Anyone have SW make you give up EBCI seat?

[Fairyjen1]

I was just curious how often this really happens.

I see on here where people post that they SW won't let young children (ones too old for family boarding, but too young for the parent to be comfortable with them sitting by themselves. ) sit by themselves and they will force people to move to accommodate. Has anyone ever experienced this after they paid for EBCI. Do you get your EBCI refunded or other compensation if you and your travel companion are now sitting in middle seats on opposite ends of the plane after you paid for a good boarding position?

I have flown many times. If I'm by myself or a short flight I usually just check in at the 24 hour mark. I've even changed with someone to a middle seat once so they could sit with their teenager who was uncomfortable sitting by themselves. I don't have a problem being between two strangers. I'm used to public transportation.

However, this upcoming trip is with my boyfriend, it's somewhat romantic and we are flying from CA to FL so a longer flight. We really want to sit together so I sprung for EBCI round trip. Now if someone tells me they our seats for their family, who didn't buy EBCI, how likely is it that Southwest will force me to move, and will they refund my EBCI?

I just want to be prepared, I don't generally cause trouble, and would be fine moving if they could find us something together. But if SW forces you to accommodate do they refund your EBCI or offer some other compensation? I've never been forced to change on sW, it's always been voluntary, but this time the circumstances are a little different and want to be prepared, especially flying to Orlando where there is likely to be lots of families with kids.

 

[jdb in AZ]

I've seen SW flight attendants politely ask people to move, but never force them. I don't think EBCI makes any difference; it's more a matter of where the families end up. DH was recently asked to move so SW could accommodate a young lady who needed the aisle seat (supposedly she was claustrophobic) and he didn't mind moving. Momma bear was a few rows up with other kiddos. The flight attendant didn't ask whether or not we had EBCI.

 

[SamSam]

DH and I have flown SW many times and we've never seen any one 'forced' to give up their seat. Frequently (especially flying to Orlando) people have been asked if they would switch seats to accomodate a family wanting to sit together. Sometimes they've offered drink vouchers if you're willing to switch. In all our flights that's as far as it went, someone has always been willing to switch so there was never a 'forced' switch.

I wouldn't worry. Go enjoy!

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Southwest doesn't have any policy about not letting young children sit by themselves; not sure why you think this is true.

They also cannot "force" you to give up your seat.

Orlando is a big convention town; many flights have few to no children. I'm not sure why so many people think all flights to MCO are filled with kids.

 

[Fairyjen1]

Orlando is a big convention town; many flights have few to no children. I'm not sure why so many people think all flights to MCO are filled with kids.

Probably because we are reading a WDW centric board and not an Orlando convention board, LOL. From reading here you can get the idea that half of any flight is children!

Thanks for all the answers!

 

[helenk]

Just an FYI, getting EBCI does not guarantee you a specific seat, it just gets you checked in at the 36 hour mark instead of the 24 hour mark. For most of my flights I have gotten an A boarding pass, but I have gotten lower numbered Bs as well. That meant that the families boarding with young children got on before I did.
I fly SW pretty much for all my trips to WDW, in all my flights I have never seen an occasion where a flight attendant has asked anyone to change their seats.

 

[PPFDDisneyLover]

Just happened to my BIL flight home from MCO yesterday, they continued to politely ask and no one would move. Pilot finally came on and announced the doors would not be closed and flight wouldn't leave until someone volunteered their seat so the child could sit with a parent. My BIL wanted to offer, but he had his daughter and wife with him so a party of 3 would not have helped the situation.

 

[gmeh1]

Just happened to my BIL flight home from MCO yesterday, they continued to politely ask and no one would move. Pilot finally came on and announced the doors would not be closed and flight wouldn't leave until someone volunteered their seat so the child could sit with a parent. My BIL wanted to offer, but he had his daughter and wife with him so a party of 3 would not have helped the situation.

Was this on SWA? I am surprised that any employee of that airline would do that. Open seating does not mean strong arming someone into changing their seats it means you select a seat and sit in it. No one has to move, it is purely volunteer.

 

[Jestocost]

Was this on SWA? I am surprised that any employee of that airline would do that. Open seating does not mean strong arming someone into changing their seats it means you select a seat and sit in it. No one has to move, it is purely volunteer.

I don't know how often it happens and I've never actually seen it happen, but reports of this kind of situation pop up from time to time so apparently does. Practically speaking, GAs, FAs and pilots have pretty broad discretion to interpret (or create) policies as they see fit and I can easily see that a pilot might choose to use strong arm tactics. The family that gets to sit together as a result thinks the pilot is a hero and the people who are forced to move think the pilot is a heel. I think it's a bad way to handle it, but that's just an opinion.

 

[Autumnslight]

I think that's probably the best way they could have handled it. They didn't pick any particular person and force them to move, just said they had to wait until someone volunteered, before the plane could leave.

I'm actually glad to hear about that. Depending on the child, it could be a really horrible experience for the child, the parent, AND the people who sat next to the child. What if the kid is scared and crying the whole time? Or what if they get airsick? Or they need help with their seat belt, or getting out to get to the bathroom, or who knows what else. Or maybe they just plain aren't very well behaved, and need parental supervision to keep them under control. There's just no reason to make everyone miserable like that, when it would be a lot easier for some adult to just move to a different seat.

 

[luv2sleep]

I think that's probably the best way they could have handled it. They didn't pick any particular person and force them to move, just said they had to wait until someone volunteered, before the plane could leave.

I'm actually glad to hear about that. Depending on the child, it could be a really horrible experience for the child, the parent, AND the people who sat next to the child. What if the kid is scared and crying the whole time? Or what if they get airsick? Or they need help with their seat belt, or getting out to get to the bathroom, or who knows what else. Or maybe they just plain aren't very well behaved, and need parental supervision to keep them under control. There's just no reason to make everyone miserable like that, when it would be a lot easier for some adult to just move to a different seat.

Completely agree. I can't understand why an adult who can fully take care of themselves would consider a seat location on a plane more important than the safety and security of a child.

 

[gmeh1]

I don't know how often it happens and I've never actually seen it happen, but reports of this kind of situation pop up from time to time so apparently does. Practically speaking, GAs, FAs and pilots have pretty broad discretion to interpret (or create) policies as they see fit and I can easily see that a pilot might choose to use strong arm tactics. The family that gets to sit together as a result thinks the pilot is a hero and the people who are forced to move think the pilot is a heel. I think it's a bad way to handle it, but that's just an opinion.

I agree, it is a bad way to handle it.

 

[bumbershoot]

Completely agree. I can't understand why an adult who can fully take care of themselves would consider a seat location on a plane more important than the safety and security of a child.

I think it's more the idea that the PARENT should have done everything and anything while booking that flight and then while checking in for that flight to ensure the safety and security of *their own child*, rather than hope that someone else, totally unrelated to the child, will do what the parent did not.

 

[luv2sleep]

I think it's more the idea that the PARENT should have done everything and anything while booking that flight and then while checking in for that flight to ensure the safety and security of *their own child*, rather than hope that someone else, totally unrelated to the child, will do what the parent did not.

What if you did and you are still separated from your child?

 

[gmeh1]

I think that's probably the best way they could have handled it. They didn't pick any particular person and force them to move, just said they had to wait until someone volunteered, before the plane could leave.

I'm actually glad to hear about that. Depending on the child, it could be a really horrible experience for the child, the parent, AND the people who sat next to the child. What if the kid is scared and crying the whole time? Or what if they get airsick? Or they need help with their seat belt, or getting out to get to the bathroom, or who knows what else. Or maybe they just plain aren't very well behaved, and need parental supervision to keep them under control. There's just no reason to make everyone miserable like that, when it would be a lot easier for some adult to just move to a different seat.

Ok, I am going to be very bold and frank here. I am speaking only of SWA where the seating is open. Now, why should anyone have to move because someone quite possibly did not check in early? Why should someone who possibly paid for early check in or planned ahead and checked in at the 24 hour mark have to move? I see your point about the child, but, having flown all to often (with the same scenarios you just pointed out about a child alone)with the child seated with their parents. Yes, it is probably a lot easier for some adult to move to accomodate the child, but, why should they have to? If open seating is a problem, then pick an airline that has assigned seating or pay for early checkin. Relying on others to accomodate you is risky and inconsiderate. Contrary to popular belief, the world does not revolve around children (except your own). I know I sound selfish and will probably catch a lot of heat for this, but, this is how I see it.

 

[gmeh1]

Completely agree. I can't understand why an adult who can fully take care of themselves would consider a seat location on a plane more important than the safety and security of a child.

Because they might consider their safety and security to be of importance to them and you don't know that an adult can fully take care of themselves.

 

[MAYNARDS99]

I'd much rather have some small, well behaved child sitting in the middle seat next to me then some oversized Pooh bear sitting there.

As long as the child can be self entertained, everyone should be fine. Snacks from home, books to read or color, Gameboy or a smartphone to play games. It's a flying bus afterall. Your five year old does not have to be attached to your hip for them to survive!

I agree with gmeh1 - Is it appropriate to ask someone who has paid for a Business Select fare to move, when you've only paid for a Wanna Get Away fare at half the price, I don't think so... Want to be guaranteed to sit together, buy the Business class fare or choose an airline with assigned seating. Easy Peasy!

BTW - I am the type of person to volunteer to move, BUT not to a middle seat!

 

[mmouse50]

The bottom line is .... If you have to sit by your child on Southwest - Buy EBCI!

 

[mikehn]

The flight crew can pretty much do whatever it takes to ensure a safe flight. If they decide it is unsafe for a young child to sit alone, the will not take off, ecbi or not. If everyone on that flight purchased ecbi, tough cookies

 

[Autumnslight]

The bottom line is .... If you have to sit by your child on Southwest - Buy EBCI!

Even EBCI wouldn't guarantee it 100% though. It sounds like this is generally a pretty rare issue, but I've seen some people talk about how even with EBCI, they've gotten boarding spots in the B group, and been split up from their party.

I think there are many situations where it would be completely fine for a child to sit separate from their parent, and in that case, I agree no one should have to move just because the parent would prefer to sit with them. But it totally depends on the child.

Say you have a child with special needs, or a child where this is their first flight, or a child that you know is afraid of flying or who gets airsick. I would argue that it's not just in the best interest of the child and parent, it's actually in the best interests of all the other people sitting near the child to let the parent sit with the child and take care of them. I mean, unless some random stranger would prefer to deal with taking care of the child, instead of just moving and letting the parent do it. Perhaps we could get Mary Poppins on each flight to or from Orlando to handle these issues. That should solve it.

Honestly, I've never flown Southwest before, and I didn't fully understand how Southwest's seating worked, even after reading their policies. I understand it better now, because of this board, and I kind of wish I'd booked a different airline for our upcoming trip, just for the peace of mind.