Southwest, don't ask "Is this seat taken?"

kamik86 · Mar 2, 2015

maxiesmom said:
Well as someone who has been a single flyer, they may have had their reasons for not moving. I always pick or pay for an aisle seat, as I get clausterphobic if I have to sit by the window, or between 2 strangers. Yet for some reason when I have been asked to switch, they always want me to trade my aisle seat for a middle seat near the back. No one has ever offered to give me the seat closer to the front, or an aisle seat.

This will always be the case. Everyone seems to have the attitude of "they are by themselves why don't they just move" However if your to the point where you can't find two seats together that means there are only middle seats left, some people don't want to sit in the middle seat. I have only had two do this one time when at least one of the people next to me was not related to me and its not something I want to do again (and I still hate it if both aren't people I know). Others just want to get on with the flight, and its a huge pain to get up from where your sitting and move your overhead luggage and whats under the seat to the new spot. Plus the person who is willing to move has to either be next to someone else also willing to move or next to one of the few still open seats. If not they really didn't help you any.

Now for a small child that go there late due to a connection issue I may move, however there is no way I would move for two adults even if they were on their honeymoon.

kamik86 · Mar 2, 2015

seashoreCM said:
The purpose of preboarding is to benefit the airline, not the passengers. In the event you are traveling together again in the future and are denied preboarding (at least take the initiative to ask if not asked via an announcement), it might help if you be the person following your mom and dad. Maintain a gap of about 30 inches ahead of you and behind them and avoid making comments, both of which I believe will reduce their being flustered.

We were planning to ask when we get there about preboarding. I honestly doubt she will get denied but if we do we can deal with that. I'm more worried about the airport at Midway with her then I am about the actual flight. We are planning to get her a wheelchair because if the gates aren't close she is going to need it. She is only 5 feet tall and was slow before she had her knees replaced.

ibob52 · Mar 2, 2015

I pay for EBCI to up my chances of getting a aisle seat.

Being as I fly transcontinental ... this will mean a aisle seat on my connecting flight too.

I will only change a aisle seat for another aisle seat on SWA flights.

I have flown numerous times ... a aisle seat is what works for me ... personally.

On several flights the F/A has asked for volunteers to change seats ... someone has always complied.

Sometimes it might take a few minutes more than other times ... but it does get done.

Most times ... the volunteer is offered free drinks as gratitude.

anonymousegirl · Mar 2, 2015

I am a person of size and always buy the seat next to me. Usually I fly Southwest alone, but this October my DH is flying with me. I will still buy my extra seat (I treat him just as I would a stranger and don't want to encroach on DH's space). I am thinking that we should buy EBCI for DH as I will be preboarded. Then I'll take the window, and when he gets on (hopefully in the As), he can grab the aisle seat in my row.

goofy4tink · Mar 2, 2015

ArmchairDetective said:
This is what we do and this was my whole point. I always go to the 2nd to last row. My wife has never boarded later than the mid B's and we've never had an issue with "saving the seat."

I'd rather sit together than get off the plane first.

My point was of a person traveling alone...unless there is a very specific reason for getting a seat in the very back of the plane, I just can't imagine someone passing by empty seats further forward and going to the back.

Pooh2 said:
I was thinking about trying Southwest but after reading this thread, not so sure!
I saw a few people post about "Business"category.
Is that Southwest's equivalent to "More Leg Room" on jet blue? Are the seats for business assigned at purchase time?

Business select is just about full fare, fully refundable. Those paying full fare end up in the A1-15 slots. I've booked it before when my plans weren't etched in stone. I didn't want to deal with credits or such, so just booked full fare.
Seriously, flying with SW is not an awful thing. I like SW. They are my number two airline....JetBlue is number one! I like the entertainment systems. But, if I can't get the flight times I want with JB, I head to SW...especially with two checked bags free. I always buy EBCI....that way I don't have to worry about checking myself in at the 24 hr window. There is seldom any drama when flying SW.

