Southwest seating? Helpful?

[Luv'sTink]

I just came across this and thought someone might want to use it. I have never flown SW so I don't know how much trouble seating is. Boardfirst.com

Then again maybe $5 bucks isn't worth it!

Anyone try it?

 

[DebbieB]

I thought they were shutdown by Southwest.

You are paying $5 for what you can do yourself. Just log on 24 hours in advance and you will get an A pass. They claim you will get the seat of your choice, an A pass is no guarantee of that.

 

[zurgswife]

They can't guarantee seat choice on SW.....They can get you an A pass but unless you get inline first you won't get the first seat you want. waste of $5

 

[Luv'sTink]

Well then, I guess that answers that!

 

[mom2missmous]

I sure hope SW has closed this "loop-hole". We fly SW due to schedules/ price but are NOT fans of their boarding system esp. since we generally are flying to Orlando with LOTS of pre-boarding kiddos(and often MANY of their "nearest" and "dearest" relatives.) So we don't need another thing to stress us about whether we will be able to sit together (all of our party of 3 are nervous flyers and feel better when in each other's company on take- off and landing). . If this is still running, it takes away from those of us who book on our own.

 

[beccasmom]

I am a SWA fan, but know several folks who dislike the A-B-C seating arrangements. My mom loathes it. However, checking on on-line is really easy and I've checked in using my cell phone, which took all of 2 minutes! I read an article in USA Today recently revisiting the issue that SWA will "soon" have assigned seating....."soon" was a tentative date of 2008. They are phasing it in gradually at one of the CA locations. I will believe it when it happens. I, for one, think their service (and usually, fares) make open seating a non-issue, something I can easily live with. But I know it puts a lot of folks off.

 

[brandip22]

I hope they don't start doing assigned seating. Yes, I stress a bit over it, but SW typically leaves on time for their flights since everyone is worried about their seats. I hope they will keep it how it is since that is mostly what sets them apart- and their rates. I think that's the trade-off.

 

[kstinw19]

I don't mind the open seating at all. I usually try to check in right around the 24 hour mark, but have even gotten it up to 8 hours before, and have never gotten anything but "A".

I think it's much nicer to know that you could avoid a middle and not know that you will be stuck in the middle ahead of time, like the other airlines.

And you can basically choose who you want to sit next to, which I think is a plus.

It definitely works for me...

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Yes, I stress a bit over it, but SW typically leaves on time for their flights since everyone is worried about their seats.

I would not attribute flight departure delays to PAX taking too long to be seated. In fact. slow PAX aren't even listed in the Bureau of Transportation's main reasons for flight delays:

http://www.transtats.bts.gov/OT_Delay/ot_delaycause1.asp?type=2&pn=1

And in 2006 (through May), SWA had late departure times on 18.06% of their flights,with a total of 39,864 flight delays.

http://www.transtats.bts.gov/HomeDr...ort=000&URL_SelectYear=2006&URL_SelectMonth=5