Southwest adds charge to board sooner

[crashbb]

Funny! I figured a tactic like that would work or maybe just have a conversation with your child from your seat to theirs so that those who didn't want to change would have to understand what it is like to not be able to sit with a child because they need the center seat or some other thing like that. I would rather put two people together then to have then talking loudly around me

Actually, speak to frequent flyers (like those on the board Bavaria suggested) and you will learn that "scare" tactics like this backfire. With earphones on, it is quite easy to ignore conversation around you (and the five year old asking for help with their juice/movie). Ask nicely and you are likely to receive help. Act like a passive-aggressive jerk, and that butt is firmly in that seat (with no help to your child).

 

[bavaria]

I will move from one seat to another to help someone out and have done so on many occassions, just for the record, but I don't think it is my moral obligation to do so.

+1

I've also moved for some rather bizarre reasons, including two people who the FA said were strangers but both spoke Swedish and would like to talk during the flight. (Personally, I wouldn't ask someone to move in order to speak German or French to a stranger, but she asked very politely, offered me a comparable seat, and the passengers thanked me several times)

I have moved for adults, and I have moved for families. But I won't move for people who have a sense of entitlement, or who are bullies, and sadly those are more common than the polite and friendly people on many of my flights, it would appear.

 

[kevschickee]

This post really brought out the snark and anger lol

 

[JLKennedy]

Can I offer to buy someone drinks to switch seats with me so I don't have to sit with my kids?



JUST KIDDING

 

[sunnyday123]

This post really brought out the snark and anger lol

I know! Want some ?

 

[bavaria]

This post really brought out the snark and anger lol

I suspect that many readers feel that it exposed entitlement.

 

[Lewisc]

This post really brought out the snark and anger lol

According to your tag you have a 1 year old and a 3 year old. SW offers family "mid-boarding". You'll have no issue getting seats together.

 

[pyrxtc]

well, I don't care aout the moving seats, this trip will just be my DD12 and I on it. I do however, have a complaint about the new option.

I bought into one process of doing things 4 months ago. If I remember, then I could check in 24 hrs in advance, hope to get a pass that will gt me on the plane quicker so I can pick my aisle seat towards the front so I can get to the bathroom whenever I need it. I don't do well flying, i get sick a lot during the flight and need access to the bathroom and if I sit too far in the back it is too noisy and I get major migraines even with my meds. I can't afford business select and figure I had a good chance at getting a good pass to get a decent seat.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

well, I don't care aout the moving seats, this trip will just be my DD12 and I on it. I do however, have a complaint about the new option.

I bought into one process of doing things 4 months ago. If I remmerb, then I could check in 24 hrs in advance, hope to get a pass that will gt me on the plane quicker so I can pick my aisle seat towards the front so I can get to the bathroom whenever I need it. I don't do well flying, i get sick a lot during the flight and need access to the bathroom and if I sit too far in the back it is too noisy and I get major migraines even with my meds. I can't afford business select and figure I had a good chance at gettign a good pass to get a decent seat.

Well, I am sorry, but your issues with flying should not be put on others to be obligated to give up their seat for you. Many have issues with flying and take medication for those issues. You may want to explore that option.

 

[Jestocost]

I do however, have a complaint about the new option.

I bought into one process of doing things 4 months ago. If I remember, then I could check in 24 hrs in advance, hope to get a pass that will gt me on the plane quicker so I can pick my aisle seat towards the front so I can get to the bathroom whenever I need it. I don't do well flying, i get sick a lot during the flight and need access to the bathroom and if I sit too far in the back it is too noisy and I get major migraines even with my meds. I can't afford business select and figure I had a good chance at getting a good pass to get a decent seat.

And THAT probably is the one thing that most of the posters can agree on with regard to the situation. We can argue about if the new policy is good or bad and what people who didn't choose EBCI should expect if they can't get seats together, but I don't think there are very many who would argue that SWA should get some heat for changing the rules in the middle of the game for people who booked tickets before this policy was announced. Why, for example, couldn't they have announced that the policy would be in effect for all tickets purchased for new flights added the next time they open their schedule? I know that would mean sacficing lots of revenue and that they balanced that loss with the potential for customer backlash and getting the revenue won, but it was an option.

