Lots of people using Early Bird Check In

Nohal

DIS Veteran
Joined
Sep 28, 2008
Just did my check in for a Southwest flight to MCO for tomorrow. I checked in exactly at the 24hr mark, and got B19-B20. Never been that far back with checking in at 24hr. Makes me believe that more and more people are using early bird check in. It's just the 2 of us and we don't need to sit together so can fill in seats wherever we can. However we did book early bird for the flight home just because I don't want to lose time at Disney worrying about checking in at 24hr.
 
The last 3 WDW trips on SW I booked the minute our fares came out and we took EB each time. Wifey wants a guarantee of sitting together and I want to be near the front for a quick getaway.

Bill From PA
 
Just did my check in for a Southwest flight to MCO for tomorrow. I checked in exactly at the 24hr mark, and got B19-B20. Never been that far back with checking in at 24hr. Makes me believe that more and more people are using early bird check in. It's just the 2 of us and we don't need to sit together so can fill in seats wherever we can. However we did book early bird for the flight home just because I don't want to lose time at Disney worrying about checking in at 24hr.

In April 2016, we were flying home from the west coast, and I bought EBCI about a month before our trip, and we got low Bs WITH EBCI.
 
I can hardly remember when I got A with EBCI. Still plenty of options with that B range. I find that’s usually where I am.
 


We always use EBCI, and have gotten an A number every time except once, when we got a B.
 
The last time I went without EBCI, I got B27 at 24 hours. Not too bad I thought. The family boarding line was huge. I was one of the last on the plane. I really wanted a window seat but ended up with an aisle 2 rows from the back. Lots of seat savers and couples who were sitting window/aisle (hoping to keep the middle empty). Now I get EBCI. My last trip I booked right when the dates opened and got A27 both ways.
 


I’m two flights away from A-list status, so I guess I need to plan another trip.

Keep in mind that folks who are connecting onto your flight have a head start. It’s not just the early-bird folks taking the spots ahead of you. If you’re on a 10am flight and Someone is connecting from a 7am flight, they had three hours to get their boarding position before you did.
 
I’m two flights away from A-list status, so I guess I need to plan another trip.

Keep in mind that folks who are connecting onto your flight have a head start. It’s not just the early-bird folks taking the spots ahead of you. If you’re on a 10am flight and Someone is connecting from a 7am flight, they had three hours to get their boarding position before you did.

THIS!

And different markets have different dynamics as well. Time of the flight matters as does where the plane is coming from.

Steve
 
I’m two flights away from A-list status, so I guess I need to plan another trip.

Keep in mind that folks who are connecting onto your flight have a head start. It’s not just the early-bird folks taking the spots ahead of you. If you’re on a 10am flight and Someone is connecting from a 7am flight, they had three hours to get their boarding position before you did.

Our flight leaves Philadelphia at 5:30am so I don't think anyone will be connecting. After reading everyones replies I guess we have always been lucky because we have always gotten and A boarding number.
 
I agree that EBCI is a must. I always purchase but last week flew out of Baltimore to Denver for work and they won’t pay for EBCI and I forgot to add it. Checking in at exactly 24 hours I had b38 and on the return b47. I could have gotten an aisle seat near the back (I looked after I boarded) but elected to pay for the A at the gate so I could have quick bathroom access and quick escape.

I also encountered a seat saver on a short hour flight last week and the lady told me I was a rude, disgusting, &%#^% because I advised a woman I was going to to sit in the aisle seat and she had her coat in it a purse in another and a bag in another. She said she was saving for her grandkids. I advised her she should have bought EBCI for a chance to sit with them and that seat saving is not permitted. The kids ended up being colleges aged and boarded in the C group! I doubt she could have saved them much longer.
 
I agree that EBCI is a must. I always purchase but last week flew out of Baltimore to Denver for work and they won’t pay for EBCI and I forgot to add it. Checking in at exactly 24 hours I had b38 and on the return b47. I could have gotten an aisle seat near the back (I looked after I boarded) but elected to pay for the A at the gate so I could have quick bathroom access and quick escape.

I also encountered a seat saver on a short hour flight last week and the lady told me I was a rude, disgusting, &%#^% because I advised a woman I was going to to sit in the aisle seat and she had her coat in it a purse in another and a bag in another. She said she was saving for her grandkids. I advised her she should have bought EBCI for a chance to sit with them and that seat saving is not permitted. The kids ended up being colleges aged and boarded in the C group! I doubt she could have saved them much longer.
I agree with your other comments but technically seat saving isn't against SWA's policy. Each and every flight is different for sure but I've never had an FA tell someone 'no seat saving' though I know other posters have had that. You will also not find it on their website as far as against their policy. Their policy is simply open seating.

You can however sit in the seat that woman was saving (though based on her attitude I wouldn't want to) as it is technically an open seat.
 
I rarely buy EBCI. We flew out of MCO this afternoon on a non-stop to PIT. I got B8 and DH got B15, but there was no one between us (suspect whoever had those seats used family boarding). We got an aisle and middle seat in row 10. Not bad for a Saturday afternoon out of Orlando.

I'm OK with taking my chances, we have never not sat together, but our kids are all adults and don't usually fly with us anymore. We did the window/aisle thing in the back of the plane on the way down (weekday morning) and no one sat between us.
 
I guess it depends on the route you're flying. My ds and his wife just flew from Tampa to Manchester NH..they bought EBCI and got A20, A21!!
But, the thing with SW is that saving seats isn't an issue for SW. It's up to passengers to figure it out. I have no issue with saving seats in the row of three seats that you are seated in...so, you are in one, and saving the two remaining seats. I do have an issue with someone saving seats in multiple rows. You want to save seats? Go to the back of the plane.
I really wish SW would put in a policy regarding this...other than, 'we have no policy'. It puts the onus on the passenger, and that leads to harsh words and not so nice situations.
 
