Why should you always board a plane last?

Better comfort. Not only does waiting to board let you bypass the often stressful and crowded lines (or 'gate lice' as one woman put it), doing so lets you enjoy more legroom, open seating, and less claustrophobia for a few minutes longer in the gate rather than the plane.



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Most flights start boarding 30 - 50 minutes before scheduled departure, but the exact time depends on your destination and plane. Boarding ends 15 minutes before departure. If you're not on board, we may reassign your seat to another passenger. You will not be allowed to board once the doors close.

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If you expect a full flight, try to board earlier – this will improve your chances to get cabin space for your luggage over your designated seat. Having to place your cabin luggage behind your seat or checking it in leads to a significant time loss.

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Etiquette expert Lisa Mirza Grotts told Newsweek that it's common courtesy to exit in order of row, front to back, with the exception of when you may miss your connecting flight. In this case, you should ask the flight attendant to make an announcement so everyone stays seated until you exit.

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According to the National Institute of Mental Health, about 6.5 percent of the U.S. population has aviophobia (a fear of flying), and roughly 25 percent experience some sort of flying-related anxiety.

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The main reason commercial airlines board passengers from the front to the back is to maintain balanced weight distribution. It ensures that neither the front nor the back of the airplane is bearing too much weight. Airplanes, of course, are typically heavier in the back.

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AircraftWhat You Fly as an Airline Pilot Pilots have the option to bid for a particular aircraft, just like they would their schedule or crew base. While all pilots have a specific plane they consider to be more desirable; larger aircraft come with increased responsibility and a corresponding increase in pay.

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In an incident in April 2009, a passenger took over control of a twin-engine turboprop Beechcraft King Air after the pilot died, and managed to land the plane safely.

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Don't hesitate to ask for accommodations. Early boarding helps him stay calm, he explains, because standing in line in the jet bridge is intensely stressful for him. It's a simple request: He just asks for priority boarding at check-in, and “80 percent of the time,” he says, the airline is happy to grant his request.

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Years ago, piston engines were undependable. Because of this, twin-engine aircraft were required to fly in range of a suitable airport for landing. In 1953, the FAA imposed what is known as the “60-minute rule” on two- and three-engine airplanes, disallowing them to fly more than 60 minutes outside the closest airport.

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For most airports, you must be checked in at least 30 minutes before your scheduled departure time (airports requiring additional time are listed below, Go to footer note). Additionally, you're required to be at the gate and ready to board 15 minutes before scheduled departure.

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The two most common ways to wish someone a safe flight is “Have a safe flight”, “Safe travels”, and “text me when you land” The saying “safe travels” is more broadly used and accepted for any mode of transportation.

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