 

[Mkrop]

JMO but a child old enough to sit on a school bus without a parent is old enough to sit in a middle seat a few rows from a parent.

You know I have been reading along bc we frequently fly SW and are totally bummed about this change and have now reconsidered which airline is a better fit for our family the next time we fly. It may or may not be SW. If it is we will pay the $10 fee but it will be factored in to our decision.

But you keep saying the above statement, which irks me. You have NO IDEA what could be going on with that 12 year old. My almost 12 year old does great on the bus, but my DS deals with severe ear problems when he flys. We are working with his allergist/asthma specialist to figure out how to relieve this pain. I really dont think you would want to be sitting next to him when he is suffering like that and having a parent there to hold his hand when nothing else is helping, the nasal spray etc then a stranger. He is a young boy trying to cope with terrible pain, and would prefer his parent there to console him.

So for DS it is his ears, for another 12 year old it could be anxiety, maybe they never flew before or a host of reasons.

Like I said, I WOULD PAY THE FEE but please stop using the bus/plane analogy and picking some random age that you deem appropriate for my child to sit solo. Sorry but that bugs me beyond belief!

 

[pyrxtc]

Well, I am sorry, but your issues with flying should not be put on others to be obligated to give up their seat for you. Many have issues with flying and take medication for those issues. You may want to explore that option.

I did not say anyone was OBLIGATED to give up their seat for me. I paid for the SAME option to get that better seat.

What would you say if you booked another airline and 3 weeks before you flew out they took away thier assigned seats and they said, alright, now pay me to get a better chance to have a seat you like? You woulnd't like that would you ?

The $10 is like taking a bribe, except wiht SW they will take that $10 from everyone on the plane and then we are all back at square one, trying to check in to get a better pass. Except those who paid the "wanna get away/anytime" fares will get a better pass than those who booked thru Ding !

 

[Moomduck1]

Can I offer to buy someone drinks to switch seats with me so I don't have to sit with my kids?

 

[bstnsprts]

You know I have been reading along bc we frequently fly SW and are totally bummed about this change and have now reconsidered which airline is a better fit for our family the next time we fly. It may or may not be SW. If it is we will pay the $10 fee but it will be factored in to our decision.

But you keep saying the above statement, which irks me. You have NO IDEA what could be going on with that 12 year old. My almost 12 year old does great on the bus, but my DS deals with severe ear problems when he flys. We are working with his allergist/asthma specialist to figure out how to relieve this pain. I really dont think you would want to be sitting next to him when he is suffering like that and having a parent there to hold his hand when nothing else is helping, the nasal spray etc then a stranger. He is a young boy trying to cope with terrible pain, and would prefer his parent there to console him.

So for DS it is his ears, for another 12 year old it could be anxiety, maybe they never flew before or a host of reasons.

Like I said, I WOULD PAY THE FEE but please stop using the bus/plane analogy and picking some random age that you deem appropriate for my child to sit solo. Sorry but that bugs me beyond belief!

I agree that all you stated is very important to you and you need to sit with your son. My question is, why would you fly SW when you know that a possibility exists that you may not sit together? It's not important enough for you to pay a higher fare on an airline with assigned seats, but you think your issue should be important enough that total strangers should move for you? With EB you are now in a worse situation flying SW. You could pay the $10 and wind up with a "C" boarding pass.

 

[Hannathy]

You know I have been reading along bc we frequently fly SW and are totally bummed about this change and have now reconsidered which airline is a better fit for our family the next time we fly. It may or may not be SW. If it is we will pay the $10 fee but it will be factored in to our decision.

