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We purchased earlybird checkin and when we got on the plane, thepeople that didnt got better seats.

bmwfarms
Explorer C
 
8 REPLIES 8

Re: We purchased earlybird checkin and when we got on the plane, thepeople that didnt got better sea

bmwfarms
Explorer C

We bought the early bird to get good seats but they let the other groups on in the back of the plane before we got on. We was held up because of the wheel chairs which was understandable but the B and C group should of been held up also, we could get the seat we paid for but ended up sitting in the back of plane. This was a waste of time and money.

Re: We purchased earlybird checkin and when we got on the plane, thepeople that didnt got better sea

DancingDavidE
Aviator A

@bmwfarms wrote:

We bought the early bird to get good seats but they let the other groups on in the back of the plane before we got on. We was held up because of the wheel chairs which was understandable but the B and C group should of been held up also, we could get the seat we paid for but ended up sitting in the back of plane. This was a waste of time and money.


Were you flying from Burbank? I have heard to use the rear entry door there with pre-boards coming in the front entry.

 

 

Home airport MDW, frequent visitor to MCO to see the mouse.

Re: We purchased earlybird checkin and when we got on the plane, thepeople that didnt got better sea

bmwfarms
Explorer C

No we flew from FLL florida. Still not right when we paid extra to get the better seat.

Re: We purchased earlybird checkin and when we got on the plane, thepeople that didnt got better sea

chgoflyer
Aviator A

It's important to understand that, despite some marketing to the contrary, EarlyBird Check-In doesn't actually guarantee anything except automatic check-in.

 

Southwest has "open seating," meaning that there are no "better seats" that can be "paid for." With EBCI you're paying for automatic check in, with the hope (but not guarantee) that you will receive a low boarding number, and have a better chance of selecting your preferred seat.

 

 

 

 

 

Re: We purchased earlybird checkin and when we got on the plane, thepeople that didnt got better sea

DancingDavidE
Aviator A

I did just fly to FLL and had deplaning from the rear of the plane in some gates, I wasn't sure if boarding would also take place from both sides. (It wasn't at one of the newer gates on my return flight.)

 

I'm sorry to hear your bad experience. The locals are definitely able to game the system in those two locations where there is boarding from both front and rear.

 

I think you could call customer service and explain the situation and see if they can do anything, although it may not be likely. 

Home airport MDW, frequent visitor to MCO to see the mouse.

Re: We purchased earlybird checkin and when we got on the plane, thepeople that didnt got better sea

bgubs14
Frequent Flyer C

Yeah sometimes this happens to me!  Usually Business Select goes frist(a1-a15) , then A-List and Early Bird Check in who are both checked in 36 hours before departure.  Additionally the anytimes fares are above the early bird check-in if its a wanna get away fare. So it usually depends on the flight!

Re: We purchased earlybird checkin and when we got on the plane, thepeople that didnt got better sea

bec102896
Aviator A

I know southwest has thru flights meaning people just stay on and don't have to deplane so maybe there were some of those plus pre boarders then business select and A List customers.

 

Blake 

Re: We purchased earlybird checkin and when we got on the plane, thepeople that didnt got better sea

DancingDavidE
Aviator A

@bgubs14 wrote:

Yeah sometimes this happens to me!  Usually Business Select goes frist(a1-a15) , then A-List and Early Bird Check in who are both checked in 36 hours before departure.  Additionally the anytimes fares are above the early bird check-in if its a wanna get away fare. So it usually depends on the flight!


I think this part was working for the OP, the problem was that the rear door was also used for boarding and people towards the front of the line got stuck behind the pre-boarders while later numbered people went to the back and worked their way forward grabbing some of the good seats.

 

I saw this in action at Burbank, but I guess some gates at FLL also board through both doors.

 

 

Home airport MDW, frequent visitor to MCO to see the mouse.