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Re: Family Boarding Issues

rtbarron
Frequent Flyer A

@Porter570 wrote:

can someone explain why we should NOT be allowed to board together?  

 


You ARE allowed to board together...with the person who has the lowest boarding priority.

If you are not willing to give up your hard-earned A boarding position, then the only alternative is to save seats for the rest of your family.


Southwest has rewarded you for your business by allowing you to board in the A group. They are already putting you ahead of other fare-paying Customers. But this reward is only for you and does not extend to your family.

If this policy does not work for you, then simply put, Southwest is not the right airline for you.

Re: Family Boarding Issues

Porter570
Explorer B

I stand corrected, we are not allowed to SIT together.  Valid call out. So my reward for 50-100 flights a year is to sit by a stranger, but we can board together. You are correct. Not a solution.

 

or we save seats... (tactics documented above).  so why not board together at the highest vs the lowest?  Where is the logic behind that? Again, SW employee response?

 

we all paid a fare, so that point doesn’t resonate.

 

your “take your business elsewhere” (paraphrase) comment ... you are correct, free markets do operate that way.  But you likely don’t work for Southwest and my guess is they would rather I not do that.  Odd “get off my lawn” comment frankly with no value.

 

As an A list preferred, I don’t want to sit by your family, I want YOU to sit by them.  If you have A16 and a family of 4.... great!  Sit together and my A17 is Fine as really an A20.  And this will happen to me 50-100 times a year to my 1-2 for me.  Happy to trade. Appearantly you will all save the seats anyway....so why object.

 

BTW, Defending an illogical status Quo on behalf of a company is really an odd behavior for passengers.  I am open to A listers who demand A17 remain exactly 17....but the obvious counter point to that is... if they are saving seats anyway, is A17 really A17?

 

Ideally we get either Southwest to chime in OR someone to say “saving seats is 100% NOT ok and point to the policy.”

 

Simple request for SW, I want a valid business reason why we can’t board together ...on the highest number, not the lowest.

Re: Family Boarding Issues

chgoflyer
Aviator A

@Porter570 wrote:

I stand corrected, we are not allowed to SIT together.  Valid call out. So my reward for 50-100 flights a year is to sit by a stranger, but we can board together. You are correct. Not a solution.

 

or we save seats... (tactics documented above).  so why not board together at the highest vs the lowest?  Where is the logic behind that? Again, SW employee response?

 

we all paid a fare, so that point doesn’t resonate.

 

your “take your business elsewhere” (paraphrase) comment ... you are correct, free markets do operate that way.  But you likely don’t work for Southwest and my guess is they would rather I not do that.  Odd “get off my lawn” comment frankly with no value.

 

As an A list preferred, I don’t want to sit by your family, I want YOU to sit by them.  If you have A16 and a family of 4.... great!  Sit together and my A17 is Fine as really an A20.  And this will happen to me 50-100 times a year to my 1-2 for me.  Happy to trade. Appearantly you will all save the seats anyway....so why object.

 

BTW, Defending an illogical status Quo on behalf of a company is really an odd behavior for passengers.  I am open to A listers who demand A17 remain exactly 17....but the obvious counter point to that is... if they are saving seats anyway, is A17 really A17?

 

Ideally we get either Southwest to chime in OR someone to say “saving seats is 100% NOT ok and point to the policy.”

 

Simple request for SW, I want a valid business reason why we can’t board together ...on the highest number, not the lowest.


 

Unfortunately, the only official comment you'll get from Southwest (more likely through direct contact vs here, as this is a customer info sharing platform) is an acknowledgement of your issues, and a blanket apology for the inconvenience.

 

Southwest is well aware that their unique boarding system has it's disadvantages. The issue you highlight is one of the more prominent ones, but there are many others. Ultimately, Southwest's primary concern is turning planes as quickly as possible, and for now they accept a certain level of customer anger and frustration as the trade off.   

 

One potential positive interim change (between now and whatever new boarding system is undoubtedly coming) is allowing companions to board with the CP holder. This has been tested, but concerningly has not yet been implemented. Perhaps interim changes to address Family Boarding issues could be considered as well. Unlikely, but perhaps.

 

Re: Family Boarding Issues

bgubs14
Frequent Flyer C

Yeah I remember this happening a couple years ago where anyone under 13 couldn’t be barred from not sitting with their parent. Did that never happen? 

 

https://www.ajc.com/news/national/faa-airlines-can-charge-parents-sit-next-their-children/6LGSnIvXpC...

 

Re: Family Boarding Issues

PHX1978
Explorer C

Sometimes fare paid or status can't be the number one determinant of who boards first.  My 9 year old autistic nephew will constantly touch and pester a stranger sitting next to him.  This is a much larger inconvenience for a A lister than sitting a row or 2 further back.

Re: Family Boarding Issues

Laura72
Explorer C

Just wanted to thank you for sharing this important information, which really helped my husband understand my concerns about having our 8yo fly with him without the early bird check in.

Re: Family Boarding Issues

Dkasp
Adventurer C

Go to the back of the plane.

Re: Family Boarding Issues

Justinrhibbard
Explorer C

A law was passed a couple of years ago that require airlines to make reasonable accommodations to let children 13 and under sit with their families. It also doesn’t make exceptions for paid seats. Meaning if an adult pays for a premium seat, then airlines can’t use that to say that a child can’t sit with them. Many airlines are not complying because the law doesn’t specify penalties. But all it takes is one civil lawsuit. And knowing how unpopular airlines are with the public, it won’t be hard to convince a jury. By not allowing families 13 and under to board together, Southwest is blatantly and knowingly violating the law. 

 

 

Re: Family Boarding Issues

ID10T-error
Explorer C

@Justinrhibbard wrote:

By not allowing families 13 and under to board together, Southwest is blatantly and knowingly violating the law. 

 

 


WRONG.

Southwest allows families to board together, they just have to board in the same group as the last person in the group. Thus, family members in the high B and C groups cannot jump the line just because one person in the family has A-boarding.