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[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

That’s what I find interesting too. We get reports of neck pillows being counted as an item at the same time people are allowed on with overstuffed, oversized carryons.

Agreed it's weird because normally people are using neck pillows on the flight or they are stowed under the seat or in my case I tended to keep my pillow on my lap so in terms of being a hassle for space it was pretty next to nil on those.

I find that the soft sided can get overpacked especially that front pocket but can also be squeezed and pushed down to fit for the most part, the problem with the hard sided is they are a fixed shape and can't be smushed to fit.

The duffle bags are probably the worst in terms of carry ons as they often have to be put in sideways not front to back which immediately reduces how many other bags can fit in the overhead bin space unless someone has a small purse or small tote that can be placed in front of the duffle bag (but then makes it precarious to open the overhead bin).

 

[EACarlson]

Agreed it's weird because normally people are using neck pillows on the flight or they are stowed under the seat or in my case I tended to keep my pillow on my lap so in terms of being a hassle for space it was pretty next to nil on those.

I find that the soft sided can get overpacked especially that front pocket but can also be squeezed and pushed down to fit for the most part, the problem with the hard sided is they are a fixed shape and can't be smushed to fit.

The duffle bags are probably the worst in terms of carry ons as they often have to be put in sideways not front to back which immediately reduces how many other bags can fit in the overhead bin space unless someone has a small purse or small tote that can be placed in front of the duffle bag (but then makes it precarious to open the overhead bin).

If a duffle bag has to be put in sideways, it's too big to fly. That's what the airlines are going to have to enforce. My carryon with wheels is 23 inches, just above the posted limit of 22. But it fits with no issues in any mainline bin. Most of those duffle bags are 30" and shouldn't be allowed as a carryon. I'd love to see SW create a policy that if your bag does not fit in the overhead, you pay double to check it.

 

[danceintherain]

I just need to thought dump a bit....
What would you do?

I'm taking DD to Disneyland this weekend. She's using my companion pass. I have 2 SW CCs (Personal Priority and Premier Biz). So I have 2 early bird check ins, and 4 upgraded boardings to use this year. My sister is also flying with us on a different reservation.

How quickly does A1-15 typically sell out? Will upgraded boarding still be available at the 24 hour mark at all?

We usually qualify for family boarding, because my youngest is 5, so I've never paid attention. It just all seems so random. I'm honestly not that concerned about getting seats together. But, I want the best value for the benefit. I also have a trip scheduled in August, but I'm flying by myself, so I care even less about where I sit.

Which would you use?

 

[Keladry84]

On our flight from LaGuardia to KC in April the plane was already delayed getting into LaGuardia and so they were trying to do a quick turn around so as to not delay us more (it would be the last flight to KC for them). The gate agent probably had one of the most exasperated behaviors I've seen from a gate agent in a long while but I figured she had been dealing with stuff the whole day. In any case she belted out at least 7 times in an annoyed way that they needed gate checked carry ons in order to fly and they didn't want to delay the plane any more (it really had only been delayed maybe 30 or so mins at that point) and said they needed at least 22 people to do this, she would keep saying as people would do it "we need X number more" and it was because the flight was full and not enough checked bags had been calculated to have been done due to this. She said if people didn't start doing it all C's would have to gate check.

It's not an isolated incident, it happens from time to time but that gate agent was the most forceful about it though IMO not necessarily rude.

Most in the know industry people agree that overhead bin space will become more problematic with checked bag fees

The last time I flew Southwest, I was the first person gate checked with the bag right before stepping onto the plane. They let my companion on with hers right in front of me. When I sat down in my seat, there was space for over six roller bags just in the immediate area that I could see before the flight attendant came running down the plane closing bins as fast as she could so the people getting on couldn't see there was actually space. I was po'd to say the least. :/ I don't mind getting gate-checked if it actually needs to be done, but sometimes they are overly and unneededly aggressive about it.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

If a duffle bag has to be put in sideways, it's too big to fly. That's what the airlines are going to have to enforce. My carryon with wheels is 23 inches, just above the posted limit of 22. But it fits with no issues in any mainline bin. Most of those duffle bags are 30" and shouldn't be allowed as a carryon. I'd love to see SW create a policy that if your bag does not fit in the overhead, you pay double to check it.

