For many, the idea of boarding a plane is filled with excitement. But it can also feel like one of the most stressful parts of your journey.
What do you usually do when your boarding group or row is called at the gate? Are you someone who prefers to rush on first and get settled? Or maybe you’re happy to sit back a bit and get on closer to the end.
Luckily there isn’t really a right or wrong answer to this question, according to these flight attendants who say it really is a matter of preference.
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CNN Travel recently spoke with Florida-based flight attendant Hunter Smith-Lihas, who works as a flight attendant on a major US airline, and veteran Aussie flight-attendant-turned-aviation-researcher Liz Simmons, who shared their thoughts.
Hunter told the publication he adopts a first-on-board strategy because the later you board a packed flight, the more likely it is that space for your carry-on luggage may run out.
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“If you have the opportunity to be one of the first people on the plane, I would definitely take that, because it’s going to minimise your chance of having them check your bag,” he said.
Though, of course, he pointed out that many airlines board via group numbers, meaning passengers often don’t have a choice.
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For Liz, the choice comes down to your own comfort level and travel preferences.
She tends to travel with only a small carry on when she can, so isn’t too concerned about overhead locker space.
Instead, she’d rather board last because of her dislike of “standing in the middle of a big group of stationary people.”
“Shuffling slowly on an aerobridge is just not something that I enjoy. So I generally board last. I’ll hang around the gate, but wait until the final call,” she explained.
Of course, for nervous travellers this may not be the best tactic, she acknowledged.
”The many, many flights and years of experience means I can go on last, find my seat, sit down comfortably and sort myself out quickly,” she explained.
“I know not everybody has that. When people are put into a strange environment and don’t quite know where they’re going or what to expect – until they’re there and it’s full and there’s lots of bright lights and there’s a lot of stimulation, it can be quite nerve-racking for people.”
Both agree that it doesn’t really matter when you board.
As they rightly pointed out, the plane isn’t going anywhere until everyone at the gate’s on board.
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