4 ms·

The airlines chose to turn a simple logistical procedure into a silly game of caste and cash. Passengers chose to play the game and try to win, beating their fe

The airlines chose to turn a simple logistical procedure into a silly game of caste and cash. Passengers chose to play the game and try to win, beating their fellow passengers. Moving 100 people 100 feet takes 45 minutes and 5 crew members to organize. Instead of everybody working together to make it smooth, passengers compete against each other and the airlines. Passengers try and get the largest bag possible on the plane free of charge. They try to get on before other passengers so they can take up lots of overhead space and normally try to put their bags in bins closer to the front than their seats. Later passengers who sit up front then have to put their bags closer the the back of the plane and then fight to get back there when it is time to get off. They shove, squeeze and smash bags into the already filled bins rougher than any bag handler could dream of in a desperate attempt to avoid checking. The designers and players of the game all seem to work very hard in making the simple task of getting on a plane very difficult, slow and unpleasant. The whole game is so bizarrely penalizing that passengers actually want to be first to get onto a cramped plane and sit down, where they will be cramped and sitting hours on end. While flight is a modern miracle, flying is like the Jerry Springer show- it is humans at their worst and is depressing to watch. Why don't they just put seat numbers and dividers on the bins? Your luggage fits in your bin or it gets checked at $25. Travelling for one week or less and all my luggage (clean underwear and toothbrush) fits into a small backpack that I still can't find room for when I board late. Being tall means under the seat does't work well since my feet are there. Anything less than ten hours drive is a road trip for me.

sauwan 7y ago
I just got back from an American Airlines (I typically fly Delta, and haven't ever experienced anything quite like this) flight just like this. I was boarding group 5 of 8. 1-4 are the special premium "play the game" passes. I had PAID EXTRA to sit in row 7 near the front of the plane, because I had an extremely short layover and knew I wouldn't have any time to waste. But when I got on the plane, the overhead bins all the way back to row 21 were full. So I had to go to the back of the plane, and then fight my way back through the crowds to the front of the plane. And then when the flight landed, me and about 5 other passengers spent the next 15 minutes slowly working our way backwards, seat by seat to try to get to our bags as people got off the plane. Luckily I'm a runner and was able to catch my flight, but I'm going to be avoiding flying American unless I absolutely can't avoid it. It was stupidity.
gist 7y ago
> Why don't they just put seat numbers and dividers on the bins? Your luggage fits in your bin or it gets checked at $25. a) Bags are different sizes so no way that would be efficient (dividers) b) Not everyone has a bag that needs to go in the bin (who gets to use their space?) c) There isn't enough space for everyone to have a bag is my guess evenly divided. They could do a better job of keeping track who brings what on board but they are obviously trying to smartly avoid having negative interactions with passengers. > Instead of everybody working together to make it smooth Sure as soon as everyone else cooperates (which they won't) it's a great idea (and only an idea). What else in life with such a large number of people ever works this way?
njarboe 7y ago
Southwest avoids most of these problems. Two free checked bags removes pressure from the overheads, no first class seats or extra legroom seats for extra money, no reserved seats (just a line up number system). Lots of direct flights and no real hub system. I try and fly them when I can.
- rockostrich 7y ago
  The only reason I prefer JetBlue for domestic flights is because I've always flown out of BOS or NYC. If that wasn't the case then I would probably choose Southwest as my domestic airline even though I almost never bring a checked bag on domestic flights.
- BrandoElFollito 7y ago
  I flew SW for the first time a few weeks ago (I live in France). The flight was great but I discovered something I have never seen elsewhere : the bus stop plane. I flew from Phoenix to Oakland with a stop in Portland. The ticket was PHX-OAK, people got off the plane at Portland, some more got in. A bus stop in short. It took 2.5 + 1.5h for a nominally 1h40min flight.
  - Boxxed 7y ago
    Isn't that just a normal, non-direct flight with a layover?
eridius 7y ago
If every seat number had bin space allocated for it, that space would not be large enough to fit even the smallest carryon suitcase. Overhead space only works because not every seat uses a suitcase's worth of space (and stuff smaller than a suitcase usually gets crammed under the seat in front of you).

sauwan 7y ago

I just got back from an American Airlines (I typically fly Delta, and haven't ever experienced anything quite like this) flight just like this. I was boarding group 5 of 8. 1-4 are the special premium "play the game" passes. I had PAID EXTRA to sit in row 7 near the front of the plane, because I had an extremely short layover and knew I wouldn't have any time to waste. But when I got on the plane, the overhead bins all the way back to row 21 were full. So I had to go to the back of the plane, and then fight my way back through the crowds to the front of the plane. And then when the flight landed, me and about 5 other passengers spent the next 15 minutes slowly working our way backwards, seat by seat to try to get to our bags as people got off the plane. Luckily I'm a runner and was able to catch my flight, but I'm going to be avoiding flying American unless I absolutely can't avoid it. It was stupidity.

gist 7y ago

> Why don't they just put seat numbers and dividers on the bins? Your luggage fits in your bin or it gets checked at $25. a) Bags are different sizes so no way that would be efficient (dividers) b) Not everyone has a bag that needs to go in the bin (who gets to use their space?) c) There isn't enough space for everyone to have a bag is my guess evenly divided. They could do a better job of keeping track who brings what on board but they are obviously trying to smartly avoid having negative interactions with passengers. > Instead of everybody working together to make it smooth Sure as soon as everyone else cooperates (which they won't) it's a great idea (and only an idea). What else in life with such a large number of people ever works this way?

njarboe 7y ago

Southwest avoids most of these problems. Two free checked bags removes pressure from the overheads, no first class seats or extra legroom seats for extra money, no reserved seats (just a line up number system). Lots of direct flights and no real hub system. I try and fly them when I can.

rockostrich 7y ago
The only reason I prefer JetBlue for domestic flights is because I've always flown out of BOS or NYC. If that wasn't the case then I would probably choose Southwest as my domestic airline even though I almost never bring a checked bag on domestic flights.
BrandoElFollito 7y ago
I flew SW for the first time a few weeks ago (I live in France). The flight was great but I discovered something I have never seen elsewhere : the bus stop plane. I flew from Phoenix to Oakland with a stop in Portland. The ticket was PHX-OAK, people got off the plane at Portland, some more got in. A bus stop in short. It took 2.5 + 1.5h for a nominally 1h40min flight.
- Boxxed 7y ago
  Isn't that just a normal, non-direct flight with a layover?

eridius 7y ago

If every seat number had bin space allocated for it, that space would not be large enough to fit even the smallest carryon suitcase. Overhead space only works because not every seat uses a suitcase's worth of space (and stuff smaller than a suitcase usually gets crammed under the seat in front of you).