First time flying southwest

[kamik86]

Actually when I suggested that to OP, I NEVER suggested HOW she save the seat. I said put the 2yo in the window seat and sit in the aisle seat and then 'save the middle one for the 6yo'. So don't go putting words in my mouth....Thank you very much!
Regarding putting my bag in a middle seat that was TOTALLY unrelated....and I have NEVER lied about who it belonged to because I have NEVER been asked. So I will thank you kindly to have ALL of the facts straight before you call someone a Liar!
And I think it is rude and obnoxious for a person to sit in that particular middle seat when there are other 'middle' seats open (basically as another poster stated in an attempt to bully the parent into giving them either the aisle or window seat) when a parent has informed *them* that another YOUNG child is boarding and will be sitting there. I think that is cruel & mean!! I believe in karma....both good & bad!! I clearly think we will have to agree to disagree on this!!

It is totally ironic that the nastiest people I run into in general are here on the Dis!!! Because in the real world MOST of my dealings are with people who are kind & empathetic towards others!! Have a great day!

On the bold part above... It depends if you went towards the back of the plane yes.

But I would (and have) made people move things to get a seat towards the front if I had a tight connection. Although now I don't have to worry about it anymore... A list really has some perks the biggest being that even if I can't book a work flight until the day of (less then 24 hours) I still board at the LATEST with family boarding.

 

[maxiesmom]

Seriously?!? If the flight was full, and I couldn't keep both my kids with me, I might let my older child seat next to strangers on a flight. He is well behaved, polite, and can take entertain himself for an hour or so. But you think it would be appropriate to show him a rated "R" movie just to prove to me how bad of a parent I am? Do you think it would be appropriate to show a young child a zombie movie if the parent had purchased EBCI but the kid was acting like a brat? How bratty would they need to be?

QUOTE]

If you were rude, as that poster stated they would be, and purposely irritated the person in the middle seat to get even with them for sitting there, then you should expect rude back. How could someone be rude and expect people to be nice to them?

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

I think it's been pretty well clarified that EBCi does not guarantee you anything. It is a way for you to get a better chance of sitting together.

I consider it a cost of doing business with southwest. I factor it in to my flight costs. Even with the $12.50, SW is still cheaper than most other airlines, and I find their staff much nicer.

However, no one is forcing anyone to fly SW. If you absolutely can't risk being separated, fly on an airline that assigns seats. You can't count on he kindness of strangers, especially those that paid for EBCI so hat they would have a better chance of getting their preferred seat. Chances are someone will be kind, but again, no guarantees. If you need that guarantee, pick another airline.

And before anyone says that the other airlines are too expensive, that is the price you pay for assigned seats.

 

[DVCismyhappyplace]

I think it's been pretty well clarified that EBCi does not guarantee you anything. It is a way for you to get a better chance of sitting together.

I consider it a cost of doing business with southwest. I factor it in to my flight costs. Even with the $12.50, SW is still cheaper than most other airlines, and I find their staff much nicer.

However, no one is forcing anyone to fly SW. If you absolutely can't risk being separated, fly on an airline that assigns seats. You can't count on he kindness of strangers, especially those that paid for EBCI so hat they would have a better chance of getting their preferred seat. Chances are someone will be kind, but again, no guarantees. If you need that guarantee, pick another airline.

And before anyone says that the other airlines are too expensive, that is the price you pay for assigned seats.

I wholeheartedly agree. I hate flying Southwest because of their seating policy. I have a deal with DH, we only do it if it's at least $75 per person cheaper than any other airline. We are child-free and I don't need to sit with DH on a flight, but I find that all of the other passengers are so stressed out over their seating arrangements, it turns into a hassle that I'd rather not deal with.

 

[sam_gordon]

Guess all I'm trying to say is that without assigned seats, you take a risk no matter what.

I just want to point out that even WITH assigned seats, you're taking a risk. The "legacy airlines" with assigned seats have been known to make changes before the flight and change people's seating arrangements (and not notify them).

Or, your first flight is late, you miss your connecting and you get put on a different flight with scattered seats.

There's ALWAYS a risk for not sitting in the seat(s) you want, regardless of the airline.

