Experience with Southwest Airline?

[FairestOfThemAll37]

People refer to “cattle call” boarding. I find it to be more organized than others. On airlines with zone boarding, as soon as boarding begins people start hovering close to the front. They call zone 1 or 2, you have a hard time getting to the gate because a family with zone 5 is standing in the way. People push to get on first so that they can find a spot for their carryon. With Southwest, you have your number and you line up in order. No reason to get up until your letter/number is ready to line up. No one stands in the way or pushes.

I totally agree. Even though people have their seats on most other airlines, the fight to get on first is real and it’s just a mass of people totally blocking the boarding area. It’s so frustrating.

Yeah I disliked that about Delta. That and I felt like we were the ugly step-sibling because we were lowly Skymiles CC holders (course I was zone 2 flying on miles) in a plane full of Medallion members-not that they didn't earn that just disliked the Boarding process and I know they've adjusted it and added more recently if I remember correctly.

I almost never travel for work and never fly American so I have zero status with them. I had to take them for a rare work flight and wasn’t about to pay to upgrade to first on a work ticket, but did upgrade to economy plus or whatever as it was cross country. So I was “zone 1” but because I was taking what was obviously a popular business route, by the time they got trough all the triple diamond ultra platinum ruby black belt members on down there were like 5 people left at the gate when they called zone 1

 

[karmic]

We fly them all the time and have had no issues-we always pay for early boarding and always get our opposing aisles relatively close to the front of the plane.

 

[Floridaman999]

I'd avoid a window seat. Those seem to have some issues occasionally on Southwest.

 

[RangerPooh]

Southwest is our favorite airline. Free baggage and a snack! It is our go to airline whenever possible. We use to like Alaskan, but our preference has changed. Do buy the Early Bird Check-in or what ever it's called. You'll get a jump on boarding and picking your seat.

From what I've heard stay away from Allegiant, Spirit, and Frontier. I've heard that if a flight is canceled your are basically screwed. They're low budget, but with plenty of fees tacked on that will make the cost jump.

 

[asta]

I don’t know when you are traveling out of Nashville. There is usually no problem but the local news always warns people to get to the airport early if you are traveling after CMA fest or Bonaroo (music festivals usually held in June).

 

[wilbret]

I fly all the time... I can’t stand Southwest, and it’s never the airline of choice unless route dictates it. That being said, it’s fine for casual travel, if you pay for the early bird. Mooo cattle call, center aisle airlines...

For extreme budget travel, I actually have no problem with Spirit or Frontier. I know what I’m getting, and prep for it. $20 flight from Atlanta to Orlando? Works for me.

I’m Delta every week and twice on Sunday...lol... it’s always amusing how people have such different experiences doing the same thing.

 

[Katie Dawn]

I was “zone 1” but because I was taking what was obviously a popular business route, by the time they got trough all the triple diamond ultra platinum ruby black belt members on down there were like 5 people left at the gate when they called zone 1

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I’m Delta every week and twice on Sunday...lol... it’s always amusing how people have such different experiences doing the same thing.

Well if you're flying that often on Delta you're the Medallion member we're talking about lol.

 

[Klayfish]

Southwest is our favorite airline. Free baggage and a snack! It is our go to airline whenever possible. We use to like Alaskan, but our preference has changed. Do buy the Early Bird Check-in or what ever it's called. You'll get a jump on boarding and picking your seat.

From what I've heard stay away from Allegiant, Spirit, and Frontier. I've heard that if a flight is canceled your are basically screwed. They're low budget, but with plenty of fees tacked on that will make the cost jump.

That is the one "risk" of Allegiant, Spirit or Frontier. If your flight is cancelled, it could be hard to get a replacement flight. They do their best, but their schedule is more limited than Delta, etc...but they will try to book you with them. Beyond that, personally I think they're light years better than Southwest. I've probably done 20-30 round trips with Allegiant, Spirit and Frontier total and can't recall any major issues. The fees typically don't add up enough to make the cost anywhere near what the other airlines are. I did a round trip flight from ATL to Las Vegas last year on Spirit for something like $150. Not doing that on the bigger airlines.

 

[Sandeep1]

People refer to “cattle call” boarding. I find it to be more organized than others. On airlines with zone boarding, as soon as boarding begins people start hovering close to the front. They call zone 1 or 2, you have a hard time getting to the gate because a family with zone 5 is standing in the way. People push to get on first so that they can find a spot for their carryon. With Southwest, you have your number and you line up in order. No reason to get up until your letter/number is ready to line up. No one stands in the way or pushes.

