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Saving a seat-serious problem?

byrdbrain591
Adventurer C

Is the practice of seat saving a serious problem on Southwest in light of their open seat policy? Has anyone gotten into arguments with someone who is saving a seat?

6 REPLIES 6

Re: Saving a seat-serious problem?

SWDigits
Aviator A
The seat saving topic is recurring and generates *strong* opinions. Is it a problem? I think it depends on your definition of a problem, the size of your traveling party, ages of travelers, who you ask, and a whole host of other factors. If you're traveling alone, not picky about where you sit, and understand the boarding process then you may not notice seat saving activity or lack of such activity.

Customer | Home airport DCA

Re: Saving a seat-serious problem?

ZevSupport
Frequent Flyer A

It defintely becomes serious for some, especially for families who board in C Group. A helpful tip is, if you're travelling with young children, you can board after Group A, regardless of what it says on your boarding pass. Simply give the gate agent a heads up, and they'll make sure you guys get on the plane before the crazy seat rush!


Community Champion | PHL based | ex-Companion Pass Holder | Southwest Passenger

Re: Saving a seat-serious problem?

jksobonya
Aviator A

It's never been a problem for me! Then again, I am a solo traveler, am almost always in the A/B group, and don't care where I sit. As long as I am *on the plane* and the plane is going to its destination, that's all I care about. 

 

--Jessica

Re: Saving a seat-serious problem?

dfwskier
Aviator A

I fly 30-35 times a year and have done so for at least 20 years. It has never been a problem for me.

Of course I dont "have to have" a specific seat. I can only recall a very few times when I did not get an aisle somewhere in the first ten rows. If someone looks like he/she is saving a seat, I move on to  the next row.

 

Further, I have never had a problem when I was the one saving seats.

Re: Saving a seat-serious problem?

jefles86
Explorer C

I've taken 15 flights this year and witnessed people saving seats. My wife and I always purchase the early bird option because we want to sit togather near the front of the aircraft. On one occasion a young man saved a seat in the front row. His partner boarded near the end and sat with him. On another occasion, my wife and I picked two seats near the front. A lady sitting in the seats said. "This seat is saved".  I spoke to the attendant and she said there's nothing she could do about it. So you have people stealing from Southwest, and they are stealing from their fellow passengers. If your policy is to ignore this situation, then passengers will learn they can save $25 by saving a seat.

Re: Saving a seat-serious problem?

ahlnitz
Explorer C

I had a bad experience with seat saving on a recent trip back from Hawaii.  The human tendency to cheat and take advantage, in this case cost avoidance of an early bird fare that others pay, will always have those who abuse the system at the exspense of others, and some, as was our recent experience, will take it to an extreme to "reserve" mutiple seats.  While I have been a devoted SW customer for many years and very much enjoy the companion travel feature, we have noted his trend increasing.  It will be the reason we switch to another carrier that is less likely to turn a blind eye and is essentially complicit in the inequites associated with its obbiously less than fully "open" [for all] seating policy.  In all fairness, if you wish to secure your seat for your family members or whatever, then pay the extra amount as the rest of us do.  I don't see the big deal in this as a policy.  It would appear that SW doesn't really care about this enough to change.  Sad.