Is Early Bird Check In worth it on SW?

[JanaDee]

Shades should be up for take-off and landing.

Huh? I have never heard that. My shade is always down for take off and landing and a FA has never once said anything to me.

 

[lugnut33]

I have found EBCI to be worth it if we are flying the day before or day after a major holiday. Also, if we are flying out of Orlando on a Sunday. The other time I do it is if I don't want to worry about logging on from my phone while in the parks exactly 24 hours before our flight. It's pretty easy to forget and EBCI makes it mindless.

 

[jayhawk74]

We are flying out the day after Thanksgiving from BWI @ 10:30am, both "Business Select" and "Wanna Get Away" fares are sold out, the only thing that is left is "Anytime", but we have a stop-over in RDU so I'm not sure how crowded the plane will be on the first leg of the flight.

telecomguy
Today (Nov 5th) the RDU leg shows 9 seats for sale so I would plan on all 143 seats being full. FYI RDU to MCO is showing 25 seats for sale.

 

[goofy4tink]

Huh? I have never heard that. My shade is always down for take off and landing and a FA has never once said anything to me.

I've had many FAs ask me to raise my shade. Not sure why, but they have. I've also heard them ask other passengers as well.

 

[maxiesmom]

Huh? I have never heard that. My shade is always down for take off and landing and a FA has never once said anything to me.

I've heard it on some flights but not on others. Not sure why it matters if it is up or down.

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

SW flights to/from MCO are a horse of a different color. If you've flown SW to other destinations and had a lot of empty seats or didn't need EBCI to sit together, don't use that experience to make your decision when flying to MCO. Not only is Orlando a top family vacation destination, it is also a top destination for conventions. Most flights are full to oversold. Often they only allow one parent per child under 4 for family boarding, simply because of the sheer number of families on the flight. There tend to be a lot of business travelers who get to board first as well. So even checking in right at 24 hrs, it is not uncommon to get a late B boarding time and for 2/3 of the plane to be full before you even board. And every SW flight to/from MCO I have been on has been delayed by the shuffle of passengers so people can sit together. So I believe EBCI is worth it for flights to/from MCO.

 

[zoo2tycoon]

SW flights to/from MCO are a horse of a different color. If you've flown SW to other destinations and had a lot of empty seats or didn't need EBCI to sit together, don't use that experience to make your decision when flying to MCO. Not only is Orlando a top family vacation destination, it is also a top destination for conventions. Most flights are full to oversold. Often they only allow one parent per child under 4 for family boarding, simply because of the sheer number of families on the flight. There tend to be a lot of business travelers who get to board first as well. So even checking in right at 24 hrs, it is not uncommon to get a late B boarding time and for 2/3 of the plane to be full before you even board. And every SW flight to/from MCO I have been on has been delayed by the shuffle of passengers so people can sit together. So I believe EBCI is worth it for flights to/from MCO.

People still don't get it though. They can spend tons of money on everything but when it comes to trying to guarantee (as much of a guarantee as any seat paid for or EBCI is) their family can sit together they don't want to spend the cash. The mentality of 'I can preboard with my 4 year old, 10 year old and 12 year old plus Aunts, Uncles, Grandma and Grandpa is what they have'. Or I can buy one EBCI and save 6 seats. Or people have to move...its the law I sit with my kids. Or my flight doesn't look sold out.
People will never get it. Never flown SW but looking to next summer (I have 18 and 17 year old and plan on EBCI so we can try to get aisles across from each other and sit near each other as a family). Not flying to Orlando but I'm sorry if we pay for an extra cost and someone else doesn't and want us to move I don't believe it will happen.
Threats of you can sit by my crying child will be ignored...if it's that important people for you to sit together than pay the extra.
Pre-boarding not guaranteed....
Saving seats....someone will sit there or move stuff (I will sit in any empty seat you might try to save ---even if you are in middle and trying to save window and aisle)
Threats don't work
Sure they might try to work with you but threats and hoping and saying so and so had not issues are not a guarantee in your situation.

 

[DebbieB]

I've heard it on some flights but not on others. Not sure why it matters if it is up or down.

http://skeptics.stackexchange.com/q...the-window-shades-during-landing-and-take-off

 

[telecomguy]

Most of the windows have shades. I'm not sure about the emergency exit rows but with small kids you won't be sitting in those rows anyway. If she's seated next to a window she can just close the shade. That would be a better solution than getting "wined up" and possibly being denied boarding or being unable to stay awake and keep an eye on the kids during the flight.

Oh trust me, I would more prefer her go to the doctor and get something to take to settle her nerves instead of drinking alcohol. I've been on her about it, but she just won't listen to me.

 

[Rpsemont]

I checked in today exactly 24 hours ahead of time and ended up with B32 so I'll probably do EBCI next time if I have any problems.
I checked in LATE for my flight last Monday - I ended up with B37.
I got a window seat, 4th row of the plane, with an empty seat in the middle.
On my flight down, I had B13 and sat in the front row on the aisle (I was surprised there was overhead space!)