But you keep saying the above statement, which irks me. You have NO IDEA what could be going on with that 12 year old. My almost 12 year old does great on the bus, but my DS deals with severe ear problems when he flys. We are working with his allergist/asthma specialist to figure out how to relieve this pain. I really dont think you would want to be sitting next to him when he is suffering like that and having a parent there to hold his hand when nothing else is helping, the nasal spray etc then a stranger. He is a young boy trying to cope with terrible pain, and would prefer his parent there to console him.

So for DS it is his ears, for another 12 year old it could be anxiety, maybe they never flew before or a host of reasons.

Like I said, I WOULD PAY THE FEE but please stop using the bus/plane analogy and picking some random age that you deem appropriate for my child to sit solo. Sorry but that bugs me beyond belief!

There are always exceptions but when speaking in GENERALITIES as a discussion like this demands I think it is fair to say any child of school age can be expected to take care of their own needs for a few hours like they have to do in school. Why does someone always have to bring up the 1 in 10,000 12 yr old that may need assistance instead of looking at the big picture.

If I was so determined that my child couldn't be alone I wouldn't fly because in actuality there is no guarantee on any airline that you will be together, better chances but no real guarantee.

 

[bstnsprts]

Frankly, Southwest was damned no matter when they decided to implement the fee (yes, it's a fee!) - to do so once the busy travel season (summer) is over makes sense. It would have been a logistical (and CSA) nightmare to implement the program only for flights opening up with a new schedule rather than all currently bookable flights. This way, it's available no matter when a person is flying, without the need to calculate dates or call Southwest for that purpose.

Yes, SW was damned no matter when they instututed this fee, but I fail to see the logistical nightmare in coinciding it with the openning of the new booking window. I think the nightmare for SW is going to be when people who have booked already under the old system, and don't know about the change, are patiently awaiting the 24 hour mark and then bam...... a "C" boarding pass pops up. I wouldn't want to be a SW GA when that starts happenning.

 

[Lewisc]

SW still offers family "mid-boarding" if your child is 4 or under. That's not a "random" age. That's SW's policy. Children 12 or over can travel on SW under the same terms as an adult. That's not a random age, SW policy. Children 5-11 can fly as an "unaccompanied minor". There is a fee and some restrictions.

SW allows a 5 year old to fly without a parent. SW has decided a 5 year old doesn't have to sit next to a parent.

You want to sit next to your 12 year old. You have a reason to want to sit next to your child. An airline that assigns seats may work better for you. It's not realistic to expect a passenger will move to a middle seat so a 12 year old can sit next to a parent.

It's a shame SW didn't think they could wait until the schedule was extended. I agree it's not 100% fair to passengers who already booked.

You know I have been reading along bc we frequently fly SW and are totally bummed about this change and have now reconsidered which airline is a better fit for our family the next time we fly. It may or may not be SW. If it is we will pay the $10 fee but it will be factored in to our decision.

But you keep saying the above statement, which irks me. You have NO IDEA what could be going on with that 12 year old. My almost 12 year old does great on the bus, but my DS deals with severe ear problems when he flys. We are working with his allergist/asthma specialist to figure out how to relieve this pain. I really dont think you would want to be sitting next to him when he is suffering like that and having a parent there to hold his hand when nothing else is helping, the nasal spray etc then a stranger. He is a young boy trying to cope with terrible pain, and would prefer his parent there to console him.

So for DS it is his ears, for another 12 year old it could be anxiety, maybe they never flew before or a host of reasons.

Like I said, I WOULD PAY THE FEE but please stop using the bus/plane analogy and picking some random age that you deem appropriate for my child to sit solo. Sorry but that bugs me beyond belief!

 

[TheRustyScupper]

1) I am beginning to love this post.
2) SW adds and optional $10 fee and people go off.
3) What if they implemented a 1st-checked-bag-fee?
4) Boy, would the boards go crazy!

As I said, I think this is a good program. Use it or not, your choice.
.

 

[Mkrop]

I agree that all you stated is very important to you and you need to sit with your son. My question is, why would you fly SW when you know that a possibility exists that you may not sit together? It's not important enough for you to pay a higher fare on an airline with assigned seats, but you think your issue should be important enough that total strangers should move for you? With EB you are now in a worse situation flying SW. You could pay the $10 and wind up with a "C" boarding pass.

