Post all SW questions concerns, etc. here...

[LadyBeBop]

Flying SW from Cincinnati to Houston tomorrow with a 50 minute layover in Denver. Not much time. Checked in at the 24 hour time. And I still got mid Bs.

Checked the arrivals and departures at Denver airport for today, hoping that the gates would be close. Not only were the gates close. They were the same gate. Different flight number, but the same gate.

Hoping it’s the same tomorrow. Can I sleep easy, tonight?

 

[Tass]

For those with late November and early December flights, you may want to check your pricing. Our flight from BWI to MCO went down 1,400 points each and our flight from MCO to BWI went down $18 each. This is the third price decrease for the flight down (Tuesday) and first for the return (Saturday).

Not sure where you're located, but DD and I are flying from DCA in December and our direct flight to MCO is $49. We usually fly out of BWI but I'm willing to try DCA this time for that rate.

 

[Doug7856]

Not sure where you're located, but DD and I are flying from DCA in December and our direct flight to MCO is $49. We usually fly out of BWI but I'm willing to try DCA this time for that rate.

Wow, I've noticed some great fares out of DCA, but that one is pretty spectacular!

 

[disneylover81]

So we were on a flight yesterday from MCO back home and there was a lady that pre-boarded with 4 other people in her family. First she got an attitude with the man scanning the tickets because she was trying to pre-board with more than the 4 people he already allowed her to in the first place. So some of her family members stayed back and said they’d board in their original spot in line. DH and I were A31-32, then my BIL and SIL were something like A36-37. DH and I boarded and sat on the 4th row. When his brother boarded, we told them to sit right in front of us where there were two empty seats. One of the kids in the lady’s family told them that seat was saved. Well DH and I both popped up and said naw you can’t save seats. It’s open seating and they can sit there if they want to, so they did. Well the momma was getting all mad and telling her “those people can’t tell you what you can and can’t do on this plane and you shouldn’t have let them sit down.” Well first of all, like we told her, it’s open seating and if the seat is empty, anyone can sit there. Second of all, she already done caused a scene with the SWA employee when she was bringing all those people on board with her to hold even more seats so we knew what she was up to then. Third of all, we had a very short layover and needed to be able to get off the plane as fast as possible because our next gate was pretty far away from where we landed. And lastly, we paid for Anytime fares so that we knew we’d have a good boarding position and would be able to sit up closer to the front. I get so tired of people that think the rules don’t apply to them and people that take advantage of pre-boarding. Now I don’t know why she pre-boarded in the first place and I don’t care, but for her kids to all be scattered in the first 3 rows to save seats for everyone else in the family boarding later on was ridiculous. I’m in the camp that if you want a good boarding position, pay for the more expensive tickets just like we did.

 

[Tink3815]

So we were on a flight yesterday from MCO back home and there was a lady that pre-boarded with 4 other people in her family. First she got an attitude with the man scanning the tickets because she was trying to pre-board with more than the 4 people he already allowed her to in the first place. So some of her family members stayed back and said they’d board in their original spot in line. DH and I were A31-32, then my BIL and SIL were something like A36-37. DH and I boarded and sat on the 4th row. When his brother boarded, we told them to sit right in front of us where there were two empty seats. One of the kids in the lady’s family told them that seat was saved. Well DH and I both popped up and said naw you can’t save seats. It’s open seating and they can sit there if they want to, so they did. Well the momma was getting all mad and telling her “those people can’t tell you what you can and can’t do on this plane and you shouldn’t have let them sit down.” Well first of all, like we told her, it’s open seating and if the seat is empty, anyone can sit there. Second of all, she already done caused a scene with the SWA employee when she was bringing all those people on board with her to hold even more seats so we knew what she was up to then. Third of all, we had a very short layover and needed to be able to get off the plane as fast as possible because our next gate was pretty far away from where we landed. And lastly, we paid for Anytime fares so that we knew we’d have a good boarding position and would be able to sit up closer to the front. I get so tired of people that think the rules don’t apply to them and people that take advantage of pre-boarding. Now I don’t know why she pre-boarded in the first place and I don’t care, but for her kids to all be scattered in the first 3 rows to save seats for everyone else in the family boarding later on was ridiculous. I’m in the camp that if you want a good boarding position, pay for the more expensive tickets just like we did.

Good for you, I am also tired of seeing people saving seats. Most people just walk by because they do not want aggravation if someone says they are saved. Southwest flight attendants need to make the open seating announcements more often and include “no saving seats."