I've seen some smaller duffle bags that because they are rectangle shaped rather than more square shaped can't fit front to back the same as traditional soft or hard sided bags. The bins aren't all uniform across the different 737s they use either.

I don't disagree though that there are clearly larger ones that I've seen be able to be on board.

As far as size technically SWA's policy on their website is 24X16X10 so your bag fits and I don't believe they are going to reduce that size any longer. What I see with the duffle bags is they may be more narrow in width and taller in length (which to them is height). It's more the odd shape compared to more traditional that tends to make it harder to fit in overhead bins that are more designed for traditional shaped soft sided; even the hard sided has issues fitting even if they are within SWA's guidelines with rounder edges on many compared to sharper corners of soft sided.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

The last time I flew Southwest, I was the first person gate checked with the bag right before stepping onto the plane. They let my companion on with hers right in front of me. When I sat down in my seat, there was space for over six roller bags just in the immediate area that I could see before the flight attendant came running down the plane closing bins as fast as she could so the people getting on couldn't see there was actually space. I was po'd to say the least. :/ I don't mind getting gate-checked if it actually needs to be done, but sometimes they are overly and unneededly aggressive about it.

It's one of my most annoying things to see TBH so I feel you, it's not a normal practice on SWA to board and then see a lot of empty spaces but I believe I've read AA is notorious for this where they'll have a lot of empty overhead bin spaces. They do a calculation based on how many passengers and go from there.

I feel like SWA used to wait til boarding was more underway to get a feel for it and personally didn't feel like it took overly long to gate check the luggage, one of our flights they had to gate check more than 5 bags after boarding was done bringing it from the back through the aisle up to the front and out because there wasn't any bin space left but TBH their carry ons looked quite large and they were not normal flyers of SWA (having been very confused on the boarding process). I think SWA tries to save time but doing more in the moment adjustments but I think those days are more over.

That's actually pretty frustrating what you saw happen and I wouldn't like that at all to have the FA actively close the bins when nothing is wrong with them. I mean people do sometimes still open them to put stuff in because they assume a passenger has closed it but there's actually still room in the bin for stuff.

 

[danceintherain]

It's annoying that they're not more consistent with carry ons. Most of the flights I've been on recently have gate attendants start encouraging bags from people well before the end of boarding. Then the attendants on board start closing the partially empty overhead bins. This has made me very distrustful of the whole process.

The under seat space is also inconsistent. Last fall, I actually took an available window seat closer to the front of the plane. I didn't want a middle seat, and aisle seats don't have as much under seat space. I was traveling with my backpack (16.5x12x6 inches) and my smaller roller bag (16x13x7 inches). Both can fit under the seat....but not all the seats.

I actually prefer to check a bag most of the time, but that's unreliable too. I've had too many bags delayed. So, I always have a few days worth of stuff in my possession, and tend to only check bags on the way home.

 

[TheOneWithTheTriplets]

I just need to thought dump a bit....
What would you do?

I'm taking DD to Disneyland this weekend. She's using my companion pass. I have 2 SW CCs (Personal Priority and Premier Biz). So I have 2 early bird check ins, and 4 upgraded boardings to use this year. My sister is also flying with us on a different reservation.

How quickly does A1-15 typically sell out? Will upgraded boarding still be available at the 24 hour mark at all?

We usually qualify for family boarding, because my youngest is 5, so I've never paid attention. It just all seems so random. I'm honestly not that concerned about getting seats together. But, I want the best value for the benefit. I also have a trip scheduled in August, but I'm flying by myself, so I care even less about where I sit.

Which would you use?

EBCI covers connections and companions while upgraded boarding does not. So, if you have to connect *and* you have a companion, one EBCI does the same work as all four upgrades (you'd have to burn 2 for first leg and 2 for second leg).

To be clear, is your DD the 5 year old or are you saying that usually you have family because of a younger sibling but this time you do not?

