Has anyone gotten a 'B' boarding pass using EBCI?

[Zerosinthecloset]

Slightly off-topic... I want to get EBCI for our flights back but am hoping to change our flight times for earlier in the day (if anything comes available at the same price as what we originally paid). So how would EBCI work in this case, ie. we buy EBCI then change our flight to an earlier one?

According to SWA website, as long is the confirmation number is the same, the EBCI should transfer to the new flight.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I would be bent if it happened.

Respectfully, I'm not sure why. You're* paying for the convenience of not having to be at a computer or mobile device exactly 24 hours prior to your flight's departure - not necessarily for a low boarding pass combination.

*General "you"

 

[Poohlovr]

Southwest seems to sell it as getting better seat selection:

BETTER BOARDING POSITION
We'll automatically check you in and assign your boarding position within 36 hours of your flight's departure - that's 12 hours before general boarding positions become available. While EarlyBird Check-in doesn't guarantee an A boarding position, it improves your seat selection options to help you get your favorite seat.

Now, while they don't guarantee it, they sure do use it as a selling point.

 

[Lewisc]

The truth is the EBCI passenger with the highest numbered BP will be just ahead of the first passenger who got a BP online (without paying).

 

[Pirate Dad]

From the SWA website...

Will EarlyBird Check-in Customers get an "A" Boarding Pass and be among the first to board?
Probably, but not always. It depends upon how many Business Select, Rapid Rewards A-List, and EarlyBird Check-in Customers are on a given flight. However, as an EarlyBird Check-in Customer you will definitely get a better boarding position than Customers in the general boarding group.

Also...

Will the number of EarlyBird Check-in Passengers be limited on each flight?
No. All eligible Customers can purchase EarlyBird Check-in.

So if everybody gets EBCI we're all back to square one!

What's to prevent one person in a party from getting EBCI and saving a bunch of seats for the rest of the party (other than a conscience)? That would tick me off if I got on a flight and a bunch of seats are being saved for people who haven't boarded yet.

 

[goofy4tink]

Respectfully, I'm not sure why. You're* paying for the convenience of not having to be at a computer or mobile device exactly 24 hours prior to your flight's departure - not necessarily for a low boarding pass combination.

*General "you"

True....those who buy EBCI soonest, get the lower numbers. Wait until just before you fly and you'll get a higher number, possibly even a B.

Southwest seems to sell it as getting better seat selection:

BETTER BOARDING POSITION
We'll automatically check you in and assign your boarding position within 36 hours of your flight's departure - that's 12 hours before general boarding positions become available. While EarlyBird Check-in doesn't guarantee an A boarding position, it improves your seat selection options to help you get your favorite seat.

Now, while they don't guarantee it, they sure do use it as a selling point.

True again.

From the SWA website...

Will EarlyBird Check-in Customers get an "A" Boarding Pass and be among the first to board?
Probably, but not always. It depends upon how many Business Select, Rapid Rewards A-List, and EarlyBird Check-in Customers are on a given flight. However, as an EarlyBird Check-in Customer you will definitely get a better boarding position than Customers in the general boarding group.

Also...

Will the number of EarlyBird Check-in Passengers be limited on each flight?
No. All eligible Customers can purchase EarlyBird Check-in.

So if everybody gets EBCI we're all back to square one!

What's to prevent one person in a party from getting EBCI and saving a bunch of seats for the rest of the party (other than a conscience)? That would tick me off if I got on a flight and a bunch of seats are being saved for people who haven't boarded yet.

And this could be an issue. I will say that I would be miffed if I saw that happening...which is why we are getting EBCI as soon as we book our flight. We fly July 31...I booked at the end of Feb. I'm assuming we'll get a pretty low number since we booked it so early.
But, if someone decides that only one person in the group is going to buy EBCI and then try to save a ton of seats, well no, I am not going to be happy. I have no problem if they decide that they will buy EB and then save the other two seats in their row. But, not if they are going to try to save the seats across the aisle or the seats in front or behind them...nope, not going to make me happy at all. I would have to go to the FA for that one.
Now...with that in mind....there are three of us flying. I did buy only two EBCI. My dh isn't getting it. But, I will only be saving one seat for him. I'm sure no one is going to want that middle seat between my dd and I!!

 

[Hannathy]

What's to prevent one person in a party from getting EBCI and saving a bunch of seats for the rest of the party (other than a conscience)? That would tick me off if I got on a flight and a bunch of seats are being saved for people who haven't boarded yet.

If they were seats I wanted you can bet I would be sitting my behind down in them!!

 

[Poohlovr]

This seat saving is something SWA needs to address now, with them pushing EBCI. I've been reading on FlyerTalk about people buying 1 EBCI and then saving seats for 6 people. So, they pay for 1, that person gets A-16 and saves for 6 who didn't pay for it?
How is that fair, when I paid for EBCI for all 6 of us? I can only see more and more people trying to do the seat saving, thereby taking seats away from the others of us who did pay for it.
It just doesn't seem fair that someone who didn't pay for it gets better seating than someone who did pay. So, yeah, I'd be ticked if I got on the plane, after paying for all 6 of us to get EBCI and we can't sit together, when people who didn't pay for it are guaranteed being able to sit together due to seat saving.
Southwest really needs to get their head out of the sand with this matter, Saying "We have no official policy on saving seats" is not going to prevent the altercations I see coming in the future.

 

[goofy4tink]

This seat saving is something SWA needs to address now, with them pushing EBCI. I've been reading on FlyerTalk about people buying 1 EBCI and then saving seats for 6 people. So, they pay for 1, that person gets A-16 and saves for 6 who didn't pay for it?
How is that fair, when I paid for EBCI for all 6 of us? I can only see more and more people trying to do the seat saving, thereby taking seats away from the others of us who did pay for it.
It just doesn't seem fair that someone who didn't pay for it gets better seating than someone who did pay. So, yeah, I'd be ticked if I got on the plane, after paying for all 6 of us to get EBCI and we can't sit together, when people who didn't pay for it are guaranteed being able to sit together due to seat saving.
Southwest really needs to get their head out of the sand with this matter, Saying "We have no official policy on saving seats" is not going to prevent the altercations I see coming in the future.

Here's the thing...if someone pays for just one seat with EBCI and then tries to save seats for 3 or more of their family/friends, it's not going to work. Sure, you can save one or two seats...like I said before, in the same row you're in. But I have to tell you..if I get on that plane, with A18 in hand, and I see 2 people trying to save seats in more than two rows, well..honey, that just isn't going to fly. Sure, go ahead and save the other two seats in your row, but don't try to tell me I can't sit in the row across the aisle or in the row behind you.
It could become an issue if multiple groups had a few people in each group buying EBCI and then trying to save seats in multiple rows. That would be massively irritating.

 

[miprender]

Not to get too much OT, but wasn't there a post about some people saving seats for 20 people and the FA did nothing about it

Now I have no problem with saving 1 or 2 seats but really I want to sit with my family as much as everyone else so I would have been ticked off.

 

[bbwhos]

Just checked in at the 24 hr mark, (BWI to MCO) without EBCI, we got A28-31.