Also, everyone has a carry-on since checked bags now universally cost extra, but there's never enough space for all the carry-ons, so everyone's quietly jockeying to not be the last twenty people in line.

I just pay the $15 and enjoy my drink until 8 seconds before they close the door. Absolutely worth it.

I also do this, especially if you have assigned seats and are flying light, there is no reason to be the first person on the plane unless you like sitting and doing nothing for 45 minutes.

To which $15 do you refer? Surely there is no charge for being at the end of the queue?

Sorry, checked bag fee.

Where are you that it's only $15? It's $60 around here.

is it ever just $15?

If you have to gate check, it’s still free

Yeah but you already packed lighter and more constrained and hauled your carryon all the way to the plane, so it feels obnoxious to then have to surrender the one advantage of carryon other than price (not having to wait for your luggage at the carousel) after you've already accepted all the disadvantages.

I've been having fun with people putting their bags in the compartments marked "emergency exit seats" and then being surprised their bag is put in the hold when mine is put in instead of theirs. (Since you cannot have luggage under your seat there some airline have a reserved bin for the ee seats)

I'm skeptical how much charges for check-in have to do with it. People traveling on business almost universally don't want the time overhead (and risk of delayed luggage) associated with checking bags even though they could expense it or often get free checked bags through status anyway.

So what though? I actually like getting gate checked. Now I don’t have to shove the bag in the overhead I just pick it up in claim.

> So what though? I actually like getting gate checked. Now I don’t have to shove the bag in the overhead I just pick it up in claim.

Some airlines give you gate checked bags right upon exit at the bridge. This is OK.

Others put it into the pile of luggage at Baggage Claim. This adds another 45min to your trip.

Not anymore. As of last year, if you try to board earlier than your zone is called, the scanner won’t accept it and the FA will tell you to go to the back of the line. This is at least on Delta. I read other airlines are also being more strict

The problem is that when they don’t exhaust the queue, there are people there 2+ zones lower than the latest called out one.

So your best strategy when you realize this is happening is to get in line to try to time getting to the front roughly when your zone will be called.

Delta gate agents very frequently do this and it’s super annoying because it defeats the point of their bajillion zones.

The best strategy is to go to the bathroom when they call boarding and mosey on over whenever you like. Its easier to board as one of the last few vs the first. No one in the aisle and you can identify your potential seat from across the plane.

I would much rather be situated in my window seat early. I don’t have to worry about people mistakenly or purposefully taking my seat and waiting for them to move or wait for people to stand up for me to get my seat.

If I get a free upgrade to first class, I can already be sipping on my free prs board alcoholic beverage.

Board first, board last, all good choices for people. However, a mass of people chaotically at a boarding gate is so shameful -- Computer Science has solved these problems already with priority queues, and the airline industry should catch up. Perhaps airlines should just mandate leetcode.

I do remember being on business in East Asia and how orderly these things operated.

There are priority queues at least with Delta to a point.

- people needing extra time

- military

And then they are call by Zones

- 1st class boards first sho are at the front of the plane (Zone 1)

I think zone 2 is Diamond medallion. More than likely unless they bought a last minute ticket on a full plane, they would at least be C+

- Comfort+ boards next who are behind first class (Zone 3)

- Gold Medallion boards next and they are in the main cabin (Zone 4)

Those four zones above have a dedicated lane and should have plenty of overhead space close to their seat.

Below those four is where the upheaval starts especially if you fly out of Orlando like I do now with a lot of infrequent fliers. At that point, everyone is Main cabin jockeying for position and overhead space.

Even then Zone 5 isn’t bad. You get that by either having a cobranded credit card or being the lowest medallion level - Silver

Optimal boarding speed-wise does not align with the limited overhead bag space. So you get the priority system we have today.

Premium fliers would never go for the trade of “you get to pick between having a guaranteed overhead bin slot and sitting at the back of the plane”.

This only works if you check your bags. And checking bags is for casual travelers that don’t care about their time when they get to their destination

Here in Ireland nobody cares what the gate agents say on the announcement. People start lining up way before the flight and just get on the plane. It sucks because if you need overhead room you are stuck standing for at least an hour. I’ve seen American boarding agents boarding Irish return flights getting frustrated that people aren’t listening, and they are faced with either creating a big incident or just acquiescing.

It works so much better when there is a system and everyone follows it.