Southwest adds charge to board sooner

[yitbos96bb]

You can guarantee that if SW keeps this fee, I WILL be flying Jetblue out of Boston in the future. I get to know what seat I am in when I book and have no problems wiht getting there.

On SW,I just hope I get to pick a seat that is close to the bathrooms and nobody is irked when I make my 7th trip to the bathroom in 3 hrs or get sick in my airbag next to them if they don't/can't move fast enough.

Doesn't Jet Blue charge for Bags? You'd kind of trade one injustice for another...

 

[yitbos96bb]

WOW people are amazing! So, someone's WISH to sit next to the window or next to the aisle is MORE important than a parent sitting next to a 1 year old?!? And if the parent ISN'T able to sit next to the 1 year old because nobody will move because they are all so much more important, just who is going to be responsible for the 1 year old for the flight?? Why should someone with children pay more? Honestly, the question/issue here is that the airlines found ONE more way to impose an additional fee (optional fee, yes, but this is EXACTLY the kind of problem it causes). I can tell you all that I wouldn't let my EIGHT year old sit by herself on the plane, let alone my 5 year old. For one, it is simply not fair to the child (MY kids would not be comfortable with it, for sure). For two, the children would be subject to sitting next to GOD knows who, yes, freaks and druggies and molesters and such ride airplanes, too. And if you think that something "would never happen" on a plane, just ask all those people who have joined the mile high club on a packed plane.

No, people with families and children should not get more than they deserve. (I don't even understand where this anymosity toward children is coming from, it's utterly ridiculous - people with families are bullying and threatening??????) HOWEVER, parents sitting WITH their children I can hardly call more than they deserve.

Well one COULD argue that if you don't want to pay more but want to guarentee it you should be on your computer 24 hours before the flight to check in and get as high a boarding group as possible... especially someone like you who doesn't have the under 4 child. With Southwest there ARE ways to get a better seat. Even with EB, SWA is only expecting 25-30% of passengers and on Disney flights I would think it was less. Check in at 24 hours you'll most likely get A and at worst B.

The other thing I want to point out... you do realize that 95-97% of sexual assaults (depending on the child's age) are by people the child knows. They would be much more likely to have an uncle do something to them than a stranger on an airplane... Kidnappings have similar statistics....

Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't want my 8 year old to sit alone... but there is no reason to have this absolutist fear that you are stating above. It serves no purpose but to cause you and others high anxiety. Since 9-11, a plane is one of the more secure places there is... people aren't sneaking drugs in or other nasties... not with the tightened security. Just don't panic or be afraid. We all want to keep our children safe, and its a difficult enough job to raise good kids without creating boogeymen in our heads.

 

[yitbos96bb]

Not to change the subject, but I wonder how we will find out if a lot of people use this new option? I wouldn't want to be the only one on my flight who bought it, when I could have saved myself $40 each way for my family of 4. I always check in at the 24 hour mark and like it that way, always got A. Before that was implemented, my husband always wanted us at the gate 3 hours before the flight to line up. I am glad those days are gone!

Your husband and I are kindred spirits... I was not only at the gate way early, but sitting in line in the A section... so not only was I A from the 24 checkin but sat in line to be one of the first As and get those front seats and get the heck off the plane.

And before that... yes I got there early and got my plastic SWA boarding pass... I was even #1 a few times.

 

[yitbos96bb]

Just a general airline comment. I don't know if you all have noticed but ticket prices are so low - people often talk here of it being cheaper to fly than drive even. A general study showed that it costs less to fly now than 20+ years ago. Fliers (I know not all) want cheaper fares - well, with that comes baggage fees, no meals, smaller seats and all kinds of other fees to make up for the rock bottom prices. Think of it as ala cart flying - you pay for the services you want - we all have a choice. If you add up the fees and your ticket - most of the time you still got a deal.

I also want to add - my kids (who have been flying several times a year since they were 6mo old) have had to sit by themselves sometimes too. It is wise to prepare your kids for this possibility before going to the airport so it is not a big shock. Another thing - a little honey goes a long way - when my kids were smaller, I would carry starbucks cards to give as a thank you if people switched seats for us.

Except that the flights are REALLY not cheaper than before the baggage fee garbage started. I'm sorry, but we are being ripped off... they added to their coffers and instead of passing on some savings were just greedy. Essentially the ala carte option is forcing you to pay the same price for the tickets without the bags included as you paid before with bags included.

Thats the main reason I fly SWA... No fees. Business I don't care as I just do Carryon anyway... To Disney its a little harder.

 

[crashbb]

LOL... I used to have the SWA Companion pass and was a Platinum Marriott holder for a few years until I stopped working a travel intensive job... I'm the guy logging in exactly 24 hours before my flight to get the A pass. The WORST I'd do now is the A and B, but I want as close to the front as possible so I can get off the plane ASAP. Its worth $20 to get a leg up for my flight there... I hate being on the plane and just want to get off.

Fair enough. You've made the informed choice that between A and B isn't good enough for you and you'd like to maximize your chances of getting an A. Makes sense.

