SW changing to dynamic pricing for Early Bird?

[Shanti]

Good thing we don't care if we sit together or not. Haven't ever quite figure out the big deal. We live in the same house 365 days a year. We are on vacation together when we reach our destination. We can manage a flight apart.

I'd much rather sit next to my companion than next to some random stranger who might be inconsiderate or annoying.

 

[AngiTN]

I'd much rather sir next to my companion rather than next to some random stranger who might be inconsiderate or annoying.

Well, I'd RATHER sit next to DH but I'm not going to pay more to ensure I do it
In over 15 trips I've never NOT sat next to him
Just not the end of the world of I don't.
It's why they made noise-cancelling earphones

 

[Shanti]

Well, I'd RATHER sit next to DH but I'm not going to pay more to ensure I do it
In over 15 trips I've never NOT sat next to him
Just not the end of the world of I don't.
It's why they made noise-cancelling earphones

I guess I'm thinking more about space hoggers. I've had to sit next to a few of those lately. Really, would it kill someone to let the poor person in the middle seat have an armrest?

I get that it's not worth it to everyone. My son and I don't get that much relaxing time togther in day-to-day life (shared custody, I'm a classroom teacher, & he has hours of homework per night), so for us it's more than worth the price.

I hope the dynamic pricing cuts down on the number of people who use Early Bird, so those of us who keep using it will get better placement. I have no fear of seat savers, so that's a non-issue for me.

 

[Rich M]

Southwest needs to just have a clear cut stance on saving seats that they need to enforce. I shouldn't have to worry about the convertation

 

[monarchsfan16]

I think this is probably in response to increased demand for EBCI. I had Early Bird 2 weeks ago on a sold out flight from MHT-MCO. Admittedly, I bought it about a week before my flight, and EBCI position is based on when you buy it. I had had B29 as my boarding position. And there were EBCI purchasers after me in line. The last time EBCI started getting really popular, we saw a price increase. Looks like we are seeing one again, based on demand. And yes, I will be buying it for all of my scheduled flights (ouch), before the 29th.

 

[Rich M]

I think this is probably in response to increased demand for EBCI. I had Early Bird 2 weeks ago on a sold out flight from MHT-MCO. Admittedly, I bought it about a week before my flight, and EBCI position is based on when you buy it. I had had B29 as my boarding position. And there were EBCI purchasers after me in line. The last time EBCI started getting really popular, we saw a price increase. Looks like we are seeing one again, based on demand. And yes, I will be buying it for all of my scheduled flights (ouch), before the 29th.

I would gladly pay more if less people will do it.

 

[NJ Goofy]

I think to get EBCI, everyone on your reservation should have to buy it. Now I know you could buy all your tickets on separate reservations, but at least it may cut down the seat saving a little. Also, as PP have said, everyone that purchases EBCI should board before family boarding. The reason we always get it is because we had a gate attendant at PHL let on every family at the gate during family boarding, he was picking people to board that weren't even in line to board.

 

[EscalatorKid]

I've never paid for ECBI and in all these years, I've only gotten screwed once in Baltimore. (And that was because it was already a loaded plane/connecting flight.)

I've only ever saved a single seat and it was to let my sister catch up with me and my best friend (who usually does preboarding due to her disability, and I'm her helper.) The three of us travel together, or it's two of us on the same reservation and there's no issue.

I hear a lot of talk about people trolling seat savers, but I've never had it happen to me or even seen an instance of it, and I fly on a fairly regular basis. If someone wants to sit there so badly, they're just going to love flying with the fat, gassy girl who is going to lean over them to talk loudly to her other travel companion for the duration of the flight. No amount of noise-cancelling headphones or eye masks will make me less annoying to someone who is going to be intentionally annoying to me. (Then again, it's a completely hypothetical scenario because whenever someone asks if this seat is taken and I say "I'm sorry, but yes, my companion is coming behind you." The response is, "Oh, okay, thank you!" and they move on. Especially if the boarding position is in the A or early B level, which it almost always is.)

 

[Rich M]

I've never paid for ECBI and in all these years, I've only gotten screwed once in Baltimore. (And that was because it was already a loaded plane/connecting flight.)

I've only ever saved a single seat and it was to let my sister catch up with me and my best friend (who usually does preboarding due to her disability, and I'm her helper.) The three of us travel together, or it's two of us on the same reservation and there's no issue.

I hear a lot of talk about people trolling seat savers, but I've never had it happen to me or even seen an instance of it, and I fly on a fairly regular basis. If someone wants to sit there so badly, they're just going to love flying with the fat, gassy girl who is going to lean over them to talk loudly to her other travel companion for the duration of the flight. No amount of noise-cancelling headphones or eye masks will make me less annoying to someone who is going to be intentionally annoying to me. (Then again, it's a completely hypothetical scenario because whenever someone asks if this seat is taken and I say "I'm sorry, but yes, my companion is coming behind you." The response is, "Oh, okay, thank you!" and they move on. Especially if the boarding position is in the A or early B level, which it almost always is.)