 

[LORI522]

I guess you missed the part where the poster I was responding to said that if someone tries to take a seat she had saved (a middle seat between her and her kid) that she would first lie about the bag she used to save the seat belonging to her and then she would generally threaten to make the flight unpleasant for the person who dared sit there by talking and reaching over them. You want to threaten me by acting rude I can come right back. This has nothing to do with ebci because if a person bought ebci it's likely they aren't trying to find a middle seat. That is probably what is left on the plane.

Someone said that they would put a bag on the seat and someone else say that they would let the kid talk to the adult. That's not nearly as extreme as showing a kid something that could cause them fear and anxiety. Also, you just cannot know if someone bought EBCI or not based on their boarding position. You just can't.

If you were rude, as that poster stated they would be, and purposely irritated the person in the middle seat to get even with them for sitting there, then you should expect rude back. How could someone be rude and expect people to be nice to them?

I don't think someone else's bad behavior ever excuses my own bad behavior. And no matter how rude an adult is, that is never an excuse to harm a child. And showing a child a scary movie could be harmful. I'm not saying that you should have to put up with a rude person without recourse, but you could find a way to do it more appropriately (e.g. informing the FA).

 

[Burnedout]

Someone said that they would put a bag on the seat and someone else say that they would let the kid talk to the adult. That's not nearly as extreme as showing a kid something that could cause them fear and anxiety. Also, you just cannot know if someone bought EBCI or not based on their boarding position. You just can't.

I don't think someone else's bad behavior ever excuses my own bad behavior. And no matter how rude an adult is, that is never an excuse to harm a child. And showing a child a scary movie could be harmful. I'm not saying that you should have to put up with a rude person without recourse, but you could find a way to do it more appropriately (e.g. informing the FA).

Lol, you don't in any way think that poster was posting tongue in cheek? An over the top response response to a rude over the top choice (intentionally separating oneself from their four year old)

 

[Gracie09]

Someone said that they would put a bag on the seat and someone else say that they would let the kid talk to the adult. That's not nearly as extreme as showing a kid something that could cause them fear and anxiety. Also, you just cannot know if someone bought EBCI or not based on their boarding position. You just can't.





I don't think someone else's bad behavior ever excuses my own bad behavior. And no matter how rude an adult is, that is never an excuse to harm a child. And showing a child a scary movie could be harmful. I'm not saying that you should have to put up with a rude person without recourse, but you could find a way to do it more appropriately (e.g. informing the FA).

The same person said both. And if someone is trying to take a middle seat chances are that person either needs one in the front and you have one or the plane is full and only middle seats are left. If this happens during ecbi well then that seat is not going to stay empty. As for scaring a kid, if the parent wants to act rude and inappropriate not my problem. If they eefuse to move the item i will speak with the fa. I never said I would purposely show the child my movie (although it probably be the walking dead not an actual movie), but if he saw it, not my problem. If the parent hadn't decided to act like a bully she wouldn't have put her kid in this position.

 

[Gracie09]

Lol, you don't in any way think that poster was posting tongue in cheek? An over the top response response to a rude over the top choice (intentionally separating oneself from their four year old)

Oh come on don't you know people on dis are completely and totally serious all the time.

 

[Burnedout]

Oh come on don't you know people on dis are completely and totally serious all the time.

Oops! Sorry!

 

[LORI522]

Lol, you don't in any way think that poster was posting tongue in cheek? An over the top response response to a rude over the top choice (intentionally separating oneself from their four year old)

I was hoping she was being over the top, but based on her next post...nope! She was serious. And I really think she believes her bad behavior is justified if she is inconvenienced by a child.

 

[DVCismyhappyplace]

You're not bring "being inconvenienced by a child" you're being inconvenienced by the child's parent.

 

[stitchlovestink]

I guess you missed the part where the poster I was responding to said that if someone tries to take a seat she had saved (a middle seat between her and her kid) that she would first lie about the bag she used to save the seat belonging to her and then she would generally threaten to make the flight unpleasant for the person who dared sit there by talking and reaching over them. You want to threaten me by acting rude I can come right back. This has nothing to do with ebci because if a person bought ebci it's likely they aren't trying to find a middle seat. That is probably what is left on the plane.

