Starting from October 26, United Airlines will implement a new boarding process for economy class passengers, prioritizing those with window seats. This strategy, known as WILMA (window, middle, and aisle), aims to reduce the time planes spend on the ground. WILMA has been tested at various locations and has demonstrated the potential to shave up to two minutes off the boarding time.
The approach spreads passengers along the aisle, enabling more individuals to stow their luggage simultaneously, thus expediting the process. The change will apply to the fourth boarding group and will not affect first class, business class, or those with priority-boarding privileges, including individuals with disabilities, unaccompanied minors, active-duty military, and families with children under 2.
In cases where multiple passengers share an economy reservation, like families, they will be allowed to board together. This new policy will be implemented on both domestic and select international flights. United’s decision to modify the boarding process stems from a reported increase in average boarding time by two minutes since 2019.
Efforts to refine boarding procedures have intensified with the introduction of checked bag fees over a decade ago, encouraging more passengers to bring carry-on luggage. This has added complexity to the boarding process, as airlines also seek to sell early boarding or provide it to elite members of their frequent-flier programs.
While a two-minute difference may not greatly impact transatlantic flights, on heavily trafficked shorter routes, delays can quickly accumulate, potentially leading to late-day flight disruptions. The new system addresses challenges like late passengers struggling to find overhead bin space, which can affect on-time performance statistics.
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