 

[angela1044]

My mother has circulation problems in her leg so needs to stretch her legs out during a flight. This is much easier on the aisle than in the middle or window.

Or maybe I just had surgery and can't navigate over to the window seat. Or maybe I have an overactive bladder or stomach problems and need the aisle for quick access to the bathroom. Maybe I was once traumatized in the middle seat by 2 people with bad breath falling asleep on both my shoulders Who knows? There are a lot of personal, not visibly obvious, reasons why people wouldn't or couldn't move and they don't want to have to announce it to the entire plane. Just as there may be people with a GAC card at WDW and it is not visibly apparent why. You never know someone's situation. I don't think non-movers are specifically trying to screw over families, I think they probably figure someone else will move. Which I think is probably what happens anyway in almost all cases. I don't think anyone here has had the actual experience of someone not moving and ended up being separated from their child, have they? I have tried to keep up with this thread but may have missed that.

Thanks, that helps clear things up for me.

 

[scard192]

Doesn't Jet Blue charge for Bags? You'd kind of trade one injustice for another...

JetBlue allows one free checked bag per person. We went back and forth between JB + SW and chose JB because my daughter really wanted assigned seats and they have the TV screens which should be great for keeping my 3 year old grand daughter busy (we hope). JB was a little bit more expensive than SW but not so much with the EB charge now. We are lucky to live in an area where we have several LCC to choose from.

 

[bstnsprts]

Out of all these posts stating that I have to sit with my kids, I have to have a window seat, I have to have an aisle seat, I need to sit at the front, I don't want to be stuck in the middle, and so on and so on. Not one has indicated that they would purchase bussiness select seats and take care of thier own needs. All want to buy the cheap seats, that come with the price of maybe not being able to sit where you want, then expect a total stranger to satisfy your need to sit in a certain seat. The person that had a need, purchsed bussiness select to take care of that need, should now move to accomodate you, who choose to buy the cheap fare. Checking in at 24 hours is not the answer, EB is not the answer. When flying SW the only answer to satisfying your requirement for certain seats is to purchase bussiness select with a direct flight to your destination. Does it cost allot more.....yes. But if your need is so great and so important to you, then you need to pony up the money and not expect someone else to take care of your or your families needs.

 

[crisi]

Except that the flights are REALLY not cheaper than before the baggage fee garbage started. I'm sorry, but we are being ripped off... they added to their coffers and instead of passing on some savings were just greedy. Essentially the ala carte option is forcing you to pay the same price for the tickets without the bags included as you paid before with bags included.

Thats the main reason I fly SWA... No fees. Business I don't care as I just do Carryon anyway... To Disney its a little harder.

The baggage fees were instituted when fuel costs were through the roof to keep a prices from skyrocketing - not to bring them down. I think airfare is a lot cheaper than it was in the $4.50 a gallon gas days - not half as expensive because fuel, while a really big cost for an airline, isn't their only cost. The heavier the plane is, the more fuel it would use. And there are people who bring a 40 lb bag for checkin and another 30 lb bag for the overhead bin. But airline pricing is very complex since they work in fuel futures.

I used to do carryon only - back in the days when you could throw whatever you wanted in your carryon - well, not a gun - but hairspray and shampoo and foundation and all the other sorts of stuff that now gets stopped unless its in a little teeny plastic bag. Now I'm trapped between a rock and a hard place - carryon - and leave all that stuff home or check and pay.

 

[bavaria]

Out of all these posts stating that I have to sit with my kids, I have to have a window seat, I have to have an aisle seat, I need to sit at the front, I don't want to be stuck in the middle, and so on and so on. Not one has indicated that they would purchase bussiness select seats and take care of thier own needs. All want to buy the cheap seats, that come with the price of maybe not being able to sit where you want, then expect a total stranger to satisfy your need to sit in a certain seat. The person that had a need, purchsed bussiness select to take care of that need, should now move to accomodate you, who choose to buy the cheap fare. Checking in at 24 hours is not the answer, EB is not the answer. When flying SW the only answer to satisfying your requirement for certain seats is to purchase bussiness select with a direct flight to your destination. Does it cost allot more.....yes. But if your need is so great and so important to you, then you need to pony up the money and not expect someone else to take care of your or your families needs.

I do - perhaps I didn't state that on this thread, but I have on others. I very often pay more for flights with seats available which meet my needs, or to fly certain carriers, or to upgrade to business or first.

I'm responsible for myself, and even though it means a financial cost that I can usually ill afford, I will pay for what I need.

 

[sshaw10060]

I travel Southwest a lot for business, but don't quite qualify as an elite traveler. I am not a small guy and being in a middle seat is just no fun. I will certainly use this service for business travel if I am not flying on a business elite fare since I can't be sitting there waiting to check in during my meeting. For personal travel I will probably take a pass.

 

[bstnsprts]

I do - perhaps I didn't state that on this thread, but I have on others. I very often pay more for flights with seats available which meet my needs, or to fly certain carriers, or to upgrade to business or first.

I'm responsible for myself, and even though it means a financial cost that I can usually ill afford, I will pay for what I need.

Exactly. Flying, travelling, is not a right, you only have a right to what level of service you choose to pay for.

