Southwest Early Bird Checkin

[PaDisneyCouple]

We fly this Saturday am, and received an email from SWA this afternoon. It contained our complete itinerary, with a banner ad the top touting EBCI.

Last week, we decided to purchase EBCI for our return flight only. I'm off at t-24, and will be firmly planted at the computer on time. For the convenience, we booked it returning. Normally, we trade efforts with another family who flies SWA- they check us in, we check them in.

I think I'd like to see them cap EBCI once they reach A60 (or whatever the last A number is). But, the first objective of a business is to stay in business, so SWA can fill the whole plane with people paying for EBCI, if they wish.

As for the whole seat-saving thing: I think there is the potential for significant unhappiness there. I recall our flight down last year, when an off-duty SWA attendant, in her seat, was given a heaping pile of grief by a passenger who thought the attendant was seat saving.

In closing, and in the interest of disclosure: One reason we fly SWA is because it is much less expensive than the alternatives. We have a much shorter drive to MDT than BWI, but SWA offers 8-10 non-stops to MCO daily from BWI. The non-stop option is as important to us as the fare, as it cuts our travel time. Efficiency of the process is also a factor. When AirTran came to MDT last year, we did use them, and they did well for us. But, they've got one flight a day, which limits options.

On a quiet evening, if you drive past our house, you can hear the pennies screaming...

 

[yrdlyprincess]

I'm almost tempted to get EBCI for 2 of us and see what the other 2 get--I will definitely get for all of us on the return flight as we are flying back the Sunday b4 Thanksgiving. But as some have put that they have not used EBCI and still got A boarding that would be my hestiation. I will still wait to see what more people say about since you can get it up to 25 hrs b4--but at that point who cares about 1 hr!

 

[pyrxtc]

I just checked in at 24 hrs and got A52 & A53. Yay !!

 

[dburg30]

I just checked in at 24 hrs and got A52 & A53. Yay !!

Do you know if your flight in a connecting flight from somewhere else? If not, it appears people may be using the EBCI service..

 

[pyrxtc]

not a connecting flight, but I have always gotten numbers about the same out of this airport. I am just glad I am in front of family boarding and still have a good chance at sitting in front. It is a non-stop direct flight and the first flight of the day, always a busy time. I cannot tell if it was due to EBCI service or not.

 

[4greatboys]

I'm going to Orlando next week with a couple of my friends. One is getting the EBCI but I am not. I want to see how different our boards passes are. And yes she will save a seat for my other friend and I if necessary.

 

[momtoccc]

I checked my brother in at exacty T24 yesterday for their return flight from WDW (Orlando to Denver). They are all on one reservation and got A41, 44, 48 and 49. Much better than the B30 they got on the way out!

 

[ironz]

I checked my brother in at exacty T24 yesterday for their return flight from WDW (Orlando to Denver). They are all on one reservation and got A41, 44, 48 and 49. Much better than the B30 they got on the way out!

Was that WITH EBCI or without?

Posters...it will be helpful on this thread if you specify with or without EBCI to sort of "track" how that program is working for people. Keeping in mind that the results are likely going to vary based on flight demand, holiday times, etc.

As a little OT flight: I got A47 at T-24 on a flight to Vegas this morning, without EBCI. I'm happy with that, knowing that it's not the first flight out, and there are connecting passengers who checked in earlier than T-24 with their originating flight.

 

[momtoccc]

Was that WITH EBCI or without?

Posters...it will be helpful on this thread if you specify with or without EBCI to sort of "track" how that program is working for people. Keeping in mind that the results are likely going to vary based on flight demand, holiday times, etc.

As a little OT flight: I got A47 at T-24 on a flight to Vegas this morning, without EBCI. I'm happy with that, knowing that it's not the first flight out, and there are connecting passengers who checked in earlier than T-24 with their originating flight.

That was without EBCI (thus the reason I was on-line right at 24 hours). They did not use it going out either and got horrible numbers. I suspect there were a lot of connecting passengers on their outbound flight though, rather than EBCI.

 

[LiteninPrincessa42]

I just got back from WDW yesterday. Used the EBCI for both the flight down and back. I was A16 down and A19 back last night. Non-stop from Hartford. I only paid $79 for each way, so $10 more didn't hurt, but it was a solo trip.

 

[DisneyLiz44]

I signed up for EBI last week for my 8:30am flight out of Islip, NY. It is not a connecting flight. I did because I knew I would not be able to check in at 8:30 this morning and wanted to be sure I could sit with my DH and DS's (8 & 10).

I got boarding passes A20, A21, A22 & A23.

My brother who is flying out of Baltimore tomorrow morning at 8:55. (direct flight) did NOT sign up for EBI. He was on at 8:30am exactly this morning at got A38, A39, A40 and A41.

We both signed up for EBI on our return flights.

