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

[DisneyRunner2009]

Every time I've flown SW people line up in numerical order below the sign numbers.

 

[focusondisney]

We just flew Southwest in and out of MCO last weekend. We haven't flown Southwest out of MCO in quite a while.
Not a fan of their new gate system at MCO. Well, I say new, it was new to us.
We've already reduced our Southwest trips, just because we've been favoring flying out of our local airport when possible.
If they are dropping the numbered gates then I'm not sure I like it at all.
It made for a huge mess boarding, passengers had no where to stand but in the aisle and it was all but blocked. It just did not seem more efficient. I mean, I liked the numbered signs. You knew where to stand and it avoided the free for all bottle neck that you get with legacy airlines that I actually don't like.
Am I alone is not caring for it? What was wrong with the numbered signs? And just how are you supposed to know what order you go in with out them? All they did was call A1-15, A15-30, etc. No getting in order. I mean, that's their entire system, right? Is that going away?

Not sure what happened at your gate. But we flew SW from MCO 6 times since early 2021. We’ve had the numbered stanchions every time.

 

[MinnieMSue]

Not sure what happened at your gate. But we flew SW from MCO 6 times since early 2021. We’ve had the numbered stanchions every time.

We flew mid October and had the numbers at the gate to stand under too

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

My husband just flew Monday to Long Beach and back home on Wednesday neither of which had what the PP described. Last week his was in Reno same just the normal procedure. I'm guessing there was a particular reason why that was done at that time for the PP but from what we know doesn't appear to be a shift in procedure.

For sure if people notice this let us know that would be quite the change if it became the norm.

 

[lilmc]

We just flew Southwest in and out of MCO last weekend. We haven't flown Southwest out of MCO in quite a while.
Not a fan of their new gate system at MCO. Well, I say new, it was new to us.
We've already reduced our Southwest trips, just because we've been favoring flying out of our local airport when possible.
If they are dropping the numbered gates then I'm not sure I like it at all.
It made for a huge mess boarding, passengers had no where to stand but in the aisle and it was all but blocked. It just did not seem more efficient. I mean, I liked the numbered signs. You knew where to stand and it avoided the free for all bottle neck that you get with legacy airlines that I actually don't like.
Am I alone is not caring for it? What was wrong with the numbered signs? And just how are you supposed to know what order you go in with out them? All they did was call A1-15, A15-30, etc. No getting in order. I mean, that's their entire system, right? Is that going away?

We flew in July from MCO once and we weren’t at a “normal” Southwest gate. We hadn’t even checked our gate number because we “know” where the Southwest gates are at MCO and we ended up on the wrong tram. But because it was just another gate in another terminal, it didn’t have the posts with the boarding numbers installed. Boarding was a cluster, for sure. I’m not sure you experienced a “new system” or just not a gate outfitted for SW flights routinely.

 

[MinnieMSue]

We flew in July from MCO once and we weren’t at a “normal” Southwest gate. We hadn’t even checked our gate number because we “know” where the Southwest gates are at MCO and we ended up on the wrong tram. But because it was just another gate in another terminal, it didn’t have the posts with the boarding numbers installed. Boarding was a cluster, for sure. I’m not sure you experienced a “new system” or just not a gate outfitted for SW flights routinely.

I was wondering if that was what happened to the prior poster. Or maybe they had to remove the signs briefly for some work at the gate. Something weird like that. I can’t believe they would want the cluster situation that would occur with removal of the signs

 

[Mrs.AMC]

We flew in July from MCO once and we weren’t at a “normal” Southwest gate. We hadn’t even checked our gate number because we “know” where the Southwest gates are at MCO and we ended up on the wrong tram. But because it was just another gate in another terminal, it didn’t have the posts with the boarding numbers installed. Boarding was a cluster, for sure. I’m not sure you experienced a “new system” or just not a gate outfitted for SW flights routinely.

Nope. It was new. A southwest gate. They are using a new biometric scanning system

 

[thanxfornoticin]

We've flown SW dozens of times in recent years, and 99% of the time it's at a gate with numbers to simplify the process. The only time we didn't have the numbered gates was at a small gate set up in the Bahamas, but even there they had a monitor that would show boarding A1-A30, then next showed A31-A60, etc. Must've just been an unusual occurrence of a SW flight at a gate not set up for normal SW boarding. Perhaps MCO is going through some growing pains with the new Terminal? Just a guess....

 

[focusondisney]

Not sure what was going on with your trip @Mrs.AMC . Did you notice if other gates had the posts & if people were lining up? I also will not be happy if they start doing away with lining up. Not for nothing, but I have been buying BS when fares are first released. Several times I have gotten A1. I will not be going behind 14 other people if I planned & purchased far enough ahead to get that position. Same with any other A position I get. JB has nonstops from our city too. I’d much rather switch to them & pay for the seat I want rather than go back to the SW days when you had to get there early & stake you spot in line. Which tho limited is what this seems to be.

 

[TheOneWithTheTriplets]

Anyone checked in the day before time change?

My flight is 2pm EST tomorrow, it's 2:02 now and I'm still getting the error to come back on November 5th when it is 2pm in Baltimore.

I'm wondering if the time change means I have to wait until 3pm even though the error message says 2pm.

ETA- I'm seeing a banner that indicates it is time change. The error message has the wrong time listed, but the banner says to check in at 23 hours because of Daylight Savings.