 

[Topper]

Out of all these posts stating that I have to sit with my kids, I have to have a window seat, I have to have an aisle seat, I need to sit at the front, I don't want to be stuck in the middle, and so on and so on. Not one has indicated that they would purchase bussiness select seats and take care of thier own needs. All want to buy the cheap seats, that come with the price of maybe not being able to sit where you want, then expect a total stranger to satisfy your need to sit in a certain seat. The person that had a need, purchsed bussiness select to take care of that need, should now move to accomodate you, who choose to buy the cheap fare. Checking in at 24 hours is not the answer, EB is not the answer. When flying SW the only answer to satisfying your requirement for certain seats is to purchase bussiness select with a direct flight to your destination. Does it cost allot more.....yes. But if your need is so great and so important to you, then you need to pony up the money and not expect someone else to take care of your or your families needs.

 

[pyrxtc]

Doesn't Jet Blue charge for Bags? You'd kind of trade one injustice for another...

well, I try really hard not to check any bags. I just don't need that many clothes with a washer/dryer there for me to use. At most I would check 1 bag for my family of 5/6. And the 1st bag is free.

 

[bavaria]

People flying low leisure demand routes are reporting getting mid-B boarding number after paying EB. On the Transportation Board the majority are paying EB.

SW has said that they will reevaluate the program shortly, and conventional wisdom is that they will raise the cost of EB as it has already proven so popular.

Don't count on 'the game' staying the same. SW changed family boarding before, and they may do it again. It may come after the B's, or be for one adult only, or for children 3 and under, or or or. They have no obligation to keep anything as is, except for medical needs boarding (and they may well find themselves seeing an increase as people try that route)

For those of you thinking that you don't need to purchase EB because you have a golden ticket, you may want to monitor the situation closely to see what SW does next.

 

[AlexandAndysMom]

We have our big family vacation in November (Thanksgiving week to be exact) and we are flying SW. My 2 year old has never flown and my 7 year old has ear issues and we live in Louisville, so ears pop like nothing else when we land. I'm not so worried about the flight down with the older one, but the ride back is when he has pain, and I'd almost feel bad for someone other than me sitting with him.

It's the 2 year old that I worry about. He has hit the terribles and I'm going to go ahead and take bids on who wants to sit next to him so I don't have to. HAHA. I wouldn't wish him on anyone right now!

I'm also going to throw out there that I'm not the skinniest thing on the block and sitting next to the kid makes that 3rd person ALOT more comfy! LOL

 

[crashbb]

We have our big family vacation in November (Thanksgiving week to be exact) and we are flying SW. My 2 year old has never flown and my 7 year old has ear issues and we live in Louisville, so ears pop like nothing else when we land. I'm not so worried about the flight down with the older one, but the ride back is when he has pain, and I'd almost feel bad for someone other than me sitting with him.

It's the 2 year old that I worry about. He has hit the terribles and I'm going to go ahead and take bids on who wants to sit next to him so I don't have to. HAHA. I wouldn't wish him on anyone right now!

I'm also going to throw out there that I'm not the skinniest thing on the block and sitting next to the kid makes that 3rd person ALOT more comfy! LOL

Since your little one is only 2, at worst, you'd board between A and B so you should definitely be able to sit beside your kids.

 

[pooch]

If everyone pays the $10 then they decide who gets better seats by how much they paid for their ticket. How fair is that ? Might as well have sections of first and second and third class !!!

Seats based on price - what a novel idea!!! and certainly not "fair"

 

[pyrxtc]

Seats based on price - what a novel idea!!! and certainly not "fair"

Well, wiht one of SW's things being we don't differentiate or whatever, no first class VS coach seats then no, it's not what they sold to us or advertised. Essentially not "fair" to those who bought before all of this.

 

[jodifla]

People flying low leisure demand routes are reporting getting mid-B boarding number after paying EB. On the Transportation Board the majority are paying EB.

SW has said that they will reevaluate the program shortly, and conventional wisdom is that they will raise the cost of EB as it has already proven so popular.

Don't count on 'the game' staying the same. SW changed family boarding before, and they may do it again. It may come after the B's, or be for one adult only, or for children 3 and under, or or or. They have no obligation to keep anything as is, except for medical needs boarding (and they may well find themselves seeing an increase as people try that route)

For those of you thinking that you don't need to purchase EB because you have a golden ticket, you may want to monitor the situation closely to see what SW does next.

That's sort of the problem, it being a "game." SW changes the game, and quickly people change their behavior to match them, and it all devolves pretty quickly.

SW will get a nasty reputation for itself if it starts adding all the fees it derides other airlines for. Already, this charge negates the worth of flying them in most instances for my family.

In our case, we'll be getting that blue sleeve so my special needs child won't be sitting alone. It's a safety issue, pure and simple....my son couldn not understand the auditory instructions in case of an emergency.

It's not something I've had to do in the past, because I'm extremely dilgent in checking in at 24 hours, no matter where I'm at. (We enabled one of our phones with Web access so we checked in while waiting in line for the Dinosaur ride on Saturday.)