Why do people with children board first?

Flight Centre's tips for travelling with kids summarises the conundrum well: “Priority boarding can go two ways,” they warn. “[It] can allow you extra time and space to settle the kids into their seats. It also lengthens the amount of time in cabin confinement.



People Also Ask

To keep flights orderly and boarding smooth, airlines calculate that it makes sense for small children to board early with a parent and get settled before the anxious masses wanting an on-time or early departure.

MORE DETAILS

Board first, or last: If you're traveling alone with a small child who's mobile, boarding first is probably easier. But if you're with another adult, he or she can board first with the bags, and you can board last. This gives your child extra time to run around.

MORE DETAILS

An adult traveling with a child six years old or younger may board during Family Boarding, which occurs after the “A” group has boarded and before the “B” group begins boarding. If the child and the adult are both holding an “A” boarding pass, they should board in their assigned boarding position.

MORE DETAILS

All passengers flying in a premium cabin get priority boarding. But the group you'll be assigned to depends on which class of service you're flying. Passengers in the front cabin board with Group 1.

MORE DETAILS

A parent who purchases airline tickets for a family should receive a guarantee from the airline that it will seat the parent and child together without fees or a last-minute scramble at the gate or having to ask other passengers to give up their seat to allow the parent and child to sit together.

MORE DETAILS

If you need your carry-on bag during a long layover or prefer not to wait at a late-night baggage claim after a long day of flying, then purchasing a priority boarding upgrade may be well worth it. In essence, purchasing priority boarding is staking claim to readily accessible overhead bin space.

MORE DETAILS