Attention Southwest People

[SirDuff]

I don't think you have to actually go up to the customer service agent. I think the app assigns it and updates your barding pass in the app. I think you only have to approach the actual agent if there is an issue. If you don't check in online before a certain amount of time before the flight, you would have to check in with the customer service agent. I am not sure when you ahve to do it by but you can do it as early as 24 hours before your flight.

So, at check-in, not at the gate. The PP I quoted said at the gate which is no more than maybe half an hour before boarding (depending on when the gate agents get there).

 

[china mom]

So, at check-in, not at the gate. The PP I quoted said at the gate which is no more than maybe half an hour before boarding (depending on when the gate agents get there).

So, here is my understanding of how it is working. You need to check in on the app anything after T-24 but I don't know how close to flight time that holds. You are assigned your seat. I assume that the better seats are assigned first so check in early. If you do not check in on the app, you need to check in with the Customer Service Agent at the gate (they might also do it at bag drop but I am not sure).

Also not sure but this might be dependent on your fare bucket but you supposedly can ask the CSA at the gate for a seat change somehting like 2 hours before your flight but you will not get an extra legroom seat unless you pay for it.

If you still don't like your seat, you are stuck there for take off but after the seat belt sign goes off, you can ask a flight attendant to move to another seat but don't just move on your won, they change it on their tablet. You cannot move to en extra legroom seat even if you are crammed 3 to a row and the front is emtpy.

I have only flown two legs so far since the assigned seating but have been reading up on it and am pretty sure this is how it is working (at least until they tweak it)

 

[sam_gordon]

If you do not check in on the app, you need to check in with the Customer Service Agent at the gate (they might also do it at bag drop but I am not sure).

Don't you have to check in to get a BP? And a BP is required to go through security? How would one check in at the gate?

 

[leebee]

I called SW about this to get clarification. He said that even though my DD22s ticket is booked with my DH’s points, she will still need to pay to check a suitcase because he is not with. The charge is $35 or $70 round trip - this I’m unhappy with. I’m not sure what we are going to do. We may just use our carry on suitcases and if we buy anything on our trip that doesn’t fit, we’ll just stop at a UPS Store (or an equivalent) on the way to the airport and ship it home.

@slo Can you get a SW credit card for Katie? Would that qualify her- as she'd be a cardholder- for the free bag? Only other option I can see would be 2 backpacks (personal item each) 2 carry-ons and the biggest suitcase that would be under the weight limitation. PITA, for sure.

 

[china mom]

Don't you have to check in to get a BP? And a BP is required to go through security? How would one check in at the gate?

That is a very good question. I am going by what I have read. I am checked in at T-24

 

[china mom]

That is a very good question. I am going by what I have read. I am checked in at T-24

Quoting myself as a thought crossed my mind. At my home airport, TSA does not check my boarding pass - neither paper or digital. We just give them our driver's license, they insert into a reader and off we go. I'm sure it checks against the passenger lists but do you have to be checked in to make that work? I don't know.

 

[guy_incognito]

Are you paying for a better seat or are you taking the LONG walk?lol

I have always despised the cattle call and avoided SW at all costs, only taking them when the route pretty much dictated it.

I am flying SW in a couple weeks, and looking at my boarding pass with a seat # is such a nice thing. No more seeing 2 dozen wheelchair-bound folks lined up to board first that find Jesus and can walk the moment they get to the plane and on the Vegas end of the flight. No more trying to explain to some rude jerk as we are mooing for the call that his number is behind you. And so on.

Of course, all we need now are flight attendants that will not allow people in the back to put their carry-ons at the front, and it will be great.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

you can ask a flight attendant to move to another seat

It's been pretty much reported you can't move around. I suspect if you asked to move from a Standard seat to a Standard seat in the row in front of you or a Preferred seat to a Preferred seat in front of you that could be different, but it's not just the Extra Legroom seats, it's moving from your seat period that is being met with a no. And keep in mind charges for a seat vary for a window, aisle and middle seat.

I've been on airlines where they will try and move you within the exact class no problems and then other airlines where they may allow a move to a different class for a fee (British Airways or Air France allowed for that can't remember which one but the passenger was trying to escape a crying baby right by them) and another airline who had a very blasé attitude about switching though that was PLAY Airlines that is now defunct (the passenger moved from an aisle seat several rows back to our row in the Exit Row which required an upcharge to sit there when done at booking and should have required a verbal understanding of duties but didn't occur). I think it's United?? can't remember that won't allow a move even if the passenger is willing to pay, not sure about how Delta or American handles that I just remember hearing stories about United (or at least I think it was United).

 

[china mom]

It's been pretty much reported you can't move around. I suspect if you asked to move from a Standard seat to a Standard seat in the row in front of you or a Preferred seat to a Preferred seat in front of you that could be different, but it's not just the Extra Legroom seats, it's moving from your seat period that is being met with a no. And keep in mind charges for a seat vary for a window, aisle and middle seat.

southwest does not charge any different fare based on window, aisle or middle. The fare classes are extra legroom (first six rows and exit rows), preferred, (normal legroom but front half of the plane and basic (back half of the plane.

