Southwest EBCI

[crazymomof4]

subbing

 

[crazymomof4]

Question- If you purchase EBCI at the time you book flights, can you pay for it all using SW Rapid Rewards points or is the EBCI a separate purchase, not covered by points?

 

[DebbieB]

Question- If you purchase EBCI at the time you book flights, can you pay for it all using SW Rapid Rewards points or is the EBCI a separate purchase, not covered by points?

Not covered by points or ticketless travel funds, you have to pay.

 

[crazymomof4]

Not covered by points or ticketless travel funds, you have to pay.

OK thanks. I was thinking that wd be the case. Thanks for confirming!

 

[Gary M]

I returned from WDW yesterday on SWA to IND. I bought my ticket on Oct. 12 which included EBCI. I didn't get my boarding pass until I got to the airport and got A-16. I'm not A-list. There were a few pre-boarders, but no A1-15 people.

 

[LisaS]

I returned from WDW yesterday on SWA to IND. I bought my ticket on Oct. 12 which included EBCI. I didn't get my boarding pass until I got to the airport and got A-16. I'm not A-list. There were a few pre-boarders, but no A1-15 people.

What fare did you purchase, Wanna Get Away or Anytime?

 

[Gary M]

What fare did you purchase, Wanna Get Away or Anytime?

I bought the least expensive, Wanna Get Away.
I had a situation that I still don't understand. I bought my ticket on the SWA site. The flight from IND to MCO was on AirTran and the return flight was on SWA. I used DME and stayed at the WL. The flight to Orlando was fine, I used the yellow tag on my baggage and it showed up in my room about 4 hours after landing. On Friday, my flight back to Indy was at 10:50 am and DME was scheduled to pick me up at 8:00 am. I took my bag to the DME desk at 7:00 am to check it for my flight home. They would not accept my baggage and said I have to take it with me on the bus. I questioned why this was the situation. They said because I came down on AirTran and was returning on SWA they could not get my boarding pass and check in my baggage. I questioned this and the DME desk people said that SWA had not converted the computer over so that it is compatible with AirTran. They said this would hopefully be corrected in the near future. I went back to my room and called SWA and DME about the situation and got no answer as to the problem.

I don't know if anyone else has had this problem or it was incompetence at the DME desk at the WL. That's the reason I got my boarding pass at the airport. The SWA line to check in was long and I had very little extra time to catch my flight. The dates were Feb. 2-7.

 

[LisaS]

I bought the least expensive, Wanna Get Away.

Thanks for the information. You did well! When we first started purchasing EBCI, I used to get very low boarding positions all the time. Lately we've been further back in the A group. Perhaps it's because I change my flights as the price goes down.

I had a situation that I still don't understand. I bought my ticket on the SWA site. The flight from IND to MCO was on AirTran and the return flight was on SWA. I used DME and stayed at the WL. The flight to Orlando was fine, I used the yellow tag on my baggage and it showed up in my room about 4 hours after landing. On Friday, my flight back to Indy was at 10:50 am and DME was scheduled to pick me up at 8:00 am. I took my bag to the DME desk at 7:00 am to check it for my flight home. They would not accept my baggage and said I have to take it with me on the bus. I questioned why this was the situation. They said because I came down on AirTran and was returning on SWA they could not get my boarding pass and check in my baggage. I questioned this and the DME desk people said that SWA had not converted the computer over so that it is compatible with AirTran. They said this would hopefully be corrected in the near future. I went back to my room and called SWA and DME about the situation and got no answer as to the problem.

I don't know if anyone else has had this problem or it was incompetence at the DME desk at the WL. That's the reason I got my boarding pass at the airport. The SWA line to check in was long and I had very little extra time to catch my flight. The dates were Feb. 2-7.

I remember reading a post or two here from people who had a SWA flight one way and an AirTran flight the other way that they had the same problems you describe. I hope someone with first-hand knowledge will respond but your description of what happened sounds familiar.

We use SWA flights both ways and for whatever reason when we try to check in for our flight at the resort and check our luggage, it takes them several minutes to find our info in their computer system. No idea if it's user error or a poorly designed system or something else but the last couple of times we've waited many minutes while the person behind that little counter types, waits, sighs, then types some more, waits, sighs a few more times, then asks us again to spell our names, then repeats a few more times before finally completing the process.

