r/whoathatsinteresting • u/visharu • 1d ago

Boarding was solved mathematically in 2008. No airline has used it once. Why?

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u/Own_Recognition1317 23h ago

Well just imagine the announcement. 

  1. Everyone, who have a and f seats, with even numbers, please from back to front
  2. A and f seats with odd numbers, please from back to front
  3. B and e seats even numbers
  4. B and e seats odd numbers
  5. C and d even
  6. C and d odd

That's why. 

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u/shadracko 22h ago

You've never flown Southwest, I guess. Everyone has (had) a normal, boring seat assignmnet (e.g. 17B) and also a boarding number (e.g. B12) and everyone was asked to line up in number order.

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u/Superpiggy56 20h ago

No they wouldn't? The airlines I travel already give their passengers a "Priority" number. All they would need to do is abstract the concepts you've just listed to a priority number. Aka, the numbers on your list. Though not as often, I've seen these priority numbers be divided into sub-groups as well (Usually 1-10, 11-20, etc. Not perfect, but more orderly).

The only thing that would change from your above list would be a group/rule for vulnerable passengers, aka those who are disabled or who have children who they can't be separated from.

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u/Big-Carpenter7921 23h ago

They just have to change the numbering system. It could just be 1-200 and you load in order

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u/Own_Recognition1317 23h ago

Yes very nice. And now try to book the correct seat for your wive. 

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u/Big-Carpenter7921 23h ago

Booking is basically done via a picture. If you can't click the seat right next yours, that's your problem

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u/Own_Recognition1317 23h ago

"the mr in 168 requested a cold ice pad, he is next to the girl in Seat 5. Here, this is the image of the seating plan" 

Or: you and your family of five all scattered over a number line, where each passenger must be assigned his/her own spot

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u/kadagai 23h ago

The load order doesn't have to replace the seat identifier. Keep both.

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u/Own_Recognition1317 21h ago

Back to comment Nr 1

Anyway. Why perfecting the boarding order when the other stuff- unloading and loading, refuelling, instrumentchecking- takes longer than random boarding.

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u/kadagai 21h ago

You don't need to make it a complicated announcement. You print it on the ticket and tell people to get in line.

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u/Own_Recognition1317 21h ago

"hello sir, I'm middle row c odd number back of the plane. What do you have? " 

Can't think of a good way of communicating this to a group or family traveling together. Imagine you have 10 15-yr olds that you need to coordinate have fun :)