It’s become quite a circus at airport departure gates across the U.S.—the passenger boarding protocols have gotten a little silly.

On one recent commuter flight on a plane that held less than 60 people, I watched in amazement as the airline agent announced eight different boarding groups.

I understand and support giving people with disabilities priority boarding.

Active military? They deserve it.

But then come all the different statuses associated with either a crude ticket mileage or what credit card you carry.

There’s also what service of class you’re flying.

It doesn’t speed up the process, it actually slows it down.

I’m a big fan of cutting out most of these categories.

There should be no first class, coach, or frequent flyer distinctions.

Just replace them with five categories: folks with disabilities, active military, families with young kids and finally, professional and amateur travelers.

For more information about airline boarding, check out:

• Why You Need to Hold on to Your Boarding Pass
• Airlines Test New Methods to Speed Up the Boarding Process
• Why You Should Schedule Plenty of Time for a Layover

Keep reading for more travel tips.