 

[disneylover81]

Good for you, I am also tired of seeing people saving seats. Most people just walk by because they do not want aggravation if someone says they are saved. Southwest flight attendants need to make the open seating announcements more often and include “no saving seats."

I agree that they need to announce it more often and actually enforce it. I understand why they don’t so it doesn’t make any disruptions while boarding. And in a normal situation, I wouldn’t have probably said anything and just let them hold the seat, but it was just the way she caused the scene with the SWA employee from the start that already had me irritated with her feeling of “entitlement” and then having her teenage daughter saying something to my BIL. It just went all over me and enough was enough! I am a not a confrontational person at all so it was very out of character for me. Plus we were exhausted after being at WDW all weekend. It was my BIL and his wife’s first WDW trip and we squeezed 4 parks and MNSSHP into 3 days so they could get the full experience.

 

[EACarlson]

Southwest flight attendants need to make the open seating announcements more often and include “no saving seats."

They won't and never will. The official policy from Southwest is that they don't have a policy for or against saving seats. They aren't going to remove anyone from a seat, but aren't going to actively discourage people claiming seats are saved. If other customers want to acquiesce to the seats being saved, that's their decision and not a policy of the airline. It's really quite a bit of mental gymnastics, but once you understand it, it kind of makes sense for them. I'll sit in one of those "saved" seats if it's a seat I want, but it's only happened once in the 10 years I've been flying Southwest.

 

[Peaseblossom36]

Just checked in and got A38-40, we have early bird but it didn’t appear to do the check in. Glad I woke up early.

 

[EACarlson]

Just checked in and got A38-40, we have early bird but it didn’t appear to do the check in. Glad I woke up early.

Why do you think it didn't check in? A38-40 is incredibly good, is this an MCO route?

 

[Peaseblossom36]

Why do you think it didn't check in? A38-40 is incredibly good, is this an MCO route?

Because I hit the button to check in?

It is, from MCI. Im hoping everything goes as it should, the other three morning flights are full and this one still has seats in every fare showing.

 

[EACarlson]

Because I hit the button to check in?

It is, from MCI. Im hoping everything goes as it should, the other three morning flights are full and this one still has seats in every fare showing.

EBCI doesn't actually check you in, it reserves your boarding position at T-36. You still have to check in to claim that boarding position. No way you got those positions at T-24 on a route to MCO. And SW's operations at MCI, even though it is a hike and a half from security, is fairly large.

If you haven't been to the new airport yet, be warned the first bathrooms past security are all gender, traditional men's and women's rooms are further on.

 

[Peaseblossom36]

EBCI doesn't actually check you in, it reserves your boarding position at T-36. You still have to check in to claim that boarding position. No way you got those positions at T-24 on a route to MCO. And SW's operations at MCI, even though it is a hike and a half from security, is fairly large.

If you haven't been to the new airport yet, be warned the first bathrooms past security are all gender, traditional men's and women's rooms are further on.

That makes more sense. I haven’t flown since 2019 and before that it was 2004. We also didn’t care about boarding positions since we were just two adults so I don’t remember checking in at all.

Last time we flew there was one working stall in the women’s bathroom so as long as they work. I’ve heard a lot of positive things about the new airport, so I guess we’ll see. (Though I’m a bit grumpy there isn’t a Starbucks)

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

They won't and never will. The official policy from Southwest is that they don't have a policy for or against saving seats. They aren't going to remove anyone from a seat, but aren't going to actively discourage people claiming seats are saved. If other customers want to acquiesce to the seats being saved, that's their decision and not a policy of the airline. It's really quite a bit of mental gymnastics, but once you understand it, it kind of makes sense for them. I'll sit in one of those "saved" seats if it's a seat I want, but it's only happened once in the 10 years I've been flying Southwest.

They will announce people to move bags if they have them in the seat next to them but SWA leaves much of their stuff up to individual FAs so no actual official policy in SWAs part. I agree it works out. In all the flights we've flown and my husband has flown for work it's just never been an issue ever. It's not that you don't have what happened with the PP but is it enough of an issue for the airline to make a policy and then spend an inordinate amount of time enforcing it. I'm not sure if people realize the impact that would have on the flight pushback times if the FAs had to then step in and be intermediary for it all.the.time. As is people police themselves and it generally goes well. If SWA sees enough benefit to them to make a policy and then enforce it to the T they will so never say never.

