No Bags? Board First, Says Virgin America

Archived Comments:

• kauai33 - October 23, 2009

  This is a great idea! I rarely travel with a carry on and am sick of waiting for people with oversize carry on-s to try anad squeeze them into the overheards. Nevermind getting banged on the head a few times by their luggage! Next test idea...Bring back the bin to put that carry on in first to make sure it fits!!!

• Kerso - October 23, 2009

  EXCELLENT idea. Well done Virgin, I have never seen so many people take so much time to put items in overheads. Also with bags that are way over the measurements they are meant to be. Good on you Virgin.

• photosteve - October 23, 2009

  I think it is a great idea all the way around. (And I generally have a carry on.) I hope other airlines follow their lead.

• Diane - October 23, 2009

  I think it makes sense. But I think they should let you check bags free like Southwest. I always check bag now since security is so awful! I find it much easier than dealing with the luggage. I think they should do the same at the security line , a different line for those traveling with just a purse, or laptop.

• brumbaug - October 23, 2009

  Does it make sense for them to go first or for them to go last so there are fewer people on board? Personally, I think the biggest problem is letting travelers with status go on first. Whatever happened to filling the plane from back to front? It just makes the most sense!

• lucca - October 23, 2009

  The cooperation level is affecgted by the checked baggage policy of the airlines. if they charge for that, people will carry on bags. period.

• Bulajeeves - October 23, 2009

  I hear the legacy carriers are about to adopt this policy..if you purchase this feature online it will only cost $10. If you decide to purchase it at the airport it will cost $20 plus your first born!

• hdhrm268 - October 23, 2009

  Sounds like a no-brainer to me..... if everyone falls in line with the plan.

• Wow, common sense - October 23, 2009

  Isn't it "kind of" discriminatory to let first class and ff pasengers and people with kids board early, too? This is the most common sense I've heard an airline show in YEARS! While they're at it, why don't they ENFORCE carry-on limits? Not doing that is the worst example of airlines (all of them, not just VA) looking the other way at their own rules. Kudos to VA!

• Late Arrival - October 23, 2009

  When will the airlines get their act together and start boarding from both front & back? I recall doing this back in the days of the TWA Constellation. That four prop tube, although a terrific aircraft, only held about a quarter of the passengers as do the flights of today. I wish that an airline would give that option a try.

• Lynda S - October 23, 2009

  I love this idea. I never bring a carry on and it drives me nuts to wait around until the passengers with their unwieldy carry on bags finally get them loaded in the overheads. I do think it would save time as well. Hopefully, it will catch on.

• Jeannette S - October 23, 2009

  Great idea, VA!!! We travel with and without carry ons depending on the trip. It makes perfect sense to let those without a lot of bulk go after passengers with children or disabilities. I also second the idea of loading from the back forward. It's a pain to work any carry ons around the first class passengers without banging them in the head too. Let's put safety ahead of our urges to go first. The plane doesn't leave any faster.

• Tony J - October 23, 2009

  Great idea! Now if the airlines can figure out a logical way of deplaning the passengers. Soemtimes it takes just as long (or longer) to get off the plane. And it always seems as though you're most delayed when you've got a connecting flight which is leaving 10 minutes after you land and in a different terminal!

• Teena - October 23, 2009

  I think its a GR8 idea! This will alleviate the amount of time it takes to just step foot on the plane, then waiting for people to clear the isle and finally sit down. I can't wait till Virgin Airlines fly out of Ft. Lauderdale on November 18th! I hope I can be on the first flight out!

• Rick - October 23, 2009i'

  Bad idea! Wait until the first riot at the gate or on the plane. It doesn't matter if passengers have carry-ons or not. It matters if they act as if they have never been on a plane before. Some people haven't a clue.

• Nance - October 23, 2009

  Good idea. In April I traveled on a NWA flight through Detroit to ATL where they did just that. First it was those with no carry-ons, then those who could stow under the seat and then those in the overhead bin. I thought it worked quite well

• not-so-frequent-flyer-these-days - October 23, 2009

  About the only thing remaining for airlines to take away are "the clothes off our backs"...could get interesting, but I choose to remember that THEY have to earn MY money, just as I do ;-)

• bctravels - October 23, 2009

  I only travel with a carry on and I think it's an excellent idea. After all, we have our assigned seats. I'd rather wait around in the waiting area than on the ramp or aisle. And it's not like there won't be space available when I get there, expecially if loading by rows. And I've never understood why 1st class likes to be boarded first so that they have to sit through the long boarding congestion process. Last is great!!

• Richard at home - October 23, 2009

  I am totally with kauai33 (October 23, 2009) I am sick of waiting for people with oversize carry on who try to squeeze them into the overheards ...Bring back the bin to put that carry on in first to make sure it fits!!!

• donna538 - October 23, 2009

  If I didn't have a carryon I wouldn't want to go first and have to sit on a cramped airplane waiting for everyone to put their carryons in the overhead bins. This way I could board last knowing I have a seat and not getting bumped by other obnoxiouos idiots that don't care if their bags hit you.

• flyalot - October 24, 2009

  Great idea. Should be quicker overall, shorter lines on jetway, fewer whacks in the head!

• tbm0 - October 24, 2009

  The problems that I see arise from people who are seated in the back of the plane who put their stuff in bins in the front.; people who are sitting in a middle and/or aisle seat who have to get up to let in the window seat person; people who stow things in the bin who should have put it under the seat, and people who put their stuff in so it takes up the maximum amount of time. I do not see how this will solve any of these problems. I also would like to know how they are going to define carryon versus personal item If only carryons can go in the overhead bin this may make boarding faster. On the other hand if the bins are already filled with personal items it will take longer since the people with carryons will have problems finding space in the bins.