Don't understand, SW

[PatMcDuck]

The reason we pay an additional fee is to avoid having to be up at the crack of dawn, frantically hitting the F5 key and refresh the page so we can be the first to check in.To be treated as if I am nothing more than an ignorant buffoon and spoken to as if I'm 3 years old is insulting and unacceptable.

Unfortunately this is how our vacation is starting and it really begins on a sour note. Thanks, SWA, for kicking things off by taking my money and laughing as I get skewered in the keister for it. Never...again.

You really need to calm down. Pixie dust coming your way!

You WILL have room for your carry ons, if that is your concern, only the middle- end of the Cs are left scrambling. OK, worst case, your carry on is not in the bin directly above your head. Does that really matter? Does checking in at 24 hours really make you so frantic and stressed out? Most of us do not feel that way, just sayin'.

I don't understand the anger. Your B assignment just means others bought their early boarding ahead of YOU. OR they are on a connecting flight. Should you be assigned in front of them? As others have said, you would have been further back without the EBCI. Once I GOT As, in Raleigh Durham, I was so happy, boarded, and the plane was PACKED already. Because it was a flight from MCO, to PHL, that stopped in NC..... It was a PITA, because the people all had coats and junk on the empty seats, all hoping us boarding in NC would not sit with THEM, we all had to make them move their stuff, coats, books, food, etc so we could sit down.

Sometimes I buy the EBCI (usually when I have connecting flights), other times I do the 24 hour check in (EASY to do from anywhere on my iPhone with the SW app). TO me, it is like a game, to see what assignment I get. If I get a high A, I am like, SCORE! But other times, I almost PREFER the low B, because I can see where all the (potential) crying babies are, and the lap babies, and avoid them, lol.

You are SO lucky, to be going to WDW, just put this behind you.... TO be honest, I would have been surprised and annoyed too, to get Bs, but then would shrug and say, oh well.

SW scores high with ME, because of the free 2 bags checked luggage, the ability to reschedule fights with no penalty, No stupid pick your seat fee (like Spirit and Air Tran, to name 2 with THAT) and I like the no assigned seating, the flights seem to board much faster than assigned seat flights. But, I do not think SW is for you, you would be happier with assigned seats and no pressure to check in, so you should switch, and be happy.

 

[goofy4tink]

The reason we pay an additional fee is to avoid having to be up at the crack of dawn, frantically hitting the F5 key and refresh the page so we can be the first to check in. With work and other obligations, I can't be hovering over my keyboard in the hopes of winning the SWA seating lottery. Reminds me of when I was younger and calling the local radio station - I remember when "redial" was first introduced...what a godsend! You'd still keep trying until you got through.

I talked to customer service today and they said that just because we pay extra for ECBI doesn't mean it's a "premium"...apparently they book Business Select, A+ members, and every other person in the world before they allow for the Early Bird folks. I've been a SW customer for decades and upon speaking with them this morning, and when I brought up my concern, all I got was a 10 minute parroting of their CYA policies and basically "thanks for giving us the extra money, but we aren't really interested in helping you." The customer service rep was rude and it was patently clear that she had no interest in my concerns. I purchased my ticket in February and have been a Rapid Rewards member for years. To be treated as if I am nothing more than an ignorant buffoon and spoken to as if I'm 3 years old is insulting and unacceptable.

Unfortunately this is how our vacation is starting and it really begins on a sour note. Thanks, SWA, for kicking things off by taking my money and laughing as I get skewered in the keister for it. Never...again.

Rapid Rewards member or not, I am going to start looking for alternatives now - it's apparent that SWA really is all about profits and not about serving customers anymore. Such a shame, as that was their hallmark for so many years.

Okay.....did you pay full price for your tickets??? Did you buy business select? Or did you buy the wanna getaway tickets??? Those that buy the cheapest fares are going to be the last passengers checked in at the 36 hr mark. I can't imagine anyone thinking that because they paid an addtl $10 per seat is going to feel that they should be ahead of those who paid full price for a seat. There is a huge difference between wanna getaway fares and fully refundable and/or business select fares. Those that pay top dollar get top dollar service...so to speak.

You got exactly what you paid for....earlybird checkin. Rather than checking yourself in at the 24 hr mark, SW checked you in at the 36 hr mark. Just imagine where those who didn't pay for EBCI were put in the lineup.
SW doesn't say anything about EBCI people getting A group boarding passes...they just don't. You will be fine with your carryon bags. I have seen plenty of people boarding in the late B/early C group finding plenty of spaces for their bags.

I'm not really sure what you expected SW to do for you. They checked in the higher fares before you. You got exactly what they promised you. If that's all it takes to start your trip off on a sour note, then I sure hope nothing really awful happens during your stay. As someone already noted...BWI is a huge connecting point for SW flights. If someone flying in on a flight from Maine, or RI got checked in for their originating flight, then you get bumped even further back in the line.

 

[HelenParr]

You will have plenty of carry on room. It would be extraordinary if you did not.

