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Re: Saving Seats

dnsears
Explorer B

Did you see where United airlines is now raising their baggage fees? Southwest does not charge for baggage fees and we are all happy for that. I don’t see were that many people would be upset if Southwest said “no more seat saving”.  You can buy a business select seat or pay for early bird boarding for everyone.  That would only make it fair to the people have paid more for their ticket to try to get a seat where they would like. My husband and I always pay for earlybird boarding for each one of us and yes I can go put her back in the plane to find two seats together. However, after paying for earlybird boarding I may not want to walk farther back because of people saving seats.  As long as Southwest is not charging for baggage I think most of their flyers would appreciate people not being allowed to save seats. While I realize paying for earlybird boarding for your entire group will cost a little more you are not paying baggage fees and you are not having to pay extra for certain seats.

Re: Saving Seats

RSH_Houston
Adventurer C

Welcome!

 

I agree, very few would be offended, because the quantity of those with the audacity to do so is small, but never the less, a problem

 

Not sure where you like to sit, if it's just up close to the front and together EB may be enough. If it's the front row, that will more than likely go to the wheelchair bound and the self-entitled pre-boards (rampant abuse), regardless of what you do or buy. Also your purse (and all carry-ons) have to go in the overhead. Another newbie just posted earlier about the importance of not relinquishing control of hers except at the demand of an Air Marshall (lol), truth is the crew has the same authority, so the front rows are absolutely out for her.

 

If it's on the wing, my preference, try upgrading at the gate ($30-$40 per flight segment, but a steal if you have bought your tickets early at a very low WGA). Gate upgrades board you somewhere in the first 15 (actually a BS seat assignment).  A little secret some of us use after we have reached ALP, or ALPC and no longer want to spend the BS money, use a Voucher, or we want to dump a few points instead. We already have the equivalent of pre-early bird check-in.

 

You can ask what the "through" count (how many people are already on the plane, continuing on) is. I've been on a flight with as many as 40, rare, but oddly was still able to get "my" "work" seat on the wing (11B, which gives the the extra work space of the tray table on the back of seat 10A). If it is low or it yours is an originating flight you stand a better chance.  Also inquire about the about "load" (how many total seats are booked for the flight).  There are 47 middle seats on the 700, of 143 seats, and 58 middle seats on the 800, of 178 seats. Do the math and you can figure the odds of sitting together if you just want to go cheap. 

 

Safe travels, Darlin'

 

 

Re: Saving Seats

seatsavingego
Explorer C

Most people are just whining about this. If you think you can move my belongings to take a seat I've saved, watch out. You wont be too happy with the rest of the flight.

Re: Saving Seats

PaulaO
Explorer C

But don't feel bad if someone else decides not to respect your attemp to essentially steal from them.

Re: Saving Seats

seatsavingego
Explorer C

My purse is more important than anything else that boards the plane. I'm not moving my purse unless the air marshal makes me.

Re: Saving Seats

RSH_Houston
Adventurer C

Really?

 

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot?

 

I probably responded to this same comment in the past, but reading it again infuriates me.

 

Simple, board with them, or all of you buy BS tickets. Why should I have to yield my BS seat to you and your group of WGA purchasers, or to someone who buys a Gate Upgrade and their group of WGA purchasers.

 

What makes you feel so entitled? Being an AL or an ALP? You earned and paid for, I might mention, your seating statues. they didn't, or odds are you would all be sitting together.

 

Roger

Re: Saving Seats

dfwskier
Aviator A

@RSH_Houston wrote:

 

Simple, board with them, or all of you buy BS tickets. Why should I have to yield my BS seat to you and your group of WGA purchasers, or to someone who buys a Gate Upgrade and their group of WGA purchasers.

 

 

Roger


Roger, you will NEVER find a WGA purchaser board in front of you. Preboarders board first, and then BS.      

 

Now. if the flight is a continuation flight, then some people people that remained on the plane might take better seats before you board. Or maybe they were already in them when they got to your departure city.

Re: Saving Seats

RSH_Houston
Adventurer C

Yes, I'm quite aware of how the system works, having probably over a thousand SWA flight segments under my belt, and a RR# in the mid six digits. Shared more than one flight, and drank more than a few drinks with Mr. Kellerher, as I did much business out of Houston in the Dallas and San Antonio markets. He gravitated toward the lounges in the old 737's. Even smoked a few cigarettes with him up on the flight deck after the ban on smoking.

