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Re: EBCI

chgoflyer
Aviator A

@SWDigits wrote:

@Lmkel68 wrote:

I was disappointed with my EBCI, I guess I should have done it after my purchase, A59 and B6 coming back


Thinking out loud: I wonder if Southwest would ever consider putting a limit on the number of EBCI slots sold for each flight (similar to Business Select/Upgraded Boarding)?  In an extreme case if everyone were to make the purchase then it would decrease the useful value though I guess Southwest is far from that scenario.  Placing a cap could potentially encourage some folks who are on the fence to make the purchase.


 

That's unlikely. EBCI exists solely as a profit center for Southwest. That's why it was designed. It generates in excess of $350 million annually, and that revenue increases year-over-year. It's been a huge success for the carrier.

 

Southwest would love it if everyone on the plane elligible would buy EBCI. But they do realize that would generate customer dissatisfaction for those who receive late B and C positions. So they effectively manage the number of EBCI's sold per flight by increasing the price whenever sales get over saturated. And now the price varies by route. When announced, EBCI was $10 per flight, now it's as much as $25 one-way. This practice helps keep the number sold to an "acceptable" level (meaning generally filling As and often reaching into the low-mid Bs), which helps keep revenues high and customer disappointment "acceptable." Southwest has also stopped touting the boarding position benefits of EBCI and now focuses on check-in convenience, and the FAQ has always stated that EBCI guarantees no specific boarding position.

 

If anything, I suspect in the future we'll see increased complexity added to EBCI pricing, as pricing levels (as a percentage of average fare) reach maximum potential.

Re: EBCI

SWDigits
Aviator A

@scott414 curious to know, did you hear back?  Thanks in advance!


Customer | Home airport DCA

Re: EBCI

cpgdude
Explorer C

I don’t buy the ECBI but I check in exactly 24 hours before my flight and usually get a good boarding position. Last time I was able to get B3 on my flight from Atlanta to Cleveland