Boarding an airplane often feels like a chaotic race to secure overhead space and window/aisle seats. You’d think after decades of flying, we’d have figured this out.

What makes boarding so messy?

• Airlines want fast turnarounds.
• Planes are badly designed for boarding — narrow aisles, one door, limited bins.
• We are (kinda) selfish – We want our seat and bin space over the "greater good."
• Add in families, loyalty programs, and a recipe for a mess.

How are airlines trying to fix this logistical puzzle?

Airlines typically use back-to-front boarding – moving passengers through the cabin from back to front. Pre-cabin (passengers with disabilities, families with young kids, etc) and loyalty members are given priority to board first. Then comes the main cabin, usually from the back of the plane to the front.

Most popular methods:

Back-to-front

The last rows of the plane are boarded first, followed by the first rows.

Pros: More money for airlines selling front tickets for premium.

Cons: Often slow due to the crowding of aisles.

Window-Middle-Aisle

Window seats are boarded first, followed by middle seats, and finally, aisle seats. This method can be further optimized by combining it with the Back-to-front method.

Pros: Spreads passengers, reducing bunching.

Cons: Limited flexibility if a passenger misses their group.

Open Seating (e.g. Southwest)

Passengers can choose any available seat.

Pros: Often touted as the fastest seating method. Passengers can choose preferred seats.

Cons: Early boarders snag window or aisle seats, including overhead space.

Random with assigned seats (e.g. Ryanair)

Board in no particular order, but have pre-assigned seats.

Pros: Faster than Back-To-Front.

Cons: Can feel chaotic.

Rotating zone

Alternate between the front and back of the airplane. First five rows, followed by last five rows, etc.

Pros: Less congestion.

Cons: Can be confusing for passengers.

New/Proposed methods:

Steffen

Window-Middle-Aisle approach combined with alternates between odd-numbered and even-numbered seats.

Pros: Spreads passengers among rows, allowing efficient bin access.

Cons: Complex, logistically challenging.

Reverse pyramid (modified)

Window seats in the back, followed by window seats in the front. Then, middle seats in the back, followed by middle seats in the front. Finally, aisle seats in the back, followed by aisle seats in the front.

Pros: Spreads out passengers.

Cons: Complex.

But nothing works?

Human factors such as seat preferences, mobility issues, and passenger behavior can all slow down the boarding process. Aircraft design factors like narrow aisles, limited bin space, and a single door create bottlenecks, further complicating the boarding process. Finally, airplane policies (e.g. early boarding perks) and airlines prioritizing quick turnarounds further contribute to this puzzle.

The Real Deal

At the end of the day, this isn’t just a math problem you can solve with a clever algorithm. And the boarding puzzle isn't a math problem - it's a human one. The chaos isn't just poor planning - it's the result of a game where we are all trying to win our little game. And until planes, policies, or people change, we’ll keep scrambling.