Ah, but the algorithm only optimizes queue'ing up the plane cabin, when in fact we should optimize the entire queue + dequeue.
I only skimmed the PDF, but I think it overlooks one side benefit from loading a plane back-to-front as airlines do today: Your carry-on bag is very likely to end up near you or in front of you, even on a very packed flight.
The benefit is, when getting off the plane, which is always done front-to-back (and is probably optimal or close to it), everyone can grab their carry-on on their way down the aisle. If your carry-on ever ends up BEHIND your seat in the aisle, then generally you must wait until EVERYONE else gets off (it happened to me once, and that's when I suddenly realized why each flight has people who seem ready to go but must wait patiently for the entire aisle to clear).
With the proposed algorithm in the PDF, if you are in an odd-numbered aisle seat, you might just have to go all the way to the back to find spare carry-on space, which is a great disaster for the deplaning part. Why is there space in the back? Because when people book their seats, my personal observation shows they tend to pick the back last... I guess they don't want to be near the bathrooms.
I only skimmed the PDF, but I think it overlooks one side benefit from loading a plane back-to-front as airlines do today: Your carry-on bag is very likely to end up near you or in front of you, even on a very packed flight.
The benefit is, when getting off the plane, which is always done front-to-back (and is probably optimal or close to it), everyone can grab their carry-on on their way down the aisle. If your carry-on ever ends up BEHIND your seat in the aisle, then generally you must wait until EVERYONE else gets off (it happened to me once, and that's when I suddenly realized why each flight has people who seem ready to go but must wait patiently for the entire aisle to clear).
With the proposed algorithm in the PDF, if you are in an odd-numbered aisle seat, you might just have to go all the way to the back to find spare carry-on space, which is a great disaster for the deplaning part. Why is there space in the back? Because when people book their seats, my personal observation shows they tend to pick the back last... I guess they don't want to be near the bathrooms.