We fly SW often. We always use EBCI. We have always received A boarding number, but sometimes high as A55 (which is only 5 people from B) on direct flights that originate at my home airport. I would not be surprised to get a B at some point. It is just math to the SW computer. As more people learn to use EBCI, the chance of favorable boarding number decreases.

But I still think it is worth it.

No bag fees. Our flights have always landed early or on time. Pleasant flight attendants. Priced competitively (even factoring in EBCI). Non-stop from my home airport always available. They never change the schedule once it is out. EBCI lets me not worry about being at the computer at 24-hr mark.

 

[TJA]

OP - you will be ok in the B group. We are almost always in the B group, have 2 young kids and never have any issues at all finding space. Having said that, I understand how you feel since you paid the extra money. We have never paid the extra money, and sometimes we're even A's. I think it all depends on how many people have booked with the ECBI, and that's something that is really out of our control. I guess you can look at it like at least you didn't have to log on and check in at the 24-hour mark since SW did it for you.

 

[anonymousegirl]

But I still think it is worth it.

No bag fees. Our flights have always landed early or on time. Pleasant flight attendants. Priced competitively (even factoring in EBCI). Non-stop from my home airport always available. They never change the schedule once it is out. EBCI lets me not worry about being at the computer at 24-hr mark.

I agree. I love being able to get the best seat available at the time I board. As a travel agent, I have seen many, many flights where the passenger has paid for a particular seat (aisle, up front for example) and then the airline does an equipment change and everyone's seat is reassigned and that person is now in a middle seat at the back! Believe me, you haven't seen irate until you filed THAT phone call. And just try to get any monies back from the airline!

Southwest works for me because of my geographical location (most flights start here rather than connect), my willingness to get up early for flight check in, and my willingness to buy EBCI.

 

[bumbershoot]

I talked to customer service today and they said that just because we pay extra for ECBI doesn't mean it's a "premium"...apparently they book Business Select, A+ members, and every other person in the world before they allow for the Early Bird folks.

They aren't checking in everyone else in the world before you. When you are in line tomorrow, look behind you and at the people still in the seats. You are getting on the plane before them. Which you might not have been if you hadn't bought the earlybird.

 

[Mkrop]

The reason we pay an additional fee is to avoid having to be up at the crack of dawn, frantically hitting the F5 key and refresh the page so we can be the first to check in. With work and other obligations, I can't be hovering over my keyboard in the hopes of winning the SWA seating lottery. Reminds me of when I was younger and calling the local radio station - I remember when "redial" was first introduced...what a godsend! You'd still keep trying until you got through.

I talked to customer service today and they said that just because we pay extra for ECBI doesn't mean it's a "premium"...apparently they book Business Select, A+ members, and every other person in the world before they allow for the Early Bird folks. I've been a SW customer for decades and upon speaking with them this morning, and when I brought up my concern, all I got was a 10 minute parroting of their CYA policies and basically "thanks for giving us the extra money, but we aren't really interested in helping you." The customer service rep was rude and it was patently clear that she had no interest in my concerns. I purchased my ticket in February and have been a Rapid Rewards member for years. To be treated as if I am nothing more than an ignorant buffoon and spoken to as if I'm 3 years old is insulting and unacceptable.

Unfortunately this is how our vacation is starting and it really begins on a sour note. Thanks, SWA, for kicking things off by taking my money and laughing as I get skewered in the keister for it. Never...again.

Rapid Rewards member or not, I am going to start looking for alternatives now - it's apparent that SWA really is all about profits and not about serving customers anymore. Such a shame, as that was their hallmark for so many years.

I dont think you understand the purpose of EBCI.

 

[CaliforniaDreaming]

We've pretty much accepted the fact that for every flight on Southwest we take, we're paying an extra $10 per person each way on top of the fare. There are far too many people getting EBCI these days, and far too many people in the A's saving seats onboard for their travel party who are in the B's and C's (there's another issue up for debate). Between the two, only option is to not fly Southwest as this is how it is going to be from now on I think. For me, if Southwest has a nonstop that the only carriers don't, I'll still be on Southwest.

 

[Minnesota!]

The reason we pay an additional fee is to avoid having to be up at the crack of dawn, frantically hitting the F5 key and refresh the page so we can be the first to check in. With work and other obligations, I can't be hovering over my keyboard in the hopes of winning the SWA seating lottery. Reminds me of when I was younger and calling the local radio station - I remember when "redial" was first introduced...what a godsend! You'd still keep trying until you got through.

I talked to customer service today and they said that just because we pay extra for ECBI doesn't mean it's a "premium"...apparently they book Business Select, A+ members, and every other person in the world before they allow for the Early Bird folks. I've been a SW customer for decades and upon speaking with them this morning, and when I brought up my concern, all I got was a 10 minute parroting of their CYA policies and basically "thanks for giving us the extra money, but we aren't really interested in helping you." The customer service rep was rude and it was patently clear that she had no interest in my concerns. I purchased my ticket in February and have been a Rapid Rewards member for years. To be treated as if I am nothing more than an ignorant buffoon and spoken to as if I'm 3 years old is insulting and unacceptable.

