For years, airlines have tried to find a way of seating passengers in the fastest way possible, since even minute delays can quickly increase operation costs. Recent academic research concludes that airlines should instead focus on how to seat passengers with carry-on bags. The study in question noted that passengers and air crew waste time in finding a suitable place to stow their carry-on baggage. The lead researcher proposed that airlines should instead board from back to front, from window to aisle, and organize passengers according to what they are carrying with them, with bags organized in predictable patterns. Though the method cuts 3% of the boarding time, this could amount to millions in savings for airlines each year.

In other airline news, with some airlines lifting cellphone bans thanks to new federal regulations, passengers in a survey said that they would be willing to pay more if they were seated in quiet zones where cellphone use would remain restricted. Also, the USDOT will enforce reformed regulations that govern rest time for pilots. The matter gained urgency after an investigation into a 2009 plane crash cited pilot fatigue as a contributing factor. New sleep research helped develop the remodeled requirements, where pilots must rest according to a variety of factors instead of allotting a fixed amount of time.