United Airlines’ 7 Important Points for New Boarding Process: Window Seat Advantage & Destinations

United Airlines

United Airlines, a major player in the aviation industry, is implementing an innovative approach to streamline the boarding process for its economy passengers. Commencing next week, passengers in window seats will be among the first to board the aircraft, with the aim of reducing overall boarding time. This change is part of a method called ‘Wilma’ – Window, Middle, and Aisle, which is expected to shave up to two minutes off the boarding process.

The ‘Wilma’ Boarding Method:
United Airlines is adopting the ‘Wilma’ boarding method to enhance efficiency. Passengers seated at window spots will board first, followed by those in middle seats and, finally, those in aisle seats. This approach aims to optimize the flow of passengers onto the plane.

Group and Family Consideration:
While the ‘Wilma’ method primarily focuses on seat locations, United Airlines recognizes the importance of accommodating groups or families traveling together on a single booking. Such groups will still be allowed to board together.

Exemptions and Special Passengers:
This boarding adjustment applies exclusively to economy passengers. Business-class and first-class travelers will continue to board using the current method. Passengers with disabilities, unaccompanied minors, and active-duty military personnel will not be subjected to changes in the boarding process.

Reintroduction of the ‘Wilma’ Method:
United Airlines used the ‘Wilma’ method until 2017 but shifted to a new basic economy seating procedure due to a computer system that only supported a five-group boarding structure. The airline is now reintroducing ‘Wilma’ with the assistance of new technology that can accommodate more than five boarding groups.

Operational Impact:
Although the time saved may seem minimal, optimizing the boarding process can have a significant impact on flight punctuality. It can contribute to flights departing on time or even early, potentially saving the airline from penalties associated with flight delays.

Implementation Date:
United Airlines is set to implement the ‘Wilma’ boarding method on domestic flights and select international flights starting from October 26.

Expansion of Flight Services:
This change in boarding procedure aligns with United Airlines’ plans to expand its flight services. The airline is increasing its flight frequency between various destinations, including the US, New Zealand, and Australia, as part of its efforts to provide more travel options to passengers.

United Airlines is aiming to enhance the passenger experience and punctuality with these innovative boarding adjustments.

FAQs – United Airlines Window Seat Boarding Method

Q1: What is the new boarding method United Airlines is implementing for its economy passengers?
A1: United Airlines will introduce a boarding method called ‘Wilma,’ which prioritizes window seat passengers, followed by those in middle seats and aisle seats, in an effort to expedite the boarding process.

Q2: What is the goal of this new boarding method?
A2: The primary objective of the ‘Wilma’ method is to reduce overall boarding time by up to two minutes, which can have a positive impact on flight punctuality.

Q3: Will passengers traveling in groups or as families still be able to board together under this new method?
A3: Yes, United Airlines will allow passengers traveling together on a single booking to board as a group, even if they are seated in different seat categories.

Q4: Does this boarding change affect business-class and first-class passengers?
A4: No, the ‘Wilma’ boarding method applies exclusively to economy passengers. Business-class and first-class passengers will continue to board using the existing method.

Q5: Are there any exemptions for passengers with special needs or circumstances?
A5: Passengers with disabilities, unaccompanied minors, and active-duty military personnel will not experience changes in the boarding process.

Q6: Why is United Airlines reintroducing the ‘Wilma’ method when it was discontinued in 2017?
A6: United Airlines is reintroducing ‘Wilma’ due to advancements in technology that now support more than five boarding groups, making it a more viable and efficient method.

Q7: How does optimizing the boarding process impact flight punctuality?
A7: Streamlining the boarding process can contribute to flights departing on time or even ahead of schedule, potentially saving the airline from penalties associated with flight delays.

Q8: When will United Airlines start implementing the ‘Wilma’ boarding method?
A8: The ‘Wilma’ boarding method will be introduced on domestic flights and select international flights starting from October 26.

