SW New Boarding technique

[hereyago]

Ok, I love SW. Have flown with them all trips except to Hawaii.

I actually liked the "cattle call" they had going on. It was like a lottery sort of.

So last weekend, DD and I flew to MCO for a mini trip to WDW.

We didn't do EBCI and had A 33 A34 not bad at all. So the numbers were put on the monitor and we were a few of the first ones for the 30 group obviously, but it looked as though the people who boarded before us just stood at the polls and weren't checking to see if anyone had a BP ahead of them, KWIM? I did see the guy in front of us had a A35, but i thought it was kind of silly to go "you can't go ahead of me".

So, coming back from MCO. We were A 59 A60, due to my aunt kind of not knowing what she was doing with the check in. But still not bad. So, DD and I are standing at our perspective poll and this couple were asking everyone what number they had so they could be in that actual number, so people had to move to let them go in front.

Here is my question to those SW flyers out there: what has been your experience? I truly don't care as long as I get to sit in the very back.

 

[DebbieB]

Ok, I love SW. Have flown with them all trips except to Hawaii.

I actually liked the "cattle call" they had going on. It was like a lottery sort of.

So last weekend, DD and I flew to MCO for a mini trip to WDW.

We didn't do EBCI and had A 33 A34 not bad at all. So the numbers were put on the monitor and we were a few of the first ones for the 30 group obviously, but it looked as though the people who boarded before us just stood at the polls and weren't checking to see if anyone had a BP ahead of them, KWIM?

So, coming back from MCO. We were A 59 A60, due to my aunt kind of not knowing what she was doing with the check in. But still not bad. So, DD and I are standing at our perspective poll and this couple were asking everyone what number they had so they could be in that actual number, so people had to move to let them go in front.

Here is my question to those SW flyers out there: what has been your experience? I truly don't care as long as I get to sit in the very back.

My experience is people usually ask what number you have to stand in the exact order. It's not a big deal, there are only 5 numbers in a group.

 

[walkdmc]

The two times I've flown SW recently, people got in order based on the numbers on their boarding pass.

I know b/c I paid for Business Select, or whatever the most expensive ticket is, and I got A2 and A3. We stood in the front of the A line and a lady came to me and told me I was in her spot. I was ready to duke it out (not really, just spicing up the story) but in fact, she had A1.

People take that stuff very seriously, especially since so many try to get by on just a carry-on, even on SW. A lot of people are nervous their luggage won't fit and they'll have to check it.

 

[hereyago]

The two times I've flown SW recently, people got in order based on the numbers on their boarding pass.

I know b/c I paid for Business Select, or whatever the most expensive ticket is, and I got A2 and A3. We stood in the front of the A line and a lady came to me and told me I was in her spot. I was ready to duke it out (not really, just spicing up the story) but in fact, she had A1.


I almost spit out my tea with that one lol


People take that stuff very seriously, especially since so many try to get by on just a carry-on, even on SW. A lot of people are nervous their luggage won't fit and they'll have to check it.

Oh.

ALso, what is up with the little blue pass things? the reason I ask, there was an older couple that had their tennis rackets as carry ons along with another smaller bag. and the lady said she was gong to go see if they could get a blue pass thing. she got 2 and then they got out of the regular A line and did pre boarding.

 

[DebbieB]

Oh.

ALso, what is up with the little blue pass things? the reason I ask, there was an older couple that had their tennis rackets as carry ons along with another smaller bag. and the lady said she was gong to go see if they could get a blue pass thing. she got 2 and then they got out of the regular A line and did pre boarding.

If you go to the agent and say you require preboarding due to a disability, they give you a blue pass.

 

[mrsstats]

I have no problem with people with disabilities boarding first. However, like with a handicap parking sticker, you should have to show some proof of your disability. This wouldn't be necessary if people were honest but once again, the good pay for the bad.

 

[hereyago]

If you go to the agent and say you require preboarding due to a disability, they give you a blue pass.

So, the tennis racket loving people got the blue pass with that?

There was a guy who was 1st in the A group, i recall him asking the guy who scanned the boarding passes what was the criteria to get the blue pass. The SW guy said just go up and ask because they can't question you or have you show proof.

