Here it is: https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/travel/heres-a-sneak-peek-into-southwests-new-boarding-plan-4b96251b?st=Pbs7gh&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

This article shouldn't be paywalled.

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At its heart, Southwest's new system is the so-called Wilma method, for window, middle and aisle.
Passengers in window seats board first, followed by those in middle seats and aisles, starting in the back of the plane.

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Several exceptions to above in the article.

That's how they did it when I flew Lufthansa from Denver to Frankfurt on an A340 back in 2003.
Very efficient.

I agree with the overhead bin space issue but is worth noting some plane retrofits and all new deliveries are coming with larger overhead bins. Those are the ones where bags fit on their sides in case you've already seen them around the system

Big Slice said:

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I agree with the overhead bin space issue but is worth noting some plane retrofits and all new deliveries are coming with larger overhead bins. Those are the ones where bags fit on their sides in case you've already seen them around the system

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Yep, the new 800s with the updated bins make this issue mostly moot. Still gonna take a bit for those cycle through the fleet though. I've only been on one 800 that had these along with the instructions to flip your bag on its end.

YouBet said:

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Big Slice said:

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I agree with the overhead bin space issue but is worth noting some plane retrofits and all new deliveries are coming with larger overhead bins. Those are the ones where bags fit on their sides in case you've already seen them around the system

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Yep, the new 800s with the updated bins make this issue mostly moot. Still gonna take a bit for those cycle through the fleet though. I've only been on one 800 that had these along with the instructions to flip your bag on its end.

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Which short people who can barely reach the bin can't see.
Of course, they probably also don't care.

At least on Japan Airlines, they have a step built into the seat so short people (like JAL flight attendants) can climb up to the bin.

Mythbusters did a great study on all the options. For those that travel a ton, it is very interesting to watch. The funny thing at the end they note that the way we deplane is absolutely the slowest.

YouBet said:

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Big Slice said:

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I agree with the overhead bin space issue but is worth noting some plane retrofits and all new deliveries are coming with larger overhead bins. Those are the ones where bags fit on their sides in case you've already seen them around the system

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Yep, the new 800s with the updated bins make this issue mostly moot. Still gonna take a bit for those cycle through the fleet though. I've only been on one 800 that had these along with the instructions to flip your bag on its end.

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My wife was part of their layoffs earlier this year and at the time she left, they had an insane back order with Boeing that had been halted because of all the Boeing issues last year. Its what really set them back last year because they had already started retiring older planes.

goodbull92 said:

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Ducks4brkfast said:

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Makes sense. I never really care when I board so long as I get overhead bin space at my seat. I never fly SWA, however I would be grumpy to sit in premium economy, board last, and have to gate check my carry-on.

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I agree with all you said.

Overhead bin space never was an issue until the pay for checked bag policies began.

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Flying from BWI to HOU on Tuesday, they were looking for 23 people to check their carry ons. The gate agent was full carnival barker. It was somewhat entertaining. But looking for 23 people to check their bags is crazy.

Omperlodge said:

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Mythbusters did a great study on all the options. For those that travel a ton, it is very interesting to watch. The funny thing at the end they note that the way we deplane is absolutely the slowest.

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wasn't the 'pick whatever seat you want' boarding method the most efficient?
The way SW used to be.

CDub06 said:

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goodbull92 said:

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Ducks4brkfast said:

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Makes sense. I never really care when I board so long as I get overhead bin space at my seat. I never fly SWA, however I would be grumpy to sit in premium economy, board last, and have to gate check my carry-on.

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I agree with all you said.

Overhead bin space never was an issue until the pay for checked bag policies began.

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Flying from BWI to HOU on Tuesday, they were looking for 23 people to check their carry ons. The gate agent was full carnival barker. It was somewhat entertaining. But looking for 23 people to check their bags is crazy.

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probably one of the really old planes. Some of those are seriously short in bin space.

62strat said:

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Omperlodge said:

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Mythbusters did a great study on all the options. For those that travel a ton, it is very interesting to watch. The funny thing at the end they note that the way we deplane is absolutely the slowest.

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wasn't the 'pick whatever seat you want' boarding method the most efficient?
The way SW used to be.

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It was the second best option but had the least boarding satisfaction. The fastest was boarding in pods outside in. So like a group at the back comes on, then a middle group, and then a front group. You repeat this over and over again until everyone boards. It was way faster because everyone kind of had their own area to deal with getting into their seats without everyone around them trying to do the same.

Boarding back to front was also faster than front to back in all scenarios but you can't have people put things in the overhead bin well before they get to their seat. That causes a disaster scenario especially if a forward passenger ends up with a bag well behind their seat.

CDub06 said:

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goodbull92 said:

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Ducks4brkfast said:

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Makes sense. I never really care when I board so long as I get overhead bin space at my seat. I never fly SWA, however I would be grumpy to sit in premium economy, board last, and have to gate check my carry-on.

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I agree with all you said.

Overhead bin space never was an issue until the pay for checked bag policies began.

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Flying from BWI to HOU on Tuesday, they were looking for 23 people to check their carry ons. The gate agent was full carnival barker. It was somewhat entertaining. But looking for 23 people to check their bags is crazy.

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Yep, saw it in HOU this morning. This was always going to happen. People are not going to pay for bags if they don't have to and will simply roll the dice.

Thus, right now they ask for volunteers but if that starts consistently slowing things down they will simply force check bags from C# onward (Group 8-9 in the new world) which they end up doing anyway if they dont get enough volunteers.

07ag said:

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Those animations were highly entertaining.

And I loved the graph where the limit goes to infinity.

Ducks4brkfast said:

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Makes sense. I never really care when I board so long as I get overhead bin space at my seat. I never fly SWA, however I would be grumpy to sit in premium economy, board last, and have to gate check my carry-on.

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This happened to me recently on UA and it sucks. Even though I'd paid more, I was in the next to last group and still had to check a carry on. What's the point?