4under4 · Mar 2, 2015

These issues are not all the special to SW. We flew UA Maui to LAX a couple years ago. We pre-booked 3 consecutive rows of Window/Aisle knowing that if it wasn't a full flight, we might end up with an empty middle. Also, all the kids wanted a window seat, so this gave us 3 windows to rotate the 4 kids. We were in the middle of the plane, but by being club members were able to board with 1st/business. By the time the rest of the passengers started boarding, we were nicely settled in, sitting window/middle since we had been warned it was a full flight, and planned to give the 3 middle passengers the aisle seats.

What person in their right mind, being booked in a middle seat for a 6 hour flight, wouldn't love to have the aisle?

Well as it turns out, we got the one exceptionally ungrateful passenger. A wife (whose husband stood red-faced with embarrassment) argued with me for nearly 5 minutes, that I just had to move one of my boys out of "her row" so that her husband (in my row) could sit with her. This even though the couple were going to be in consecutive aisle seats instead of the consecutive middle seats on their boarding passes!

I wasn't willing to do this as I didn't want my son sitting by himself, the boys had a tablet to share between them, and we had promised each would get 1/2 the flight by the window... not to mention that I had booked the seats 6 months in advance!! For at least an hour the wife complained LOUDLY to her husband (who looked mortified) that booking their seats a full 2 weeks before the flight had resulted in these horrible seats. I have a feeling they usually flew business/1st based on various comments she made.

The person in my husband's row was over the top grateful that she ended up with an aisle and made sure to thank him at least a dozen times. The husband in my row mouthed "sorry" at one point, which was the closest thing to a thank you I got.

I don't mind flying SW, but if we always buy EBCI for all just to make it easier.

:goodvibes

LisaS · Mar 2, 2015

goofy4tink said:
Business select is just about full fare, fully refundable. Those paying full fare end up in the A1-15 slots. I've booked it before when my plans weren't etched in stone. I didn't want to deal with credits or such, so just booked full fare.

Southwest also offers Anytime fares. They are cheaper than Business Select but are also fully refundable. You do not get to board in the A1-A15 group with an Anytime fare but if you purchase EBCI you get assigned a lower boarding position than those who purchase Wanna Get Away fares plus EBCI.

In some cases the difference between the Anytime fare and Business Select is not that great ($20 or so). If I was booking something on short notice I would be tempted to pay the extra $20 to get an A1-A15 boarding pass. It might also make sense if you are booking something that you might have to cancel because EBCI is $12.50 each way and not refundable so it might be less than $10 more for a Business Select fare vs Anytime + EBCI and then the entire amount is fully refundable.

DonnaL · Mar 3, 2015

I think what folks need to remember about assigned airline seating is that all ANY airline promises you is to get you from Point A to Point B. Your assigned seat is worthless if equipment is changed out, which can and does happen. I totally understand with small/young children the need to be seated together, which SWA's family boarding does accomplish. Personally, I have only purchased EBCI once and that was when our then 10 year old grandson was traveling with us and I wanted to be fairly sure of A seating. However, when it's just my husband and I traveling we don't have a problem with getting B seating either......actually sometimes it works to our advantage.....since it's after family seating and we can pretty much scope out where we choose to sit.....nothing against families with small children.....we've been there as parents and are now there on trips as grandparents......but, when we're traveling as two adults with no children....we try to choose to sit away from the families with small children....and with assigned seating on other airlines we don't have that option.

goofy4tink · Mar 4, 2015

LisaS said:
Southwest also offers Anytime fares. They are cheaper than Business Select but are also fully refundable. You do not get to board in the A1-A15 group with an Anytime fare but if you purchase EBCI you get assigned a lower boarding position than those who purchase Wanna Get Away fares plus EBCI.

