Really Don't Understand Southwest

[Granny square]

Granny, I agree! I'm a nice stranger! It's just that if I made the extra effort to get EBCI, or pay for a Business Select ticket and picked my aisle seat early, I would be less inclined to be helpful to someone who thought they's just "wing it" and hope for someone to move. Check out the Flyer Talk boards. WOW, those people aren't moving for ANYONE!!!

Flyer talk scares me.

I have to be on the aisle. So I pay to do so. If I am willing to do so then the parent who feels it is oh so important should be all the more willing. I'd never have abdicated responsibility for my kids happiness, safety and well being to strangers. That is screwed up.

 

[KaLyn]

I bought EBCI for all four of us. I'd love to sit 2 and 2 or 3 and 1, but of course that's depending on what's available when we board. My plan is to head straight to the back where hopefully less people will be "fighting" for seats lol.

 

[DVC-Don]

Right now Southwest seems to have the best airfare but I'm reluctant to pull the trigger. I have never flown Southwest before and I'm not familiar with their A,B, and C boarding or the early bird check in. My husband is disregarding Southwest all together because we have an eight yr old daughter and he feels if they can't guarantee we sit together, then we can't chance it. Do you ever get a seat assignment? If so, how? Any and all input would be greatly appreciated.

This link should here you should help you understand the boarding process. http://www.southwest.com/html/customer-service/faqs.html?topic=boarding_the_plane

 

[MillauFr]

Even with early boarding if you have a tight connection you will be boarding last no matter what letter/number you have. Correct? I have never flown SW because of the no reserved seats and their prices really are about the same as Alaska.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Even with early boarding if you have a tight connection you will be boarding last no matter what letter/number you have. Correct? I have never flown SW because of the no reserved seats and their prices really are about the same as Alaska.

Yes, if the flight has PAX continuing on to the final destination, they will already be on the plane. Plus, it doesn't matter what your boarding number is if your section has already boarded.

If the price is the same as Alaska Airlines, stick with them.

 

[ibob52]

EBCI is $12.50 ... pre day of flight.
I will counter offer my aisle seat for $50.00 - $100.00
Depending on my mood. ... if asked to change seats.

airlines nickel and dime us all the time

 

[stitchlovestink]

NO airline can GUARANTEE you will sit together. Even those with assigned seats. Equipment changes, delays, etc. A lot can happen. I suggest coming up with a contingency in case your DD sits by herself.

That being said, most airlines will work with you to sit her with at least one adult. But there are no guarantees.

EXACTLY!
but people don't want to believe this.

 

[Granny square]

I bought EBCI for all four of us. I'd love to sit 2 and 2 or 3 and 1, but of course that's depending on what's available when we board. My plan is to head straight to the back where hopefully less people will be "fighting" for seats lol.

I always do this. Unless I have an iffy connection, I usually am not in a rush and others often are.

 

[TDC Nala]

I'll do the move if I am not required to move to a middle seat. Middle seat, all bets are off.

Maybe unless the person who wants my seat buys me some alcohol - that would help the whole middle seat thing.

Be rude, and you're not getting my seat.

 

[rachellm]

As more people do the EBCI, checking in exactly 24 hours in advance doesn't really guarentee you anything now. We checked in *on the dot* 24 hours for our flight a few weeks ago and got C2 and lower.

Since we have 3 kids 4 and under (4 is their family boarding cut-off) I wasn't worried. But we did line up early for the family board line to make sure we were at the front of that group. As my kids get older if we're flying Southwest I'll make sure we buy EBCI.

There was one family that they had to move people around to accomodate. It took some time to find people willing to move. As we were leaving the FA came over the intercom to lecture about it - "If you must sit together, make sure you check in/arrive early. Arriving late delays the entire airplane as we work to accomodate you." or something like that

 

[jmkrat]

I flew Southwest for the first time a few years ago and was scared about not being able to sit with my family. Although we're all older and I have no young children anymore I still wanted us together. I did buy the Early Bird Check in and it was well worth the extra few dollars. I loved the flight and Southwest. I didn't have to worry about checking in, it was done for me. From now on I will be flying Southwest. This is coming from someone who thought they would never fly Southwest. Not paying for luggage is nice.

 

[kamik86]

I fly SW alot (11 round trip flights most of which had connections this year alone) and my last trip to Orlando was the first one where checking in at 24 hours got a C boarding pass (for My husband, I have A list so I was in the low A's) we ended up paying the $40 to move him up to a low A as well so I didn't have to try and save him a seat (even being a middle seat) through 2 whole boarding groups.

