MythBusters: pyramid-method boarding is quicker

The popular MythBusters TV show on Discovery Channel has proven that the commonly used 'back to front' airplane boarding method is by far not the quickest nor the most popular among passengers.

One of the latest episodes of the show was dedicated completely to the best way to board a plane. MythBusters has built an entire airplane interior with 173 seats and overhead luggage compartments. the show hired an actual cabin crew to help board a plane in different ways. the goal of the show was to determine which procedure is the quickest, from the standard back-to-front method to an elaborate style known as the 'reverse pyramid'.

BusinessInsider reports that the way many airlines board passengers — the back-to-front method — was the slowest method by far. People were also pretty unhappy with it with a satisfaction score of 19 out of a possible 173 votes. The most time-effective method proved to be the free-for-all style where passengers could choose their own seats on a first-come, first-serve basis. Due to the chaos and the stress, this method was not popular with passengers. The best method, taking the least time, was the Reverse Pyramid, that boards window seats first, followed by middle seats and aisles seats, section by section.

Further reading on uk.businessinsider.com