Per SW website:I have a different problem with Southwest - it is the Early Bird that I have paid for but for some reason I get a B boarding number. Now I have paid for a spot that is essentially after all the "Family" (meaning Mom/Dad, brother, sister, grandma, grandpa and aunts) because they have 1 small child but think that the rest of the family can board at the same time. I wish that Southwest would only allow 1 adult with the small child(ren) pre-board and the rest of the "family" board at in their personal boarding spot.
I am not denying you didn’t pay for it however it is written all on their website how the process works and clearly you didn’t read on how Early Bird Check In works. Sure you bought it but so did 100 other people on your flight. So by the time it got to you were in B and SW policy places family boarding in between A & B. Not discounting your frustration but there is a process and no one is breaking the rules except for the gate agent letting more than 2 adults board with a child.You are so right - you should get what you pay for - Early Boarding! Not boarding after everyone with a child and won't pay for the right to board early.
Again straight from the website:You are so right - you should get what you pay for - Early Boarding! Not boarding after everyone with a child and won't pay for the right to board early.
I mean not really. SWA has has open seating since the beginning. They've had EBCI for a while and that was relatively small charge too, then Upgraded Boarding added then EBCI went to dynamic pricing so did Upgraded Boarding. They certainly have upsells within their product but that's not about selling more seats. You as the customer get to choose what you want to purchase for upsell.That’s how they sell more seats. People like to think I they have a chance of getting a great seat without paying an up charge like on most airlines. It really is a clever marketing strategy and clearly works.
It used to be one adult then last year they adjusted it to 2 adults.I have a different problem with Southwest - it is the Early Bird that I have paid for but for some reason I get a B boarding number. Now I have paid for a spot that is essentially after all the "Family" (meaning Mom/Dad, brother, sister, grandma, grandpa and aunts) because they have 1 small child but think that the rest of the family can board at the same time. I wish that Southwest would only allow 1 adult with the small child(ren) pre-board and the rest of the "family" board at in their personal boarding spot.
It's Early Bird though and SWA has always expressedly advised you would never be guaranteed an A Boarding position. This has been the case for years (you can check this thread and I'm positive you'll find that too). Even A-list and A-list Preferred isn't guaranteed an A Boarding position, A-List/A-List Preferred is only guaranteed that they get to Board after A's if they didn't get a Boarding position of A.You are so right - you should get what you pay for - Early Boarding! Not boarding after everyone with a child and won't pay for the right to board early.
I'd fly another airline if that's what I wanted so for now I'm fine with how SWA does it. I actually wish I could fly SWA to Europe this summer because paying $120 per person just to pick seats in Economy for 1 leg (that was from Heathrow to Chicago) is irritating and so is worrying about what flight changes will do to that (and they already changed our flight). We'll still be scrambling come boarding time because of overhead bin space especially because we can't have our personal items at our feet since we selected Exit row seating and both items will have to be in overhead bin space.Wouldn’t it be easier if SW just had people choose seats when purchasing tickets? Then you wouldn’t have this scramble every time upon boarding?
You are so right - you should get what you pay for - Early Boarding! Not boarding after everyone with a child and won't pay for the right to board early.
I agree with you however SW could have changed their seating policy in the last 50+ years but there are people who fly SW exclusively for the seating policy. If it wasn’t making them money I don’t think they would have kept it so long. Wether it is finding the niche of customers that likes it or getting extra route on the plane a day.I mean not really. SWA has has open seating since the beginning. They've had EBCI for a while and that was relatively small charge too, then Upgraded Boarding added then EBCI went to dynamic pricing so did Upgraded Boarding. They certainly have upsells within their product but that's not about selling more seats. You as the customer get to choose what you want to purchase for upsell.
I have been in the middle seat 99.9% of the time I fly with my husband. We don't choose the front of the plane the vast majority of the time, in fact if we can my husband would prefer the exit row for his height but we would be fine elsewhere. Now having an earlier boarding position does increase the odds of that exit row being available yes.
It's not like other airlines with different seats categories which are usually dependent on your location of the plane and leg room and lie flat/recline, etc
Well sure but it's not to "sell more seats". SWA likes to be different than other carriers, it's their tagline it's why in the last 50 years they haven't done too too much to alter their product and yes it's why they have a loyal customer base. And without having baggage fees (especially having 2 checked bags per passenger) one can hardly think they won't have something on their end that they can work with their system.I agree with you however SW could have changed their seating policy in the last 50+ years but there are people who fly SW exclusively for the seating policy. If it wasn’t making them money I don’t think they would have kept it so long. Wether it is finding the niche or customers that likes it or getting extra route on the plane a day.
100% why I choose to fly with them is baggage, change fees, etc.Well sure but it's not to "sell more seats". SWA likes to be different than other carriers, it's their tagline it's why in the last 50 years they haven't done too too much to alter their product and yes it's why they have a loyal customer base. And without having baggage fees (especially having 2 checked bags per passenger) one can hardly think they won't have something on their end that they can work with their system.
People do often forget what comes with other airlines from baggage fees, change fees, seat assignment fees, seat type fees, etc.
It's def. a plus to us. I like their points not only in redemption (which is typically much better value even over the years in comparison to other airliens) but their policy including how you can get points back (and money back in the form of travel credits). They are the most flexible of airlines in that respect.100% why I choose to fly with them is baggage, change fees, etc.
Oh no let's not give anyone ideasFamily boarding arguments, “you don’t look disabled” arguments. Next up should be a seat saving argument.
I think we just like to be pissed off at anything we can find. I am waiting for someone to say that military shouldn’t have priority boarding. I am may lose it.Family boarding arguments, “you don’t look disabled” arguments. Next up should be a seat saving argument.
Yeah but eventually it's best to move those to some other thread.I think we just like to be pissed off at anything we can find. I am waiting for someone to say that military shouldn’t have priority boarding. I am may lose it.
Generally you should be fine. And going for 2 seats is also much easier. Every flight is different so no one can give you a sure fire answer but the experiences of many show you'll generally be fine. Most often the advice is to head towards the back of the plane.So reading these comments about the family boarding/EBCI, I am getting nervous. I am flying to MCO June 25-July 2 with my 7 year old niece. I purchased EBCI because it is just the two of us and I don't want to be separated from her and she doesn't qualify for family boarding. I will be very upset if even with EBCI we end up in a situation where we cannot sit together. We will probably be fine, but you never know.