I have also flown delta for one round trip and saw just as much time spent with people trying to move around when they got 3 aisles in a row front to back and all wanted to sit together (with one being a small child)

 

[DawnM]

Not true for us.

We had right around B10 and so many A boarders saved seats for their C boarding friends we couldn't find 2 seats together.

I also checked in exactly 24 hours before my flight, and still got B boarding.

Next time, if we care about sitting together, I will pay for EBCI and be done with it.

If you're really worried about it, pay the extra $12 per ticket for early bird check in. If you don't want to pay, just make sure you check in RIGHT at the 24 hour mark. You won't get A boarding, but as long as you are somewhere in the B, you won't have a problem getting at least 2 seats together. They might be towards the back, but they'll be there. I've never had a problem.

 

[Ofinn]

Really? So it wasn't a problem to you? Or wasn't a problem for the stranger who had to adapt because you didn't care enough to make an effort?

She never said she asked anybody to move. Why so snarky? I'm always amazed how people will respond to someone on a message board. I hope you don't talk to people that way in real life. I've flown SW boarded at the last minute, and got seats together. I wouldn't pay the extra 12.00 either. I don't like SW and their fares are usually higher. If I was OP I would book an airline that offers seat selection.

 

[Ofinn]

I bet it is really not "fine" for those you have move out of their seats, so you can sit with your family, even though you are too cheap (your own word) to pay for EBCI. It is that exact mind set that makes so many people determined to not trade seats. If it isn't important enough for you to pay to have good odds of sitting next to your child, it isn't important enough for me to move to accommodate you.

For the record, no one would have to take care of your child. Many people wear headphones on flights, and are absorbed enough in what they are doing that they could ignore your child just fine. You may want to think next time of how upset your child would be if you run out of luck and no one will trade seats with you.

Another rude response. These boards amaze me sometimes.

 

[luvthemouse71]

I don't move for anyone, unless the child is special needs or very young.

Count me as someone else who thinks it's silly to expect someone else to be inconvenienced because of the cheapness of another passenger.

 

[sam_gordon]

She never said she asked anybody to move. Why so snarky? I'm always amazed how people will respond to someone on a message board. I hope you don't talk to people that way in real life. I've flown SW boarded at the last minute, and got seats together. I wouldn't pay the extra 12.00 either. I don't like SW and their fares are usually higher. If I was OP I would book an airline that offers seat selection.

Regarding the bolded... there is too many variables to factor in to determine a "rule" for checkin/boarding that will apply to even the majority of travellers, much less all of them.

1) How busy is the flight (originating airport, destination, day, time, and month all factor in to this)?
2)Is it a new flight, or a continuation?

Because you boarded at the last minute and found seats together doesn't mean that will happen on your next flight. Just like if someone says they got B1 & B2 boarding passes and couldn't find seats together isn't the "rule" either.

 

[Princess Disney Mom]

I guess I've been lucky. We always have B and C boarding and have been fine. On one flight the kids were an extra row behind us but they were together so it was fine. My husband has changed his seat when a child about 14 asked to be seated near her sister. No big deal for him. However I do recommend with an 8 year old buy the early boarding for at least one parent and the child to be sure.

 

[maxiesmom]

Another rude response. These boards amaze me sometimes.

I guess I'm sick of people posting that they don't have to pay for EBCI, as no one wants to sit by their child anyway. And the poster I quoted was yet another person who stated just that. Inferring that people will move for them, either because they feel sorry for them, or they ask them to move. And I think it is very rude to take advantage of other people that way.

If you need to sit next to someone you should do whatever you can to make it happen. Not rely on the goodness of others. Or on the fact that no one will want to sit next to your travel partner.

 

[gwynne]

I guess I'm sick of people posting that they don't have to pay for EBCI, as no one wants to sit by their child anyway. And the poster I quoted was yet another person who stated just that. Inferring that people will move for them, either because they feel sorry for them, or they ask them to move. And I think it is very rude to take advantage of other people that way.

If you need to sit next to someone you should do whatever you can to make it happen. Not rely on the goodness of others. Or on the fact that no one will want to sit next to your travel partner.

BBM-I agree!!! I hope that this philosophy is limited to an entitled few. Surely most passengers understand that behaving this way is extremely rude and self centered.