seating on southwest

[mlacreta]

[
And if I might add my 2 cents to this discussion, I am really disappointed at the general lack of sympathy here. Yes, we paid to be together, you should have known better, its my seat, yada, yada, yada. When and how do we teach our kids to be nice to each other? Did the woman who's husband gave up his paid for seat turn to her kids and point out how nice Daddy had been?[/QUOTE]

I have to say I was thinking the same thing yesturday as I read some of these posts. I wouldn't expect a person who was already sitting with a child to move but if I was alone and someone asked me to so they could be with their child I would do it. It is just the same decency I would hope people would show to me. Sometimes it's not about saving a few dollars but about being able to afford the flight I would imagine. I have 5 kids and I know I can't pay an extra $70 to have early check in. We've never had a problem as I have always had one young enough to get us early boarding. My youngest is three now so maybe this time we will not.....not sure guess I will have to look into it.

 

[mlacreta]

what am i doing wrong? my quotes never show up in the box?

 

[LisaS]

what am i doing wrong? my quotes never show up in the box?

When you click the quote button in someone's post, you'll notice that the text you see in the edit window begins and ends with some text enclosed in square brackets. For example, when I clicked on the quote button in your post, this is what I saw in my edit window:

[quote="mlacreta, post: 44191555"]what am i doing wrong? my quotes never show up in the box?[/QUOTE]

The opening "tag": [quote="mlacreta, post: 44191555"] tells the board software that this is the start of a quoted post made by user mlacreta. The closing "tag": [/QUOTE] tells the board software that this is the end of that quoted text.

If you alter either tag, including removing either of the square brackets that surround it, the board software will not recognize it as quoted text and will not display it in it's own box.

The semicolon and number (;44191555) after your name inside of that opening QUOTE tag identifies the particular post that was quoted. The board software uses that information to provide a handy little button (it looks like a greater than symbol: >) next to the name within the quoted text. Clicking that little button will display the quoted post.

If you want to quote a bit of text without including the name of the user or the original post it came from, you use the quote tag without any other information. For example, if I typed this:
[QUOTE]Hello world[/QUOTE]
then the quoted text would not begin with the phrase "Originally Posted by ... ". It would just look like this:

Hello world

The easiest way to create a simple quote like that is to click the quote button at the top of the edit window. It's over on the right and looks like a text bubble like you see in a comic strip. It will insert the quote tags for you and you just type your text in between the opening and closing quote tag.

 

[Tara]

For those asking "where's the sympathy?" let me offer another perspective...

Some people choose AND PAY FOR specific seats for reasons that have great importance to them. It could be related to a phobia or a disability, for instance. When you ask them to switch with you because you didn't plan ahead as they did, where is your sympathy for them? You are only assuming that they have less need for that particular seat than you do.

I'm not quite sure what lesson we teach our children when we insist that our needs are paramount to others'...I totally understand that mishaps occur and not every eventuality can be planned for, but let's not be so quick to judge those who respectfully decline to give up their own pre-selected seat.

 

[mlacreta]

When you click the quote button in someone's post, you'll notice that the text you see in the edit window begins and ends with some text enclosed in square brackets. For example, when I clicked on the quote button in your post, this is what I saw in my edit window:



The opening "tag": tells the board software that this is the end of that quoted text.

If you alter either tag, including removing either of the square brackets that surround it, the board software will not recognize it as quoted text and will not display it in it's own box.

The semicolon and number (;44191555) after your name inside of that opening QUOTE tag identifies the particular post that was quoted. The board software uses that information to provide a handy little button (it looks like a greater than symbol: >) next to the name within the quoted text. Clicking that little button will display the quoted post.

If you want to quote a bit of text without including the name of the user or the original post it came from, you use the quote tag without any other information. For example, if I typed this:

then the quoted text would not begin with the phrase "Originally Posted by ... ". It would just look like this:


The easiest way to create a simple quote like that is to click the quote button at the top of the edit window. It's over on the right and looks like a text bubble like you see in a comic strip. It will insert the quote tags for you and you just type your text in between the opening and closing quote tag.

Thanks! I think it must be that I alter it out accidentally!

 

[maxiesmom]

For those asking "where's the sympathy?" let me offer another perspective...

Some people choose AND PAY FOR specific seats for reasons that have great importance to them. It could be related to a phobia or a disability, for instance. When you ask them to switch with you because you didn't plan ahead as they did, where is your sympathy for them? You are only assuming that they have less need for that particular seat than you do.

I'm not quite sure what lesson we teach our children when we insist that our needs are paramount to others'...I totally understand that mishaps occur and not every eventuality can be planned for, but let's not be so quick to judge those who respectfully decline to give up their own pre-selected seat.

Thank you for stating this so well.

 

[ccgirl]

Thank you for stating this so well.