In some cases the difference between the Anytime fare and Business Select is not that great ($20 or so). If I was booking something on short notice I would be tempted to pay the extra $20 to get an A1-A15 boarding pass. It might also make sense if you are booking something that you might have to cancel because EBCI is $12.50 each way and not refundable so it might be less than $10 more for a Business Select fare vs Anytime + EBCI and then the entire amount is fully refundable.

Ooops, yes, that's correct. I tend to forget these fares. I prefer to pay a bit more and get those early slots.

LisaS · Mar 4, 2015

goofy4tink said:
Ooops, yes, that's correct. I tend to forget these fares. I prefer to pay a bit more and get those early slots.

I agree. I checked some random dates and the Business Select fare was only $22 higher. Given that you don't need to purchase EBCI, the real price difference is less than $10. Definitely worth it to get into A1-A15, especially if you purchased a ticket at the last minute. Plus you get a free drink (for those who care about that) and you get extra reward points if you paid cash for the ticket.

ThistleMae · Mar 4, 2015

AliceIn said:
Since we don't know the circumstances about the woman and her husband, it's hard to make a judgement about them. Perhaps they both did pay for early boarding, but they realized he left something behind. Maybe he's in the bathroom. Maybe they really are cheapskates who wanted to save the $12.50. We don't know. Sometimes it's best to assume innocence, if only to avoid getting upset yourself at something you have no control over. When I find myself getting upset at something another person is doing, or what I perceive them to be doing, I say the serenity prayer to my self. "Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference." Most of the time that makes me realize that me getting upset about rule infractions only causes negative consequences for me, and rarely for the person I'm getting upset about.

Love, love your advice! And it's so true, you are causing yourself the stress. Really, is it worth it? As long as you have a seat, it's all good.

StitchesGr8Fan · Mar 4, 2015

We've had EBCI in the B group to/from Orlando before. I think it is becoming more commonplace for people to pay for it. I would not be surprised to see another tier you can pay for that guarantees you A boarding someday. Like Premium EBCI or something.

ibob52 · Mar 4, 2015

I feel a persons boarding number position *when checking in at 24 hours before the flight* ...

Greatly depends on which city you are Departing from and the Arrival Destination.

I just shake my head when I read *you do not need EBCI because I have never needed it*

Example ... SAN ... 9/10 the flights are 100% full and EBCI can get you a mid *B* Boarding pass.

kamik86 · Mar 4, 2015

ibob52 said:
I feel a persons boarding number position *when checking in at 24 hours before the flight*

Greatly depends on which city you are Departing from and the Arrival destination.

I just shake my head when I read *you do not need EBCI because I have never needed it*

Example ... SAN ... 9/10 the flights are 100% full and EBCI can get you a mid *B* Boarding pass.

It definitely does. EBCI would be most important if you were to start flying from BWI or Midway since so many connections run though there. On a flight from BWI to Orlando more then half the plane is likely to have come into BWI on another SW flight, some on the plane going from BWI to Orlando.

Those staying on the same plane will get first choice of seats as they wouldn't leave the plane. Then you would have business class and frequent flyers getting early to mid As. Then EBCI. Then all the people that were checked in 24 hours before their first flight (which would be a few hours before the BWI to MCO flight). So someone checking in right at 24 hours for just the BWI to MCO leg could easily be in the Cs already.

kamik86 · Mar 4, 2015

StitchesGr8Fan said:
We've had EBCI in the B group to/from Orlando before. I think it is becoming more commonplace for people to pay for it. I would not be surprised to see another tier you can pay for that guarantees you A boarding someday. Like Premium EBCI or something.

