New United boarding procedure to prioritize window seats – Update

For travelers who dread these situations, or just wish they could get on the plane a little earlier, United Airlines has some good news.

Starting Oct. 26, the carrier will implement a boarding process that puts window-seat passengers in economy class on the plane ahead of their peers in the middle and the aisle, according to an internal memo obtained by The Washington Post.

Through this new process, United will assign passengers to seven boarding groups. It will still use a preboarding system for certain customers, such as those with disabilities, unaccompanied minors and active duty military. First-class and business-class passengers will follow. Then window, exit row seats and nonrevenue passengers will board, followed by middle and aisle seats. The last boarding group is reserved for basic economy on domestic flights, as well as those who don’t have a boarding group on their pass, according to the memo.

Officials wrote in the memo that the process would save the airline up to two minutes of boarding time. Industry airline experts say that could be an opportunity for airlines to save their coin, lessen the chances of delays or potentially add flights to their schedule.

“It is one of those situations where what’s good for the airline would probably also be good for travelers,” said Scott Keyes, the founder of Going, a travel membership that helps people find flight and travel deals. “That’s not always the case many times, it’s more of a zero-sum thing — but I think systems that allow airlines to board more efficiently is a win-win.”

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United first unveiled the WILMA (which stands for window-middle-aisle) boarding system in 2017 upon launching basic economy seating for passengers, according to Christine Salamone, a spokesperson for the airline. At that time, the carrier limited boarding to five groups instead of seven. United did not disclose when the WILMA system was paused, but the airline said it has been able to resume the system and expand its boarding groups due to added technology.

“We’re excited to bring WILMA back to provide a smoother boarding process flow that helps get passengers in their seats even faster and saves precious time during our boarding process,” Salamone wrote in an email.

Changes to the airline’s boarding system are taking place after the pandemic drastically changed business and leisure travel trends. Although the number of air travelers is exceeding pre-pandemic numbers, according to the Transportation Security Administration, business travel has also taken a sharp decline. Keyes said airlines have been prioritizing economy passengers as a result.

Other airlines have also been tweaking their boarding protocols. In August, Southwest Airlines began limiting the number of EarlyBird check-in spots that passengers are able to purchase on select flights, which the airline said is part of a slew of initiatives designed to modernize their customer experience and strengthen their customer base.

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Keyes said a rise in less-experienced travelers boarding flights could lead to more passengers taking extra time to load their carry-on or get settled into their seats.

“We’re all newbies at something but that takes a little bit more time,” he said. “I think airlines are viewing this as more pressing than what might have been average, 30 minutes of turnaround time pre-pandemic versus maybe 30-35 minutes now with less-experienced travelers.”

While Keyes noted passengers likely won’t feel a huge difference because it’s only shaving off a few minutes of boarding time, it’s a chance for United to spend less time on the ground. And, in turn, help passengers avoid the ballroom dance that is figuring out how to shimmy into your seat.