Different EBCI question

[maxiesmom]

Does buying Early Bird Check In give you any sort of leg up if the flight is oversold?

Currently we do not have EBCI for our flights this August. My family is on a direct flight with a stop in Chicago, so we figured we could always move seats if we needed to and group together there, if we can't get seats all together on the first leg of the flight. But reading about so many cancelled flights (not just southwest) got me wondering if the people without EBCI get bumped first. Is it even something to worry about?

 

[LoveToDisney]

Just make sure you check in at 24 hours to get your boarding pass. You should be fine.

 

[DebbieB]

i think people who don’t have a boarding group would get bumped first. I’ve heard of people who get a boarding pass without a group, told to get it at the gate.

 

[sam_gordon]

I would assume any one bumped involuntarily would start with the last to check in. Since EBCI checks you in 36 hours before the first flight, you should be well down on that list. BUT
If the flight is cancelled, it doesn't matter whether you have EBCI or checked in or not.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

If the flight is cancelled it won't matter if you had EBCI or not. and they won't refund it if you are transferred to another flight.

 

[Lewisc]

Southwest doesn’t overbook. In the evident of an oversell prioritiy for IDB is based on BP number but a lot of.people don't buy EBCI. You should be OK, as long.as you don’t wait until you get to the.airport to checkin.

Edited to add SW deceptively says the fare paid doesn’t determine priority. BS pax get 1-15 and anytime pax get EBCI so it kind of matters. Pax who buy a full full fare ticket day of are near the bottom