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Re: A list preferred getting B group positions

bgshap
Explorer B

absolutely - this first happened to me on Thursday ... I could have checked in manually since then. They should allow A-List Preferred and A-List to board right after any that have the A-Group before the rest of the people

Re: A list preferred getting B group positions

Yessam
Explorer B

I had a customer service rep try to upsell me on the phone tonight.

Re: A list preferred getting B group positions

Yessam
Explorer B

So the first report of this BP issue on this disucssion board was 10Aug, but tonight 14Aug at 8:10 Central Time SWA RR decides to fess up in an email. Warning me to manually login for my boarding pass for my flight tomorrow at 5:20pm. "Nice", I am B33.
I called customer support and was told my only option to board where I was supposed to be boarding was for me to buy a business select fare.

Two questions for the soon-to-be former VP of Customer Service,
1. Really, your only solution for the mess is to upsell the customer base?
2. Why did you decide to wait so late to send the message to your very best customers?

I love the good people at Southwest, but it is clear there are some bad apples. Apparently some people at Southwest do not "care" and so the people in the "offices" running Southwest no longer understand "IT" or "Customer Service". Maybe it's time for some changes in the office.

Until then for some mid-level managers looking to move up here are some solutions that should have been initiated when the issue was first terminated.
1. email issues early
2. a free drink coupon for all A listers
3. 1000 extra points

Re: A list preferred getting B group positions

hockeydiva
Adventurer B

I wondered why I had gotten a C and a B60 boarding position on my flights last Saturday. Wasn't until I looked at the boarding pass that I saw my A-list was not printed. Got in line with 3 other people with the same issue.

 

There were TONS of families on this flight, and the gate agent was about to call everyone at the same time between A and B--families, A-List, etc.

 

I was luckily near the gate, but one guy with three kids (may or may not have been young enough for family boarding) pushed his way in front of everyone.

Then once I had boarded, it was already VERY full, and the seats we wanted were being saved by  a guy who was trying to save 3 seats--a window and middle in consecutive rows (he had one of the 4 seats for himself.)

I wasn't sure we'd find what we wanted much closer, so my son and I sat in the two aisle seats--and the "kids" he was saving seats for appeared to be 18+ (older than my kid.)

I'm reaching my limit with the seating chaos. It was so nice two weeks ago to cash in my Business Select ticket two hours before flight time for a MUCH cheaper, first class seat on a direct flight to my destination.

This is my third year as A-List and second as CP. Trying to decide whether to fly enough to qualify for one more year to see if anything improves.

Re: A list preferred getting B group positions

bgshap
Explorer B

I travelled this morning as B33. The boarding between A & B was civil though busy. The Southwest staff was understanding, apologetic, and outgoing. I was even offered a voucher for the inconvenience. Tonight I will check in manualy 24 hours before my return flight.

Re: A list preferred getting B group positions

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

@bgshap I'm curious what was said/offered about a voucher. Can you provide more details? 

 

Thanks

Re: A list preferred getting B group positions

bgshap
Explorer B

the agent I spoke with was very outgoing ... a trainer, not a conventional gate agent. I explained/reiterated the problem/glitch and the fact that it first happened to me last Thursday. I mentioned that SWA just acknowledged it yesterday, and if they'd have done that sooner, I would have checked in 24 hours before the flight to get a better boarding position.

 

Subsequently, my boarding pass printed (from home) without a bar code which caused a hiccup at the security line. While he reprinted the boarding pass, he also printed a voucher which he offered to me for my inconveniences. 

Re: A list preferred getting B group positions

bgshap
Explorer B

I received an email earlier from SWA offering 3000 points added to my account for the inconvenience of not receiving the tier level boarding that I should have.

 

Also, I just checked in for a flight tomorrow. I did it right at 24hrs prior and received A18. The boarding pass also has A-List Preferred on it which was missing from the previous boarding passes that were issued automatically. 

 

I'm hoping that this means the issude has been resolved.

Re: A list preferred getting B group positions

JohnnyNashville
Explorer C

A list tickets are issued 72 hours before flight. If you purchase within 24 hours you will be issued a B or C ticket.

 

Johnny

( I am not a employee of Southwest, just a multi-year Companion Pass holder)

Re: A list preferred getting B group positions

chgoflyer
Aviator A

@JohnnyNashville wrote:

A list tickets are issued 72 hours before flight. If you purchase within 24 hours you will be issued a B or C ticket.

 

Johnny

( I am not a employee of Southwest, just a multi-year Companion Pass holder)


A-List boarding positions are assigned 36 hours prior to departure. If you purchase a ticket (or make a flight change) within that time, you won't be checked in automatically. At manual check in, you will be assigned the next available position, which can be A, B or C. If you receive a B or C position, you can always board between group A and B.

 

This thread was discussing the recent IT "glitch", which caused A-Listers to lose their status on their reservations, and not be checked in automatically.