Southwest new boarding - how the heck?

[Diamond_Girls]

My flight leaves at 12:20. I had the Southwest checkin/print boarding pass screen up with my info loaded. I had the US official clock up on another screen. At 12:19:45 I was unable to check in. At 12:20:05 (20 seconds later) I was able to check in but only got A31 number. I understand that the first 15 are for business class. So who got the other 15 passes between 12:20:00 and 12:20:05?

Bummer! I hope we will all be able to sit together somewhere near the front of the plane...

 

[Southernswthrt1]

My flight leaves at 12:20. I had the Southwest checkin/print boarding pass screen up with my info loaded. I had the US official clock up on another screen. At 12:19:45 I was unable to check in. At 12:20:05 (20 seconds later) I was able to check in but only got A31 number. I understand that the first 15 are for business class. So who got the other 15 passes between 12:20:00 and 12:20:05?

Bummer! I hope we will all be able to sit together somewhere near the front of the plane...

You will be fine with those boarding passes. I really think people are blowing the new boarding rules way out of proportion. You will have no problem sitting together.

 

[wee-haggis]

My flight leaves at 12:20. I had the Southwest checkin/print boarding pass screen up with my info loaded. I had the US official clock up on another screen. At 12:19:45 I was unable to check in. At 12:20:05 (20 seconds later) I was able to check in but only got A31 number. I understand that the first 15 are for business class. So who got the other 15 passes between 12:20:00 and 12:20:05?

Bummer! I hope we will all be able to sit together somewhere near the front of the plane...

We were A19,20,21 and 22 (this was clicking right on the exact time).When we were boarding there was only one guy in front of us .He went to the back of the plane and we got the front row,
Coming back we were A30.31.32.33 and we ended up in the 3rd row ,on both sides with a seat between the four of us (lots of space). If the first 15 are saved for the business folk, I guess most of these tickets were not sold.

 

[tjmw2727]

Yes its quick but with your BP's you won't have any problem sitting together.

I have flown 3x rt (6 flights) on the new system and have yet to have anyone in the 1-15 boarding range. With family preboard now after the A's the most I have had on the 6 legs were 5 preboarders. So even in a worst case senario you will be the 31st person on an aircraft that seats 137 people. You will definately sit together but maybe not in the very front. IMHO row 1-5 are not good seats anyway and row 7 and 8 have only 1/2 windows. I head to row 10+ for the best seats

It is frustrating trying to coordinate with the SWA website time, it is about 45 seconds slower than my pc's time. Even more frustrating when the otherwise very, very helpful concierge person checking you in doesn't see why 11:30 ish isn't early enough for the 11:10 flight !!

TJ

 

[Allie in Wonderland]

We recently flew Orlando to Boston on Saturday dec 29th. I had gone on and printed boarding passes and were able to secure A+19-21. When we arrived at the airport there was a long line of preboarders that started preboarding before tha A group. I asked the southwest agent why. and she informed me that anyone could go to the desk and get preboarding passes. I asked why and I was told there are thousand of reasons to obtain these. She said a lot of times the agents dont ask for a reason. I did not see this at the other airports. The preboarders all had small children, so i guess they have found a way to beat the new boarding system

 

[disneyfaninaz]

My flight leaves at 12:20. I had the Southwest checkin/print boarding pass screen up with my info loaded. I had the US official clock up on another screen. At 12:19:45 I was unable to check in. At 12:20:05 (20 seconds later) I was able to check in but only got A31 number. I understand that the first 15 are for business class. So who got the other 15 passes between 12:20:00 and 12:20:05?

Bummer! I hope we will all be able to sit together somewhere near the front of the plane...

People that come in from other cities may have this flight for a connecting flight. When they check in for their original flight, they get boarding passes for any additional flights until they reach their final destination. This will explain why you got higher numbers. No need to worry. You should have plenty of seats to choose from.

 

[byoung]

To us it was good.

 

[tjmw2727]

We recently flew Orlando to Boston on Saturday dec 29th. I had gone on and printed boarding passes and were able to secure A+19-21. When we arrived at the airport there was a long line of preboarders that started preboarding before tha A group. I asked the southwest agent why. and she informed me that anyone could go to the desk and get preboarding passes. I asked why and I was told there are thousand of reasons to obtain these. She said a lot of times the agents dont ask for a reason. I did not see this at the other airports. The preboarders all had small children, so i guess they have found a way to beat the new boarding system

In my experience they are pretty strict about preboarders on SWA - however folks can always manage to cheat the system if they are determined.

When did SWA start flying to Boston?

We are flying Philadelphia to Manchester on Thursday, returning to PHI on Sunday so if anyone is interested I will do an update.

TJ

 

[BigTigger]

The first pass given out at the 24 hour mark is often A30, so you were just about first to get a pass. A1 to A15 is Business Select and on flights expected to have A listers, A16 to A29 can also be reserved. Less may be reserved if less A listers are expected, so the first "public" pass could be as low as A16.