I second that. My DH may look like he's sitting alone but he is there to help me.

I make look small but I need an aisle seat for a reason. I will not change an aisle seat for a non aisle seat willingly.

What ever happened to you know you need to pay extra for your seats but don't want to so you can save money; thereby, displacing someone else and holding up the boarding process???

 

[tkitty]

It does count. In fact, it's helpful because you get checked in at the 36hr mark for both flights. Say your schedule is Phoenix to Dallas departing at 8am and Dallas to Orlando departing at 1pm. When you are checked in for your originating flight at 8am - 36hrs, you'll be checked in for both. People who are taking that flight from Dallas to Orlando at 1pm can't check in until 1pm - 24hrs or 1pm - 36hrs if they have EBCI. So you have more of a head start for the connection than people who are taking that as their originating flight.

I've read that their boarding process helps them turn planes around faster, which saves money. Passengers who don't have an assigned seat are more likely to be in the boarding area ready to go before boarding begins so they don't lose their place in line. We've flown SWA many times. We book soon after the schedule is released and purchase EBCI. So far we've gotten low A boarding positions and have our choice of seats when we board except for the first couple of rows which are taken by pre-boarders.


I wouldn't count on them releasing more flights. I've never seen them do that on the routes we fly with them but maybe they do that on some of their busier routes.

Thanks to you both I feel better.
I didn't even know about the $10 advanced boarding thing but for reading here and getting an explanation.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

last year on Delta. Had to wait to get my seat assignment at the airport & got a decent seat in the 3rd row of a 2 seat side in coach. My seatmate then nicely asked if I would mind switching with her boyfriend in...... FIRST CLASS! Gee, let me think about that one for a while . I wondered if her BF really wanted to switch!!

And if I might add my 2 cents to this discussion, I am really disappointed at the general lack of sympathy here. Yes, we paid to be together, you should have known better, its my seat, yada, yada, yada. When and how do we teach our kids to be nice to each other? Did the woman who's husband gave up his paid for seat turn to her kids and point out how nice Daddy had been?

My boys are 15 & 12; they're not oblivious. Not just on vacation but often they are reminded of how sweet dh is.
This isn't just a matter of being polite; it's taking something someone else paid for. I wouldn't walk up to someone at a snack store in the terminal and ask for the drink/snack they just bought either.
I dislike paying for extra things like luggage or seat selection but I do it. I don't see how people can say they can't take their WDW trip if they had to pay $6 to choose seats. I've had some very low budget trips but never has $6 (or $50) been a deal-breaker that would suddenly make me rethink the whole trip. Maybe that's just me. If I chose to forgo seat selection due to a tight budget, I would accept the consequences of my decision.

 

[bumbershoot]

I don't understand why airline don't all let you chose you seats at the time of purchase. Even tacking on the $10 or so to do it. To me that would save so much aggravation.
In the past, my DH would not even let me book flights that we could not chose our own seats.

You guys have obviously never been on a flight where you "chose" your seat, then found that it was changed for you when you got your boarding pass. THAT is far more aggravating, if you're a person who cares where you sit, than actually, physically, TRULY choosing your seat after you get on the plane.

That happened to me so many times that I was GLAD to switch to SW. Now i"m not using them as much anymore, mainly b/c DH has status on United and Alaska and it's nice to have that benefit when we travel with him (and a little status still dribbles through when we travel on his points, though not as much as before). DH was the one who actually changed my carefully chosen seats last time, and it was JUST as aggravating as when it was the airlines doing it! (went from first row of coach which was a more preferred type seating to second to the back, because he doesn't like the first row seats GRRRRRR)

For those asking "where's the sympathy?" let me offer another perspective...

Some people choose AND PAY FOR specific seats for reasons that have great importance to them. It could be related to a phobia or a disability, for instance. When you ask them to switch with you because you didn't plan ahead as they did, where is your sympathy for them? You are only assuming that they have less need for that particular seat than you do.

I'm not quite sure what lesson we teach our children when we insist that our needs are paramount to others'...I totally understand that mishaps occur and not every eventuality can be planned for, but let's not be so quick to judge those who respectfully decline to give up their own pre-selected seat.

 

[Mkrop]

last year on Delta. Had to wait to get my seat assignment at the airport & got a decent seat in the 3rd row of a 2 seat side in coach. My seatmate then nicely asked if I would mind switching with her boyfriend in...... FIRST CLASS! Gee, let me think about that one for a while . I wondered if her BF really wanted to switch!!

And if I might add my 2 cents to this discussion, I am really disappointed at the general lack of sympathy here. Yes, we paid to be together, you should have known better, its my seat, yada, yada, yada. When and how do we teach our kids to be nice to each other? Did the woman who's husband gave up his paid for seat turn to her kids and point out how nice Daddy had been?