Unfortunately this is how our vacation is starting and it really begins on a sour note. Thanks, SWA, for kicking things off by taking my money and laughing as I get skewered in the keister for it. Never...again.

Rapid Rewards member or not, I am going to start looking for alternatives now - it's apparent that SWA really is all about profits and not about serving customers anymore. Such a shame, as that was their hallmark for so many years.

You are the one choosing to start your vacation off on a sour note. Being in the B group means...nothing. Only mid-late C group will have issues with bag space or only finding a middle seat. B section means...nothing.

You got what you paid for - to be checked in at 36h in front of those who did not utilize EBCI. What more do you want?

I dont think you understand the purpose of EBCI.

 

[gr8tdame]

We've pretty much accepted the fact that for every flight on Southwest we take, we're paying an extra $10 per person each way on top of the fare. There are far too many people getting EBCI these days, and far too many people in the A's saving seats onboard for their travel party who are in the B's and C's (there's another issue up for debate). Between the two, only option is to not fly Southwest as this is how it is going to be from now on I think. For me, if Southwest has a nonstop that the only carriers don't, I'll still be on Southwest.

Southwest was the only airline that had non-stop flights from Austin to Orlando. The first time I booked our flights to WDW I was horrified. My dh flew SWA on business quite often and since he travelled alone he never bothered to line up and he didn't care where he sat. It never occurred to him that we would have to stand in a lineup for an hour so that we'd be able to sit together as a family. My ds was 5 at the time. On our trip home from Disney I stood in the line for 1/1/2 hrs while dh and ds went to have lunch and we were able to sit together. Another family down near the end of the line had three children and all of them had to sit alone in middle seats with strangers ,,,Not one person would give up their seat so that mom and child could sit together. After that, we took connecting flights to WDW with AA or continental until Jetbllue came to town. Now we fly to MCO with SWA only if it gets in earlier in the day, but we always fly home with Jetblue. Paying the extra $10 for an earlier boarding pass is so worth it to us... but it doesn't stop people boarding before us who have C boarding passes. The flight attendants don't say a word. Nevermind the people that will save 2 rows of seats.
I don't let it bother me as we are starting a vacation. Coming home is a different matter... Jetblue is our choice every time even if we can fly on points with SWA.

 

[cboudre1]

We paid for it on our return flight and got A28, 29. Going down we didn't and got A58, 59. I paid coming home in case I forgot to check in because I was in the parks.

 

[DebbieB]

Southwest was the only airline that had non-stop flights from Austin to Orlando. The first time I booked our flights to WDW I was horrified. My dh flew SWA on business quite often and since he travelled alone he never bothered to line up and he didn't care where he sat. It never occurred to him that we would have to stand in a lineup for an hour so that we'd be able to sit together as a family. My ds was 5 at the time. On our trip home from Disney I stood in the line for 1/1/2 hrs while dh and ds went to have lunch and we were able to sit together. Another family down near the end of the line had three children and all of them had to sit alone in middle seats with strangers ,,,Not one person would give up their seat so that mom and child could sit together. After that, we took connecting flights to WDW with AA or continental until Jetbllue came to town. Now we fly to MCO with SWA only if it gets in earlier in the day, but we always fly home with Jetblue. Paying the extra $10 for an earlier boarding pass is so worth it to us... but it doesn't stop people boarding before us C boarding passes. The flight attendants don't say a word. Nevermind the people that will save 2 rows of seats.
I don't let it bother me as we are starting a vacation. Coming home is a different matter... Jetblue is our choice every time even if we can fly on points with SWA.

Southwest no longer has the first come/first served lines. You get a boarding spot when you check-in. No need to sit in a line. There was someone who posted a month or so ago that they paid for seats on Jet Blue and part of the family got moved to the back. So seating is not guaranteed on any airline.

 

[gr8tdame]

Southwest no longer has the first come/first served lines. You get a boarding spot when you check-in. No need to sit in a line. There was someone who posted a month or so ago that they paid for seats on Jet Blue and part of the family got moved to the back. So seating is not guaranteed on any airline.

Yes, I am aware of that. We fly to MCO withSWA because theyhave an earlier non-stop flight than Jetblue.
We love Jetblue, wider seats, boarding pass with your seat assignment, tv's at every seat, beverage and snack service.... lower fares. The only caveat is that you have to pay a fee to change your flight, extra baggage fees and no cancellations. We each have only one checked bag and each have a carryon.

 

[Sweettears]

Not to beat a dead horse but I fly SW all the time and always use EBCI. I almost always get A seating with the exception of flights to Orlando. As others have said its likely that these flights get more EBCI participants. Because there are so many families flying to Orlando that want to sit together I can see how it happens.

Having said that as PPs have said, there is nothing wrong with B. You'll have a choice of seats particularly if you don't care if you are in the back. I've never seen them force check carry-ons until well into the C group so no worries there as well.