South west how big of a nightmare is it

tinkerbellandeeyor

DIS Legend
Joined
Aug 4, 2011
Messages
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is early bird check in worth it if you are traveling solo and how often are you asked to get up after you find your seat

For example I find a empty seat get settled in what are the chanences are that someone will say hey you are sitting next to my family member will you please try and find another spot
 
Even if they ask (and I have been asked as a solo to move many times) just say no. Pay for EBCI and sit where you want. If someone asks you to move simply smile and say no.

Thanks I am flying out west again in November for a wedding what I like about southwest is that checked baggage is free
 
It really is not a nightmare at all. If no one is sitting in a seat and you are flying solo you are highly unlikely to be asked to move. The only time I have seen anyone asked was when someone didn't do family boarding so there were no seats for a parent and small child to sit next to each other.


If flying solo I really see no need for EBCI. Just log in at exactly 24 hours and get a boarding pass, most of the time as long as you are in early Bs or even mid Bs you will be able to find an aisle or window seat.
 

We fly SWA all the time and I have never been asked to move! I do purchase EBCI as I like to sit with my dd's and feel the elimination of stress is worth it.
Of course if you see a bag or sweater on a seat you have a choice to choose it and face a potential issue or move on and find an empty seat. With EBCI we have always found 3 seats together fairly close to the front.

IMHO the trade off for no bag fees (usually $25 per bag each way) vs the EBCI ($12.50 each way) is a good deal!.
 
Next November? Southwest fares won't even be released for a few months. Maybe take a little break from being worried about air travel?

Perfect response.

Tink you just got done with your trip. It is the holidays and this next trip on SW isn't until next November (11 months away) and isn't even booked. Relax and enjoy the holidays. When you have booked and it is closer to travel then post again, but this isn't doing you any good. Don't worry about something so far in the future.
 
i don't find early bird check in to be worth the money.
i just go on 24hrs prior to my flight and check in.

its not all that likely that you will be asked by another passenger to move.
i've never been asked.

i like southwest airlines.
i know many don't but i do.
 
Way before EBCI, I was asked to move. I just politely refused. The mom and one teen sat in my row, the other teen s at in the aisle seat in front of mom.
 
It really is not a nightmare at all. If no one is sitting in a seat and you are flying solo you are highly unlikely to be asked to move. The only time I have seen anyone asked was when someone didn't do family boarding so there were no seats for a parent and small child to sit next to each other.

If flying solo I really see no need for EBCI. Just log in at exactly 24 hours and get a boarding pass, most of the time as long as you are in early Bs or even mid Bs you will be able to find an aisle or window seat.

Before last Saturday, I would have agreed with you, no need for EBCI as a solo. I've had great experiences in the past, usually get a B and find a window seat behind the exit row. Not this time. Family boarding is now 6 and under instead of 4 and under. With my B22, I ended up in the second to last row in the aisle. There must have been 30 or 40 people in family boarding, hardly anyone behind me in line to board. I went online on Monday and bought EBCI for my return tomorrow. Luckily got A58, so I will be before the family boarders and can get a decent seat.
 
My son is in a wheelchair, will he and my husband load early or the whole family (5 of us)

Usually it is one person but some do let the whole family board. I was not allowed to board with my fiance when he did early boarding through medical.
 
With EBCI, you should be boarding fairly early in the process (but no guarantees for group A Boarding). At this point, there are many empty rows. It is unlikely that a family a family of three will ask you to move so they can have your row. I need to pre-board for every flight, and no matter where I sit, I have never been asked to move to make room (and I look able-bodied).
 
There are usually a lot of couples traveling. If you take the window or aisle in an empty row, you are leaving two seats together and that is perfect for any couples behind you in the boarding queue. When DH and I travel, if we are boarding fairly early in the A group we take a window and middle and some single traveler will take the aisle seat. If we're further back in the boarding queue we often find two seats around row 7 or so where a single traveler is in either the window or aisle seat. We ask if the two empty seats are available (since people do save seats on Southwest) and if not, we take those two open seats.

ETA: I should add we always buy EBCI as soon as we purchase our tickets so we are almost always in the A boarding group. Even with EBCI we have been in the B group a couple of times but we still found seats near the front thanks to those single travelers!
 
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Now for early bird do I pay from Orlando to atl to az

Or Orlando to az
Your question is a bit cryptic so I'm not sure I understand what you are asking. Are you saying your flight home from Orlando connects through Atlanta? If so, no problem. You purchase EBCI for the flight home and it covers you for both segments of the flight.
 
Your question is a bit cryptic so I'm not sure I understand what you are asking. Are you saying your flight home from Orlando connects through Atlanta? If so, no problem. You purchase EBCI for the flight home and it covers you for both segments of the flight.

Thank you for knowing how to answer even if I did not know how to ask so I am glad I am covered from Mco to az
 
I was very anxious about flying SW and their boarding process so I bought EBCI as 'peace of mind' when I purchased the tickets. We were able to pre-board due to medical issues so I had nothing to worry about in the end.

I will still purchase EBCI if we use SW again. I found it to be a great airline and the FA were all lovely.
 



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