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seats

Frana
Explorer C

tOn my two flights this pass week I was very upset with people saving seats. Never again. I will just take the one I want. I paid extra to get early boarding for my husband and I. The other peolple pay for one aerly boarding and then proceed to put items in 6 seats and say "Oh my Family is coming!" Bull**bleep**. On one of these flights all seats were taken. How did the attendanst let them get away with this. On the return flight the same issue ! Southwest needs to address this. I is getting so that assigned seats are the way to travel.The other airlones do not have these issues.I'm not at all satisfied.

3 REPLIES 3

Re: seats

bec102896
Aviator A

Southwest does not have a policy on saving seats so there is not much the flight attendant can do about the situation. Sure I wish a policy did exists but I don't see that coming anytime soon 

 

Also some people may be thru passengers from the previous flight so that person may be in the bathroom or something which is why a seat may be saved but 6 seats that is a lot. 

 

Personally if someone is saving the seat I want I will watch to see if a person sits there and if they don't I'll move if I feel like it (for leg room in most cases I will but a couple rows closer to the front I just stay) 

 

Blake 

Re: seats

DancingDavidE
Aviator A

At the same time I see these posts, usually referring to leg room, I often see the middle seats in exit rows go unfilled so it isn't quite an issue of legroom only. 

 

I agree in priciple though, no one person should be saving five other seats, and certainly not exit row seats. Whether you decide to just sit down or not will be up to you, the FA may not intervene until assistance is requested/needed.

 

When you say paid for early boarding though, the expectation should be that A1-15 are looking at good shots for exit row, and maybe if not many business select seats then early A-listers have a chance. I wouldn't expect an exit row seat from early bird for instance.

 

 

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

Re: seats

elijahbrantley
Aviator A

I see both sides of this issue, so I just encourage you to consider both sides.

 

On one hand, six seats is definitely a lot, and if there were that many folks who were travelling together, SW offers methods for them to be able to sit together (Early Bird).  I personally believe that attempting to save that many seats is inconsiderate.  I also recently experienced a man trying to save an entire exit row, which was frustrating.

 

On the flip side, there are situations where there may be a legit need for someone to save a seat or two.  Take my situation, being A List Preferred, I am among the first to board the plane.  When my wife travels with me, they come on later in the A group or even in the B group.  I am going to save a seat for her.  Now, some would tell me to board with her instead of in my boarding position, but I think we can all survive my hold one seat for a couple of minutes. 

 

I prefer that SW does not have a policy on saving seats because I fly SW multiple times a month, and this is not a problem I regularly experience.  I also believe in empowering employees.  If SW gets overly strict on the seat thing, it will undermine the benefits of open seating and could even delay the boarding process.

-A List, Companion Pass holder