As far as the people pre-boarding, MCO sems to be the only place getting that wrong. I reported three specific pre-board incidents at MCO to the SWA liason on Flyertalk and he apologized for all of them and reported them to SWA Ops. It seems like those pesky SWA gate agents at MCO that used to board extended families under the pre-board process still have to do their own thing. The good news is that any A pass will still get you great seats, so don't sweat it.

 

[Allie in Wonderland]

oops" We flew Orlando to Providence. So southwest doesn't fly to Boston. I guess the southwest employee was telling me that how strict they are depends who works the check in desk. This didn't happen in Providence. It only was in Orlando and others in the A line were surprised how many families preboarded.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Okay, I've gotta ask - not just the OP, but anyone with the same viewpoint... what is the necessity/fascination with sitting near the front of the plane? I mean, the rear wheels touch down first, so passengers behind the wings arrive (however momentarily) before those near the front...

 

[bumbershoot]

Okay, I've gotta ask - not just the OP, but anyone with the same viewpoint... what is the necessity/fascination with sitting near the front of the plane? I mean, the rear wheels touch down first, so passengers behind the wings arrive (however momentarily) before those near the front...

You can get off faster.

Not something I care about; I grew up riding a Greyhound and letting everyone off first (b/c the driver, our dad, wasn't available to us until everyone was off), and it's just second nature to sit and be comfy in my seat until everyone else is off. But as far as I can tell, that's why others want to sit near the front.

 

[Diamond_Girls]

Thanks for the replies everyone! As far as why I want a seat up front? I hate flying. I'd love to be the last one on and the first one off and have an aisle seat in the front. Unfortunatley, I can't be the last one on Southwest and get the front. It's not a fear, it's more a bit of claustophobia. I get very hot during the flight an when we land and everyone stands up and are all wedged in close together I just get quite uncomfortable. Plus I usually have to go to the bathroom and as someone else mentioned, getting off first is a plus!

 

[ducklite]

Okay, I've gotta ask - not just the OP, but anyone with the same viewpoint... what is the necessity/fascination with sitting near the front of the plane? I mean, the rear wheels touch down first, so passengers behind the wings arrive (however momentarily) before those near the front...

I want to sit in the front because I travel with only carry on most of the time, and don't have to wait on ground transportation. I am often out of the airport and on my way to my destination before the plane is fully unloaded.

For example, once a month I fly to Atlanta for a meeting. I get there, jump off the plane with my breifcase, go directly to MARTA and get on the train, and get off a block form where my meeting is held. On the return to Orlando six hours later, I jump off the plane and proceed directly to the parking deck where I've left my car, and drive out using the Sunpass lane. I can guarantee that on a lot of those return flights, I'm literally driving away before the last people off the plane are to the monorail--in some cases before they are even off the plane.

 

[snowbunny]

You will be fine with those boarding passes. I really think people are blowing the new boarding rules way out of proportion.

Having flown SW many times since the change, I totally agree.

OP: if you usually need to go to the bathroom when you land, just go on the plane before the captain starts the descent...that way you are off the plane and on your way immediately, not standing in line at the restroom with every other woman who was on the flight.

A15 or A59 will still have a wide choice of seats in the front half of the plane.

 

[Nanu57v]

I had A31 too and had no problem with seats. I mean, the very front row was taken, but there were PLENTY of seats in front.

 

[tjmw2727]

You will be fine with those boarding passes. I really think people are blowing the new boarding rules way out of proportion. You will have no problem sitting together.

I agree - I have flown SWA 3x since the new boarding procedures - that's 6 experiences with the "new boarding". I found it very organized at the gate with the gate agents approaching families with strollers to help them with gate check and make sure they understood the boarding. Unlike in the past, since the changes I have yet to experience a family that got separated under the new policy.

On Saturday the 29th we had A bp's 28 and 29 and had our choice of seats.

TJ

 

[kimis]

So do you mean to tell me that people aren't sitting on floors anymore waiting for their letter and number? That would be so cool. Let me know please.

 

[DisneyDadNY]

So do you mean to tell me that people aren't sitting on floors anymore waiting for their letter and number? That would be so cool. Let me know please.

Nope - I flew out of Orlando the night of Dec 15th and was able to sit in a chair near the boarding line editing my Photopass pics until they announced my boarding group. I just stood up and walked on the plane. I think the new system is MUCH easier to deal with than the old system.

The old way always reminded me of camping out for concert tickets when I was a bit younger....

 

[disneynutz]

So do you mean to tell me that people aren't sitting on floors anymore waiting for their letter and number? That would be so cool. Let me know please.

Some cattle, oops I mean people, still think that they are gaining something by hanging out in line. The gate agent tells people to stay seated, but as soon as one moves towards the line, others follow. We stay seated until the pre-boards are done. Then we get up and assume our assigned position. A couple of days ago when we got into line our place was occupied by a lady. I asked her what her number was, then told her that we were in front of her. She wouldn't move back so we just stood next to her and stepped in front when the line started to move.