Virgin America Tests Allowing Baggage-Free Passengers To Board First
Ever the innovators, Virgin America is testing a new boarding scheme for speed and efficiency. They've ordered agents at targeted airports to let people without bags board the airplane first, the idea being to seat them and then let everyone else slow down the line while fighting for overhead space. It's the kind of thing that, if you run it through your mind, seems just crazy enough to work. So naturally everyone, us included, is trying to come up with reasons why the new policy is doomed to failure.
Travel blogger Cranky Flier is worried that overly ambitious, roll-a-board toting business consultants will try to sneak onto the plane along with legitimately carryon-free travelers. That would put gate agents in the awkward situation of either having to contradict a customer or letting them cheat. It's not that these passengers would be jumping the line in the strict sense—they have more of an incentive to do that in the status quo, where they're not assured that the people ahead of them will leave overhead space—as much as a "what do you mean my 'backpack' counts as a carryon?" kind of scenario.
Our concern is a little bit different, and comes from the perspective of light travelers. We don't carry a lot of luggage because we don't want to have to get on the plane early. The pleasure of traveling out of a backpack is that we don't have to fight for overhead space when after we board. That translates into more time finishing a meal, more time charging peripherals, more time relaxing and—most importantly—less time sitting on an airplane. People who pack light to get those benefits aren't going to rush onto the plane early, and given the choice might simply wait until the final boarding call.
Nonetheless it's an interesting experiment, and we have no doubt that other airlines will be watching to see how it goes.
[Photo: Limaindia / Wiki Commons]
Related Stories:
· Virgin America Tries Letting People Without Carry-Ons Board First [Cranky Flier]
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· Virgin America Coverage [Jaunted]
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