DW and I always buy EBCI. Only one trip did we get a low number B number on a flight out of MCO. Even after a large number of family boarders we still got good seats together. Just a bit further back in the plane.

However, after thinking about it, I will say that our "average" boarding number seems to be increasing as the years go by. Perhaps that is because we are not booking our flights as early as we once did. Perhaps it is because more people are buying EBCI.
 
I have no issue with saving seats in the row of three seats that you are seated in...so, you are in one, and saving the two remaining seats. I do have an issue with someone saving seats in multiple rows. You want to save seats? Go to the back of the plane....I really wish SW would put in a policy regarding this...other than, 'we have no policy'. It puts the onus on the passenger, and that leads to harsh words and not so nice situations.
I agree SWA should have & enforce a policy, rather than leaving it to passengers to argue about. I usually travel with my son, we much prefer sitting in the front of the plane, and we will take those 2 "saved" seats in a row if we want them. I don't really mind offending the seat-saver by doing that. If they "need" to sit together, they should board together.

"I'm sorry, but we'll be sitting here. If you need to sit with passengers who are boarding later, I'm sure you'll find seats together further back in the plane," is basically what I say while my son and I take those "saved" available seats.
 
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I guess it depends on the route you're flying. My ds and his wife just flew from Tampa to Manchester NH..they bought EBCI and got A20, A21!!
But, the thing with SW is that saving seats isn't an issue for SW. It's up to passengers to figure it out. I have no issue with saving seats in the row of three seats that you are seated in...so, you are in one, and saving the two remaining seats. I do have an issue with someone saving seats in multiple rows. You want to save seats? Go to the back of the plane.
I really wish SW would put in a policy regarding this...other than, 'we have no policy'. It puts the onus on the passenger, and that leads to harsh words and not so nice situations.

I agree SWA should have & enforce a policy, rather than leaving it to passengers to argue about. I usually travel with my son, we much prefer sitting in the front of the plane, and we will take those 2 "saved" seats in a row if we want them. I don't really mind offending the seat-saver by doing that. If they "need" to sit together, they should board together.

"I'm sorry, but we'll be sitting here. If you need to sit with passengers who are boarding later, I'm sure you'll find seats together further back in the plane," is basically what I say while my son and I take those "saved" available seats.

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And see from my experience there hasn't been any issues whatsoever with seat saving. My husband who flew RT every two weeks to Houston/Hobby for 5 months and RT every two weeks to BWI for 8 1/2 months never reported guests behaving badly in regards to seat saving. I've flown myself 3 times this year all to different locations and I flew 3 times last year to BWI and no issues there. YMMV of course.

Regardless of whether SWA puts in an official 'no seat saving' policy isn't not really going to matter much with open seating. It would be the same as it is now--if you save a seat someone is able to sit in it. I'm guessing SWA would rather not deal with having to actually police the policy if they had one officially for that when more than likely the majority of their flights take off with no battling for the open seat. If they started seeing the opposite where the majority of flights have battles for the open seat they may rethink their policy.
 
__________________________

And see from my experience there hasn't been any issues whatsoever with seat saving. My husband who flew RT every two weeks to Houston/Hobby for 5 months and RT every two weeks to BWI for 8 1/2 months never reported guests behaving badly in regards to seat saving. I've flown myself 3 times this year all to different locations and I flew 3 times last year to BWI and no issues there. YMMV of course.

Regardless of whether SWA puts in an official 'no seat saving' policy isn't not really going to matter much with open seating. It would be the same as it is now--if you save a seat someone is able to sit in it. I'm guessing SWA would rather not deal with having to actually police the policy if they had one officially for that when more than likely the majority of their flights take off with no battling for the open seat. If they started seeing the opposite where the majority of flights have battles for the open seat they may rethink their policy.
I've never had an issue either. But, I've seen people saving seats, and I've seen people boarding looking for seats. And you're absolutely correct, SW doesn't want to get into the referee business. Most people that are boarding are way too polite to take unoccupied seats that someone has said they are saving. And no, I'm not saying you aren't polite!!! I'm saying that the vast majority people aren't going to put themselves in a situation that could possibly escalate. And those saving seats are banking on that!!
 
We have been lucky as well taking non-stop flights to and from MCO. The flights originate at both locations so the aircraft are empty when boarding begins. We have always checked in at the 24 hour mark and received Group A boardings. I'm okay if we get in the later group and have to move toward the back of the plane though because we always have checked bags and getting off of the plane quickly doesn't do us much good. Getting off quickly could be beneficial if one of us had to get in line for a rental car but we have not had to do that or when we get home, if one of us retrieved the car while the other one waited on bags (don't do that either). We prefer to sit together but we have been on Delta flights when we have only been in the same general area and it is no big deal for us.

I like to go after seats that are being saved but my wife doesn't like for me to...

I don't want to pay the extra money for early bird; adds up both ways.
 
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I'm getting concerned reading these messages. I didn't get EB for either of our flights but now I am wondering if I should for our return flight. Our flight to MCO leaves at 5:30 a.m. (11/25/17) so not too worried about that one but the one back leaves at 4:30 p.m. We fly back on December 2nd. Would it be worth it at this late date to get EB for that flight?
 
I'm getting concerned reading these messages. I didn't get EB for either of our flights but now I am wondering if I should for our return flight. Our flight to MCO leaves at 5:30 a.m. (11/25/17) so not too worried about that one but the one back leaves at 4:30 p.m. We fly back on December 2nd. Would it be worth it at this late date to get EB for that flight?

I don't think we can answer that for you. It depends on your specific circumstances and how important seating is to you personally.
 

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