Question on Airlines that do Group Boarding

[BobH]

What is the advantage to the airline to do group boarding rather than assigning seats? I'd rather not even have to think about whether my family can sit together - I'd rather fly an airline that assigns seats. Can anyone explain the reasoning behind the group boarding concept?Thanks.

 

[Lewisc]

SW found lack of assigned seats gets people to the gate area early which allows them to turn over the planes quicker. In most cases the first group is boarding as soon as the last person has left the plane.

With assigned seats airlines won't even release the seat to standbys until 10 minutes before depature (normal practice)

 

[seashoreCM]

Southwest is the best known airline with no assigned seats. Other airlines such as Song have assigned seats and also group boarding.

With normal rear to front boarding there is just one small spot where people are stowing the baggage and the queue of people trails out the plane to the door and jetway. This small spot works its way foward.

Group boarding is an effort to have stowing occur all up and down the plane aisle. The idea is to load a few rear passengers then a few central passengers and then a few front passengers, the a few more rear passengers etc. This loads the plane faster.

Airlines are still experimenting with how to define groups and what order to board them. For example having window seat passegners board then middle seat passengers, etc.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm