Anyone know how many SW Early Bird Checkins are sold per flight?

[3happydancers]

DJ, I get what you're saying. And yes, the bottom line is that SWA needs to take a stand and implement a policy.

However, even though the rule is not "written" does not excuse passengers from selfish, arrogant, inexcusable, behavior. Saving seats for non-paying customers in itself states a wrong doing. You know the seat(s) you are saving should FIRST go to those who PAID for early boarding. Those who choose to practice this behavior knowingly makes wrong choices in hopes to "get over" regardless. You place EBCI purchasers in a compromising position; stand up for what they paid for or eat the $$$$ spent on early boarding privileges. In essence, the seat saver and seat taker have made the decision to take a seat(s) from a paying customer(s). You take seats simply because you can. That does not make it right.

I am not a confrontational person. DH on the other hand is. DH calls this behavior the, "Hurray for me and the h..l with everyone else," attitude.

 

[mmbl]

I had really nice person at Southwest that suggested that I just buy 1 out of 3 Early Bird passes. Now this all depends how forceful that first person is at saving two other seats, but I've got that down pretty good. I'm using early bird for me and my mom and daughter will board later. May work, may not. So, I saved that little bit of money doing something fun!

After my Dad's funeral, we bought just one eay check in. I got on, picked 6 seats towards the mid/back exit and put coats, bags, etc. on them. No problem at all; but, I'm sure they weren't the most desirable seats. We just wanted to sit together.

 

[3happydancers]

The seat "saver" issue has changed the atmosphere to me. Southwest used to be a really nice airline. Not so much anymore. I haven't seen fights, if that's what you mean. What I do see are dirty looks, annoyed passengers, and lots of sighing. Fun...Fun...Fun...

We have one more trip planned on SW (yes, we purchased EBCI for all...) and then we're done for now.

How sad, isn't it! We purchased EBCI for all too. We have not encountered fights but like you said, "Dirty looks, annoyed passengers, and lots of sighing," is obvious but avoidable if people simply chose to do the "Right" thing.

The seat saver also sends wrong messages to children watching!

 

[mmbl]

Seat saving is not "cheating" it is a gamble that sometimes pays off. I'm going to try to put a different spin on the seat saving technique for those of you who "hate" it. First, the seat saving technique is merely a gamble and you can choose to make the same bet. Instead you choose not to chance it and would rather give SW more money for the guarantee of sitting together with your family. I say good for you, I'm glad you can afford the extra cost. Assuming that you pay for early boarding and do get to sit together, then you are getting what you paid for regardless of whether anyone saves seats or not. (I've never heard of anyone yet who paid for early boarding and didn't get to sit together, but I guess it's possible.) So if you're getting what you paid for but see someone else saving seats, why not "let it go" and let the seat savers try to save seats? It doesn't hurt you or your early boarding investment in any way. However, the second point I want to make is that the seat saving technique can actually benefit early boarders (and everyone else) if it prevents a flight delay. Be honest, no one wants to sit next to someone else's kid, no matter how well behaved the child might be. Also, no parent wants their child sitting next to a stranger on a plane. As a former flight attendant, I can guarantee you that your plane will not leave the gate if a parent is throwing a fit about where their child is sitting because an irate parent (aka raving lunatic) is an inflight safety risk. This means two scenarios for everyone on board when parents and children are separated: there will either be a delay at the end of boarding while people voluntarily swap seats to accomodate the upset parent, or there will be a delay while the parent fumes and eventually deplanes with children in tow because no one will swap seats for them. Either way, those of you who paid for the privilege of early boarding will be delayed. So... instead of being mad at the person saving seats, be glad they at least paid for 1 or 2 early boarders and succeed in saving the rest of the seats they need because that prevents delays. Third, there could be extenuating circumstances that you know nothing about that caused the seat saving family to do what they do. Perhaps it is a family who spent every penny they had on a discounted bereavement ticket to a funeral and couldn't afford the extra money for everyone in their party to board early. Or perhaps it is a family on their way to see a returning loved one who is a U.S. service member as he/she arrives stateside after a tour of duty. You never know what is going on in someone else's life that causes them to make the choices they do (or be unable to afford the luxury of purchasing early boarding). As long as those choices don't affect you, you shouldn't let it bother you. Now a word to seat savers like me. If you are a seat saver, be considerate of others and go to the far rear of the plane where nobody wants to sit anyway. Your chances of somebody insisting to sit in your saved seat will be diminished greatly at the rear of the plane! (I will be traveling with my two elderly parents and 4 young nephews on RR points which means 14 separate confirmation numbers round trip. There is literally no way for us to check in 7people at exactly the 24 hour prior mark both ways. I can't afford the 14 early boarding passes so I will buy 2 early boarding passes each way and hope for the best). From my vantage point, everyone wins from seat saving: early boarders get to sit together so they get what they paid for, seat savers get to sit together and the plane is not delayed, SW gets money from at least one early boarding fee. Win, win, win!! Yay for everyone, right?!

Amen! I've been on several American Airlibes flights where parents and kids were separated because of extra fees for aisle seats, or exclusivity for 'gold+' flyers and what a headache at the last minute trying to get volunteers to give up aisle seats so a parent and child could sit together! All these airlines are just making it harder and harder in the average person. We for EBCI for spouse and I for our next SW flight, but. see my post when we had 6 flying to/from my Dad's funeral. Simply couldn't do it with last minute fare costs, funeral expenses, etc.

 

[3happydancers]

I've never flown with southwest. I avoided them because I like to pay for my assigned seat ahead of time. For our upcoming trip, we are flying southwest because they are the only airline that run nonstop flights out of our airport to MCO.

I can see both sides of the seat saving argument. The problem is not the guests or the flight attendants. It's the fact that southwest doesn't have a policy against it. Why is that? I don't see how you can be mad at anyone attempting to save a seat when it isn't against the rules??

That being said, I bought EBCI for everyone in my traveling party because we want to sit together. If for some reason someone saving a seat is in the way of that happening I'll have no problem sitting in the seat, but I wont like the potential for an altercation.

Ugh... starting to not look forward to this flight.

I believe the reason one gets upset is because even though the rule isn't written, you would think an adult would know right from wrong. Taking seats that others have paid for, for early boarding, to give to others who did NOT pay for, is in itself a wrong act. Thus, this act puts those who paid for EBCI in a compromising position which is also not right.

We have been flying SWA for years and ultimately, have never encountered fights or arguments. That being said, try not to worry about boarding. I think you will be just fine. Remember, this is just a discussion on the boards which comes up time and again.

FWIW, at least our discussion has been conducted in a calm, respectful manner!

 

[mmbl]

1) you obviously haven't read many of these thread because people do report not being able to sit with their party when purchasing ebci but there were people saving rows of seats. 2) my child is my problem; your child is your problem. If you choose to fly with a small child and not do everything possible to ensure that you sit with said child I would venture to say you failed at that parental duty. I am very happy to sit with my nook or laptop and my earplugs in watching my movie while Johnny has his fit because Johnny isn't my problem. 3) I'm sorry some people may not be able to afford to purchase ebci but some peoe can't afford first class or luxury cars or dinners out, doesn't mean they are entitled to try and sit in an empty first class seat or drive my car while I'm not using it or have me pay for their meal. Everyone has a sob story. If you want to sit with your family, fly on an airline that allows you to choose your seats and check periodically to make sure they don't get moved. I check on my sept flight about one every couple weeks as it gets closer I will check more often and if there is a problem I can resolve it.

Political commentary of the day: You are a capitalist. That is no longer socially acceptable or politically correct. Just saying ; )
IMHO , of course: if you can ignore a screaming, kicking, obnoxious child next to you, either 1) you haven't had the pleasure , or 2) you have a cold heart , or 3) you're a man.

 

[mmbl]

I have found that the vast majority of posters over on FlyerTalk are seasoned travelers. They know the drill. I would much rather fly with them vs a lot of the fliers heading to WDW!

Agree!

 

[goofy4tink]

Correct! If a seat saver places a coat or bag or whatever in an adjacent seat, then I think an ECBI boarder has every right to politely insist on sitting in that seat and asking the seat saver to move their belongings. However, I also think the seat saver has a right to resist those efforts by politely refusing to move their belongings since SW doesn't have an official policy against seat saving. If the seat saver politely refuses to cooperate with the polite ECBI boarder, then the ECBI boarder in this scenario has 3 options. He can ask a flight attendant to intervene (which they may or may not do since SW has no official policy), he can enter into a verbal and/or physical altercation over his right to the saved seat (and suffer the resulting consequences of those actions which would most likely include being escorted off the plane), or he can reluctantly move along to another unoccupied seat and complain to corporate SW later. I personally would choose option 3. (And in case you're wondering, If I were the seat saver, I personally would move my stuff if asked to do so.)

I think SW's lack of official policy prohibiting seat saving creates a terrible situation for everyone involved in this scenario, especially the flight attendants who I can assure you do not want to deal with passengers fighting over seats (though they are trained to deal with them).




I agree with you completely, no one should have to fight for a seat, but the reality is that SW has created an environment in which it forces passengers to do so. It has always been this way. It has been this way on SW since the beginning, long before ECBI came along. People have been saving seats on SW all along. Before ECBI, the seat savers were the A boarders whose travelling mates got stuck in C boarding. Now the seat savers are the people who buy only 1 or 2 ECBI passes. In reality, nothing has changed for passengers except that some people are paying for ECBI expecting a guaranteed good seat or the guarantee of sitting together. When in reality ECBI guarantees nothing.

All ECBI does is bring in more revenue for SW. There have always been seat savers on SW and there always will be unless SW starts assigning seats or sets an official policy and authorizes flight attendants to intervene officially. This is why I think ECBI is a complete waste of everyone's money; it does not guarantee anyone anything. It does not guarantee a "good" seat, it does not even guarantee that everyone in your ECBI party will get to sit together even when there are no seat savers (because SW sells tons of ECBI passes). So why pay for it if you might have to fight for a seat either way?

With all that being said, I must admit that I am not normally a confrontational person either. Like you, I would not fight for a seat or cause a scene even if I did pay for ECBI. I would choose option # 3 in my scenario above and remain quiet and contact SW later to voice my displeasure over the ECBI policy (or the lack of policy might be the better way to phrase it). Those of us who choose to fly SW, regardless of whether we purchase ECBI or not, do so because it saves us money and we have decided that the savings is worth the hassle of fighting over a seat.

Oh, but it has changed. EBCI pretty much promises you earlier access to seats than those that chose not to pay for EBCI! There in lies the rub! I have paid EBCI for my group. I resent like hell someone that is too cheap to pay for their entire group but decides to save seats for them..which means there are fewer seats for me to chose from. I 'should' expect to be able to chose from every single seat that doesn't have a EBCI paid behind in it!
Can I take that 'saved' seat? Sure I can. But I am not prepared to fight for that seat. And that's exactly what seat savers are banking on....other passengers being either too polite or too timid to make a scene.
I wonder what would happen if I paid full fare, getting me A1-15 (which I have done before) and then letting the rest of my party board at will..maybe even pay EBCI for them. Then, I can save the entire first row! Would I? Nope. But it would be the exact same thing. Still be wrong even if my fare was double to triple what everyone else paid!!!

I agree with you basically....SW really needs to do something about seat saving. Of course, once they start condoning it, they will lose money. You will find just one person in the group paying for ebci, and then saving seats for everyone else!

 

[Gracie09]

Amen! I've been on several American Airlibes flights where parents and kids were separated because of extra fees for aisle seats, or exclusivity for 'gold+' flyers and what a headache at the last minute trying to get volunteers to give up aisle seats so a parent and child could sit together! All these airlines are just making it harder and harder in the average person. We for EBCI for spouse and I for our next SW flight, but. see my post when we had 6 flying to/from my Dad's funeral. Simply couldn't do it with last minute fare costs, funeral expenses, etc.

I would say the fault would lie with the parents for not wanting to pay the extra fees and assuming someone would move to accommodate them. And everyone has a story. Last time we went to wdw we had a very last minute ticket purchase for one of our foster kids. Her ticket was over double the cost of our ticket. But that is what it was. I didn't complain that it was too expensive. I made adjustments to our budget and moved on. And you may be the only person to ever call me a capitalist. But I don't think it's capitalist to pay for what you want. Or to be responsible for your children.

 

[Gracie09]

Political commentary of the day: You are a capitalist. That is no longer socially acceptable or politically correct. Just saying ; )
IMHO , of course: if you can ignore a screaming, kicking, obnoxious child next to you, either 1) you haven't had the pleasure , or 2) you have a cold heart , or 3) you're a man.

I have young children. As a foster parent I have never been accused of being cold hearted. Heart broken, yes because when you have seen the abuse some kids face it breaks your heart and when they leave to go right back to those homes all you can do is hope. And last I checked I didn't have a ***** but my husband does and he is incredibly kind hearted and a bit of a mush. Especially to our kids. But he also takes care of his own and believes his kids are his responsibility.

And personal attacks are not nice and against the rules.

 

[gwynne]

Southwest has a policy of open seating. They don't have a policy of open seat saving.
If a human patootie isn't in a seat, that seat is open. I know, it doesn't work that way. And the savers know that as long as they stand firm, most passengers will not want to have to get into it with them. Nice.

 

[mmbl]

I would say the fault would lie with the parents for not wanting to pay the extra fees and assuming someone would move to accommodate them. And everyone has a story. Last time we went to wdw we had a very last minute ticket purchase for one of our foster kids. Her ticket was over double the cost of our ticket. But that is what it was. I didn't complain that it was too expensive. I made adjustments to our budget and moved on. And you may be the only person to ever call me a capitalist. But I don't think it's capitalist to pay for what you want. Or to be responsible for your children.

You may not 'think' you're a capitalist, but your ideology certainly falls in line. Either that your one of the elite wanna-be socialists. Personally, I'd rather be a capitalist as that is fair opportunity and not necessarily fair results. Can't have it both ways, sorry. And any female who could ignore a distraught child is beyond something I can comprehend~ but I'm a nurse and I think compassion just runs through my veins~

 

[Gracie09]

You may not 'think' you're a capitalist, but your ideology certainly falls in line. Either that your one of the elite wanna-be socialists. Personally, I'd rather be a capitalist as that is fair opportunity and not necessarily fair results. Can't have it both ways, sorry. And any female who could ignore a distraught child is beyond something I can comprehend~ but I'm a nurse and I think compassion just runs through my veins~

I love how you think you can tell all my political leanings based on my views on seating on an airline.

 

[goofy4tink]

All right now...knock off the out of line comments. Some of you are getting pretty close to personal insults! If these comments don't stop, the comments will be deleted..and you will be subject to violation points. Geez.

I have had the pleasure of having an unruly child behind me. It was not pleasant. It was, in fact, a seat saver behind me. I seldom take a seat on SW if there is a child nearby. I have kids, I dealt with them, I don't need to deal with someone else's child. That child spent the flight kicking my seat, sticking his fingers through the seat backs, jumping up and grabbing my seat back to look over. When one parent told the other parent that maybe the child should get seat belted again? The mother's response was 'Oh, he's just having fun. He's not bothering anyone!' Really? The woman next to me, a stranger, just looked at me and cracked up. She was the one that turned around and said..'Oh, but he is! He is really bothering us up here with all that jumping around and banging on our seats!' The child was seat belted!

It is not my job to make someone else's flight better. I worry about myself and my family. No, I won't go out of my way to make things miserable for someone. I have offered to change seats before. I have given aid to someone that needed some. But, it's just not my responsibility! Plain and simple.

So....either stop with the capitalist comments, and other less than wonderful comments and arguments..or this thread will end. It has had some pretty decent debate until now.

 

[goofy4tink]

Political commentary of the day: You are a capitalist. That is no longer socially acceptable or politically correct. Just saying ; )
IMHO , of course: if you can ignore a screaming, kicking, obnoxious child next to you, either 1) you haven't had the pleasure , or 2) you have a cold heart , or 3) you're a man.

I have young children. As a foster parent I have never been accused of being cold hearted. Heart broken, yes because when you have seen the abuse some kids face it breaks your heart and when they leave to go right back to those homes all you can do is hope. And last I checked I didn't have a ***** but my husband does and he is incredibly kind hearted and a bit of a mush. Especially to our kids. But he also takes care of his own and believes his kids are his responsibility.

And personal attacks are not nice and against the rules.

You may not 'think' you're a capitalist, but your ideology certainly falls in line. Either that your one of the elite wanna-be socialists. Personally, I'd rather be a capitalist as that is fair opportunity and not necessarily fair results. Can't have it both ways, sorry. And any female who could ignore a distraught child is beyond something I can comprehend~ but I'm a nurse and I think compassion just runs through my veins~

I love how you think you can tell all my political leanings based on my views on seating on an airline.

Allow me to get more personal......you two! Knock it off. There is no room on this board for politics. One's political leanings have little to no bearing on transportation issues. There have been less than stellar posts from both of you. Please cease and desist. Thanks.

 

[mmbl]

Allow me to get more personal......you two! Knock it off. There is no room on this board for politics. One's political leanings have little to no bearing on transportation issues. There have been less than stellar posts from both of you. Please cease and desist. Thanks.

Sorry. My original was tongue-in-cheek notice the 'wink.' I didn't mean to upset Gracie, or anyone else.

 

[mm1971]

How sad, isn't it! We purchased EBCI for all too. We have not encountered fights but like you said, "Dirty looks, annoyed passengers, and lots of sighing," is obvious but avoidable if people simply chose to do the "Right" thing.

The seat saver also sends wrong messages to children watching!

And that is really the major point, isn't it. What are we teaching our children and others around us?

We pay the EBCI because we want to sit together and don't want to inconvenience others. My children are older now, are very well behaved and would have no issues sitting elsewhere (quite enjoyable as a matter of fact:good vibes). But we are on vacation. The whole point is to eliminate stress and spend time together as a family. I for one do not care about front, middle or back of the plane. On principle alone, I would not take a seat from someone that paid to have the option to choose it. I know it will not be a positive comment, but anyone that saves a seat without paying for the benefit of doing so when others have are showing they are selfish and do not have the common courtesy we try to instill in our family. With that said, I will not let it bother me because that would bring me down to their level.

I do think SW needs to define a policy on this topic as others have stated. I'm sure they would make the decision that EBCI passengers have the benefit as paid for and seat saving is not allowed if it ever came to push/shove. Just let everyone know the rules and allow us to plan for any speed bumps.

 

[Disneyfanatic108]

I would like to add another scenario. I purchased early bird check in for myself when I purchased my ticket. I then purchased my wife and daughters ticket on my wife's account and did not purchase early bird. I was going to save two for them. Today I checked and the flight is sold out in less than a month. I added early bird check in to their tickets today. Given about a month has gone buy, I am sure they will not follow me as it is based on when purchased. I will still save a seat for them, but they have also purchased EBCI for the flight. So who's to say if it is right or wrong? Do we really know the whole scenario? I do agree that SW has to level the playing field. We Generally would not flight SW but since they are becoming the cheaper carrier, we will have to deal with the situation at hand.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

People, if Southwest's seating policy causes you so much angst, don't fly them!

 

[gwynne]

I would like to add another scenario. I purchased early bird check in for myself when I purchased my ticket. I then purchased my wife and daughters ticket on my wife's account and did not purchase early bird. I was going to save two for them. Today I checked and the flight is sold out in less than a month. I added early bird check in to their tickets today. Given about a month has gone buy, I am sure they will not follow me as it is based on when purchased. I will still save a seat for them, but they have also purchased EBCI for the flight. So who's to say if it is right or wrong? Do we really know the whole scenario? I do agree that SW has to level the playing field. We Generally would not flight SW but since they are becoming the cheaper carrier, we will have to deal with the situation at hand.

That situation isn't a problem for us, it really isn't. We've dealt with it a couple of times when DH found out later he could get some time off. I have a lower number, he has a higher. We just both board together at his number.