SW new fare categories

[ExPirateShopGirl]

Southwest's system does not allow for the sale of indiviual seats on aircraft. They work with numbers per flight, only. So many Business fares, so many getwaway fares, etc. It is up to passengers to seat themselves. Period. What Lewis meant (and he is free to correct me if I misunderstood) is that by the time Dings are made available, those purchasing such a fare would have lowest check-in priority and, by extension, the highest boarding number/letter (which basically means you're left with middle seats by the time your number is called.)

I am sure that business travelers (who already book the full unrestricted fares out of necessity) may book the select where their employers pay the premium or not.

Supposing Southwest specifically prices middle seats lower. How many businesses would expect the employee to book a middle seat (if available) or pay the difference out of pocket? How many families would be looking to sit one behind the other?

 

[Taja]

Which would create other hostile guests. As in I checked in 24 hours in advance and got A 35 and the JERK checked in five minutes ago and got A1??? I don't think so.


As I understand it from the "insider" on Flyertalk. The "reserved" A is actually only for your original flight. So if the BS traveler shows up and changes planes then he is not guranteed an A on his new flight since at 24 hours it's "open" season for boarding passes.

SW knows that the Business Select traveler booked the flight so they hold his/her boarding pass. It would only be "unused" if he/she did not make the plane. I don't think that's going to be a material number of passengers on any one flight.

This is a potential headache for our trip to WDW in December! We booked as soon as fares became available (and yes, rebooked when they were lowered!). We'll be traveling with a 3.5-month-old infant and the entire group has a connecting flight on each leg of the journey. The only other option was to fly from LAX--and they weren't willing to do that!

Looks like I'll be baby-sitting the computer a bit more than expected the day before we leave! *sigh*

 

[swilphil]

Isn't there something about people travelling with lap babies not being able to check in 24 hours in advance? I don't have an infant anymore, so I didn't pay that much attention but remember reading something about it. Call SWA and ask. They have great customer service via the phone (unless they've changed that too!).

 

[tjmw2727]

Isn't there something about people travelling with lap babies not being able to check in 24 hours in advance? I don't have an infant anymore, so I didn't pay that much attention but remember reading something about it. Call SWA and ask. They have great customer service via the phone (unless they've changed that too!).

You can check in online even when traveling wth a lap child! You do then have to obtain a BVD (Boarding Verification Document) for the baby to get through security which has to be done in person. So check in the ticketed passengers at the 24 hour mark online and then get the pass for the baby at the airport when you check in your luggage. FWIW, SW requires a birth certificate for all lap babies - even if its obvious your child is under 2 so don't forget to bring that along.

Have a back up plan to split up with a parent/adult for each child and you should still be fine.

TJ