Revolutionizing Economy Class Boarding: Unlock the Secrets to a Seamless Travel Experience

United Airlines has upgraded its six-group boarding procedure in an effort to save valuable time during the passenger boarding process. Rather than having passengers shuffle down the jetway and struggle to find their seats in the cramped quarters of a commercial flight, this new method aims to streamline the process and potentially save up to two minutes per boarding. By implementing this improved technique, United Airlines hopes to minimize the logistical nightmare that major US airlines face on a daily basis while accommodating the high volume of passengers they serve.

Beginning October 26, United announced that after the initial boarding groups, passengers seated in window seats in economy class without frequent flyer status will board next. This will be followed by passengers in middle seats, and those in aisle seats will board last. United referred to this process as WILMA (window-middle-aisle), which was tested at four domestic line stations and one hub and deemed faster, according to a company memo addressed to customer service representatives.

Uniteds change also means those who book window seats could have a slight edge for coveted and limited overhead bin space.

Faster boarding = big savings

Commencing October 23, under the revised United program, passengers seated by the window in economy class (excluding those with frequent flyer status) will be granted priority boarding, while individuals occupying aisle seats shall board last. Middle seat occupants, however, remain situated in the middle of the boarding sequence.

According to John Milne from Clarkson University in Potsdam, New York, even saving a single minute in airplane turn time can result in savings of several hundred million dollars annually for a major airline. Milne, who has co-authored over 20 journal articles on airplane boarding, highlights the significant financial impact of faster turnarounds in the aviation industry.

According to Milne, the time savings are a result of efficiently utilizing airplanes, which can lead to significant cost reductions for airlines, especially when boarding time is decreased, allowing for an extra flight during the day. This adjustment in boarding procedures is the most recent modification made by a prominent US airline.

American Airlines implemented a nine-group boarding system in 2017 and subsequently made adjustments to the system in 2023.

Recently, Southwest Airlines, known for its open seating policy, disclosed modifications to its three-group boarding system. These changes involve restricting the availability of early bird check-in slots, aiming to limit the number of passengers who can secure preferred seating.

Reverse pyramid boarding

There must be a better way, right? Milne is an advocate of the "reverse pyramid" method with four boarding groups.

What to do in case of delayed, lost, or damaged luggage.

Milne states that the Reverse Pyramid method enables faster boarding compared to WILMA while ensuring simplicity. He further suggests that if airlines are willing to handle greater complexity, there are superior methods available.

In United's revised boarding process, no modifications are made to pre-boarding for individuals with disabilities or those with the highest frequent flyer status. Additionally, no changes are made to group one, encompassing first and business class passengers.