I checked in DH without EBCI last week and he got A16!!! Go figure!!

DH is always bugging me to do EBCI. But our family is now all adults, and actually lately have not even been travelling together so I don't see spending the money. There are times I'd rather be able to pick my middle seat then have boarded first and have other people pick my row.

As many have said, it depends on your travel group and how important is it to sit together. And then also, how full the plane is. I always ask at the gate how full the plane is. It helps me to strategize. If I know the plane is full or almost full and I'm boarding in the late B group, I pick the middle seat closest to the front with available overhead bin space that I think will not be cramped - even if I think I can get an aisle or window seat in the rear. Lately almost ALL of our flights have been completely full. When we travel as a family (3 of us) if the plane is full, we all sit together in one row.

Good luck to all!
Anne

 

[sam_gordon]

I checked in today exactly 24 hours ahead of time and ended up with B32 so I'll probably do EBCI next time if I have any problems.

I checked in LATE for my flight last Monday - I ended up with B37.
I got a window seat, 4th row of the plane, with an empty seat in the middle.
On my flight down, I had B13 and sat in the front row on the aisle (I was surprised there was overhead space!)

I checked in DH without EBCI last week and he got A16!!! Go figure!!

Do all these flights go to the same destination? Do they leave the same time on the same day from the same airport? If not, I don't think you compare boarding assignments.

 

[Blessed_wth_Triplets]

telecomguy
Today (Nov 5th) the RDU leg shows 9 seats for sale so I would plan on all 143 seats being full. FYI RDU to MCO is showing 25 seats for sale.

How are you able to see how many seats are left on a plane? My flight is about a week away and all classes are still available...plus it's the only flight of the day going to MCO so I ant imagine they can oversell it as people aren't going to give up a ticket if they can't leave till the next day.

 

[chicagodisneyfan]

How are you able to see how many seats are left on a plane? My flight is about a week away and all classes are still available...plus it's the only flight of the day going to MCO so I ant imagine they can oversell it as people aren't going to give up a ticket if they can't leave till the next day.

As he mentioned in his post, he works for SW.

Your logic is NOT sound. Your flight is predicted to go out with 1-5 empty seats. They can and will oversell it if needed - and just put people on a connection. If they offer enough money/flight credit, people will give up their seat.

 

[Blessed_wth_Triplets]

There is no other flight or connecting flight to MCO the rest of the day...we are flying out if a small, unpopular airport...hence the only one flight a day compared to 8 at the next closest airport which is a major city. I have friends that went Last week on the same flight and there were empty seats. I'm pretty confident with my logic.

 

[chicagodisneyfan]

There is no other flight or connecting flight to MCO the rest of the day...we are flying out if a small, unpopular airport...hence the only one flight a day compared to 8 at the next closest airport which is a major city. I have friends that went Last week on the same flight and there were empty seats. I'm pretty confident with my logic.

You don't fly a lot - do you?

I have seen SW bump people and send them on a NON-published connection (something you would never see posted) or to an alternate airport - say Tampa. But I am glad you are confident.

 

[Blessed_wth_Triplets]

I'm so glad you are so glad I am confident you don't sound like a Debbie Downer or anything.

 

[LilyWDW]

I'm so glad you are so glad I am confident you don't sound like a Debbie Downer or anything.

Better to know the worst case and prepare for it then go in expecting the best case and being stranded. Especially for travel!

 

[goofy4tink]

Ok, you came here, looking for info about EBCI. You asked if its 'worth it'. You got very good advice. However, you seem to feel you already know how the flight is going to be, so feel you don't need to buy EBCI. That's fine. If you already know that the same flight went with lots of empty seats, then I guess you don't have to worry
Posters here gave you their experiences...and some good advice. We all hope your flight is terrific and you get seats together. Please be sure to let us know how it all turns out.

 

[Blessed_wth_Triplets]

Oh I agree...I got great advice from both sides though. Not everyone felt it was necessary. I just find it amusing that some people almost seem to get upset or crabby with me for choosing not to spend the money for EBCI. Like I'm going to be forcing people on my flight to let my family sit together and am trying to cheat the system in some way. That's all. Thanks again for all the advice...it is this thread that actually did help me solidly my decision to not pay for EBCI. I will be sure to report how it went.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

You don't fly a lot - do you?

I have seen SW bump people and send them on a NON-published connection (something you would never see posted) or to an alternate airport - say Tampa. But I am glad you are confident.

It's obvious the OP is an inexperienced (and overconfident) flyer. What happened on a flight last week is not a predictor of what will happen this week. And yes, Southwest does oversell their flights.

Many of us know things frequently don't go as planned when flying and prepare alternate plans. It's great for us, because we're going to get on our cell phones and grab the empty seats on alternate flights while those who don't plan ahead are waiting in long lines at the ticket desk, trying to get rebooked. I've seen it happen many times.