Exactly this. This has nothing to do with customer satisfaction or efficiency. It is 100 percent about revenue generation opportunities. I suspect it will be some combination of assigned and open seating, but we shall see. A lot of people love open seating. A lot of people hate it. This would be a good chance to make both parties happy. We shall see, though.

 

It will allow our A listers to actually use it, and people will be able to book the emergency exits in advance. Also, they need to get rid of the wheelchair scam.

 

could more than a few Prospect wheelchair pushers out of work!

 

100 percent. The pre board scam was the death blow to open boarding. It took a while for it to really gain momentum, but it's gotten ridicuous. Now customers buy early bird, get a low A, and watch 20 people get on the plane before boarding even starts and snag a good seat for free. Also the new airline consumer protection rules are supposed to have rules about sitting with children, which I totally agree with. No matter your boarding group or when you arrive, you should be able to sit with your children, not have to sit in totally different parts of the plane with strangers. At stations like MCO, family boarding, which now goes before A list customers, is huge. It also doesn't include 7-12 year old kids, which should still be sitting with you.
Pure open boarding "cattle call" has run its course. Selling classes of tickets that allow you to pick seats and allowing them to go first and then allowing others to self assign closer to the flight or the computer will assign them and they board last would be my guess. Preboards will have to sit in whatever seat they bought and get off the airplane when it is their turn. There will be a lot of moaning from customers who genuinely need preboard and like our friendly rules, but they can blame the liars and abusers for ruining it.
A scenario like this would generate a lot of extra income and make at least some of the people happy.
Another idea is on full flights to give the first 20 people who check carry on bags with customer service their choice of a drink ticket or upgraded boarding. This would prevent the 30 minute delay that ensues when there are a stack of bags sitting in the jet bridge waiting to get scanned followed by FAs trying to figure out who checked them.

 

if pre boarders can make it on their own to the airport , then they can wait and board just like everyone else

 

good ideas but as a frequent non rever I prefer the open boarding. I would never get an aisle seat again. Plus all DH would be in middle seat since we didnt get that in the contract.
traveling non rev with family would really suck if they chose to wait to issue you a seat last min.
Idk I feel people enjoy the open boarding as they can all play the game to get the seat they want.
I for one do not care about how long it takes to board, that's not my problem to figure out.
idk maybe dont wait till 30 prior to go ask the stews if they're ready to board when you have a full 800 with 12 wheelchairs?
really we are always waiting on ramp finding a headset that works or bringing then back out of their break rooms.
The 30 min turn is dead. Bake 45-60 min turns into the system and just accept it. I think the schedule would run smoother and still accomplish same flights in same footprint since that's what's being done now.

 

It specifically is in the contract in the event assigned seating becomes a thing.

12.G.6.b "deadheading Pilots will not be assigned a middle seat, a seat in the last row of the aircraft, or a non-premium seat, unless these seats are the only types available yadda yadda yadda"

Obviously last minute reroutes could be an issue. But even OALs allow for a middle seat to be assigned (at least United did, not sure if it changed in this new contract) for $100 I think.

 

We sure did. 12.G.6.b: "In the event the Company implements assigned seating or a premium seating product during the duration of this Agreement, deadheading Pilots will not be assigned a middle seat, a seat in the last row of the aircraft, or a non-premium seat, unless these seats are the only types available at the time of booking. This will not preclude a Pilot from being upgraded after the original booking."

Preboard abuse has ruined the open seating, unfortunately. I think assigned seating may shave a few minutes off the average turn just because it'll disincentivize the people who fake a need for preboarding just to get a better seat. That'll save the ops agent time he'd otherwise spend wheeling people down the jetway. Folks with actual disabilities will still be taken care of, of course.


My vote is a two-class cabin: Open seating coach like we have now, and Business Select becoming a section of the plane with more legroom, assigned seating, and other perks. Maybe make it like Euro business class with a blocked middle seat?

 

I ddint cath that. Do you think the company, if we went assigned seating would interpret that as if there is a middle at time of DH assignment, ie when the schedule comes out, or at the time of the actual DH?
meaning you have a DH on your schedule but they wont assign that seat until that day and oops, only middles. Sorry
With the games they are playing on the uniform I'm sure itll be the latter.

 

UAL is 150% pay for time in a middle seat.