 

[bumbershoot]

In my experience at various airports, the exact order is taken seriously. But it's fun, IMO. Lots of smiling, chatting, "oh aren't you lucky" type of conversations. A couple times DS and I have been split by a few numbers, and as we head to the larger number, most people will insist that I go to the lower number (earlier in the line) that we have. I refused to do that on our last flight, since there were about 7 numbers in between us, and the word of ONE of those 7 people wasn't quite enough for me to just jump in.


And the time I didn't get involved in asking people (from my boarding position I could tell that there really shouldn't be two people in front of me, so I figured they were B and just didn't understand), the gate agent got to tell them that they were in line prematurely...he did it better than I did, but I still wish I'd helped them so they could have had that extra time to just sit and relax.

 

[DebbieB]

So, the tennis racket loving people got the blue pass with that?

There was a guy who was 1st in the A group, i recall him asking the guy who scanned the boarding passes what was the criteria to get the blue pass. The SW guy said just go up and ask because they can't question you or have you show proof.

That is correct. A coworker of mine had a problem with blood clots in her legs and wanted to be sure she got an aisle seat so she could stretch her legs out, she requested a blue pass.

 

[stacy6552]

Ok so you get a pass with your exact boarding position. Why then are the still corralling people like cattle? Why not just board in order? Call group A and let the people go through in order. Its not rocket science, why are they still requiring people to stand on a certain spot before hand? Why cant you just sit in a chair at the gate and go when you're called?

 

[Bobo912]

Ok so you get a pass with your exact boarding position. Why then are the still corralling people like cattle? Why not just board in order? Call group A and let the people go through in order. Its not rocket science, why are they still requiring people to stand on a certain spot before hand? Why cant you just sit in a chair at the gate and go when you're called?

You stay in your seat until they call for A's. You line up in order of your boarding pass number and board. You're just standing for a few minutes. Then they call the B's to board, etc. The numbered posts are a pretty efficient method of getting boarders in the correct order. And there is no more standing on sitting on the floor for an hour to save your spot.

 

[Letsbgoofy]

Why cant you just sit in a chair at the gate and go when you're called?

that would ruin all the fun (and you know some people would be standing around anyway). I like talking to people in line and what better way to break the ice than by comparing boarding pass numbers?

 

[goofy4tink]

Ok so you get a pass with your exact boarding position. Why then are the still corralling people like cattle? Why not just board in order? Call group A and let the people go through in order. Its not rocket science, why are they still requiring people to stand on a certain spot before hand? Why cant you just sit in a chair at the gate and go when you're called?

You can...just sit there until the A's start boarding then run up and hop into your space. You're entitled to that specific spot..if you choose to wait until the last minute, that's your perogative.
But, really, I don't see any difference between what SW does and what other airlines do. As soon as that boarding gate opens, almost 75% of the passengers hop up and run over to the gate area....doesn't seem to much matter what their boarding pass says or what the gate agent has announced. They all stand there, like vultures, waiting to be first in their group.

My very favorite preboarding story??? Standing in my position for SW boarding. An elderly gentleman and his elderly wife boarded first..had the blue sleeves and all. They hobbled down the jetway. Well, when I boarded (had A16) there was the elderly man, arguing with the FA. Seesm he had plopped himself down in the exit row...right next to him was his wife. The FA was telling him that they couldn't sit there since they had to be able to carry out specific duties in the case of an emergency. This guys says he can do anything that is neccesary. The FA told him that since he had blue-sleeved to get a preboard, he certainly wasn't going to be allowed to sit in an exit row. It took her about 10 mins to get him moved out of those seats. And by the time they moved, all the front seats were gone...they had to head to the rear of the plane.

 

[cm8]

I have no problem with people with disabilities boarding first. However, like with a handicap parking sticker, you should have to show some proof of your disability. This wouldn't be necessary if people were honest but once again, the good pay for the bad.

, Maybe this could be implemented at WDW as well

Never mind, I think I remember something about it is not required for WDW as they( GAC Users) are NOT getting preferred access but EQUAL access, so that would be meaningless

 

[Gary M]

Does SWA still have "miracle flights"? People board the flight first, because they are in wheelchair and when the plane lands they run off the plane without the use of a wheelchair.

I have also seen people get on the plane with blue sleeves and sit in the exit row. The FA always have to work at getting them to move.

 

[andymattmom]

Does SWA still have "miracle flights"? People board the flight first, because they are in wheelchair and when the plane lands they run off the plane without the use of a wheelchair.

I have also seen people get on the plane with blue sleeves and sit in the exit row. The FA always have to work at getting them to move.

