Post all SW questions concerns, etc. here...

[holyrita]

From: https://www.southwest.com/customer-enhancements/assigned-seating/

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Well they've certainly figured out ways to get even more money, "Priority Boarding" it may not seem different than now but with their adjustment to fare class it's pretty dang difficult to get the lower fare classes and then add on anything later (like what we have now with EBCI and Upgraded Boarding which the latter is likely what the new Priority Boarding is replacing at least IMO) and still be economical overall especially if you need overhead bin space

I don't know how they are going to maintain their dominance at my home airport, not when Delta is much closer, sometimes the same in fares as is.

 

[pooch]

Ok if we have assigned seats, what difference does it make what group you board with?

 

[snacks]

Ok if we have assigned seats, what difference does it make what group you board with?

Bin space.
With almost everyone having to pay for checked bags more people than ever are going to have carry ons.

 

[pooch]

Frankly it’s felt like no one checks bags anymore anyway even with free checked bags. I am constantly amazed by the size of people’s “carry ons”. No idea how they are allowed to board with those huge bags. It’s time all airlines cracked down on this because it’s become ridiculous!

 

[eticketplease]

Frankly it’s felt like no one checks bags anymore anyway even with free checked bags. I am constantly amazed by the size of people’s “carry ons”. No idea how they are allowed to board with those huge bags. It’s time all airlines cracked down on this because it’s become ridiculous!

I will just wheel my 30” suitcase through TSA and then be told I’ll have to gate check the bag lol

 

[snacks]

Frankly it’s felt like no one checks bags anymore anyway even with free checked bags. I am constantly amazed by the size of people’s “carry ons”. No idea how they are allowed to board with those huge bags. It’s time all airlines cracked down on this because it’s become ridiculous!

I agree with everything you said, but I'm still fully prepared for it to get worse

 

[pooch]

I agree with everything you said, but I'm still fully prepared for it to get worse

I have no doubt you are right. Luckily we will still get free checked bags and I ALWAYS do so. Our carry ons have only what we’d need for one day & fit under the seat. You can have our bin space

 

[snacks]

I made a big mistake with our trip last week and I want to alert everyone. I've been following this thread for a long time and thought I was on top of all of the rule changes. I was wrong! Several days before our trip we decided to add a few extra days to the end. Airfare was booked prior to May so I knew that changes to the flight home would trigger bag fees. I had Anytime fare booked for both ways. When I selected our new flight home I bought Business Select to keep the free bags. There were five of us traveling on my reservation with two bags each to check. When we checked in for the flight to Orlando the ticket agent asked me for a credit card to pay my $400 baggage fee. When I asked why, since I hadn't made changes to that flight and booked before the deadline, she explained that any change to the itinerary triggers the new rules. It's not just the individual flight that is affected. I missed that somehow. Totally my fault so I paid, said thank you, and went on my way. Just posting in case I can save anyone from making the same mistake.

 

[pooch]

I will just wheel my 30” suitcase through TSA and then be told I’ll have to gate check the bag lol

I have no doubt they will start charging for gate checked bags if you knowingly use an oversized bag. Yet another revenue stream.

 

[snacks]

I have no doubt you are right. Luckily we will still get free checked bags and I ALWAYS do so. Our carry ons have only what we’d need for one day & fit under the seat. You can have our bin space

I have never put anything in a bin. We always check bags. I was just answering your question about why I think some people will still care when they board the plane.

 

[eticketplease]

I have no doubt they will start charging for gate checked bags if you knowingly use an oversized bag. Yet another revenue stream.

I was joking of course but I’m sure some will wonder why it doesn’t fit in the bin or down the aisle lol

 

[tink fan]

When booking Basic fares on points, I have been booking one-way tickets since I often have only one flight go down in points at any given time. When I find lower points for one of my flights, I re-book it FIRST, confirm everything went through, THEN cancel my previous booking. It has eliminated my worry of potentially losing the lower fare, or worse, ending up needing to use even more points.

The only drawback is you have to have enough points banked to accommodate the very temporary reduction in points between the re-book and cancel.

The inability to simply modify a Basic points fare is definitely inconvenient but I have clawed back more than half my points originally used for an upcoming trip.

Here is an alternative to canceling and rebooking a basic fare if points decrease.

1. Upgrade the basic fare to a WGA+ fare using the change flight feature (you are not allowed to change but can upgrade). Note: you will need enough points in your account to make the upgrade.
2. After you complete the upgrade, change the flight to the discounted basic fare. (Since it is now an WGA+ fare you are allowed to make a change). All the excess points will go back to your account.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Ok if we have assigned seats, what difference does it make what group you board with?

