Southwest new boarding **new info**

[Tara8595]

**********************new info - read my post here: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=236025&perpage=15&pagenumber=3

Has anyone flown Southwest since the new boarding pass procedure has been implemented? How hard was it to get an 'A' ticket? Anyone know how many tickets are at each check-in location?

I'm really upset about this new procedure. I get motion sick if not sitting in the front of the plane. I used to have to just be one of the first 30 to get a ticket to board first, now I'll have to be one of the first 10 or 15 at whatever point I check in. Either that or run to the different locations asking if they have any 'A' tickets left. I don't understand why they can't just pull from the first 30 at any given location, but SW customer service told me that they definitely have a set number at each location to give out. What a mess. I don't understand how not assigning seats saves SW money. I like low fares, but I like knowing where I'm sitting ahead of time.

Tara

 

[Lewisc]

I was sitting next to an executive from SW. By not assigning seats people get to the airport earlier. That enables the planes to leave on time (or early). I don't remember the actual numbers but SW turns around the planes in about 1/2 hour which is considerably less than industry average. The quicker turn around allows many planes to run 1 extra flight a day which is what enables them to be profitable with low fares.

 

[moosebug]

From my understanding it is done by computer not 3 different places share 30 A tickets. Is this correct? IF not I am going to be upset if DH and I don't get to sit together!!!

 

[moosebug]

Especially for our honeymoon!

 

[Tara8595]

Q. Will boarding passes still be issued on a first-come, first-served basis?

A. A specific number of boarding passes from each boarding group will be available at each of the three checkin locations. At each checkin location, the allocated boarding passes will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis until 20 minutes prior to scheduled departure, at which time, all remaining boarding passes will be available only at the Departure Gate.
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I called Southwest to confirm this procedure and the man said that the website was correct. *Each* checkin location has a *specific* number of passes from each group. So, if you care about where you sit, you have to get there even earlier now than you did before, and yes, I guess there'd be a chance that one person could get an 'A' pass and another get a 'B' - of course, if that happens, the 'A' person could just get on and hold a seat for your travel partner.

Does anyone know what the allocations are between skycap/ticketing/departure gates?

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Does anyone know what the allocations are between skycap/ticketing/departure gates?

It is an equal distribution, but, no one knows how many.

 

[~Magical Princess~]

Just wonderin' if you have children - does that mean you cannot board first like before? Or are we that have children still allowed for "pre-boarding" ?

 

[Lewisc]

Preboarding is the same, families with children under 5.

 

[moosebug]

I wa just at the SWA ticket counter today buying tickets...I feel i hould have been told about this new policy. Rats...I am goinf to be hanging around the front of the line when they hand these out!!!

 

[padisneyfan]

We flew on SW in June. On our trip down it was the old boarding system. On our return trip it was the new system. We checked in greater than 90 minutes so could not get them at the check in counter. So we walked back to the boarding area. By the time we got there it was now less than 90 minutes. The computer gives you the boarding passes. There were four in our party and we did not even has consective numbers. My DH had an A ticket (he had like number 48) and the rest of us had B tickets (numbers greater then 60). There was only one person issuing tickets at the counter. So I don't think each area is giving out seperate tickets. I think the system has to be all connected how else would we have not gotten consective numbers on our boarding passes. I figure between the type she punched in the information for my DH and then the rest of us, someone at another location got the numbers in betweens. Hope this makes sense. DH boarded first and saved me a seat next to him. My teenage sons sat near us. Yes, people with small children continue to board first along with people with disabilities.

Nancy

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

moosebug
Why? Imagine the amount of time it would take for someone to explain that to everyone who buys a ticket. The policy, I am sure, is on your ticket. I know it is on mine.

 

[moosebug]

Actually no Gail its not. its not even on the wrap around thing. I was just showing my disappointment on this policy.

 

[Lewisc]

Moosbug--Most people find the new policy an improvement. You only have to wait on one line to check your baggage and get a boarding pass. You might even have a problem with a carrier that assigns seats, a flight or equipment change may cancel out your assigned seats. If you get to the airport 90 minutes early you should be able to get an A or B ticket, if you get a B ticket line up by the gate right away so you're one of the first B's to board.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

moosebug
I guess I understand, but, as Lewis said, it will be a large improvement.

 

[LoriR]

We just flew Southwest. We used curbside check-in each time. Unfortunately, we arrived too early and could not receive our boarding pass curbside. You have to be within a 90 minute window for this, so we had to hurry down to the gate to get our passes. Out of Baltimore we got A passes, but on return from Orlando, we got B's. We got in the boarding line as soon as other people started lining up (which was before the plane even landed!) and managed to get seats together. Next time, we'll try to check in right after the 90 minute mark so we don't have to rush to the gate so fast!! By the way, we didn't experience lines at security at all!

 

[trip]

Help me understand. If your party has children 5 and under it doesn't matter what boarding pass ( A, B, C) you get because the whole party will get to pre-board. Is this right?

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

That is correct.

 

[dznyfan40]

I have to fly (emphasis on "have to", with an evil look towards dh) SW verrrry soon, and this is my plan (Please someone tell me if it won't work):

with dh, ds, and young daughter (but over age 5...but I CANNOT have her sit without dad or mom). I figured I'd plan to be in line at the curbside skycap 100 minutes before flight time. There's always a line there, so if I'm 10 mins. early, that should cover the time it takes for the people in front of me to check in for their flights, right? And, if there is no one in front of me (haha) I'll just loiter until the 90 minute mark.

Anybody have any suggestions or comments on the plan?

Crossing my fingers & toes,
Beth

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

If you are curbing your luggage and actually tipping the sky cap, that should be fine, but, realize they are randomly passed out, so there is NO guarantee that you will get "A" tickets.
Personally, I think it is rather gauche to use the skycaps and make them miss tips for this reason. (not pointing a findger at you. ). If you don't curb your luggage why not just line up 100 minutes ahead inside.
Most of the time people are really nice and I doubt you would have to make your child sit alone. People will move to accomodate, trust me.

 

[dznyfan40]

Thanks, Gail. Don't get me wrong, I am never "gauche".
Maybe I wasn't clear. In the past is, we check our bags at curbside (and tip skycap), then went to the gate to get the boarding pass. I thought that now the skycap outside would also give us our boarding pass? What I thought was we could just get to the curbside check in 100 mins early, that would factor 10 mins of waiting for the people in front of (some of whom would not be on my particular flight), and hopefully we'd get in group A or B...I know there are no guarantees.

As for people giving up their seats to let parents & kids sit together: on our last trip I saw an ugly scene on the plane when some late boarders had to let their under 10 year old child sit alone. When the passenger complained to the FA, her response was a curt, "everybody wants to sit with their kids, there's nothing I can do," No one on board volunteered to make arrangements, so don't want this to happen to us.