Q9: Is this change related to United Airlines’ plans for expanding flight services?
A9: Yes, the new boarding method aligns with United Airlines’ strategy to increase flight frequency between various destinations, such as the US, New Zealand, and Australia, to offer passengers more travel options.

Feel free to ask for further information or clarification on any of these topics.

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Destinations to Plan the Trip from United Airlines:

Country or TerritoryCityAirportStatus
Antigua and BarbudaCoolidgeV. C. Bird International AirportActive
ArgentinaBuenos AiresMinistro Pistarini International AirportActive
ArubaOranjestadQueen Beatrix International AirportActive
AustraliaBrisbaneBrisbane AirportActive
AustraliaCairnsCairns AirportTerminated
AustraliaMelbourneMelbourne AirportActive
AustraliaSydneySydney AirportActive
BahamasNassauLynden Pindling International AirportActive
BahrainManamaBahrain International AirportTerminated
BarbadosBridgetownGrantley Adams International AirportSeasonal
BelgiumBrusselsBrussels AirportActive
BelizeBelize CityPhilip S. W. Goldson International AirportActive
BermudaHamiltonL.F. Wade International AirportSeasonal
BonaireKralendijkFlamingo International AirportActive
BrazilBelo HorizonteTancredo Neves International AirportTerminated
BrazilRio de JaneiroRio de Janeiro/Galeão International AirportActive
BrazilSão PauloSão Paulo/Guarulhos International AirportActive
CanadaCalgaryCalgary International AirportActive
CanadaEdmontonEdmonton International AirportActive
CanadaHalifaxHalifax Stanfield International AirportTerminated
CanadaMontrealMontréal–Trudeau International AirportActive
CanadaOttawaOttawa Macdonald–Cartier International AirportActive
CanadaSt. John’sSt. John’s International AirportTerminated
CanadaTorontoToronto Pearson International AirportActive
CanadaVancouverVancouver International AirportActive
CanadaVictoriaVictoria International AirportTerminated
Cayman IslandsGrand CaymanOwen Roberts International AirportActive
ChileSantiagoArturo Merino Benítez International AirportActive
ChinaBeijingBeijing Capital International AirportActive
ChinaChengduChengdu Shuangliu International AirportTerminated
ChinaHangzhouHangzhou Xiaoshan International AirportTerminated
ChinaShanghaiShanghai Pudong International AirportActive
ChinaXi’anXi’an Xianyang International AirportTerminated
ColombiaBogotáEl Dorado International AirportActive
Costa RicaLiberiaDaniel Oduber Quirós International AirportActive
Costa RicaSan JoséJuan Santamaría International AirportActive
CroatiaDubrovnikDubrovnik AirportSeasonal
CubaHavanaJosé Martí International AirportActive
CuraçaoWillemstadCuraçao International AirportSeasonal
DenmarkCopenhagenCopenhagen AirportTerminated
Dominican RepublicPuerto PlataGregorio Luperón International AirportActive
Dominican RepublicPunta CanaPunta Cana International AirportActive
Dominican RepublicSantiago de los CaballerosCibao International AirportActive
Dominican RepublicSanto DomingoLas Américas International AirportActive
EcuadorQuitoMariscal Sucre International AirportActive
El SalvadorSan SalvadorEl Salvador International AirportActive
Federated States of MicronesiaChuukChuuk International AirportActive
Federated States of MicronesiaKosraeKosrae International AirportActive
Federated States of MicronesiaPohnpeiPohnpei International AirportActive
Federated States of MicronesiaYapYap International AirportActive
FranceNiceNice Côte d’Azur AirportSeasonal
FranceParisCharles de Gaulle AirportActive
French PolynesiaPapeeteFaa’a International AirportActive
GermanyBerlinBerlin Brandenburg AirportActive
GermanyBerlinBerlin Tegel AirportAirport Closed
GermanyDüsseldorfDüsseldorf AirportTerminated
GermanyFrankfurtFrankfurt AirportActive
GermanyHamburgHamburg AirportTerminated
