Queuing to board?

[holachicatita]

So.. currently waiting to board my flight and me and my husband have had a disagreement. Seats are already allocated but I still like to queue and get on the flight once the gates open. He likes to sit and wait until the last minute, looking down his nose at all the silly little people queuing. AIBU to start to queue once the gates open?

I prefer to get on, yes re stressing over cabin baggage space otherwise

I don’t get why people get in the queue earlier to wait longer on a plane but I don’t take loads of hand luggage.

So he lets you queue then walks past everyone else whose queued to join you?

I will be getting first on my flights if I can in a couple of weeks. Do not want my carry on half way down the plane away from me. But I am more relaxed if no carry on.

I pride myself on being last to board. My hand luggage always fits under the seat in front.

This is the only reason to queue.

@holachicatita you are missing important details.

Do you have a window seat? If yes, then get on earlier as otherwise you have to make people move.

Do you have large bags that need to go in the overhead lockers? If yes, then get on earlier as otherwise you have to faff about doing the bag shuffle.

Lots of the cheaper airlines have "priority boarding" for those with larger bags then those with just small bags that go under the seat get on last.

Personally if I just have a small bag then I prefer to board last.

I’m with your husband. We don’t Queue to get on the plane, we wait until there are a handful of people still to board and then get on, no point standing in a queue you won’t get there any faster.

o do like to get to the airport early to check in and go through security but I’m not queueing to get on the airplane .

I never have a wheely case, only have the underseat hand luggage, so not panicked about running out of room. I’m firmly team sit until the last minute as I find standing in queues for long periods difficult and it doesn’t gain anything for me personally. Especially if I have an aisle seat, I will cause less disruption to the others in my row if I get on last minute. Also, if I get on last and there is still room in the overhead lockers I can dump my hand luggage there and I won’t be challenged. I always put the items I need out for the flight in a separate cloth bag so I don’t have to do any rummaging before stowing my main hand baggage.

I've never been in an airport where they boarded people in order of seats and rows. Calling people with priority boarding first,yes. However calling other people individually,no.

I didn't say individually. But every flight I have been on they have done priority and then 'Boarding rows A-E' and so on and so forth. It's never been a rugby scrum. With the exception of boarding planes with only eight seats and then it's done by weight!

I'd rather wait. No point in standing in a dark corridor or overfilled bus. It's horrible and claustrophobic. Then in the plane all the people sorting themselves, their luggage while others try squeeze past ... not for me.
I have a backpack that will fit nicely under the seat, so no issues with overhead locker space either.

If you are at the gate, the plane will not leave without you.

I'm a happy to wait person. I've only been on a couple of flights where some passengers with hand luggage were asked to put it in the hold because they'd run out of locker space (short flights within Europe).

If I’m in a window seat I will join the queue and board as soon as possible. If I’m in the aisle seat I will sit and wait as long as possible. No point getting into my aisle seat then having to get up again for someone to get into the window seat. I only take under-seat luggage usually to avoid the battle for storage space. Or if I do have a cabin case, it usually happens that they ask people to volunteer to check them in for free - problem solved.

Shouldn’t you wait until your boarding group number has been called?

I find that people are either one or the other and very entrenched in their views. I’m a sit & wait and honestly can’t understand why you’d stand and queue, to sit in a pre allocated seat, to then sit and wait on the plane. But after travelling with colleagues who need to stand and queue the second the gate is announced and can’t see the other viewpoint I put it down as just one of those things.

Sorry I have never understood the queuing if you have a seat, I like to get on last

I used to be like DH but I board last a few years ago and an aggressive man refused to move out of my seat. I was forced to sit in the centre of the back of economy when I'd booked and paid for a premium economy. Cabin Crew just let him do as he pleased. I got no £ back. Now I board early to make sure i get my seat.

Your husband is right. I just don’t see the point in queuing if the seats are allocated. As long as I’m by the gate so I can see it’s not closing without me, I’m fine to be the last one on 🤷‍♀️ Might as well be sat down just chilling.

I prefer to sit and wait unless for some reason I have speedy boarding (like if I’m
with someone who wants or needs the front row)

I try not to bring a case on the plane as it’s annoying

You should have pursued that with the airline, in fact you still can if it was less than 6 years ago. How much was the fare difference?

I am with your husband. I also always book aisle and only have luggage that fits under the seat in front.

I've seen people queueing before the plane has even landed and you can clearly see the tunnel with no plane attached through the window. I join the queue once it starts moving and I can see people boarding.

#notallflights

I can remember back in the 1960s when seats on a plane were not allocated and there was a queue to get on and secure your preferred seat.