Southwest- seating issue

[Dug720]

We don't have a date, only that sometime in the second half of 2025 (which it already is starting in the second half of 2025) they would release for 2026 flights no word on what start date in 2026 but yes eventually that won't be an issue. What will become the issue then is people asking other people to switch seats.

Yep. Rather than having 1 or 2 people booked with EBCI, you'll have 1 or 2 paying for seat selection and then the others taking their chances (yes, I realize this would be making separate reservations) and hoping that SW will somehow figure out the parties are together and assign those who didn't book seats to seats near their party - and if that doesn't happen they'll whine at the people who selected or were assigned those seats.

Like the Single Rider lines at Disney - it needs to be clear and enforced that if you choose to not select seats your party may be separated.

 

[ParrotBill]

Goodness a lot of discussion and not a lot of direct advice. I have flown a hundred times under the present open seating policy.
1. consider buying early bird to check in before everyone else, so you will be in the A group.
2. If not early bird, check in the MOMENT you can 24 hours before the flight time. As some have said, even in the B boarding group you will always find 2 seats together. The people who fail to check in promptly end up in C group and will have be stuck with single seats.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Yep. Rather than having 1 or 2 people booked with EBCI, you'll have 1 or 2 paying for seat selection and then the others taking their chances (yes, I realize this would be making separate reservations) and hoping that SW will somehow figure out the parties are together and assign those who didn't book seats to seats near their party - and if that doesn't happen they'll whine at the people who selected or were assigned those seats.

Like the Single Rider lines at Disney - it needs to be clear and enforced that if you choose to not select seats your party may be separated.

It happens even if you do choose your seats, either there are no seats left together or there was an airplane switch after you've selected your seats resulting in a different seating configuration or just your seat was changed even without an aircraft change. Those last two points aren't the fault of the passenger when they've pre-selected their seats non-the-less the asking to switch seats can still occur.

I don't think it'll just be 1 or 2 people paying for seat selection necessarily while their others don't. It'll happen even with just 1 passenger never mind 2. Once you go to assigned seating there will be a myriad of scenarios that can potentially happen where one or more passengers asks one or more passengers to switch seats.

As far as your last statement I 100% agree with you in theory but airlines progressively don't put teeth into their own policies when they have one. Unless it means they can get more money for things like baggage (such as airlines that give gate agents commissions for charging for bags). It's not rare that a passenger who is in the right is asked to accommodate the passenger in the wrong unfortunately because at the end of the day they are just trying to get the plane off the ground as fast as possible. But I sincerely hope SWA doesn't get into that mess and sticks primarily to siding with the rightful seat owner.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

1. consider buying early bird to check in before everyone else, so you will be in the A group.

Well if you're talking about giving advice that would be incorrect advice to give. EBCI does not guarantee A, it never has and it's not uncommon in the last several years for EBCI to not get you an A most especially when SWA went to including EBCI with Anytime Fares and also introducing WGA+ (see official SWA thread over the last several years for that confirmation).

In terms of it it goes A-list Preferred, A-list and then passengers on the same reservation as those with A-list status. Next up is Anytime Fares, then WGA+, then Basic (formerly WGA). That's in part why it makes sense posters were trying to "dumb down" basically their advice because to someone who isn't used to flying much less with SWA. I'm not sure if the OP has flown with SWA before as they say "I see SW won't let you choose your seats until you get on the flight".

 

[ParrotBill]

Well if you're talking about giving advice that would be incorrect advice to give. EBCI does not guarantee A, it never has and it's not uncommon in the last several years for EBCI to not get you an A most especially when SWA went to including EBCI with Anytime Fares and also introducing WGA+ (see official SWA thread over the last several years for that confirmation).

In terms of it it goes A-list Preferred, A-list and then passengers on the same reservation as those with A-list status. Next up is Anytime Fares, then WGA+, then Basic (formerly WGA). That's in part why it makes sense posters were trying to "dumb down" basically their advice because to someone who isn't used to flying much less with SWA. I'm not sure if the OP has flown with SWA before as they say "I see SW won't let you choose your seats until you get on the flight".

Rudely stated.

I have received A boarding on every flight including all 10 last year with early bird. Maybe it is true some people land in B, but your chances of finding seats together using early bird is nearly 100%.

My advice works.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Rudely stated.

