Window seat passengers in economy class to get priority boarding on United Airlines

United Airlines plans to speed up its boarding process by having passengers in economy class who have purchased window seats get on the plane before people in the middle and aisle seats. The change, which is set to take effect on Thursday, could cut up to two minutes from boarding time on each flight, according to an internal memo shared with The New York Times. It will affect domestic flights and some international ones. Airlines, which have recovered from a drop in travel during the coronavirus pandemic, regularly tinker with boarding processes to try to save time and boost profits. Under United’s new seating plan, known as Wilma, a loose acronym for window-middle-aisle, people in economy class with window seats will board first, followed by people in middle seats and then those in aisle seats. Families travelling on the same flight will board together. The boarding process will not change for passengers in first class and business class, and the preboarding group will still include people with disabilities, unaccompanied minors, active-duty military and families travelling with children two years old and under. United has tested the Wilma method, which it first tried in 2017, at five airports and found it to be effective at reducing boarding times, according to the internal memo.<br/>