 

To the point, however, you missed my point totally. The WGA purchasers would be the ones for which you are saving seats. I see this done quite regularly and this is why I am so passionate about banning the saving of seats.

 

And as you mentioned, the "throughs", jumping into these seats, is equally a problem that can be overcome by simply deplaning everyone and re-boarding.

 

And just so you know, most FAs, and I know many, are in agreement with my feelings.

 

Perhaps another method would be simply affording BS purchasers the option of reserved seating, as we know how to minimize carry-on, board and deplane quickly, and as such, would not hinder the rapid turns for which SWA used to be so famous. Another method would be to hold the first two rows and the wing rows for BS. which, consider, iwould not affect many pre-board, most self-entitled to sit in the third row and back. It would help relieve that problem as well.  Exceptions could be made for the wheel chair bound, and that "problem" could equally be resolved by not allowing them to deplane in any way other than a wheelchair AND after the rest of the passengers have deplaned. I know FA's who insist if you came on in a wheel chair you leave in a wheelchair. 

 

I assure you, you seat saving feelings will not win a lot of fans amongst most FFs or FAs.

 

R. 

 

 

Re: Saving Seats

dfwskier
Aviator A

@dfwskier wrote:

@RSH_Houston wrote:

 

Simple, board with them, or all of you buy BS tickets. Why should I have to yield my BS seat to you and your group of WGA purchasers, or to someone who buys a Gate Upgrade and their group of WGA purchasers.

 

 

Roger


Roger, you will NEVER find a WGA purchaser board in front of you. Preboarders board first, and then BS.      

 

Now. if the flight is a continuation flight, then some people people that remained on the plane might take better seats before you board. Or maybe they were already in them when they got to your departure city.


Roger, you missed my point. You said "why should I (a BS purchser) let a WGA purchaser get   the seat I want."  I said "Preboarders board first. Then BS purchasers. Then everyone else" Since you will board BEFORE EVERY WGA puchaser,   please explain how WGAs are impacting your seat selection.

 

As far as throughs go, how do you know that they  didn't simply stay  in their seats once they arrived at your departure city. Some may very well been BS purchasers like you. Further they DID board before you, and per SW rules, pax choose whatever seas are available when they board the plane."

 

As far as SW experience goes, like you I am a long term SW customer. FIrst flght: March,1978.  RR #:  low 200,000ands.

 

If you don't like the polcy, let the airlne know:

 

https://www.southwestaircommunity.com/t5/Knowledge-Base/Submitting-a-Suggestion-and-or-Complaint/ta-...

Re: Saving Seats

RSH_Houston
Adventurer C

Perhaps I am missing something here...

 

Consider this scenario - you purchase a BS for yourself and purchase cheap WGA tickets for the rest of your party, or as an even better example, let's say, just your significant other.  You board before I do, because you purchased your BS ticket before I purchased mine, and sit in 11B on a 700, saving 11C. The reason you choose 11B and 11C is the load count is high and this row assures you no one else sits to either side of the two of you, and neither of you has to sit in a center seat with the third seat occupied. Good choice and popular with FF couples.

 

Now, where the issue comes in, you wouldn't have necessarily taken this seat if you weren't playing the seat saving game, because with your significant other boarding late, you may find yourselves not sitting together at all. And you have taken my preferred seat when I fly and am working! The extra desk space afforded by the tray table on the back of 10A, and often the extra under seat storage freeing up the under seat area in front of 11B. This scenario has played out before me on a number of occasions. 

 

I fly field employees with me occasionally, buy them the cheapest tickets available, they don't have any desire to RR, and the one time I bought one a gate upgrade he sat in a generic seat of no significant consequence. I would not even think about "saving" any of them a seat. And on the very rare occasion I fly my wife, I buy her a BS so we board and sit together. (Yes, I stop buying BS every year when I reach ALP status, and then buy WGA with cash, points, or vouchers, doing the gate upgrade to still board with BS)

 

I have read many of your posts about various and assorted issues, and am impressed by your contribution to the community. You, like myself are obviously quite intelligent, well spoken, and well read.  As such, with you as an experienced and frequent SW flyer, I can only wonder the true agenda of your defense of the practice.

 

That argument aside, I'm sure we could share some great SW stories, from days gone by!

 

Safe travels, my friend!