 

[mmouse50]

Not to put rain on anyone's parade but be warned that Family Boarding gets to go between A and B - which irks me because if I purchase EBCI I should be able to board the plane prior to families -if it was only 1 parent and 1 child - I wouldn't be as upset but I have seen entire families including older children and grandparents board with the one small child. I know that Southwest can stop it but I have never seen it done. I always buy EBCI and fly with older children so if we didn't get a seat together it won't be the end of the world but I think it is the principle of the matter.

 

[DebbieB]

Not to put rain on anyone's parade but be warned that Family Boarding gets to go between A and B - which irks me because if I purchase EBCI I should be able to board the plane prior to families -if it was only 1 parent and 1 child - I wouldn't be as upset but I have seen entire families including older children and grandparents board with the one small child. I know that Southwest can stop it but I have never seen it done. I always buy EBCI and fly with older children so if we didn't get a seat together it won't be the end of the world but I think it is the principle of the matter.

What irks me is one person in a family will pay for EBCI and then save seats for everyone else. You think you have a good number and you get on board and there are several seats with bags or books sitting on them and you have to go to the back.

 

[Disneylover99]

What irks me is one person in a family will pay for EBCI and then save seats for everyone else. You think you have a good number and you get on board and there are several seats with bags or books sitting on them and you have to go to the back.

What irks me is when you buy EBCI, you get great seats, and then you are asked by a flight attendant if you could kindly move back a seat so two people can sit together.

 

[Gracie09]

What irks me is when you buy EBCI, you get great seats, and then you are asked by a flight attendant if you could kindly move back a seat so two people can sit together.

So politely say no.
I'm already settled here. I'm traveling with people (if you are)
I paid for ebci to be able to board early to have the opportunity to select my seat.
All valid and polite answers.

 

[Disneylover99]

So politely say no.
I'm already settled here. I'm traveling with people (if you are)
I paid for ebci to be able to board early to have the opportunity to select my seat.
All valid and polite answers.

Easy to say, until you're actually in that situation.

I was prepared to say no (I think) if it was a family boarding with a child since my six year old daughter was directly across from me on the aisle. I wasn't prepared when I was asked to move for an elderly passenger in a wheelchair.

Yes, I could have said no, but I would have felt like a jerk the whole trip.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

What irks me is one person in a family will pay for EBCI and then save seats for everyone else. You think you have a good number and you get on board and there are several seats with bags or books sitting on them and you have to go to the back.

And you just sit in the saved seats. I love watching hysteria breakout. And the FAs won't help the saver who was trying to get around the system.

 

[rszdtrvl]

I always purchase EBCI for the entire family (we are a family of 3).

I am anxious to see what number/letter we have for our trip on Sunday - we booked it in July.

As a family of 3, we always do window/middle/aisle.

When DH and I travel together, we do window/middle - I take one for the team because DH likes his window seat.

 

[paults]

I only buy ebci for our flight home from Disney MCO. We just came home yesterday and my EBCI BP 's were A21/A22 that I booked about 6 weeks ago.These were the best I ever got.

Forgot to mention when we walked on the plane a lady in the first row was straddling 2 seats the asile and middle and another lady alone had the window seat they were not together. We took 2 seats in second row across from her. Not once did she move as people came on and look down at the empty seat she straddled thinking she was saving it. Guess what when the plane was done loading there was no one sitting in the middle seat. She was not saving for anyone but herself. How ignorant can some people be. At least on our flight down from PHL one women had a middle seat and a hat on the asile seat and handbag on window seat and when I ask about it she told me they were for her daughter and someone else. As I walked farther back I saw more seats with bags and coats on them then I've ever seen before . I had A51/52 and had to go past the wing to get seats for 2. No big deal for us but the saving needs to be stopped by SW.

 

[TamaraQT]

If I'm understanding correctly, this is awesome news! I booked for our May trip as soon as the flights opened for booking back in October. My printed confirmation says 6:23am and they opened at 6:00am. I bought EBCI at that point too, it was all done at the same time, so I didn't buy it after the tickets. So we should have good boarding numbers, right?

I think you have a VERY good chance at good boarding numbers!!!!

A1-A15 are for Business Select passengers. After that come A-List Preferred, then A-List, then passengers who bought Anytime Fares with EBCI, then those who bought Wanna Get Away fares with EBCI. I'm always in that last group and lately have been getting anything from A40-something to high Bs.

