest disembarking procedures?

However an airline chooses to board its passengers, it will want to get them all onboard as quickly as possible to ensure a timely departure. Similarly, upon a flight's arrival at its destination, it is in the airline's interest to disembark these passengers promptly, so that the aircraft's turnaround procedures can commence.

With this in mind, Simple Flying also took a look at the quickest ways in which aircraft can be disembarked last year. We found that, while rarely implemented, ways to expedite this process can include allowing aisle passengers to disembark first (followed by middle and window passengers), or opening a second exit door.

What do you make of the different boarding methods used across the industry? Which has been the most efficient you've encountered on your travels? Let us know your thoughts and experiences in the comments!

Source: Journal of Air Transport Management