I have received A boarding on every flight including all 10 last year with early bird. Maybe it is true some people land in B, but your chances of finding seats together using early bird is nearly 100%.

My advice works.

My apologies but you came in hot to the thread claiming "Goodness a lot of discussion and not a lot of direct advice." when people have definitely been giving advice in the 4 pages of it.

I'm glad you have received A in Boarding but that's not "so you will be in the A group" by virtue of buying EBCI. As it stands actually purchasing it puts you at the end of the priority. Many reports of not getting A's with EBCI. Someone unfamiliar with SWA could purchase that expecting that and then be blindsided when they board after Family Boarding because they got a B.

My husband just flew on Monday, A-list Preferred and was A38. There are 45 slots available (after accounting for Business Select) in the A group and each flight is different. But as it stands SWA has never guaranteed getting an A and it's been progressively harder once Anytime Fares got EBCI as part of the fare class.

As far as finding two seats together, I purposefully didn't quote that as I wasn't speaking towards that. I was speaking towards your advice of telling them to purchase EBCI and they will get an A while at the same time admonishing the thread for having discussion but not giving direct advice.

 

[eticketplease]

Rudely stated.

I have received A boarding on every flight including all 10 last year with early bird. Maybe it is true some people land in B, but your chances of finding seats together using early bird is nearly 100%.

My advice works.

I’m glad you threw a nearly in there.
It really depends on the airport that you’re flying from and time of year and flight time.
We purchased it one year during spring break at MCO and got B.

Guess what?

MCO is full of families who load before B.

We were not taking a chance and paid to upgrade to priority boarding A1 through 15 for the four of us.

We now just by any time because it includes the early bird in it and it is fully refundable. If you buy the earlybird check-in, that’s not refundable if you cancel your flight.

 

[stinkpickle]

We've ended up in boarding group B a couple of times with early birds, but that was probably because I booked them close to the departure dates. We still had no problems sitting together...just further back in the plane.

 

[Mle8308]

We've ended up in boarding group B a couple of times with early birds, but that was probably because I booked them close to the departure dates. We still had no problems sitting together...just further back in the plane.

Same, I have received B group when buying EBCI maybe twice in all the years of SW flights. I do think when they are boarding families between A and B (until assigned seating starts), they should have to sit in the back of the plane, perhaps the last 6 or so rows. If families want to sit closer to the front, then pay for EBCI.

 

[Ralph&Pam]

We now just by any time because it includes the early bird in it and it is fully refundable. If you buy the earlybird check-in, that’s not refundable if you cancel your flight.

We’ve made this adjustment also.

However, the change in baggage check rules on SWA means we will be comparing pricing with bag fees added on SW (out of MDW as our starting point) vs. UAL (out of ORD as our starting point) in the future. We have a credit card that gives us each a checked bag on UAL, but the two bags fly free has been a particular attraction on SWA.

 

[EACarlson]

We’ve made this adjustment also.

However, the change in baggage check rules on SWA means we will be comparing pricing with bag fees added on SW (out of MDW as our starting point) vs. UAL (out of ORD as our starting point) in the future. We have a credit card that gives us each a checked bag on UAL, but the two bags fly free has been a particular attraction on SWA.

Don't forget AA out of ORD also. I've gotten some great deals doing that.

 

[focusondisney]

Rudely stated.

I have received A boarding on every flight including all 10 last year with early bird. Maybe it is true some people land in B, but your chances of finding seats together using early bird is nearly 100%.

My advice works.

Getting an A boarding group very much depends on the city you’re flying from, how full the flight is & how many people are in front of you that have been checked in with EBCI before you are. It’s great it has worked out for you, but there are many reports of people with EBCI who are high Bs. Definitively saying you’ll get an A with EBCI or that you’ll find seats together if you get a B just adds to the confusion & people’s anger when they don’t.

 

[eticketplease]

We’ve made this adjustment also.

However, the change in baggage check rules on SWA means we will be comparing pricing with bag fees added on SW (out of MDW as our starting point) vs. UAL (out of ORD as our starting point) in the future. We have a credit card that gives us each a checked bag on UAL, but the two bags fly free has been a particular attraction on SWA.

Just remember, you have to actually use your United card to get the bags for free. Where as Southwest you just have to be a cardholder similar to delta and American