Originally primarily the domain of low-cost carriers such as Southwest Airlines and ValuJet Airlines, what is known as the branded pillar boarding process has now also been adopted by legacy carriers such as United Airlines and Delta Air Lines.
One Reason I Do Not Like the Branded Pillar Boarding Process
The branded pillar boarding process incorporates pillars which are branded with the groups or zones to which passengers have been assigned in order to expedite the boarding process in general — and if you listen to carriers such as Delta Air Lines, the process has been a proven success:
“The latest upgrade to the boarding process features branded pillars to create four parallel lanes, keeping customers out of the walkway and providing a separate queuing area for Premium customers and those needing special assistance”, according to this article written by Ashton Kang for Delta News Hub. “The airline plans to roll out this interim solution to additional airports if customer feedback continues to be positive.”
One reason why I do not like the branded pillar boarding process is because once passengers start queuing long before their groups or zones are called, other fellow passengers tend to act like lemmings and follow suit — and long lines suddenly form. This means that if you want your chance at having space available for your belongings in the overhead storage bin above or near your assigned seat by the time you board the aircraft, you stand a better chance by standing in line early before the queue grows too long — which could possibly mean significantly less time relaxing either seated or in an airport lounge.
Although the older boarding process may not have been perfect, I usually was able to remain seated until my group or zone was called; and I was able to be one of the first to board the airplane within my group or zone — ensuring that I have space available in the overhead storage bin above or near my seat virtually every time.
Summary
There is no need to post in the Comments section below that an obvious way to bypass this issue is to ensure that you are assigned a seat in the premium class cabin so that you board in the first group or zone — I know that…
…but with the newer boarding process, I have seen the queues grow long enough to spill out into the walkways and other open areas, which blocks traffic and causes crowding; and generally negates the resolution to the problem which sometimes plagued the older boarding process. The queues can even at times block access to the gate agents at the desk.
I cannot say for sure; but at some gates, it seems to me that to create more room for the queues, some chairs were removed. Many gates typically did not have enough seats for all of the passengers in the boarding area as it was prior to the implementation of the branded pillar boarding process. If this is indeed true, then add this as a second reason as to why I do not like the branded pillar boarding process.
I am still not even sure whether or not a special lane for passengers who have earned elite level status serves a purpose significant enough to result in a more efficient boarding process.
Boarding dozens — or even hundreds — of passengers aboard a narrow metal tube with wings is no easy task; and that is regardless of the boarding process which is implemented.
What do you believe would be the best solution for efficiently boarding passengers aboard an airplane?
All photographs ©2016 and ©2018 by Brian Cohen.
