United Airlines plans to introduce a new measure that will let passengers with window seats in economy class board the plane first. The company hopes the move will help speed up the entire boarding process. Analysis pointed out that after boarding a plane, it often takes time for passengers to put their carry-on luggage into the overhead compartment, and passengers behind them have to stop and wait.
Allowing window seat passengers to board first allows passengers to be spread out on both sides of the cabin corridor, allowing more passengers to place their luggage at the same time, which is a major factor in speeding up the boarding process.
Previous tests have also shown that allowing window seat passengers to board first is expected to save up to 2 minutes on the entire boarding process. For busy short-haul routes, even a 2-minute delay can have a significant cumulative impact, as subsequent flights will be delayed more and more.