This would be hard for them to do... they would have to know how many places they could sell like this. So either they would have to put this category before frequent flyers (which they could do but it would annoy all the frequent flyers that now get A boarding passes, this would probably be enough to make me stop flying SW all the time with work and get status on a different airline instead) or would have to be pretty limited number based on how many frequent flyers they expect on that flight. (frequent flyers tend to be traveling on business so don't book months and months ahead like is done for vacations many of my business trips are booked less then a week out)

LBIJim · Mar 4, 2015

nkereina said:
On a recent SW flight I was on, the FA was standing in one of the exit rows as everyone was boarding. FA's often do this, so I didn't think much of it. We took the exit row across from her, and I watched multiple people continue past her even though they would have probably liked the exit row. We were about halfway through boarding, and no one had even asked her if the seats were open. Presumably they didn't want to tell the FA to move. Well, lo and behold, two adult women the FA seemingly knew (judging by their conversation) got on and the FA smiled when she saw them, and proceeded to move out of the row and allow them to sit. Clearly, the FA was saving the exit row for her friends
.

Yes, a FA often stands in one of the exit rows during boarding, but I've never had a problem sitting there. I simply tell the FA that I'd like to sit there and they've always complied. Since none of the passengers who walked by even asked about sitting in the exit row, it was their own fault. The FA most likely wouldn't have shooed them away.

Yes, the FA was probably hoping her presence would deter people from sitting there before her friends boarded, but I doubt she would have refused someone wanting to sit there.

maxiesmom said:
Well as someone who has been a single flyer, they may have had their reasons for not moving. I always pick or pay for an aisle seat, as I get clausterphobic if I have to sit by the window, or between 2 strangers. Yet for some reason when I have been asked to switch, they always want me to trade my aisle seat for a middle seat near the back. No one has ever offered to give me the seat closer to the front, or an aisle seat.

That's the standard M.O. for seat switchers on any airline. Almost always trying to upgrade themselves. Rarely do they offer a better seat for yours. And, of course, they think YOU'RE the unreasonable person for not wanting to switch.

So that PP had to sit apart on her honeymoon. Big effing deal. :charac2:

nkereina · Mar 4, 2015

LBIJim said:
Yes, a FA often stands in one of the exit rows during boarding, but I've never had a problem sitting there. I simply tell the FA that I'd like to sit there and they've always complied. Since none of the passengers who walked by even asked about sitting in the exit row, it was their own fault. The FA most likely wouldn't have shooed them away.

Yes, the FA was probably hoping her presence would deter people from sitting there before her friends boarded, but I doubt she would have refused someone wanting to sit there.

Not that it matters at this point, but there was a guy who made a nodding gesture at the FA as if to say "can I sit there" and she smiled and said it wasn't available currently and he kept moving, not questioning her. FWIW, it was a two seater exit row.

katallo · Mar 4, 2015

kamik86 said:
It definitely does. EBCI would be most important if you were to start flying from BWI or Midway since so many connections run though there. On a flight from BWI to Orlando more then half the plane is likely to have come into BWI on another SW flight, some on the plane going from BWI to Orlando.

Those staying on the same plane will get first choice of seats as they wouldn't leave the plane. Then you would have business class and frequent flyers getting early to mid As. Then EBCI. Then all the people that were checked in 24 hours before their first flight (which would be a few hours before the BWI to MCO flight). So someone checking in right at 24 hours for just the BWI to MCO leg could easily be in the Cs already.

This is true about BWI. In the past, after purchasing EBCI we still got B54 or low numbers in C. If the flight originates in another city, we are usually the add ons. Even after purchasing we still get the remaining seats.

chicagodisneyfan · Mar 4, 2015

bride03 said:
I can't side with anyone ticked about this. I sat apart from my husband on the way to Disney for our honeymoon in 2003. (This was before early bird) I lost a little faith in humanity that day as no one would move and there were at least 2 dozen single flyers.

Really - you lost faith in humanity? Over you not getting your way? Uh ok.
No one should have to move for you.

mikehn · Mar 4, 2015

bride03 said:
I can't side with anyone ticked about this. I sat apart from my husband on the way to Disney for our honeymoon in 2003. (This was before early bird) I lost a little faith in humanity that day as no one would move and there were at least 2 dozen single flyers.

I might have moved because Im just a nice guy, not because you're a newlywed

Southwest, don't ask "Is this seat taken?"

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