Assuming you don't have family boarding this time, put EBCI on your ticket in both directions. You and companion will get the benefit for all legs. Then, when you check in, use the upgraded boarding for sister for each leg as it hits 24 hours, assuming it's still available. Worst case, even if she doesn't get A1--15 because it's sold out, you and DD can just go towards the back of the plane, take the aisle and the window, and, if folks try to sit in that middle seat, you can tell them that it's for your sister.

As has been discussed upthread, if you're only trying to save a middle seat in the back of the plane, it's unlikely anyone will care as that's not a high demand option. Saving a seat towards the front, saving two or more seats, saving a window/aisle is when things can get difficult.

 

[danceintherain]

EBCI covers connections and companions while upgraded boarding does not. So, if you have to connect *and* you have a companion, one EBCI does the same work as all four upgrades (you'd have to burn 2 for first leg and 2 for second leg).

To be clear, is your DD the 5 year old or are you saying that usually you have family because of a younger sibling but this time you do not?

Assuming you don't have family boarding this time, put EBCI on your ticket in both directions. You and companion will get the benefit for all legs. Then, when you check in, use the upgraded boarding for sister for each leg as it hits 24 hours, assuming it's still available. Worst case, even if she doesn't get A1--15 because it's sold out, you and DD can just go towards the back of the plane, take the aisle and the window, and, if folks try to sit in that middle seat, you can tell them that it's for your sister.

As has been discussed upthread, if you're only trying to save a middle seat in the back of the plane, it's unlikely anyone will care as that's not a high demand option. Saving a seat towards the front, saving two or more seats, saving a window/aisle is when things can get difficult.

Thank you!
That's exactly the advice I needed.

DD is 11, so we do not qualify for family boarding this trip.

I'm not worried about saving a seat for my sister. I'll definitely move towards the back of the plane. We'll play the upgraded boardings by ear.

 

[focusondisney]

Thank you!
That's exactly the advice I needed.

DD is 11, so we do not qualify for family boarding this trip.

I'm not worried about saving a seat for my sister. I'll definitely move towards the back of the plane. We'll play the upgraded boardings by ear.

You’re flying this weekend? What type fare do you have? Be aware EBCI is assigned by the type of fare & when you bought it. So if you have WGA & add it now….you’ll be behind pretty much everyone else who has bought EBCI & quite possibly behind family boarding with a B boarding group anyway. Just in case you’re expecting an A group with EBCI.

 

[dez1978]

That’s what I find interesting too. We get reports of neck pillows being counted as an item at the same time people are allowed on with overstuffed, oversized carryons.

This weekend I flew with a carry on and a backpack. Then I had a wallet sized cross body Vera Bradley thing. Got pulled out of line to put my cross body in my backpack bc it was a 3rd item. Not the end of the world, but irritating on a half full flight. Esp when you see ppl with these bags that are obv bigger than the allowed size.

This same flight on Friday... Out of STL. Pulled into the parking garage at the same time as a tornado hit about 6 miles away from the airport. Flight was supposed to be at 455p. It was delayed but the time kept changing. 630, 940, 720, 830, 1130 etc. Based on Flightaware, it appears the inbound plane was delayed several hours from NY. I assumed it was weather related, and figured there was nothing to do about it. Finally boarded around 930, and had to wait on the pilots, who were not the ones originally assigned to this flight. Sunday I got an email from SW with 2 $100 vouchers (one for each of us). Since I assumed it was weather related I wasn't expecting anything and was pleasantly surprised. It was a very long day in the airport lol. And we were going to Epic in the morning, so getting to our hotel in Orlando at 2 am made for a long day the next day too.

 

[BrightMorningStar]

Where did your friend get this info from? The fees haven’t been announced.

She works for SWA, check-in counter in Dallas.

 

[Tink3815]

On the 4 flights I did at the end of April I noticed the gate attendants and flight crew not their usual happy selves. You occasionally would get a grumpy one but not happy seems to be the new normal for Southwest. They are all stressed with the changes and reductions in staff.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Then I had a wallet sized cross body Vera Bradley thing. Got pulled out of line to put my cross body in my backpack bc it was a 3rd item.

That's always been the case that it counted, it's basically counted as a 2nd personal item.

The thing about neck pillows is SWA specifically calls it out on their website as not counting towards your personal item but then in recent months has been counting it.