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Saving Seats

hockeydiva
Adventurer B

SW has locked the last thread on seat saving, so I will start a new one.

 

As someone who often pays for a higher boarding position, SW needs to adopt some common sense rules about what "open seating" means.

 

I would not be complaining at all if I'd only experienced people saving the ONE seat next to them for a later boarding companion--that would be a middle seat if they are in an aisle or window seat.

 

But that is not what happens.

On one recent flight--one that we were told was fully booked--someone on the aisle was saving the window seat for a work companion who was boarding later. I told him I wanted the window (it was the only window seat for many rows.) If they wanted to sit together, the window seat was not going to help him on this flight.

The 2nd recent occurance was even worse. I was boarding in the early As with my 7 year old. One row seemed unoccupied except for a jacket on the aisle seat. I was going to move it as it did not seem to belong to anyone, when a guy one row back on the other side said he was saving it for a a friend boarding "right" behind me [it was more like 30 people after me.]

When I said "you can't save seats", he yelled "I fly this f-ing flight every week, so f. you." 

So much for fellow passengers being polite.

Again, he was not trying to sit next to this later-boarding friend. He was saving his friend some money--his friend got to take advantage of an earlier boarding number without paying for the privilege.

If SW won't implement some common sense restrictions [like, each passenger can save one seat next to them], then I guess I should undercut their system by saving 10+ seats near the front and selling them for $5/each. I'll sell them to "C" boarders before I get on.

Or just enforce that "open seating" means you can take any unoccupied seat. If that passenger is not on the plane, the seat is open.

Flying is stressful enought without getting cursed at by fellow passengers.

47 REPLIES 47

Re: Saving Seats

SManry
Explorer C

I agree. People who want to sit together should board together, at the latest boarding position between them. I, too, tire of people saving seats for someone who would normally board in the 50's when I've paid for early boarding and should be able to select any seat that doesn't have a rear-end in it.

Re: Saving Seats

chgoflyer
Aviator A

Southwest, sadly, doesn't take these comments seriously. They'll say they do, that they "take them to heart," but that's just copied-and-pasted marketing spiel. People have been complaining about this for years now, and compromises have been suggested. But nothing is going to change, because their boarding systems "works for them."

 

I fear the current "not a policy" policy will lead to an in-cabin altercation, much like the ones recently in the news. Except this will be passenger vs passenger, allowing Southwest to deny culpability.

 

Without a common-sense policy in place, eventually, they'll be forced to move to assigned seating (like all other carriers) as the solution to this and the other issues (preboarding abuse, etc.) their system creates. 😞

 

Re: Saving Seats

chris535355
Explorer B

Hello All,

 

I thought I should clear this up on behalf os southwest in the nicest way possible, because they won't want to be rude in there response. So the policy is very FAIR. If I am a southwest A-list preferred member because I fly over 50 flights a year, and in some cases over 100 flights. Then when I travel with my family whom is not A-List, and get B and C boarding positions, how is it unfair for me to save them a seat? The people that are complaining are those that buy the Wanna Get Away fare and have 7 people and expect to sit next to each other. How about next time one of you get the early bird check-in for $15 and save seats yourself? I refuse to sit in the front while my family gets stuck in the back because I can't save a seat for them. And guess what?? If you don't like it then next time fly Spirit... Please and Thanks!

 

P.S. I'm sorry for sounding mean but seriously if you spend $200,000+ a year on southwest airfare, then yes I will be saving seats for my family so that we can all sit together. You can do the same by paying $15. You might as well email United and tell them its not fair for people to book first class tickets because you feel inferior.

 

Your Truly,

A Southwest Loyalist

Re: Saving Seats

jmcmd
Adventurer C

I pay early bird each time and expect to be able to occupy any open seat.  Saving one for a spouse or travel companion is tolerable, not for an entire family or travel party, be reasonable!

Re: Saving Seats

chris535355
Explorer B

But again your still not A-List preferred. You don't fly 100+ flights a year like some of us do on Southwest. Not to mention I buy the Business Select ticket and get A1 or A2. You can't expect to get the same services by spending $15 as someone who spends $200,000+ a year. Sorry 😞

Re: Saving Seats

jmcmd
Adventurer C

A list gets you free Wifi and A 1-15 boarding but not the ability to write your own rules.

Re: Saving Seats

Sickofstupidity
Explorer A

 Why shouldn't people get the same treatment? I'm sorry I work just as hard as you do for my money and believe my quality of life is just as important as yours. I didn't realize SW was an elitist Airline and that the rest of us sorry folks should just bow down to to you because you travel more frequently. So you must think if you eat at a particular restaurant more than I do that you should be seated first or go to the front of the line? What kind of world is this?

Re: Saving Seats

jmcmd
Adventurer C

I agree, how does this poster know what the fellow passengers he is preventing from sitting in a seat he saved has paid for their ticket or what "level" they are at.  Sense of entitlement!

Re: Saving Seats

jmcmd
Adventurer C

How do you know what the person wanting the seat you saved has paid?