Most times people aren't looking to sit in a middle seat if they are boarding in A or B group so your probably safe the majority of the time but if someone insisted to sit between the two of you then I guess it serves them right to have to put up with your kind of antics. Although they paid to get on the flight just as you did and deserves to be able to enjoy there flight without being by a fellow passenger because your trying to save a seat for your sister who doesn't want to pay for the EBCI.

 

[EscalatorKid]

Most times people aren't looking to sit in a middle seat if they are boarding in A or B group so your probably safe the majority of the time but if someone insisted to sit between the two of you then I guess it serves them right to have to put up with your kind of antics. Although they paid to get on the flight just as you did and deserves to be able to enjoy there flight without being by a fellow passenger because your trying to save a seat for your sister who doesn't want to pay for the EBCI.

None of us have ever bought ECBI. So it isn't a case of "One Buys, Three take advantage." Usually, we all check in 24 hours exact and due to device/internet connection and/or not being on the same reservation, sometimes, we can be a few numbers away from one another. I've almost always been in A or early B.

And like I said, when we travel in a group of three, I'm helping my disabled friend find a row comfortable for her, and only one of us can go with her to assist. The rest of the party has to wait, which is fine. It's not like I'm hogging an entire three rows; it's a single seat in the group of three. (Or one single seat if it's just my sister and I and our numbers are different.

 

[nkereina]

Why would anyone stand in the family boarding line if they had bought early boarding?

Because if the early boarding got them a B position, like you received, it makes more sense for them to board during family boarding since all those people will board before the B group.

I think the new pricing will result in fewer purchases of EBCI, but agree that likely means more seat savers when only one person in the party purchases it.

Since Southwest has no seat saving policy, those who sit down in someone's saved seat are well within their right. But by the same token, since there is no policy, those saving seats are within their right too. I just know that if there are still open seats, I wouldn't want to take someone's spouse or traveling companion seat when its just as easy for me to sit elsewhere. I also wouldn't want to sit next to someone who's annoyed at me and have tension the whole flight.

 

[Rich M]

None of us have ever bought ECBI. So it isn't a case of "One Buys, Three take advantage." Usually, we all check in 24 hours exact and due to device/internet connection and/or not being on the same reservation, sometimes, we can be a few numbers away from one another. I've almost always been in A or early B.

And like I said, when we travel in a group of three, I'm helping my disabled friend find a row comfortable for her, and only one of us can go with her to assist. The rest of the party has to wait, which is fine. It's not like I'm hogging an entire three rows; it's a single seat in the group of three. (Or one single seat if it's just my sister and I and our numbers are different.

But with you helping your disabled friend (Very cool of you for doing that BTW) you are actually boarding the plane prior so you have no need for A or B group?

 

[EscalatorKid]

But with you helping your disabled friend (Very cool of you for doing that BTW) you are actually boarding the plane prior so you have no need for A or B group?

I don't, but I still check in.

Only one other person in the party can board with her, so it's other travel companions that get stuck behind in the A/B boarding groups. For me, it's usually only one person who is behind waiting in line.

Like I said, nobody ever really makes anything of it. It's not a big deal and most people would be and are perfectly understanding. It's only the outliers who'd be obnoxious about it.

 

[Rich M]

I don't, but I still check in.

Only one other person in the party can board with her, so it's other travel companions that get stuck behind in the A/B boarding groups. For me, it's usually only one person who is behind waiting in line.

Like I said, nobody ever really makes anything of it. It's not a big deal and most people would be and are perfectly understanding. It's only the outliers who'd be obnoxious about it.

Understood. Thank you for the clarification

 

[DJT]

If you purchased ECBI and are on a flight that is not a nonstop, and you must change planes, how is that handled? Do you get to use your ECBI number for your connecting flight when you change planes?

 

[mom2rtk]

If you purchased ECBI and are on a flight that is not a nonstop, and you must change planes, how is that handled? Do you get to use your ECBI number for your connecting flight when you change planes?

EBCI checks you in for both legs of your flight for the single charge.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

Just purchased our EBCI for our November trip. Had to get in before the price increase. I don't mind sitting separated but DD really wants to sit next to me during the flight. If we were traveling as a party of 4 I wouldn't have purchased EBCI.

 

[sam_gordon]

If you purchased ECBI and are on a flight that is not a nonstop, and you must change planes, how is that handled? Do you get to use your ECBI number for your connecting flight when you change planes?

You will get a different boarding number for the second leg. Actually, I guess technically it can be the same number, but odds are it will be different.

 

[Rich M]

We just currently got non stop flights from local airports on Southwest to Orlando so I am hoping that the flights is actually starting at my airport and not having a bunch of people already on the plane when I get on. So far I have checked many different combinations and so far it seems that flights from Southern California that connect with my flight have to change planes so I like that aspect but just wonder how many of them folks have EBCI and if there number will be before ours.