Gotcha on that last one. Yes, United’s plan to re-invent boarding areas includes a signature scent that you’ll get a whiff of as you approach the plane!
On a more down-to-earth basis, the new areas being built at several Chicago O’Hare gates, included friendlier check-in podiums that will allow agent and customer to share a view of the screen, better-marked boarding lanes to keep groups together and avoid the crush, and (watch closely!) more people in fewer seats.
If that last one seems strange, it’s nonetheless true. United noticed that in long rows of seats in the waiting area, only the ends were consistently used because no one likes having to squeeze past to get to a seat. And people were skipping every other because they either wanted space for things, or just no company. So, new seating will mostly be in clusters, facing out, and with outlets and table spaces between.
Let’s see how it works! MORE details in the Chicago Tribune.
