Germanwings - Allocated seating

[TotalBeginner]

At last, another low-cost airline sees sense and decides to give it's customers what they really want, allocated seating.

This comes into effect on the 14th of April.

[Avman]

It makes good sense and it won't be long before they all do it (they were the last ones in Germany not to). And to suggest that it slows down the boarding process and compromises rapid turnarounds is absolute nonsense as long as it's all well organised and executed by the ground staff.

[TotalBeginner]

4u did a seated trial at our station on the 1st of April. The flight was virtually full, and it only took 7mins to board!

it won't be long before they all do it

I admire your optimism, but I fear that some won't be so forethcoming. Especially a certain Orange outfit in the uk.

[llondel]

Allocated seating and staged boarding is more likely to be faster than a free-for-all if the preferred seats are near the front, because you'll have everyone stood just inside the aircraft door putting their bags up in the lockers. The only time you have problems is when everyone gets to choose their seats and a family with small children finds it can't get a group together because all the aisle seats have been bagged. But then with free-for-all they can end up in the same situation.

[Capt Wannabe]

TotalBeginner:
I suspect the 'Orange' lot will do it before the 'Blue' lot, if they can ever get their system to support it

I think you'll find the 'trial' for 4U on 1st Apr was unscheduled - ie a mistake, although it seemed to work well

[Techman5]

Unallocated seating

I prefer unallocated seeting. In my experience, it allows me to find seats away from young children, or stag parties.

The dreadful experience of sitting waiting 10 minutes after departure time for the last few passengers to roll out of the bar also appears to have stopped. I think this may be due to unallocated seats.

[TotalBeginner]

The dreadful experience of sitting waiting 10 minutes after departure time for the last few passengers to roll out of the bar also appears to have stopped. I think this may be due to unallocated seats.

Why would allocated seating have anything to do with this?

[Techman5]

I don't know exactly why, but experience suggests that passengers on Easybus or O'Leary airlines get to the gate and on to the 'plane promptly. I cannot remember the last time I sat on one of these planes waiting for passengers.

It may be that because they discourage hold luggage, they can therefore simply close the gate on time and leave without the passengers as there are no bags to remove.

Monarch, who allocate seats, in my experience, regularly sit around waiting for the last few passengers. Their flights are generally longer than the others, and so more passengers will be flying with hold luggage.

[aviatordom]

Good on them!

Allocated seating should stop most of the rush that you get at the departure gates. When i flew with EZY, about a week ago from AGP, most passengers didn't seem to understand that Speedy-Boarding passengers only actually does mean Speedy-Boarding passengers only and not boarding group A, B, etc....

Allocated seating gives families, those who need additional assistance & spotters the reassurance of the seat that they want.