Airlines have tried for ages to figure out the fastest way to board a plane. In fact, other heavyweights such as the Mythbusters have dissected the issue, testing out in a scientific manner which approach is most efficient.
The fact is, planes don’t make the airlines money when they sit on the ground.
Today we learn from the Associated Press’s David Koenig, that Delta Airlines is offering an “Early Valet” service, by which, airline employees will stow passengers’ luggage in the overhead bin above their seat, before passengers start boarding.
This Early Valet service won’t be available everywhere, as Delta is only rolling it out at their hubs to start with: Atlanta, New York, Los Angeles, Detroit, Minneapolis, Salt Lake City and Seattle.
The Early Valet service is primarily geared toward infrequent travelers and vacationers, essentially those folks that might slow the boarding process down, as they find their seat and a place to stow their bag.
Oh, and Gary Leff was quoted in the article.
To make things even faster, Delta should let people give their bags to it during check in. That way Delta can store the bags in the cargo area. Then people won’t need to use overhead bins for much more than a purse or a book and won’t have to waste time cramming bags in the space. Oh wait.
@Chucks – what a concept! Aside from more time spent waiting for your bag after you disembark the aircraft, and that’s assuming it even makes it in one piece..