My DH gave up his seat, and my kids did see how nice dad was. But my oldest also noticed how obnoxious the lady was who my DH now got stuck next to and he mentioned how unfair it was that my DH paid for a seat, was trying to be nice, and then got the short end of the deal. This lady was so bad that the flight attendants brought him free drinks (alcohol), I had to drive home LOL.

I agree with others, you have no idea why someone chose the seat they did, you need to think about these things when you book.

 

[Tara]

You guys have obviously never been on a flight where you "chose" your seat, then found that it was changed for you when you got your boarding pass. THAT is far more aggravating, if you're a person who cares where you sit, than actually, physically, TRULY choosing your seat after you get on the plane.

I've definitely been in that position!

 

[goofy4tink]

I don't understand why airline don't all let you chose you seats at the time of purchase. Even tacking on the $10 or so to do it. To me that would save so much aggravation.
In the past, my DH would not even let me book flights that we could not chose our own seats. I now have the SW visa and will be using miles for our trip and plan on paying the extra $10 but still a bit worried as we will be traveling with our grandkids 5 and 11. Not sure if the 5 year old will give us an advantage when boarding.
I am also thinking that I want to find a nonstop flight so that there are less boardings to worry about. The flight dates are now available but there is only one nonstop and it is so late in the day. I hate to lose the whole first day!
I will have to commit to something soon. May go ahead and book the outgoing now and think about the return as the return nonstop, of course, leaves early!-
Anyone know if SW may release more flights for Oct? Of course who knows how much the fare will go up if I wait. AAaaahhhh!

Here's the thing.....even if you pay for a 'particular' seat, you can't be 100% sure of getting it when you get on the plane. Airlines change their flights all the time, sometimes they even change the type equipment...so seating isn't configured the same way as you originally booked!!
One time, when flying on Delta, I had made my reservation about 6 months in advance. About 3 months prior to the trip, I decided to have my dd go with me. So, I booked her on the same flight, and found two seats together...changed my original seat so I could sit with her. She was about 10 at the time. Well....Delta is famous for making changes..you have to watch them like a hawk. So....about a month before we were to travel, I notice that our flight isn't showing up anymore!!! I called Delta...was told that the entire flight had been cancelled.....I had been put on another flight. She gave me the flight number. Well...it turns out that our flight had been split up into two groups...one group was on an early morning flight, the other group was on a later in the day flight. Dd was on the later in the day flight, I was on the early flight!!!! Are you kidding me???? Called Delta and got my dd on my flight, seated with me. Because we had two different reservation numbers, we were treated as two individuals, not as if we were flying together!!! Even though the last name was the same!!
So...you can never count on getting the seat you paid for.
With SW, the seating proceedure is actually very quick and efficient. No looking around for seat 21C....you find a seat you like and you sit down. Easy.

In all reality, it is pretty much those in the mid-C boarding group that have a hard time finding seats together. If there are only 2 or 3 of you in your group, it shouldn't be an issue if you are in the A or B group.

I have offered to give up my seat in the past....FAs told me it wasn't needed. But, that was Airtran, not SW. The family that boarded last seemed to have little to no idea as to what they were doing. They hadn't paid for seat selection when they bought their tickets, and they got to the airport latish, so there weren't any seats together to accomodate them. There had to be about 6 or 7 in the group. The FA finally found them seats that worked but it did hold up the plane for an addtl 15 or so mins.

 

[babygirlamg]

everything was fine....we got in the A boarding both ways and sat next to each other.....trip was awesome cant wait till the next one

 

[LilyWDW]

For those asking "where's the sympathy?" let me offer another perspective...

Some people choose AND PAY FOR specific seats for reasons that have great importance to them. It could be related to a phobia or a disability, for instance. When you ask them to switch with you because you didn't plan ahead as they did, where is your sympathy for them? You are only assuming that they have less need for that particular seat than you do.

I'm not quite sure what lesson we teach our children when we insist that our needs are paramount to others'...I totally understand that mishaps occur and not every eventuality can be planned for, but let's not be so quick to judge those who respectfully decline to give up their own pre-selected seat.

Thank you for this.

There is very much a reason I am seated beside my flying companion and why I picked the seat I did. I didn't do it all willy-nilly or for no reason.

So, maybe those people should be a bit more sympathetic themselves and understand that there are reasons people pick the seats they do. Judging others without knowing the reasons is very unsympathetic.

 

[TheWog]

everything was fine....we got in the A boarding both ways and sat next to each other.....trip was awesome cant wait till the next one

That's good news, glad you had a good time.

 

[ccgirl]

everything was fine....we got in the A boarding both ways and sat next to each other.....trip was awesome cant wait till the next one

YEah, that's great news. I forget, did you buy the EBCI?