I usually purchase my flight within minutes of the schedule opening for my travel dates and purchase EBCI at that time. I do sometimes rebook my flights if the cost goes down. There is anecdotal evidence that if you reprice your flights, your EBCI purchase date is changed to the date you repriced your flights, moving you further back in the boarding queue so that may explain why I am often at the back of the A group. Or, it could be there are a lot of A-Listers and Anytime Fare passengers (with EBCI) on my flights.

Repricing does reassign your position. When I did this, I think I forfeited my EBCI and had to repurchase it. Maybe I'm wrong.

I don't really understand the point of paying for EBCI if you truly don't get to pick your seat at the 36 hour window. Until this post, I thought EBCI was actually an opportunity to pick your seat. So really, you're paying $12.50 to board early and that's truly it. What a rip!

I agree with the fact that is only boarding position and not an assigned seat. But I don't think its a rip off. I think it just gives some of us peace of mind of getting a better selection, and we are willing to pay for that. But I have been on flights with children separated from their parents. And it's not comfortable for the child or parent. Many times, I am sure it was fine, but sometimes I'm sure they wish they paid for the EBCI. To each their own. It's an option.

Not to put rain on anyone's parade but be warned that Family Boarding gets to go between A and B - which irks me because if I purchase EBCI I should be able to board the plane prior to families -if it was only 1 parent and 1 child - I wouldn't be as upset but I have seen entire families including older children and grandparents board with the one small child. I know that Southwest can stop it but I have never seen it done. I always buy EBCI and fly with older children so if we didn't get a seat together it won't be the end of the world but I think it is the principle of the matter.

I agree with you. I have witnessed at PHL airport, where 2 children were with large families. The family had low boarding positions. People complained because family boarding on the flight would take away the EBCI advantage they paid for. Well the flight attendant allowed a child to board with ONE adult and not the entire family. I only witnessed that once, but if there is going to be a charge for Early Boarding, then they need to eliminate family boarding. I have a young child, and I pay for ALL of us to have EBCI. What happened to "You Get What You Pay For"???

 

[LisaS]

Repricing does reassign your position. When I did this, I think I forfeited my EBCI and had to repurchase it. Maybe I'm wrong.

If you use the "Change Flight" option to reprice your flights you won't lose EBCI. It is tied to the reservation number and that stays the same when you use change your flight. If you reprice your flight by canceling your reservation and then making a new one, you do lose EBCI because you end up with a new confirmation number in that case.

On SWA's website they state that within your fare group your boarding position is determined by when you purchased EBCI. I suspect that if you change your flight to take advantage of a price drop, your EBCI purchase date gets updated to the date on which you made the change.

 

[Disneytam]

We just returned from Disney yesterday and purchased our southwest tickets from Albany NY to Orlando in Oct.(want to get away tickets).In Nov. I found great rates and changed our tickets ($209 roundtrip non-stop). I had purchased the early board check in in Oct. Going to Orlando we were A 27 &28. Returning(I had concierge print out my boarding pass at the Boardwalk Inn) we were A 22 & 23. Worked very well for us and I thought it was worth the money not having to worry about being at the 24 hour mark. Both flights were sold out and we were very happy to make it out of Orlando and home before the snow hit. Down side is I'm sitting here with a sunburn watching over a foot of sun build up outside!

 

[TamaraQT]

If you use the "Change Flight" option to reprice your flights you won't lose EBCI. It is tied to the reservation number and that stays the same when you use change your flight. If you reprice your flight by canceling your reservation and then making a new one, you do lose EBCI because you end up with a new confirmation number in that case.

On SWA's website they state that within your fare group your boarding position is determined by when you purchased EBCI. I suspect that if you change your flight to take advantage of a price drop, your EBCI purchase date gets updated to the date on which you made the change.

Ok, I probably cancelled instead of change flight option. Thanks for clearing that up!

We just returned from Disney yesterday and purchased our southwest tickets from Albany NY to Orlando in Oct.(want to get away tickets).In Nov. I found great rates and changed our tickets ($209 roundtrip non-stop). I had purchased the early board check in in Oct. Going to Orlando we were A 27 &28. Returning(I had concierge print out my boarding pass at the Boardwalk Inn) we were A 22 & 23. Worked very well for us and I thought it was worth the money not having to worry about being at the 24 hour mark. Both flights were sold out and we were very happy to make it out of Orlando and home before the snow hit. Down side is I'm sitting here with a sunburn watching over a foot of sun build up outside!

I live in NJ, near Philadelphia....can you believe this snow??? Well now you are home with sunburn, but at least you got to enjoy Orlando and made it back home safely!!!!