Boarding in "the Zone"

...the following is an excerpt of my just-published guide to 1-bag travel.

In the past, when I more frequently checked baggage, one of my great pleasures was to be among the last passengers boarding a flight. My logic was “why fight with everybody else to get on board when all we’re going to do is sit there until the flight is fully loaded anyway?” There was something really nice about watching everybody else elbow their way to the front while I relaxed with the magazine until the final boarding call. 

But the 1-bag traveler has to give up that snarky luxury. He wants to be in line, ready to board, towards the front of his boarding zone. If you follow my instructions carefully, you’ll be able to pack light enough that your bag will fit under the seat in front of you on those occasions when there’s no overhead space left. This works best when your bag is quite dark in color, as you are less likely to be challenged if a bit of it is sticking out into the area for your feet. 

The good news is that even if you don’t get your overhead space, you still will not be stuck checking your bag. But on a long flight, having that bag right in front of your feet is not particularly comfortable. So you want to get on board as soon as possible and grab an overhead space for your bag.