 

[EACarlson]

@Mrs.AMC Do you recall what gate number it was? Maybe someone who has a trip down soon can take a look? I've seen biometric gates used by Delta and United at MCO but never seen Southwest use them anywhere. Is it possible it was not one of the normal SW gates and that's why it didn't have the stanchions? No one has complained about this over on FlyerTalk which I'm pretty sure would have happened if this was an MCO wide change.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

Anyone checked in the day before time change?

My flight is 2pm EST tomorrow, it's 2:02 now and I'm still getting the error to come back on November 5th when it is 2pm in Baltimore.

I'm wondering if the time change means I have to wait until 3pm even though the error message says 2pm.

ETA- I'm seeing a banner that indicates it is time change. The error message has the wrong time listed, but the banner says to check in at 23 hours because of Daylight Savings.

Interesting. Never experienced it, but often wondered how they handled it. As a long-time IT person, I think I speak for many of us when I say we'd be very happy if the US Govt moves forward with plans to do away with DST!! It was always a headache from a programming and maintenance standpoint! Sounds like that's the case with SW and checking in!

 

[Doug7856]

First time considering SW flights

1. If purchasing EBCI about a month out what are our odds of getting A?

2. If we got B, what are our odds of finding seats together during family boarding. I have a 3 year old and 5 year old so we need a row of 3 together and ideally my husband would be close by somewhere.

3. If they were available and its needed, can we buy A1-15 spots anytime before boarding? Wed be coming off a cruise on the way back and I wouldnt be checking until several hours before the flight.

We fly SW multiple times a year and generally with EBCI get A or more frequently B. On a recent flight we were B7,8 & 9. There was a very large party from a family reunion cruise returning home and they split up the children so that everyone in the group got the middle family boarding. Even with our low B numbers, we could not sit together due to this tactic. It was frustrating, but it was the only time in over twenty years of flying Southwest that we experienced such a situation and the first time we couldn't sit together.

 

[TheOneWithTheTriplets]

A1-15 Priority Boarding Upgrade Data Point:

I get this benefit for free with my credit card, so upgraded Hubby and the kids for tomorrow's flight. I checked in right at 24 hours (which was really 23 hours, darn daylight savings!!) and clicked to upgrade boarding. We got A12-A15 in what I would say was less than a minute from the 24 hour window opening.

I know availability on these positions can vary based on how many other passengers on the flight qualify based on ticket type or status level. I just thought it was worth noting that this option sold out almost immediately. To some degree, it makes the benefit better on lower fee SW cards that get two EBCI. The high cost priority card ends up giving you a benefit that you can only use if you're quick on the draw anyway.

 

[focusondisney]

The high cost priority card ends up giving you a benefit that you can only use if you're quick on the draw anyway.

Just like anything else, this will vary quite a bit. I booked business select on the day flights were released for myself on our last trip, with my DH booked as my companion. Flight was full both ways. I got A1 both ways. At the 24 hour mark, I upgraded my husband‘s position. He got A6 to Orlando & A5 on the way back. They also announced at the gate on both flights there were still spots available.

edit to add: I used my SW priority card benefit for his upgrades as well.

 

[Doug7856]

A1-15 Priority Boarding Upgrade Data Point:

I get this benefit for free with my credit card, so upgraded Hubby and the kids for tomorrow's flight. I checked in right at 24 hours (which was really 23 hours, darn daylight savings!!) and clicked to upgrade boarding. We got A12-A15 in what I would say was less than a minute from the 24 hour window opening.

I know availability on these positions can vary based on how many other passengers on the flight qualify based on ticket type or status level. I just thought it was worth noting that this option sold out almost immediately. To some degree, it makes the benefit better on lower fee SW cards that get two EBCI. The high cost priority card ends up giving you a benefit that you can only use if you're quick on the draw anyway.

Thanks for sharing this. I was wondering how the online availability would impact this benefit.

 

[ultimatefans]

Anyone checked in the day before time change?

My flight is 2pm EST tomorrow, it's 2:02 now and I'm still getting the error to come back on November 5th when it is 2pm in Baltimore.

I'm wondering if the time change means I have to wait until 3pm even though the error message says 2pm.

ETA- I'm seeing a banner that indicates it is time change. The error message has the wrong time listed, but the banner says to check in at 23 hours because of Daylight Savings.

Yes! I did in March when it was spring forward. Checkin was at exactly 24 hours, so if my flight was at 2 then checkin was at 1. (fall would be the opposite)

 

[KJSJpipe]

I was going on to look at my December flights in the app and saw this.

 

[teawar]

Check your flights to Orlando for possible fare drops. I was able to save $122 on my thanksgiving, Christmas, and MLK Day travel.

 

[TheOneWithTheTriplets]

Just like anything else, this will vary quite a bit. I booked business select on the day flights were released for myself on our last trip, with my DH booked as my companion. Flight was full both ways. I got A1 both ways. At the 24 hour mark, I upgraded my husband‘s position. He got A6 to Orlando & A5 on the way back. They also announced at the gate on both flights there were still spots available.

edit to add: I used my SW priority card benefit for his upgrades as well.

I'm glad to hear it's not all flights, but I do think the limited availability degrades the benefit.

If you use EBCI, you can check in at your leisure and know you'll have good boarding position. Especially for return trips where check in is the last day of vacation, you can be happily on a roller coaster when your 24 hits and get to it when you get to it.

The upgrade benefit is unreliable because it might not be available. You end up having to check in at 24 hours or risk bad position if A1-15 are sold out.