GermanyMunichMunich AirportActive
GermanyStuttgartStuttgart AirportTerminated
GhanaAccraKotoka International AirportActive
GreeceAthensAthens International AirportSeasonal
GuatemalaGuatemala CityLa Aurora International AirportActive
HaitiPort-au-PrinceToussaint Louverture International AirportTerminated
HondurasRoatánJuan Manuel Gálvez International AirportActive
HondurasSan Pedro SulaRamón Villeda Morales International AirportActive
HondurasTegucigalpaComayagua International AirportActive
Hong KongHong KongHong Kong International AirportActive
Hong KongHong KongKai Tak AirportAirport Closed
IcelandReykjavikKeflavík International AirportSeasonal
IndiaDelhiIndira Gandhi International AirportActive
IndiaMumbaiChhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International AirportResumes March 29, 2024
IrelandDublinDublin AirportActive
IrelandShannonShannon AirportSeasonal
IsraelTel AvivBen Gurion AirportActive
ItalyMilanMilan Malpensa AirportActive
ItalyNaplesNaples International AirportSeasonal
ItalyRomeLeonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino AirportActive
ItalyVeniceVenice Marco Polo AirportSeasonal
JamaicaKingstonNorman Manley International AirportActive
JamaicaMontego BaySangster International AirportActive
JapanFukuokaFukuoka AirportActive
JapanNagoyaChubu Centrair International AirportActive
JapanOsakaKansai International AirportActive
JapanSapporoNew Chitose AirportActive
JapanTokyoNarita International AirportActive
JapanTokyoHaneda AirportActive
JordanAmmanQueen Alia International AirportActive
KenyaNairobiJomo Kenyatta International AirportActive
KuwaitKuwait CityKuwait International AirportActive
LebanonBeirutBeirut–Rafic Hariri International AirportActive
LuxembourgLuxembourg CityLuxembourg AirportActive
MalaysiaKuala LumpurKuala Lumpur International AirportActive
MaltaLuqaMalta International AirportActive
MexicoCancúnCancún International AirportActive
MexicoMexico CityMexico City International AirportActive
MexicoGuadalajaraGuadalajara International AirportActive
MexicoMonterreyMonterrey International AirportActive
MexicoTijuanaTijuana International AirportActive
MonacoMonacoMonaco HeliportActive
MoroccoCasablancaMohammed V International AirportActive
MoroccoMarrakechMarrakesh Menara AirportActive
NetherlandsAmsterdamAmsterdam Airport SchipholActive
NetherlandsEindhovenEindhoven AirportActive
NetherlandsRotterdamRotterdam The Hague AirportActive
New ZealandAucklandAuckland AirportActive
New ZealandChristchurchChristchurch International AirportActive
New ZealandQueenstownQueenstown AirportActive
New ZealandWellingtonWellington AirportActive
NigeriaAbujaNnamdi Azikiwe International AirportActive
NigeriaLagosMurtala Muhammed International AirportActive
NorwayOsloOslo Gardermoen AirportActive
PanamaPanama CityTocumen International AirportActive
Papua New GuineaPort MoresbyJacksons International AirportActive
ParaguayAsunciónSilvio Pettirossi International AirportActive
PeruLimaJorge Chávez International AirportActive
PhilippinesCebuMactan–Cebu International AirportActive
PhilippinesManilaNinoy Aquino International AirportActive
PolandWarsawWarsaw Chopin AirportActive
PortugalFaroFaro AirportSeasonal
PortugalFunchalMadeira AirportSeasonal
PortugalLisbonLisbon Portela AirportActive
PortugalPortoFrancisco Sá Carneiro AirportActive
Puerto RicoAguadillaRafael Hernández International AirportActive
Puerto RicoSan JuanLuis Muñoz Marín International AirportActive
QatarDohaHamad International AirportActive
RomaniaBucharestHenri Coandă International AirportActive
RussiaMoscowSheremetyevo International AirportActive
RussiaSaint PetersburgPulkovo AirportActive
Saint Kitts and NevisBasseterreRobert L. Bradshaw International AirportActive
Saint LuciaCastriesHewanorra International AirportActive
