Southwest EBCI

[Sandi]

Down side is I'm sitting here with a sunburn watching over a foot of sun build up outside!

I'm just commenting because I thought this slip was hilarious. I know you meant "snow," not "sun." I would love a foot of sun!

I bought EBCI for both parts of our upcoming trip and am really glad I don't have to worry about breaking out of a meeting to check-in to fly out and break away from our vacation to come home. I recognize that it's easy to check in from a smart phone or whatever, but it's even easier to not do anything.

 

[goofy4tink]

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.

I'm not so happy with the seat saving either. If someone bought just one EBCI slot, while the others in the family didn't...and then they try to save seats, close to the front of the plane? Nope, very rude. If I paid for EBCI as well, and I pass by a multitude of seats being saved, I'm going to be peeved. Why should those of us that paid extra for the benefit of boarding earlier have to pass by seats saved for those that didn't pay extra!? I wish that SW would start dealing with seat saving.

Not many people are going to take a middle seat...so I don't have a huge issue with that. But, to board and then save more than one seat? Bad form. If you want to save seats, move to the back of the plane. There is never a good reason for plopping yourself down in row 3, and then save the entire row. If you want to sit with someone that is further back in line? Head to the back of the plane or move to the slot the other people are waiting in.

 

[scard192]

I'm not so happy with the seat saving either. If someone bought just one EBCI slot, while the others in the family didn't...and then they try to save seats, close to the front of the plane? Nope, very rude. If I paid for EBCI as well, and I pass by a multitude of seats being saved, I'm going to be peeved. Why should those of us that paid extra for the benefit of boarding earlier have to pass by seats saved for those that didn't pay extra!? I wish that SW would start dealing with seat saving. .

this is exactly why I refuse to fly SW anymore. They charge for something (EBCI) and then let other passengers "steal" the benefit of it. And I do mean steal, if you pay for EBCI for one person and then save seats for other in their party, they are stealing IMO. Why should I pay for something that other passengers get for free?

Luckily JetBlue flies out of several airports in my area and they are my prefered airline; I am even willing to pay a bit more on JB to avoid the EBCI crap that goes on with SW.

 

[goofy4tink]

this is exactly why I refuse to fly SW anymore. They charge for something (EBCI) and then let other passengers "steal" the benefit of it. And I do mean steal, if you pay for EBCI for one person and then save seats for other in their party, they are stealing IMO. Why should I pay for something that other passengers get for free?

Luckily JetBlue flies out of several airports in my area and they are my prefered airline; I am even willing to pay a bit more on JB to avoid the EBCI crap that goes on with SW.

Have to agree. I used to spread out my travel between SW and JB. Now? All JB. I like flying SW, I truly do...and there are some pretty decent fares out there on occasion. And I like the way they board. BUT...I don't enjoy watching people save multiple seats....or try to board as a medical preboard but still think they can sit in an exit row...or the group that needs 'extra time' to get situated but is up in a flash and off that plane upon arrival, no instance of any 'need' anymore.
So, until SW does something about this, I won't fly with them. I have saved a seat before. BUT...I had paid EBCI for all of us, but dh got stuck in the bathroom, so didn't get to board with us.

 

[scard192]

sad thing is that SW used to be my favorite airline.

 

[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.

We got A22, A23, A24 - Yay!!

 

[Rindercella]

OMG, I should have never read this thread! I've never flown with SW, but when I started comparing flights from Canada with the US, I was saving over $500 roundtrip to leave from a US boarder city on SW.
I really dislike flying, I get claustrophobic and the further down the plane I'm seated the worse. That said, I paid for EBCI for all 3 of us, expecting I'd be able to get a seat close to the front of the plane, but this thread has me super worried that isn't going to happen. I'm going to be anxious about the flight as it is, if I find someone has placed their crap to hold seats, you can bet I'll be reading the guilty "seat saver" the riot act as I hand them back their crap and claim MY seats!

 

[scard192]

if I find someone has placed their crap to hold seats, you can bet I'll be reading the guilty "seat saver" the riot act as I hand them back their crap and claim MY seats!

IMO just as bad as the seat savers are the parents who are too cheap to buy EBCI for their family and if they can't find seats together and no one will move to accomodate them then other passengers "can have fun sitting next to my ___ year old". Talk about being entitled and not caring enough as a parent to do whatever you have to to make sure your family can sit together.

 

[Rindercella]

IMO just as bad as the seat savers are the parents who are too cheap to buy EBCI for their family and if they can't find seats together and no one will move to accomodate them then other passengers "can have fun sitting next to my ___ year old". Talk about being entitled and not caring enough as a parent to do whatever you have to to make sure your family can sit together.

That's not right! SW should insist on parents identifying ages of travellers under 12 so when they're booking and paying for 1 EBCI, they're either forced to pay for all travellers in their party, or they don't get EBCI.
We have a 5:15pm departure and I'm hoping that most people will have taken flights earlier in the day.