It has been reported that FA's have allowed people to move after the seatbelt sign is off and only to non extra legroom seats.

I've been on airlines where they will try and move you within the exact class no problems and then other airlines where they may allow a move to a different class for a fee (British Airways or Air France allowed for that can't remember which one but the passenger was trying to escape a crying baby right by them) and another airline who had a very blasé attitude about switching though that was PLAY Airlines that is now defunct (the passenger moved from an aisle seat several rows back to our row in the Exit Row which required an upcharge to sit there when done at booking and should have required a verbal understanding of duties but didn't occur). I think it's United?? can't remember that won't allow a move even if the passenger is willing to pay, not sure about how Delta or American handles that I just remember hearing stories about United (or at least I think it was United).

Southwest does allow changes at the gate with extra fees but once boarded, they do not collect any fees for seat changes - but don't allow "upgrades" to extra legroom.

 

[china mom]

Don't you have to check in to get a BP? And a BP is required to go through security? How would one check in at the gate?

I think I figured it out. If you are booked on the flight but not checked in on the app, you probably get a boarding pass without a seat assignment but then have to check in to get our assignment.

 

[focusondisney]

You don’t have to use the SW app. You can check in with the website online & print a boarding pass.

 

[china mom]

You don’t have to use the SW app. You can check in with the website online & print a boarding pass.

True but if it is a 6AM flight, you can check in from bed

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Southwest does allow changes at the gate with extra fees but once boarded, they do not collect any fees for seat changes - but don't allow "upgrades" to extra legroom.

I didn't say that SWA charges on the plane (no where in my comment did I say that). I gave examples of what other airlines do because they all vary in their policies of allowing passengers to move around, some charge some don't some allow it within the same class some don't, some don't allow moving at all.

southwest does not charge any different fare based on window, aisle or middle. The fare classes are extra legroom (first six rows and exit rows), preferred, (normal legroom but front half of the plane and basic (back half of the plane.

It has been reported that FA's have allowed people to move after the seatbelt sign is off and only to non extra legroom seats.

It's been reported by many that they aren't able to move period. Not simply a person wanting to move to an Extra Legroom seat (which is in two places on the plane the front and near the exit in the middle). I'm not debating if you've heard or been on a flight that has allowed moving, I am saying that the opposite has occurred as well that no moving at all has been advised to people on various flights.

SWA does as a matter of policy have differing prices for the specific seats; fare class is not the same as seat selection which goes into moving seats around. This is a mock up of a trip we'll be doing in May just to give the picture of it. The way they are pricing this is the middle seat selection is ever so slightly less than a window or aisle. What is shown is Extra Legroom and Preferred seating areas. I didn't select Basic ticket but that would be the Standard seats at the back of the plane. People have also reported getting different pricing depending on what someone is. For example a Companion Pass holder wanting to pay for a specific seat assignment may get a different price than their Companion. Or a person with a specific status or CC.


ETA: and you can see here if you wanted to be in an Extra Legroom seat but are okay with being further back in the plane it's a different price than the front Extra Legroom seats.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Don't you have to check in to get a BP? And a BP is required to go through security? How would one check in at the gate?

Seat assignments are new on Southwest, , but when I have flown other airlines without a seat assignment, I get a boarding pass on my phone. It just doesn't have a seat on it until I arrive at the counter. Fortunately, with American, the first gate agent I met on the day assigned seats for every leg of the trip.

 

[sam_gordon]

I think I figured it out. If you are booked on the flight but not checked in on the app, you probably get a boarding pass without a seat assignment but then have to check in to get our assignment.

I haven't flown SW in years, but for Delta, you can't see a BP until you check in (whether via app, website, or ticket counter).

Granted, not all TSA ask to see the BP, but thats been 50/50 in my recent experience.

 

[BrianL]

True but if it is a 6AM flight, you can check in from bed

Man, one thing I'll mis sis playing Southwest Roulette at exactly 24 hours before checkin to get that good spot! I have done that in so many places - refreshing that screen! I even once did it while riding Big Thunder Mountain!

Actually, maybe I won't miss that - it was stressful, but kind of fun too, especially when you saw that A number come up!

 

[sam_gordon]

Seat assignments are new on Southwest, , but when I have flown other airlines without a seat assignment, I get a boarding pass on my phone. It just doesn't have a seat on it until I arrive at the counter. Fortunately, with American, the first gate agent I met on the day assigned seats for every leg of the trip.

Right. But you're still checked in. I was commenting on PP saying "check in at the gate", and wondering how that would work.

You need to check in to get a BP (with or without seat assignment).
You need a BP to get through security.
Hence, you can't wait and check in at the gate.
You can do a lot of requests regarding seats at the gate, but you're not "checking in".

 

[mamamary]

If someone can explain this to me, I would appreciate it. My daughter is flying on Southwest and she just booked the basic standard seats. She does have the Southwest rapid rewards plus credit card – which is the lowest card. Southwest told her in a chat today that she can check in and get her seat assignment at the 48 hour mark. When she attempted to do that it said check-in is at the 24 hour mark and seats would be assigned to her. I’m not sure what I’m missing but it seems like she should be able to pick her seats at the 48 hour mark.