Flying is a miracle. Most of us never think about the science and mechanics that go into flying or the fact that we still don’t really understand how planes stay in the air. As Scientific American explained, “On a strictly mathematical level, engineers know how to design planes that will stay aloft. But equations don’t explain why aerodynamic lift occurs.” So the fact that you get to sit in a metal tube that flies hundreds of miles per hour all the way across the world should leave you in awe.
With all that said, it may seem a little silly to even think about your boarding order. However, boarding a crowded plane first could save you a whole lot of annoyance so you can sit back and enjoy the wonderment of it all instead.
Here’s why boarding a plane first is preferable
Not long ago, The Sun dug up a thread on the question-and-answer website Quora, where frequent traveller Ashwin Krishnan laid out a bunch of his favourite travel advice. Among it was a hot tip on why you should always board first.
“If you are flying economy/coach and have cabin luggage, gauge how crowded the flight is going to be. If you expect a full flight, try to board earlier – this will improve your chances to get cabin space for your luggage over your designated seat. Having to place your cabin luggage behind your seat or checking it in leads to a significant time loss.”
Krishnan isn’t the only one on Quora praising boarding first. Timothy Chiu, who notes he has “over a million miles flown on various airlines,” added to a different thread his reasons for boarding early.
“While overhead storage is the obvious reason, everyone is stating, here’s a reason I don’t think many people realise as to why you should want to board as early as possible. Some airlines when they need to remove people from a plane, start with the last person who boarded the plane. They may need to remove people due to weight restrictions (due to wind, heat, etc.).”
So, next time you’re flying, get there a little early or pay for priority boarding, so you and your stuff can board together with ease. And make sure to thank a scientist, mechanic, pilot, and crew member while you wait to take off too.
This story first appeared on www.travelandleisure.com
Main and Feature Image Credit: Santiago Urquijo/Getty Images
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