Think all airlines have the miracle flights! That is a BIG pet peeve of mine where people have to pre-board because of medical condition or small kids. They are then the ones who are first off the plane....or clogging the aisle taking forever to get off. First ones on to preboard should be last ones off.

Not going to change though but would be nice if people who did have to pre-board would be considerate and wait and get off the plane last so others can get off easier.

 

[yitbos96bb]

Ok, I love SW. Have flown with them all trips except to Hawaii.

I actually liked the "cattle call" they had going on. It was like a lottery sort of.

So last weekend, DD and I flew to MCO for a mini trip to WDW.

We didn't do EBCI and had A 33 A34 not bad at all. So the numbers were put on the monitor and we were a few of the first ones for the 30 group obviously, but it looked as though the people who boarded before us just stood at the polls and weren't checking to see if anyone had a BP ahead of them, KWIM? I did see the guy in front of us had a A35, but i thought it was kind of silly to go "you can't go ahead of me".

So, coming back from MCO. We were A 59 A60, due to my aunt kind of not knowing what she was doing with the check in. But still not bad. So, DD and I are standing at our perspective poll and this couple were asking everyone what number they had so they could be in that actual number, so people had to move to let them go in front.

Here is my question to those SW flyers out there: what has been your experience? I truly don't care as long as I get to sit in the very back.

Considering the back is one of the least desirable seating assignments on a plane, my guess is A or B group you'll be able to get back there (and probably early C)... The competition are for either exit rows, or as close to the front as possible.

As for my experiences... most of the time the SWA people check the BP... I've never seen anyone able to just skip right on. The way I see it, they check you are in the first30, then the next 30 and so forth. However, in my experiences, the current 5 seat sections really are well policed by the passengers. Most passengers don't seem to care the order within the 5, but most care you are in your right section.

 

[yitbos96bb]

Think all airlines have the miracle flights! That is a BIG pet peeve of mine where people have to pre-board because of medical condition or small kids. They are then the ones who are first off the plane....or clogging the aisle taking forever to get off. First ones on to preboard should be last ones off.

Not going to change though but would be nice if people who did have to pre-board would be considerate and wait and get off the plane last so others can get off easier.

I don't see the issue if there are assigned seats. Yes, they can slow down departure but it does speed up boarding. Most wheelchair pre-boarders are definitely the last ones off... they don't bring the wheelchairs on until that point.
I would guess the hope for the rest would be they sit as close as possible to the front and try to get off quickly, I've flown a lot for years and really have not had too many times when I was held up by children or others deplaning.

Now on planes without assigned seats, it sucks. Especially when the gate people don't enforce the child age limits. I once witnessed HALF the plane pre-boarding to Disney, and a lot of the kids were 5, 6, 7 and one I swear could shave. It really sucked because I was first in line to board, having arrived early and sat on the hard ground for a few hours. So I was extremely happy to see Southwest change policy to the between A and B groups boarding for small children. Of course, now at least on the way there I do EBCI so I cant get off the plane ASAP and on my way to fun.

 

[gigi1313]

not all blue pre-board sleeves are for physical disabilities... my son plays football but still pre-boards... he has a peanut allergy and we pre-board so his entire area can be cleaned down, peanuts removed (by me) from seatback pockets, etc... it takes a few extra minutes (and we always head to the back of the plane and usually have A boarding passes) and i hate to clog the aisle while others are trying to load while i am doing that... plus, after i get the area cleaned, i then have to buckle ds2s carseat in... we definitely are not a board and sit down in ten second flat kinda family! sorry!

 

[bumbershoot]

Ok so you get a pass with your exact boarding position. Why then are the still corralling people like cattle? Why not just board in order? Call group A and let the people go through in order. Its not rocket science, why are they still requiring people to stand on a certain spot before hand? Why cant you just sit in a chair at the gate and go when you're called?

They don't call the exact numbers. They call A 1-30, then 31-60, for example. The lineup isn't a cattle call, it's at a specific area with numbers on poles (easy for some brains to figure out...not so easy for my own brain, ugh). If the employees are doing their jobs, they are discouraging people from standing until it's time, but the PA systems at some airports are just SO awful no one can hear those announcements anyway.

I didn't mind the cattle call and I do not mind this (though you can tell the gates are still designed with "people will still stand around" in mind, considering how few chairs there actually are)...and flying airlines with assigned seating, I've noticed people get in line even earlier than they do with SW!