I'm still waiting for you to show me where I said I would be reaching over them??? And since when is having a conversation rude & obnoxious? If that's the case, then everyone on the plane needs to shut up, because there are constant conversations between aisles and rows... I never THREATENED anything!!! You have made another ASSUMPTION again!
And for the record, I have never put my bag in a seat on a completely FULL flight. But RARELY am I on a completely full flight. I tend to pick the 'off' times to travel or less popular ones! Guess I'm lucky that way!! One flight coming home, there were only 18 of us!!! The FA said she didn't want to see 2 of us in the same row!

 

[LORI522]

You're not bring "being inconvenienced by a child" you're being inconvenienced by the child's parent.

True....but the child is the one getting punished by being shown Walking Dead. Also my question to her was if I had to be separated from my child because the plane is full, would she play her show to punish me. The answer seems to be yes.

 

[Burnedout]

True....but the child is the one getting punished by being shown Walking Dead. Also my question to her was if I had to be separated from my child because the plane is full, would she play her show to punish me. The answer seems to be yes.

Doubt it. There is a difference between reacting to self entitlement and rudeness and desperation. At least there is in my life. The child wouldn't be "punished" with anything if that parent that the poster was responding to took the middle seat next to HER child.

 

[Gracie09]

Doubt it. There is a difference between reacting to self entitlement and rudeness and desperation. At least there is in my life. The child wouldn't be "punished" with anything if that parent that the poster was responding to took the middle seat next to HER child.

Winner winner chicken dinner.

 

[Gracie09]

I'm still waiting for you to show me where I said I would be reaching over them??? And since when is having a conversation rude & obnoxious? If that's the case, then everyone on the plane needs to shut up, because there are constant conversations between aisles and rows... I never THREATENED anything!!! You have made another ASSUMPTION again!
And for the record, I have never put my bag in a seat on a completely FULL flight. But RARELY am I on a completely full flight. I tend to pick the 'off' times to travel or less popular ones! Guess I'm lucky that way!! One flight coming home, there were only 18 of us!!! The FA said she didn't want to see 2 of us in the same row!

Keep justifying your actions. You're good at it.

 

[Hrhpd]

Someone said that they would put a bag on the seat and someone else say that they would let the kid talk to the adult. That's not nearly as extreme as showing a kid something that could cause them fear and anxiety. Also, you just cannot know if someone bought EBCI or not based on their boarding position. You just can't.

Actually, you can get a pretty good idea.

ALL EBCI passengers will always have a better boarding position than those that did not pay for EBCI.

So, if you check in right at the 24 hour mark and get a late B or even C, you can pretty much be rest assured that all those in A and most of B in front of you either paid for Business Select or paid for EBCI.

If you did not pay for EBCI, it is impossible for any of those behind you to have paid for EBCI.

Thus, almost all of those ahead of you (if you checked in right at the 24 hour mark) DID pay extra for the privilege to board before you.

To ask any of them to move seats to accommodate somebody who didn't pay is ridiculous.

DS(23) just went on a business trip last week. His work purchased a Business Select SW ticket the day before the flight was to leave, so big bucks. Because he was business select, even though the ticket was purchased at the last minute, he was awarded the A6 boarding position.

Do you really think he should give up his seat to somebody who refuses to pay $12.50 to give them a better chance to sit together? I think not.

 

[sam_gordon]

If you did not pay for EBCI, it is impossible for any of those behind you to have paid for EBCI.

Not entirely correct. Someone getting to the gate late (for whatever reason) could have purchased EBCI and yet board after someone who checked in at T-24. Granted, I'm sure that's the exception and very rare, but not impossible.

 

[stitchlovestink]

Okay we are ASSUMING the OP will be on a completely sold out flight since they are travelling the day before Thanksgiving. Well, I'm sorry but I think it is mean and cruel that if the FA have announced the ONLY seats left are ALL middle seats and you (general you) ask to sit in the one open between me and a small child and I politely (which is how I am in person, but here on the Dis it is a DOG EaT DOG World!!) Say to you that I am saving it for my my 6 yr old who is shortly behind you...But you INSIST you must have THAT middle seat!! In reality? Who is really being the rude one?? If *I* boarded with my 2 yr old during family boarding....chances are all those who bought EBCI have already boarded before me (BUT maybe not!, no one would know for sure!) But what would it hurt that person to select another middle seat? Really? That is also why I suggested the back of the plane, in case a single flyer had a tight connection (look at my original post!) Would that make that adult feel good to have seperated that child from their parent? Now chances are multiple adults are by kids that probably would rather not be.