Quote:
Originally Posted by bcrdukes
Boarding last minute is a double edge sword.
If you show up "last minute" they may put your luggage on another flight and you have to wait for it. Yes, you could end up with a nicer seat but the chances are slim and you probably already pissed off the ticketing agent for showing up so late and punish you for doing so some way, some how.
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I think you're misunderstanding somewhat...
I'm not suggesting that you should show up to the check-in counter at the last minute. That's a terrible idea. Check in, get through security, and do all that other shit with plenty of time to spare. (I'll never show up late after a bad experience in Madrid a few years ago, where I missed a flight because I arrived at the Iberia check-in desk "only" 55 minutes prior to departure.)
BUT... while you're sitting at your gate, listening to the agent call out boarding for various "zones"...
that's when I suggest waiting until the last minute. Walk around, take a piss, watch other passengers sweat profusely while lined up in the jetwalk, etc etc... and then, when the crowds are gone and the gate agent calls final boarding, wander up to the gate and board the plane.
They're not going to bump your luggage to another flight if you board the plane during 'final boarding call,' especially if you've already checked in at the ticketing counter (which you should have done long ago). And I don't really know how the gate agent could "punish" you for showing up late; it happens all the time for legitimate reasons (ie. delayed inbound connecting flight, long security lines, etc)... used this strategy dozens of times and no airline employee has ever said a word or been visibly angry when I wait until final call to board.
As far as "risk vs. reward" goes, I don't see any downside to being the last passenger to board a plane:
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Worst case scenario: the plane is full and you end up in your assigned seat anyway (although even if that happens, you still get to enjoy an extra 15-20 minutes of freedom to walk around the airport while other passengers are cramped into a stuffy airplane)....
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Best case scenario: you enjoy another 15-20 minutes of freedom in the airport, avoid long lines in the jetwalk, and claim the best available seat... and by that point the plane is ready to roll and pushback is probably only a few minutes away.