 

[eangel12]

We ran into a situation when we flew Southwest. It was myself, my 21 month old and my husband. We had paid for 3 tickets so we would all have our own seat and EBCI. We flew out early morning on the way down and had A16-18. We boarded first, got the very first row, installed our son's carseat, sat down and had the RUDEST people ask if we paid for my son's seat. I just said yes and they kept moving. The flight attendant also asked us. We showed her that he had a PAID seat and EBCI.

On the flight home, we were A10-13 or something in that range. We once again got into line and had a row close to the front of the plane. It was a CROWDED flight, PACKED. To the point where they got on to ask if anyone was willing to take a later flight for compensation. I had TWO flight attendants ask to see the ticket for my 21 month old. I had to show it TWICE. I was annoyed until I realized that the reason the flight was FULL was because a bunch of parents seated their children in seats that were NOT paid for. They were going row to row asking parents to see tickets. The family behind us were LIVID because they wanted a seat for their child but didn't PAY for a seat. They finally got off the plane.

I might be the only person in this camp but I strongly believe that airlines should require EVERY SINGLE PERSON, adult or child, to have a seat. It is ridiculous to sit a baby on your lap. If the plane hits turbulence, your child is in danger and then your child is a danger to others. Totally but it annoys me.

With that said, I pay for EBCI. If I saw someone saving, I would ask them if everyone in their party had EBCI. If not, I would ask them to move. You get what you pay for PERIOD. If you didn't pay for everyone, MOVE TO THE BACK and save a row.

 

[DebbieB]

We ran into a situation when we flew Southwest. It was myself, my 21 month old and my husband. We had paid for 3 tickets so we would all have our own seat and EBCI. We flew out early morning on the way down and had A16-18. We boarded first, got the very first row, installed our son's carseat, sat down and had the RUDEST people ask if we paid for my son's seat. I just said yes and they kept moving. The flight attendant also asked us. We showed her that he had a PAID seat and EBCI.

On the flight home, we were A10-13 or something in that range. We once again got into line and had a row close to the front of the plane. It was a CROWDED flight, PACKED. To the point where they got on to ask if anyone was willing to take a later flight for compensation. I had TWO flight attendants ask to see the ticket for my 21 month old. I had to show it TWICE. I was annoyed until I realized that the reason the flight was FULL was because a bunch of parents seated their children in seats that were NOT paid for. They were going row to row asking parents to see tickets. The family behind us were LIVID because they wanted a seat for their child but didn't PAY for a seat. They finally got off the plane.

I might be the only person in this camp but I strongly believe that airlines should require EVERY SINGLE PERSON, adult or child, to have a seat. It is ridiculous to sit a baby on your lap. If the plane hits turbulence, your child is in danger and then your child is a danger to others. Totally but it annoys me.

With that said, I pay for EBCI. If I saw someone saving, I would ask them if everyone in their party had EBCI. If not, I would ask them to move. You get what you pay for PERIOD. If you didn't pay for everyone, MOVE TO THE BACK and save a row.

I had that happen once, the last person on didn't have a seat because a parent put a lap child in a seat. I think they pulled the list of lap children and called out the names and the parents admitted it. How were they asking to see tickets? Southwest collects the boarding passes at the gate.

It doesn't matter if they paid for EBCI, they should not be able to save. People get on during family boarding, not paid EBCI and are saving for the rest of the family with a later boarding #. I've seen grandparents being told to get out of the family boarding line and go to their regular #. Then the parents save seats for them, so what did it matter?

 

[lillykat]

I personally think the policy should be that if you want EBCI you MUST buy it for your entire traveling party. I don't understand why they allow you to buy it for only one or two people traveling together. It should be the entire traveling party or none at all. For those who groan. Lines charge for bags, more leg room etc. if you want it you should work into you airline cost when you compare ticket prices.

As far as saving seats. This is why I have yet to pull the trigger and buy tickets with SW. There must be a better solution so that one adult can sit with a child but there is no reason for whole rows to be saved. I think reserving the EBCI to your traveling party will help bc you either buy it or don't. If you don't you then risk maybe boarding with younger children in family boarding or losing out. While most smarter parents will buy for their family - it will cut back on those cheating the system.

 

[TeachTink]

I haven't flown SW in a few years... is the seat saving really happening all the time now?

I paid for EBCI for DH and myself for our upcoming trip in May. I am an anxious flyer. If I got on the plane and saw that a few people had saved a seat or 2, I don't think I'd care. But if I get on the plane and saw that someone has an entire row of 6 across saved or that the first 10 rows are single person after single person saving seats, I'm pretty sure I would say something. It just isn't fair that I paid for EBCI for each of us and other people pay for 1 and try to save seats. I paid money for the privilege of boarding early and hopefully sitting near the front of the plane.