Saint Vincent and the GrenadinesKingstownArgyle International AirportActive
Saudi ArabiaDammamKing Fahd International AirportActive
Saudi ArabiaJeddahKing Abdulaziz International AirportActive
Saudi ArabiaRiyadhKing Khalid International AirportActive
SingaporeSingaporeSingapore Changi AirportActive
Sint MaartenPhilipsburgPrincess Juliana International AirportActive
South AfricaCape TownCape Town International AirportActive
South AfricaDurbanKing Shaka International AirportActive
South AfricaJohannesburgO.R. Tambo International AirportActive
South KoreaBusanGimhae International AirportActive
South KoreaIncheonIncheon International AirportActive
SpainBarcelonaJosep Tarradellas Barcelona–El Prat AirportActive
SpainIbizaIbiza AirportSeasonal
SpainMadridAdolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas AirportActive
SpainPalma de MallorcaPalma de Mallorca AirportSeasonal
SpainTenerifeTenerife South AirportSeasonal
SpainValenciaValencia AirportSeasonal
SwedenStockholmStockholm Arlanda AirportActive
SwitzerlandGenevaGeneva AirportActive
SwitzerlandZurichZurich AirportActive
TaiwanTaipeiTaiwan Taoyuan International AirportActive
ThailandBangkokSuvarnabhumi AirportActive
ThailandPhuketPhuket International AirportActive
Trinidad and TobagoPort of SpainPiarco International AirportActive
Trinidad and TobagoTobagoArthur Napoleon Raymond Robinson International AirportActive
TurkeyIstanbulIstanbul AirportActive
Turks and Caicos IslandsProvidencialesProvidenciales International AirportActive
UkraineKyivBoryspil International AirportActive
UkraineLvivLviv Danylo Halytskyi International AirportActive
UkraineOdesaOdesa International AirportActive
United Arab EmiratesAbu DhabiAbu Dhabi International AirportActive
United Arab EmiratesDubaiDubai International AirportActive
United KingdomLondonLondon Heathrow AirportActive
United KingdomLondonLondon Gatwick AirportActive
United KingdomManchesterManchester AirportActive
United StatesAtlantaHartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International AirportActive
United StatesBostonLogan International AirportActive
United StatesChicagoO’Hare International AirportActive
United StatesDallasDallas/Fort Worth International AirportActive
United StatesDenverDenver International AirportActive
United StatesHonoluluDaniel K. Inouye International AirportActive
United StatesHoustonGeorge Bush Intercontinental AirportActive
United StatesLas VegasMcCarran International AirportActive
United StatesLos AngelesLos Angeles International AirportActive
United StatesMiamiMiami International AirportActive
United StatesNew York CityJohn F. Kennedy International AirportActive
United StatesOrlandoOrlando International AirportActive
United StatesPhoenixPhoenix Sky Harbor International AirportActive
United StatesSan FranciscoSan Francisco International AirportActive
United StatesSeattleSeattle–Tacoma International AirportActive
United StatesWashington, D.C.Washington Dulles International AirportActive
UruguayMontevideoCarrasco International AirportActive
U.S. Virgin IslandsCharlotte AmalieCyril E. King AirportActive
U.S. Virgin IslandsSt. CroixHenry E. Rohlsen AirportActive
U.S. Virgin IslandsSt. ThomasCharlotte Amalie Harbor Seaplane BaseActive
Vatican CityVatican CityVatican City HeliportActive
VenezuelaCaracasSimón Bolívar International AirportActive
VietnamHanoiNoi Bai International AirportActive
VietnamHo Chi Minh CityTan Son Nhat International AirportActive
YemenAdenAden International AirportActive
ZambiaLusakaKenneth Kaunda International AirportActive
ZimbabweHarareRobert Gabriel Mugabe International AirportActive

Please note that the status information may change over time, and it’s always a good idea to verify the status of an airport with the relevant authorities before planning your travel.

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