 

[nekonekoneko]

Southwest flight attendants need to make the open seating announcements more often and include “no saving seats."

Flight attendants don't get paid until the door to the plane is closed. So the sooner they get everyone on board, the sooner they get to "clock in" So if not intervening means everyone gets into a seat faster, the won't intervene. If there's a problem, they'll break it up just so everyone can get into a seat quicker.

 

[disneylover81]

They won't and never will. The official policy from Southwest is that they don't have a policy for or against saving seats. They aren't going to remove anyone from a seat, but aren't going to actively discourage people claiming seats are saved. If other customers want to acquiesce to the seats being saved, that's their decision and not a policy of the airline. It's really quite a bit of mental gymnastics, but once you understand it, it kind of makes sense for them. I'll sit in one of those "saved" seats if it's a seat I want, but it's only happened once in the 10 years I've been flying Southwest.

I understand your point. This was our first time ever doing it also.

 

[disneylover81]

They will announce people to move bags if they have them in the seat next to them but SWA leaves much of their stuff up to individual FAs so no actual official policy in SWAs part. I agree it works out. In all the flights we've flown and my husband has flown for work it's just never been an issue ever. It's not that you don't have what happened with the PP but is it enough of an issue for the airline to make a policy and then spend an inordinate amount of time enforcing it. I'm not sure if people realize the impact that would have on the flight pushback times if the FAs had to then step in and be intermediary for it all.the.time. As is people police themselves and it generally goes well. If SWA sees enough benefit to them to make a policy and then enforce it to the T they will so never say never.

You are correct. It would be an issue if this was a common occurrence. We are normally on a direct flight so layovers aren’t really ever an issue for us and seating location isn’t that big a deal, but this particular flight with the short layover and those “saved seats” being on the third row, we took advantage of the open seating. The people never said anything to us only back and forth about us to each other, but I knew we did nothing wrong and it was our right to sit there so I didn’t feel bad about it at all. I’ve never seen it be an issue with anyone on any of our flights over the years. My sister’s husband buys EBCI for himself and not for her and saves her a seat every time. I tell her all the time it’s not right and they should just spend the $20 and get EBCI for her also. I just don’t get it. DH and I will always both get EBCI if buying WGA fares. But now we only buy Anytime fares which includes it.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

You are correct. It would be an issue if this was a common occurrence. We are normally on a direct flight so layovers aren’t really ever an issue for us and seating location isn’t that big a deal, but this particular flight with the short layover and those “saved seats” being on the third row, we took advantage of the open seating. The people never said anything to us only back and forth about us to each other, but I knew we did nothing wrong and it was our right to sit there so I didn’t feel bad about it at all. I’ve never seen it be an issue with anyone on any of our flights over the years. My sister’s husband buys EBCI for himself and not for her and saves her a seat every time. I tell her all the time it’s not right and they should just spend the $20 and get EBCI for her also. I just don’t get it. DH and I will always both get EBCI if buying WGA fares. But now we only buy Anytime fares which includes it.

Yeah sounds like those people were being super passive aggressive, I agree y'all didn't do anything wrong

 

[kristenrice]

When we fly with three of us (all adults), sometimes I will only purchase EBCI for 2 of us. Then we will sit aisle/window and "save" the middle seat for our third person. If someone REALLY wants the seat, so be it...but we've never had an issue with saving a middle seat. I don't feel the least bit guilty about saving a middle seat since nobody is typically scoping out a single middle seat.

 

[han22735]

When we fly with three of us (all adults), sometimes I will only purchase EBCI for 2 of us. Then we will sit aisle/window and "save" the middle seat for our third person. If someone REALLY wants the seat, so be it...but we've never had an issue with saving a middle seat. I don't feel the least bit guilty about saving a middle seat since nobody is typically scoping out a single middle seat.

We do this as well. Not sure I'd try and save 2 seats. But I'm gonna guess no one will sit in a middle seat unless they have no choice.

 

[AussieFan8]

Last time we flew there was one working stall in the women’s bathroom so as long as they work. I’ve heard a lot of positive things about the new airport, so I guess we’ll see. (Though I’m a bit grumpy there isn’t a Starbucks)

I love the new airport - more than enough bathrooms to go around. And interestingly enough, we noticed that men tend to go right in the gender neutral bathroom and women to the left. I didn't notice the first time and was on the right side with all men, but it didn't bother me, especially because the stalls go to the floor anyway. And they're huge! Big improvement.