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Why does it take so long to board a plane?

Most airlines stick to the back-to-front method of boarding a plane, according to a report by Wired. So the people who sit in the back board first, and the people in the front last (barring business and first class passengers obviously).



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Most flights begin boarding 40-50 minutes before takeoff. Boarding ends and the plane doors close about 15 minutes before departure. To make sure boarding goes as smoothly as possible, we've outlined how it works here.

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It turns out the most efficient method is a highly organized one. First, boarding everyone sitting in odd-numbered row window seats, then even-numbered row window seats, then odd-numbered row middle seats and so on.

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Flights usually start boarding between 30 to 50 minutes before the scheduled departure time. This allows enough time for passengers to check in, clear security and customs, and make their way to the boarding gate.

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This is because international flights can have additional check-in requirements, like passport verification, that need to be completed before you receive your boarding pass. Further, international flights tend to begin their boarding process 15 to 30 minutes earlier than domestic flights due to the larger plane size.

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When Does Boarding Start? Boarding for domestic and international flights usually begins thirty minutes to one hour before scheduled departure, beginning with first-class and business passengers. Be sure to check the scheduled departure for your flight on the airport screens.

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This shouldn't cause a problem as passengers are expected to be at the gate 15-30 minutes before and should have boarded the plane at least 15 minutes ahead of the departure time. If you somehow don't make it onboard within these timeframes, the flight can absolutely leave without you.

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The recommended layover time for international flights is generally longer, as you will have to go through customs and immigration before boarding your next flight. In most cases, a 30-minute layover for domestic flights and an hour for international flights is considered a minimum, or short, layover.

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Southwest Airlines has the fastest boarding process of any major airline by simply allowing people to claim the first available seat. It works because passengers spend less time waiting in the aisle, and have more freedom to sit where it's least crowded.

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WilMA boarding is when passengers board the plane based on whether they're sitting at the window seat, the middle seat or the aisle seat. This method claims to increase boarding efficiency since it means there are fewer people standing in the way while others try to get to their seats.

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If you are not in the plane by the time the doors are closed, you will not be flying on that plane. They do not wait for anyone these days; they have people on standby and will give your seat to someone else if you did not check in.

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You generally can't receive a refund on a missed flight. Depending on the circumstances of your situation and the terms of your fare, you may receive partial credit or free rebooking, but the only way you're likely to get a full refund is if the airline cancels your flight.

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If you purposely miss a flight then your ticket will be reallocated to someone on hold. You will lose the value of your ticket. The only reason I can think of that someone might miss a flight on purpose is that it's sometimes it's cheaper to book a muli-leg flight and travel one way or leg.

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The practice goes by a few different names, including skiplagging or hidden-city flying. Passengers disembark at their layover city, leaving an empty seat on their next flight, and save money in the process. But airlines are cracking down on the practice, claiming it breaches their rules and costs them revenue.

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This depends on the size of the plane, its efficiency, and how fast it's flying. A modern Boeing 747 can fly about 15,000 km (9,500 miles) when it's flying at 900 kmh (550 mph). This means it can fly non stop for almost 16 hours!

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Boarding is the next step after completing your check-in. Passengers get into the aircraft after completing their check-in through websites, counters or kiosks. The difference between boarding and check-in is boarding is done vis-a-vis while check-in can be done through mobile phones.

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