You would think if people plan on saving a few seats, they would automatically head to the back so nobody wouldn't say anything to them or give dirty looks.

 

[AmyAnne]

I personally think the policy should be that if you want EBCI you MUST buy it for your entire traveling party. I don't understand why they allow you to buy it for only one or two people traveling together. It should be the entire traveling party or none at all. For those who groan. Lines charge for bags, more leg room etc. if you want it you should work into you airline cost when you compare ticket prices.

Well, I would disagree with you a little. When I travel with just myself and H, I will only purchase EBCI for one of us. (Most of the time I also check us in right at 24 hours and it has yet to make a huge difference in our boarding numbers.) But the one early boarder does save a seat for the other - but it is always a middle seat. I guess if someone really wanted the middle seat next to my H instead of some other middle seat, we could be seen as "stealing" their seat . . . I'll have to think about that one.

The other tricky thing about SW boarding is if there are a lot of people who are already on the plane when boarding starts at your airport. That has happened to me several times - I have an A-something boarding number but the plane is already half-full from people who were on the incoming flight and are staying on to the next stop.

 

[eangel12]

I had that happen once, the last person on didn't have a seat because a parent put a lap child in a seat. I think they pulled the list of lap children and called out the names and the parents admitted it. How were they asking to see tickets? Southwest collects the boarding passes at the gate.

It doesn't matter if they paid for EBCI, they should not be able to save. People get on during family boarding, not paid EBCI and are saving for the rest of the family with a later boarding #. I've seen grandparents being told to get out of the family boarding line and go to their regular #. Then the parents save seats for them, so what did it matter?

I had a print out of the seats I paid for from the Internet. I always do a screen shot and print it out. That is what I used to prove that I had paid for my child's seat!

 

[eangel12]

And the best fix would be for Southwest to allow people to pick seats when they purchase. I don't get the "don't pick your seat". Is there a reason they do that? Doesn't make any sense to me.

 

[sam_gordon]

Well, I would disagree with you a little. When I travel with just myself and H, I will only purchase EBCI for one of us. (Most of the time I also check us in right at 24 hours and it has yet to make a huge difference in our boarding numbers.) But the one early boarder does save a seat for the other - but it is always a middle seat. I guess if someone really wanted the middle seat next to my H instead of some other middle seat, we could be seen as "stealing" their seat . . . I'll have to think about that one.

Here's where your logic breaks down. SW planes seat 3 & 3 right? So if your DH gets on and picks an aisle (or a window) and "saves" you the middle seat, that leaves two seats together (window & middle or aisle & window). So two people traveling together can sit together. By you "saving" a seat, it might keep their party from sitting together.

And the best fix would be for Southwest to allow people to pick seats when they purchase. I don't get the "don't pick your seat". Is there a reason they do that? Doesn't make any sense to me.

SW is convinced they can board the plane faster and therefore be at the gate a shorter time. There will be people on here who agree with that. I don't disagree, but if it's the way they want to do business, so be it. I don't get why people complain about it though. Don't like it, don't fly with them.

 

[MamaBear58]

So what is "family boarding" on Southwest? How young does the kid have to be and does the whole group board early or just the kid and one adult? And do they board before people who have paid EBCI?

Honestly, I was waiting for Southwest to release flights for our dates, but this sounds like a mad house!

Thanks.

 

[DebbieB]

And the best fix would be for Southwest to allow people to pick seats when they purchase. I don't get the "don't pick your seat". Is there a reason they do that? Doesn't make any sense to me.

Even though they only fly 737's, they use 3 or 4 different models with different number of seats. If they assigned seats, they would have issues like the other airlines where people would have to be moved if they substituted a smaller plane. Plus when the plane is getting full, there may not be seats together and people may not buy.

So what is "family boarding" on Southwest? How young does the kid have to be and does the whole group board early or just the kid and one adult? And do they board before people who have paid EBCI?

Honestly, I was waiting for Southwest to release flights for our dates, but this sounds like a mad house!

Thanks.

Families with children 4 and under can board between A & B. Most people with EBCI get A but some may get B if there are a lot of people with it. It's generally parents and siblings but they can restrict it to 1 adult and the child. There have been some reports of them suspending it if there are too many children.

 

[KaLyn]

So what is "family boarding" on Southwest? How young does the kid have to be and does the whole group board early or just the kid and one adult? And do they board before people who have paid EBCI? Honestly, I was waiting for Southwest to release flights for our dates, but this sounds like a mad house! Thanks.

Family boarding is technically supposed to be a child who is under the age of 4 and one accompanying adult. But there are reports of some flight attendants letting the entire party board.

Family boarding boards between groups A and B. EBCI people should get an A assignment but they can get B if a lot of people purchased EBCI.