I am glad I did it. Happy with my A's but more importantly less stress this morning. I still paid under $1000 for the four of us to fly round trip from NY to FL.

 

[Megan07]

I signed up for early bird check in the day it came out for my flight from OMA to MDW. I just signed in at the 24 hour mark cuz I was on my computer. I got A29.

 

[MarkinNM]

Just back from our trip and did the EBCI, did NOT get the BP printed until 9AM at the front desk @ CSR on our day of return flight, and got BP A16-19 from MCO to Houston and BP A20-23 from Houston to ABQ, so IMHO it worked to a TEE and did what it was supposed to, as I was no where near a computer at our 24hr mark and got awesome BP’s and to those families worried about sitting together don’t worry I did not see one issue with families NOT sitting together………………

 

[jeminni]

I checked in this morning right at the 24 hour mark without EBCI and got B2 and B3. I signed up for EBCI on the way home since I dont want to have to worry about checking in at the 24 hour mark on my last night there ( plus that's when our ADR at LeCellier is ).

Mark, do I understand you correctly that your final morning you had the hotel print out your boarding pass? I receieved a confirmation that I purchased EBCI but it doesnt say if it's an A or not.

 

[pam931]

OK. So I admit I'm new here, but here's my problem with this. On the SW homepage it advertises EBCI and shows three items with check marks beside them:

1. extra convenince -- sure no problem, I no longer have to be at my computer at T-24 to check-in

2. Better boarding position -- hmmmm

3. Earlier access to overhead bins -- again, hmmmm

To me, if they're putting this out there for all to see, it better be guaranteed (but it seems it's not). I'd be pretty upset if I paid for EBCI and ended up with a B boarding pass with this on the home page.

FWIW, when I've flown SW (I'm not a diehard, but there are times when it's better for us.), I've never gotten worse than A-30 at T-24. My home airport is DEN so there are lots of connecting flights through here. Also, last Aug we got great numbers leaving MCO.

Just my 2 cents on this.

Pam

 

[Tara]

OK. So I admit I'm new here, but here's my problem with this. On the SW homepage it advertises EBCI and shows three items with check marks beside them:

1. extra convenince -- sure no problem, I no longer have to be at my computer at T-24 to check-in

2. Better boarding position -- hmmmm

3. Earlier access to overhead bins -- again, hmmmm

To me, if they're putting this out there for all to see, it better be guaranteed (but it seems it's not). I'd be pretty upset if I paid for EBCI and ended up with a B boarding pass with this on the home page.

FWIW, when I've flown SW (I'm not a diehard, but there are times when it's better for us.), I've never gotten worse than A-30 at T-24. My home airport is DEN so there are lots of connecting flights through here. Also, last Aug we got great numbers leaving MCO.

Just my 2 cents on this.

Pam

It doesn't say you'll get an A, though - just "better boarding position" than those checking in at T-24. Why do you think that should be guaranteed based on the website language?

 

[pooch]

I just got back from WDW yesterday. Used the EBCI for both the flight down and back. I was A16 down and A19 back last night. Non-stop from Hartford. I only paid $79 for each way, so $10 more didn't hurt, but it was a solo trip.

DD & I will be flying out of BDL Sat morning. Actually got $69 down on Delta (with an add'l 1 bag fee) but SWA $79 back. We too bought EBCI for the trip back - extra park time on our last day is well worth the $20!!! Also will be lucky enough to take advantage of Resort Check-in at Pop!! Don't have to be on the comp at T-24 and no lugging luggage to the airport - life is good

 

[MarkinNM]

I checked in this morning right at the 24 hour mark without EBCI and got B2 and B3. I signed up for EBCI on the way home since I dont want to have to worry about checking in at the 24 hour mark on my last night there ( plus that's when our ADR at LeCellier is ).

Mark, do I understand you correctly that your final morning you had the hotel print out your boarding pass? I receieved a confirmation that I purchased EBCI but it doesnt say if it's an A or not.

Jem, yes I did not have the time at the 24hr mark to check in and left it up to the EBCI process, and I did not even get them printed up until I was checking out and got A's, you will not know what BP's you get until the 24 mark, but SWA issues them so you dont have to be at a comp. Fuuny thing was the person who checked me out was quite amazed that I got A's so late in the game, i explained the EBCI and it was like I was talking in french, so not everybody knows of this..............

 

[DMRick]

Two computers going (since we used rewards we couldn't combine the numbers) and we both checked in at 6:45 am (hubby was proab a tad slower than me LOL) 24 hours pre. We did not pay the fee. I got A30 Alb - Chicago, and A30 Chicago - LA. Hubby got A33 Alb - Chicago, and A31 Chicago - LA.

 

[Terk-1]

I bought the EB, since I knew I would be tied up at my t-24 time today and got A18. Very happy with that.

I bought it for the return flight as well, as I'll be in the Magic Kindom the day before and don't want to have to rush through dinner to get City Hall in time for the t-24.