Which is why I stated that I am disappointed. We have enjoyed flying SW but now may have to consider other options. BC EB does not assure anything it appears. If I choose SW in the future I will pay the fee.

There are always exceptions but when speaking in GENERALITIES as a discussion like this demands I think it is fair to say any child of school age can be expected to take care of their own needs for a few hours like they have to do in school. Why does someone always have to bring up the 1 in 10,000 12 yr old that may need assistance instead of looking at the big picture.

If I was so determined that my child couldn't be alone I wouldn't fly because in actuality there is no guarantee on any airline that you will be together, better chances but no real guarantee.

Because GENERALITIES are wrong and to compare a bus to a plane is like comparing apples to oranges. My well adjusted, well traveled 12 year old does fine in a car or bus but a plane is a whole different scenario. Just like we should not assume that MOST 12 year olds are fine, I shouldnt assume that you are a healthy individual or lazy etc bc you do not want to give up your aisle seat. Maybe you have some underlying issue well so might that 12 year old. DONT ASSUME! I alway read on the DIS of people making assumptions about people on scooters are lazy when in reality they probably have a underlying issue. So no one should assume that a child of any age is ok sitting without their parent just bc they sit on a bus.

Yes, SW was damned no matter when they instututed this fee, but I fail to see the logistical nightmare in coinciding it with the openning of the new booking window. I think the nightmare for SW is going to be when people who have booked already under the old system, and don't know about the change, are patiently awaiting the 24 hour mark and then bam...... a "C" boarding pass pops up. I wouldn't want to be a SW GA when that starts happenning.

I would be furious. My DBro flew SW yesterday. Got his A pass for the flight, no problems. He had no idea about the change so he could get screwed for his return flight home on Tues. I gave him the article linked here on the way to the airport. Now it is him and his buddy so they dont care so they might forgo and take their chances. But SW did not say one word to them, even at check in. I asked him when he called to say they landed.

SW still offers family "mid-boarding" if your child is 4 or under. That's not a "random" age. That's SW's policy. Children 12 or over can travel on SW under the same terms as an adult. That's not a random age, SW policy. Children 5-11 can fly as an "unaccompanied minor". There is a fee and some restrictions.

SW allows a 5 year old to fly without a parent. SW has decided a 5 year old doesn't have to sit next to a parent.

You want to sit next to your 12 year old. You have a reason to want to sit next to your child. An airline that assigns seats may work better for you. It's not realistic to expect a passenger will move to a middle seat so a 12 year old can sit next to a parent.

It's a shame SW didn't think they could wait until the schedule was extended. I agree it's not 100% fair to passengers who already booked.

I said that I will either pay or pick a different airline. Just disappointed with SW. I dont expect anyone to acoomdate me or my child. That is my job! My issue was you comparing a bus to a plane. It is not a comparable mode of transportation for some people. I dont care what their age!

 

[blissventure]

1) I am beginning to love this post.
2) SW adds and optional $10 fee and people go off.
3) What if they implemented a 1st-checked-bag-fee?
4) Boy, would the boards go crazy!

As I said, I think this is a good program. Use it or not, your choice.
.

You may have figured out why they decided to "offer" paying for a boarding pass, rather than paying for a checked bag. Both raise much needed revenue.

This new policy may result in some rather ugly scenes at the counter as well as during the boarding seat selection competition. If the bold and arrogant are allowed by attendants to save seats, they will. (As in Dad pays the fee, hops on early and saves seats for Mom and three kids. The savings doing it this way would be substantial on a round trip for family of 5.)
SW's decision may make it so much easier for folks on the fence to choose an air carrier that gives them real, no kidding seats--and they have the number on their free boarding pass to prove it.
It's up to the passenger to decide what they'll purchase (just a couple of examples)
Southwest--$10.00 for a special boarding pass/free bag/try and find a seat
Delta--$15.00 for a free boarding pass/paid bag/assigned seat you selected months ago.