Gate 41Why do we board in groups?
Why can't everyone just walk on?
Boarding in groups keeps the jet bridge and the aisle moving. Airlines choose an order that suits them: by fare or status, by seat zone or back to front, so passengers do not bump into each other in the aisle.
At the gate the agent scans each boarding pass and counts the people on board. The gate door typically closes about ten minutes before departure, but airlines vary.
A little deeper
Boarding methods are studied by airlines and academics. Window-middle-aisle and back-to-front are quicker than random in some models, but real boarding is full of surprises, like bags and families.
The gate agent also handles standby lists, seat changes and the final passenger count that goes into the load sheet.
See it in Gate 41, in the gate
Related questions
People involved
- Daniel WhitfieldGate agent
- Nadia RahmanCabin crew (purser)