It's organized in theory. But, when lining up according to number (1-30 or 31-60), you still have to find your place and ask people in front of you and behind you what number they are. That's the one thing I hate.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

It's organized in theory. But, when lining up according to number (1-30 or 31-60), you still have to find your place and ask people in front of you and behind you what number they are. That's the one thing I hate.

That's like a millisecond of time. I also find that enough times if people have their paper boarding pass it's usually out visible to see and people who use their phones also have it usually visually to see. Not always but I don't find myself having any issues with that part of the process- not that I don't see where you're coming from I just don't find myself finding a problem with every now and then being asked or asking someone what number they are.

 

[Sandeep1]

That's like a millisecond of time. I also find that enough times if people have their paper boarding pass it's usually out visible to see and people who use their phones also have it usually visually to see. Not always but I don't find myself having any issues with that part of the process.

Definitely a first world problem but still something I'd rather not have to do. That being said, SW is usually my go to airline.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Definitely a first world problem but still something I'd rather not have to do. That being said, SW is usually my go to airline.

Fair enough

I'd rather not be in a sea of people crowding the gate jockeying for the position to be the first few in a particular boarding zone that comes with other types of airline boarding processes.

Everyone has their own preferences that's for sure

 

[longboard55]

I prefer a reserved seat

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I prefer a reserved seat

I thought that was a nice thought except for when an airline changes your seat that you carefully selected (we were lucky they kept our seats together and still on the 2 seat side others aren't) not to mention there's still the overhead bin space issue (hence the reason a lot of people still want to be on the plane sooner compared to others).

But yup different preferences for different people. SWA's process of open seating isn't for everyone that is for darn sure

 

[longboard55]

Southwest has started test flights for Hawaii, No passengers just part of the process for approval

 

[bcla]

Southwest has started test flights for Hawaii, No passengers just part of the process for approval

I'm pretty sure that Boeing and GE already worked on certifying the equipment. For Southwest it would be a matter of certifying that their air crews know all the procedures and maybe even practice them.

 

[Sandeep1]

Fair enough

I'd rather not be in a sea of people crowding the gate jockeying for the position to be the first few in a particular boarding zone that comes with other types of airline boarding processes.

Everyone has their own preferences that's for sure

I get that but as long as you're not in the last zone, it doesn't really matter whether you're first or last. There will be space for your carry-on. Perhaps not directly above your seat, but definitely space. If I don't need access to it, I usually just toss it in any available slot I see as I'm walking to my seat.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I get that but as long as you're not in the last zone, it doesn't really matter whether you're first or last. There will be space for your carry-on. Perhaps not directly above your seat, but definitely space. If I don't need access to it, I usually just toss it in any available slot I see as I'm walking to my seat.

Most recently with Delta, on at least one of the flights my husband was zone 1 and over half the plane had boarded by that time and I was in zone 2 because I was flying on miles. Very difficult to find overhead bin space even for him. Part of what can make it longer getting off the plane is bags not located right by the owner of the bag. Can't say that's all the time it does happen (on any airline though). I guess my point is a seat on Delta for example is great because you have an assigned seat. But it doesn't absolve other issues. In terms of the boarding process people crowd the gate wanting to get on the plane to get settled and get that coveted overhead bin space right by them. Of course it may not matter to you whether you're first or last but can you tell that to the other passengers too

 

[bcla]

Most recently with Delta, on at least one of the flights my husband was zone 1 and over half the plane had boarded by that time and I was in zone 2 because I was flying on miles. Very difficult to find overhead bin space even for him. Part of what can make it longer getting off the plane is bags not located right by the owner of the bag. Can't say that's all the time it does happen (on any airline though). I guess my point is a seat on Delta for example is great because you have an assigned seat. But it doesn't absolve other issues. In terms of the boarding process people crowd the gate wanting to get on the plane to get settled and get that coveted overhead bin space right by them. Of course it may not matter to you whether you're first or last but can you tell that to the other passengers too

Southwest rarely has full overhead bins because of their included checked-in bags. But I've been on plenty of full flights on other airlines where every single passenger seemed to have a standard carry-on to avoid the baggage fees. They'll usually do a once over of the passengers and maybe start offering free gate check-in 30 minutes before departure. I remember on one flight I didn't hear the message but figured it out later. By the time I was boarding I asked if it was too late for a gate check-in, and I was told that they had enough volunteers that there should be plenty of overhead bin space. I've also been on a flight where we got there just in time, and since there was no available overhead bin space they told us we had to have our carry-on gate checked.