Tourists who often choose to fly because of the availability of cheap airplane tickets and cheap vacation packages often wonder why different airlines have different methods of boarding.
Some airlines board their first class and elite frequent fliers first then board from the back of the plane. Other airlines board passengers by zones.
Earlier this summer American stopped using the back to front seating protocol in favor of random seating for coach passengers. Its first and priority passengers are assigned the first zone that boards. According to a recent study by American Airlines, it is faster to board passengers randomly by zone.
Zone boarding is a random method that involves more work for flight attendants who must prepare the plane for takeoff faster and seating sooner.
The Association of Professional Flight attendants contends that zone boarding creates complete chaos among passengers, requiring attendants to spend more time preparing for takeoff. The attendants are unhappy, according to the association, because they are not paid for the extra time needed to load the plane.
To date, there is no agreement regarding which is the fastest or most efficient way to board passengers.
A spokesman for the flight attendant union commented We understand it (zone boarding) needs to be tweaked a little. www.cheapfares.com