Southwest Trying New Boarding Process

Myth Busters did an entire segment on this and found that this cow-herding type boarding is actual no less efficient than assigned seating. It seems counter-intuitive, but it is actually quite effective. I don't mind it. Survival of the fittest. I like the laws of Natural Selection as well.

 

Me neither... so long as you're "A" or "B", you will almost certainly score an aisle or window... and since I never bring a carry-on, I never worry about overhead bin space.

Fly SW often enough & you learn that rows 14-16 are ones to avoid, if you can (One of those rows will always be the last to receive cocktail service).
...also - I always ask when I'm boarding if the flight is expected to be full...if it is, I grab the first open window seat that I spot. If it's not, I head to the back...as in 2nd or 3rd to last row... & I grab a window back there... those center seats in the back are usually the last ones ever taken.

Final tip - be nice to your FAs... they have "discretionary" power to comp your drink(s)...and they often will, but only if you don't give them a reason not to!

 

I think they should use pick your seat on booking, and board from rear to front, did this on a charter flight once, and worked real well. That stops all the congestion, saving seats, and rush to get aisle or window seats. If Southwest still wanted their money from those who want to sit up front, then charge extra for the A seats kind of like Frontier and i think Spirit does, and eliminate early boarding fees.
Yes, those choosing to sit up front would have to wait a few minutes to board, but would still be first off, and know ahead of time that their aisle or window seat would be waiting for them on boarding.

 

The issue with assigned seating, for me, is that they board TOO fast. They don't wait for people in the first group to be seated before they start the second group.

With that said, we are *this* close to SWA just saying 'fuck it' and doing assigned seats. It will be glorious.

 

There also is no policy that allows it, and since the boarding is explicitly first-come/first-served, it does lead to inconsistencies. On my last flight, the boarding agent twice told passengers not to save seats.

That being said, I've evolved from hating the entire concept to being fine with it. Especially since I stumbled onto the secret to always getting a good seat.

 

They probably do board too fast if boarding front to back, but might be ok if boarding back to front, dont have towait for first group "to clear" before next group sent in.

 

I know there are one-off situations but seat saving usually means people didn't want to give up the better boarding number to sit together. It's not fair to everyone else. having to stop, ask if the seat is available, get denied, then figuring out your next move.. That all takes time.

 

OK, the only ways that I can see this being advantageous (for me) are:

1)I'm on a "no-change plane" connecting flight. I can board in the back and then move up at the first stop
2)I'm not carrying any baggage other than "under the seat"
3)The destination airport has front and rear offloading

Rear plane boarding at San Jose and Burbank is not for anyone carrying anything of size.

 

I've been on flights that loaded from front and back but usually the airport was equipped to connect the plane to the jet bridge from front and back. I believe when we departed from Hawaii we used stairs to board from the rear. Maybe this is about preparing for that market. Personally, since I don't have carryons usually, I don't actually care. But if it makes deplaneing faster, let's experiment!

 

When traveling alone with no EB pass I have always had a seat within the first 6 rows. The last two flights Ive had with someone we ended up sitting across from each other in the first 6 or 7 rows.

 

Seems to me any time savings are incremental at best.

Pardon my zen, but when I'm flying somewhere, I'm thinking about my destination. I don't care where I sit, how soon I get on, or who is sitting next to me; the time in the air is the same for everyone. The first people off the plane are ahead of me by maybe 12 minutes, but most of them seem to be rushing to baggage claim where they wait with everyone else. I pull my pack from under the seat and get on with my vacation.

Our destination is Las Vegas; does 25 minutes either way matter?

 

See how fees have crept in?

Everyone decries Frontier and Spirit with their fees for everything (except, for now, the oxygen masks in case of compartment decompression). Yet more than one person has solved Southwest's perceived problem by adding fees!

Personally, I love Southwest just the way it is (with the Early Bird available so I don't have to remember to check in during a vacation day in Vegas).

 

I agree with not having to check in while in Vegas....too much booze and fun, and we always are late checking in. Our flights are booked for January and I got cute and decided to pass on the EB after the rate hike. I just noticed EB can be added after the fact. I'm adding it this weekend. Flights are too long and boring to chance sitting apart...plus I hate drinking alone.

 

I'd pay $5 for a carry-on. I always travel with a small back pack with minor essentials and have done this for 20 years. My problem is that I'm 6' and refuse to give up my leg space by putting it under the seat....so I get annoyed when asked to put my small, almost empty back pack under the seat so goofy next to me can use the bin for his personal bag and carry-on that are both the size of a mini refrigerator.

 

Southwest hasn't mastered their current boarding process yet.

 

...but the point is that many would not, so long as SW continues to allow 2 free checked bags...so, this would free up some overhead bin space, and speed up the boarding process!

 

Isn't this really a case of "I'm already sitting down. We should be flying now! Let's go! Let's go!! ".

Army methodology: would it ultimately be faster to board by "column" than row? For instance fill the window seats, center seats then aisle seats and do the reverse order when deplaning? This worked well when moving troops in the Army so I'm sure it's gonna be embraced by the civilian population! 'Cause if there's one thing civilians are really good at it's setting aside their personal position for the benefit of the group.

 

I fly SW as much as possible. So, when I flew United this past weekend, they start boarding way before SW does and with the assigned seats it took longer. Same size planes. People must have a hard time finding a seat number. Finding an empty seat is easier, because there are more of those than the one specific seat.

 

Southwest has a policy that does not allow seat saving..."Southwest-operated flights have open seating. Once onboard, simply choose any available seat and stow your carryon items in the overhead bin or under the seat in front of you."

https://www.southwest.com/html/generated/help/faqs/boarding_the_plane_faq.html

Southwest does not have a policy prohibiting seat saving..."Thank you for participating in The Southwest Community. Southwest Airlines currently does not have a policy for or against the saving of seats. That said, we always appreciate feedback from our Customers."

https://www.southwestaircommunity.com/t5/Boarding/saving-seats/td-p/46681

I don't think it has changed but these answers are dated a bit...you can see that the policy is basically whatever someone decides that day based on the two answers addressing seating on their own website.

I personally don't want to argue with anyone on a plane, so I try to ignore seat savers and go somewhere else. I figure if I win the argument about a seat, I'll end up sitting next to someone who is not going to be pleasant to sit next to during the flight.

 

Expanding on my previous post:
1) I agree that carryon luggage is what probably slows boarding the most. That is why boarding from back rows to front rows would speed this up, if seats were already chosen.
2) replacing early boarding fees (Not adding to them) with paying for a seat up front if desired would not require checking in early since seat would already be known. For those not wanting to worry about hurrying to check in right at 24 hours in advance this eliminates that. Also those that chose the front seats would still de plane sooner.
3) being able to select where you want to sit eliminates having to save seats, and ensure sitting together unless booking late on full flight possibly.
4) if seat assignments are already known, boarding from window seats, then middle seats, then aisle seats could be an option too, although people storing carryon would still slow things up.

I, like others don't really care about where I sit or when I board, just would like less of a cluster. The plane isn,t going to take off until all are boarded, and everyone lands at the same time, and with checked luggage, all get their bags around the same time. I do try and find direct flights or the ones with shortest layovers though.
As far as fees go, I only consider the final ticket price, whether there are no additional fees or several.