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The Fastest Way to Board a Plane Feels Like the Slowest

CGP Grey · explainer · Watch on YouTube

Aviation & aerospace engineeringAlgorithms & data structures

What it is

CGP Grey compares airplane boarding methods, based on an arXiv paper, and shows why the intuitive back-to-front approach is slow while random or outside-in boarding does better.

Why Hacker News recommends it

It is the default link in any thread about boarding or deplaning order, praised as an excellent, clear treatment.

  • 9 people recommended it
  • 6 different months
  • 2 strong recommendations
  • first 2020, last 2023

What HN commenters said

  1. “Better off watching CGP Grey's video”

    More discussion, simulations, and better boarding methods that keep families grouped.

    ninjinxo, 2023-08 · Strong recommendation · in “A proposal for much faster aircraft exit – “Fill and Flush””

  2. “Highly recommend this video of plane boarding methods by CGP Grey”

    Boarding methods compared; deplaning turns out to be worst method.

    sand500, 2023-09 · Strong recommendation · in “Boarding a plane is a nightmare. Here’s how we got here”

  3. “CGP Grey has a great video examining different boarding methods and why some are slower or faster than others”

    Compares boarding methods and why some are faster.

    Reedx, 2020-01 · Recommendation · in “Letting slower passengers board airplane first is faster, study finds”

  4. “It visualizes how different proposed methods work”

    Visualizes how different proposed boarding methods work.

    the__alchemist, 2021-02 · Recommendation · in “Optimal boarding method for airline passengers (2008)”

  5. “You might like this CGP Grey video that explains it pretty well”

    Explains why airlines do not board back-to-front.

    l1n, 2023-04 · Recommendation · in “Ask HN: Why aren’t planes boarded back-to-front?”

  6. “CGP Grey did a great YouTube video on this several years ago, and why airlines won't use it”

    Explains boarding methods and why airlines will not use better ones.

    lwhsiao, 2023-08 · Recommendation · in “A proposal for much faster aircraft exit – “Fill and Flush””

  7. “There is a great video from CGP Grey about the similar problem of boarding an airplane”

    Great video on similar problem of boarding an airplane.

    roland35, 2023-08 · Recommendation · in “A proposal for much faster aircraft exit – “Fill and Flush””

  8. “Obligatory reference to CGP Grey's excellent treatment of the topic”

    Excellent treatment showing window-middle-aisle saves only a little time.

    djha-skin, 2023-10 · Recommendation · in “United Airlines plans to board passengers with window seats first”

Excerpts from Hacker News comments, linked to the originals. Summaries and labels were written by a language model from those comments.

Topics: boarding methods, queueing, airlines, simulation, cgp grey

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