Don't understand, SW

[ScrappinGran]

We paid for EBCI. DH logged in EXACTLY 24 hours prior. We got a boarding category of B. Shouldn't we be in the A category? We aren't worried about seats so much, but more room for our carry-ons!

 

[ScrappinGran]

We bought our tickets way back in early spring, if that matters!

 

[jlewisinsyr]

Welcome to the world of SW with EBCI (EarlyBird Check In).

 

[Princess on the Run]

That's why I never pay for it. Checked in at 24 hr for my flight tonight and also got B.

 

[ScrappinGran]

I feel ripped off.

 

[goofy4tink]

I feel ripped off.

Before you start feeling 'ripped off', try to remember where you would have been if you hadn't booked EBCI!!!
I seldom book EBCI for my flights to MCO...but I do book it for my flights home. That way I don't have to worry about being at a computer 24 hr prior to my flight to checkin. That is worth the $10 pp charge.

Buying EBCI does NOT mean you are automatically going to get the A group. It does mean that you are checked in at 36 hrs...not the regular 24 hrs with everyone else. But, here's the thing...if 85% of the passengers on that flight all buy EBCI, then most people are going to be further back in the pack. And it all depends on the type of ticket you bought and when. With more and more people buying EBCI, the odds of getting into the A group are diminishing...greatly.

 

[Michael623]

Are you concerned about sitting together because I've gotten boarding passes at the very end of the Bs and still were able to sit together. I find it hard to complain about something when you know the risks.

 

[DebbieB]

We paid for EBCI. DH logged in EXACTLY 24 hours prior. We got a boarding category of B. Shouldn't we be in the A category? We aren't worried about seats so much, but more room for our carry-ons!

It's possible more people bought EBCI than there are A spots (A16-A60), so they went into B. If there are alot of A List Preferred level passengers, that may push the A's back even farther. Business Select ticket purchasers also get preferred boarding. Logging in at exactly 24 hours doesn't make a difference, early bird are chosen at 36 hours. I would call and make sure your EBCI was processed.

 

[Disneygirl NY]

We paid for EBCI. DH logged in EXACTLY 24 hours prior. We got a boarding category of B. Shouldn't we be in the A category? We aren't worried about seats so much, but more room for our carry-ons!

You said you checked in exactly 24 hours before the flight, but paying for EBCI you could have checked in 36 hours before. The rest of us who don't pay for EBCI check in 24 hours. That may be the issue, you paid for something you didn't use.

 

[disneemama]

Thats the mistake I made last august, didn't read where you could book 36 hrs out. Waited until 24 hours, and was so frustrated when i got B. PP is totally correct. Really dumb of me not to have read all the facts.
We still had pretty decent seats. , It will be ok.

 

[amomma23]

You said you checked in exactly 24 hours before the flight, but paying for EBCI you could have checked in 36 hours before. The rest of us who don't pay for EBCI check in 24 hours. That may be the issue, you paid for something you didn't use.

If you have EBCI you don't have to check in at all and can't check in at 36 hours. You can print your passes any time after 24hr, but the system automatically checks you in at 36.

 

[StacyMarie]

You said you checked in exactly 24 hours before the flight, but paying for EBCI you could have checked in 36 hours before. The rest of us who don't pay for EBCI check in 24 hours. That may be the issue, you paid for something you didn't use.

Thats the mistake I made last august, didn't read where you could book 36 hrs out. Waited until 24 hours, and was so frustrated when i got B. PP is totally correct. Really dumb of me not to have read all the facts.
We still had pretty decent seats. , It will be ok.

With EBCI, Southwest checks you in at the 36 hour. It's AUTOMATIC by SW. You DO NOT have to check in at the 36 hour window, it's done for you. The most likely reason you got a B boarding is because so many other people on your flight paid for EBCI and paid for it BEFORE you did. If you book your flight the day the flight schedule opens and you pay for EBCI at the same time, you are going to have a better chance at a better position for boarding than somebody who books their flight and pays for EBCI after you.

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but that's what I understand about SW. We flew them in August for the first time. I paid for EBCI and didn't even look at our boarding passes until we checked in at the airport. We were A16 through A22. I did not check in at the 36 hour mark, SW did it for me.

 

[DisneyWitch]

Same thing happened to us. We bought our tickets in the spring, paid for ECBI, and boarding passes this morning - B group. I could have saved $40 for that.

I'm slowly becoming not fond of SW.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Same thing happened to us. We bought our tickets in the spring, paid for ECBI, and boarding passes this morning - B group. I could have saved $40 for that.

I'm slowly becoming not fond of SW.

Southwest's website - and I'd expect their agents, if you call - advises that EBCI doesn't guarantee A boarding positions. It just means, as others have indicated, that you'll be checked in 36 hours before departure instead of having to be online at exactly 24 hours in advance.

 

[Hannathy]

Same thing happened to us. We bought our tickets in the spring, paid for ECBI, and boarding passes this morning - B group. I could have saved $40 for that.

I'm slowly becoming not fond of SW.

You could have been a C without it.

You checked in 12 hours before other people.

 

[Missytara]

Are you concerned about sitting together because I've gotten boarding passes at the very end of the Bs and still were able to sit together. I find it hard to complain about something when you know the risks.

No, they stated in their posting specifically they were concerned about room for their carry-ons.....

 

[Jestocost]

Same thing happened to us. We bought our tickets in the spring, paid for ECBI, and boarding passes this morning - B group. I could have saved $40 for that.

I'm slowly becoming not fond of SW.

In your case the challenge with EBCI--and boarding numbers for SWA in general--has a lot to do with flying out of BWI, where Southwest has a large number of connecting flights. As a result, when you are starting your travel there even with EBCI you are checking in later than anyone who used EBCI but started their travel somewhere else and is connecting in BWI. That's because they get checked in 36 hours before their original flight, which is going to be at least a couple of hours before you get checked in.

Not sure where the OP started their travel, but if it's BWI or MDW or a couple of other airports that could be the same issue.

In general, the order of people being/getting on any given SWA flight could include:

1. Passengers who started travel somewhere else and are continuing on the same flight/plane
2. Medical preboards
3. Business Select flyers
4. A-List frequent flyers (I'm never 100% sure where they come in, but it's early)
5. People connecting from another flight who used EBCI
6. People starting their travel who used EBCI
7. People connecting from another flight who checked in 24 hours before their original flight and those who checked in any time earlier than 24 hours before your flight
8. People who checked in 24 hours before your flight
9. Everbody else

Not all of those factors will be in play on every flight, but at BWI any departures except for the first wave of flights out in the morning likely will have all of them.

 

[DisneyWitch]

Southwest's website - and I'd expect their agents, if you call - advises that EBCI doesn't guarantee A boarding positions. It just means, as others have indicated, that you'll be checked in 36 hours before departure instead of having to be online at exactly 24 hours in advance.

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.

 

[kamik86]

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.

Why does being a rapid rewards member matter that doesn't meant your a frequent flyer all that means is you signed up. You could have taken one flight ever on southwest and still be rapid rewards.

Frequent flyers are the A list members, which do get priority seating. On a business trip with 4 of us flying one was A list already and he definitely got much better numbers not even checking in until he got to the airport then those of us that did check in at 24 hours.

Also I have forgotten to check in gotten late B's and still had no problem with carryons. I'm not sure why people are so upset about not being A. Its really not that big of a deal there will still be space for Bs. The planes hold over 120ish people and only 60 can possibly be in A.

 

[DebbieB]

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.

The main thing to remember is you would have been back farther if you didn't purchase EBCI. I agree with Jetocoast that BWI is a hub, so people connecting through the hub got in before you.