It's always been bin space even with the current way of doing SWA bin space. Yes people want to board early so they can pick better where they sit but with open seating there was the added advantage that in the event the overhead bin space was full above one's preferred seat most could simply go to another seat. If the bag couldn't fit or it was basically just about to the end of the boarding you'd be out of luck.

With assigned seating the overhead bin space game is even more fierce. Why do you think nearly all the other airlines have the so-called "gate lice"? It's because despite knowing where they will sit they don't know if their luggage will be able to be with them. SWA has long been the airline to mostly avoid this but with charging for bags and adding on assigned seating next year on top of that it'll be just like the other airlines.

 

[pooch]

Ok I’ll “bite”. Gate lice??

 

[eticketplease]

Here is an alternative to canceling and rebooking a basic fare if points decrease.

1. Upgrade the basic fare to a WGA+ fare using the change flight feature (you are not allowed to change but can upgrade). Note: you will need enough points in your account to make the upgrade.
2. After you complete the upgrade, change the flight to the discounted basic fare. (Since it is now an WGA+ fare you are allowed to make a change). All the excess points will go back to your account.

Wow this is a great idea!! Have you already tried this?

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Ok I’ll “bite”. Gate lice??

The term used to describe people who crowd the boarding area. Most often used to describe people who have later boarding groups but are attempting to board earlier but also even people who are in their correct boarding zone (i.e. the earliest ones) but crowd the area long before boarding has been called in order to be one of the first in that group.

It's never been as big of an issue with SWA as it is with just about every other carrier because of their boarding process and open seating as well as not charging for luggage. IMO people often brought luggage on board even though 2 were included in the fare but the pressure was a lot less on overhead bin space with an open seating policy.

American Airlines this year piloted in certain airports calling out over the boarding area any person who tried to board early in an attempt to help this issue. Shame tactics being attempted I suppose.

Vast majority of people aren't that eager to be in their seat so early, it's the overhead bin space (most especially with traditional airlines) they want thus the pressure to board as early as you can.

 

[Tink3815]

As per Doctor of Credit:

(Source) Chase To Increase Annual Fee On Their Southwest Card Line & More Changes
https://www.doctorofcredit.com/source-chase-to-increase-annual-fee-on-their-southwest-card-line/

Per the leaked upcoming 100k signup offer link (not yet live) on the Chase Southwest personal cards, it’s apparent that Chase will be increasing the annual fees on their Southwest card line:

• personal Plus: $69 → $99
• personal Premier: $99 → $149
• personal Priority: $149 → $229
• business Premier: $99 → $149
• business Performance: $199 → $299

They also removed the $75 travel credit on the Priority card.

(Not Yet Live) Chase Southwest Personal Cards: 100,000 Points with $4,000 Spend In 5 Months
https://www.doctorofcredit.com/not-...ds-100000-points-with-4000-spend-in-5-months/

• No direct link available yet, this is an offer which is already visible via referral link, but errors out; apparently an upcoming offer; offer can be viewed at this dummy referral link (ht nikaidoushinku)
• Chase is offering the following bonus on the Southwest Plus, Premier, and Priority cards:
  • Earn 100,000 points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 5 months from account opening.

I was planning on upgrading to the Priority to be able to choose seats at booking. Called Chase tonight after reading the post to take care of. Was told that all upgrades to credit cards are on hold until 8-1 due to the assigned seat change.

 

[disfanforlife]

I was wondering will my husband get a free checked bag on SW if flying on points but using my SW card for the $5.60 fee? I have the SW credit card but he doesn’t. I booked our trip before the changes went into effect in May and our flights are in November. I usually book all separate one way flights for each of us going down and back for easier changes. Now I see the rates dropped and am not sure if I should bother trying to get back points if I lose the free checked bag benefit for him. I wasn’t sure if the free checked bag was only for the card holder or not.

 

[eticketplease]

I was wondering will my husband get a free checked bag on SW if flying on points but using my SW card for the $5.60 fee? I have the SW credit card but he doesn’t. I booked our trip before the changes went into effect in May and our flights are in November. I usually book all separate one way flights for each of us going down and back for easier changes. Now I see the rates dropped and am not sure if I should bother trying to get back points if I lose the free checked bag benefit for him. I wasn’t sure if the free checked bag was only for the card holder or not.

If DH is flying alone on points no he doesn’t get a free bag even if you paid with your SW card.

8 people plus you the card holder will receive one free bag if you are all on the same reservation.

It doesn’t matter if you pay for the entire flight, the taxes or don’t pay anything with the card. What matters is that someone holds the card and that someone is on the reservation.

I assume DH is on the reservation with you for this trip. If so you can modify and get points back but your free bag allowance will drop from 2 to 1 each.