SWA & exit row?

So I checked flight status this morning and everything is on time

The answer to this won't do me any good for this trip since we're leaving for the airport soon. But, I went everywhere on the SWA site trying to find what model plane we were flying on this morning. No luck.

Seatguru info of no real help if I don't know the plane model and staring out of the terminal, I wouldn't know one from another.

 

if you click on the flight number a detail expands listing the plane type. however, they also fly the 737-800.

 

No I tried that. I know that works on other airlines, but apparently not SWA.

here's what comes up:
http://www.southwest.com/flight/flight-status-results.html?originAirport=MKE&originAirport_displayed=Milwaukee%2C+WI+-+MKE&destinationAirport=LAS&destinationAirport_displayed=Las+Vegas%2C+NV+-+LAS&travelDate=06%2F09%2F2012&flightNumber=151&connectingAirport=&flightNumberDetails=&submitButton=Continue

 

i was just on their website and did it on the search screen. try searching for your flight today as if you were going to book it rather than viewing it through your trip details.

 

After sitting in hundreds (really) of exit row seats, every single one of them had storage in under the seat in front of you. They are all just regular seats.

To the person that said they were on a plane that did not have it, I would be curious. Only way there is no storage is due to exit row. There are some planes where the storage is minimal due to the audio/visual equipment under the seats, but that applies to all seats in that case.

As to the seating arrangement/system that SWA uses - don't shortsell it. It works very well for one the largest airlines in America.

As to using seatguru - don't bother. With a very few exceptions, all the seats are the same, pretty much across their fleet. There are a few exceptions, but the FREQUENT flyers will know them and get them first.

 

If you're flying today the rest of the non-stops from MKE are all 737-700s

 

I must correct my comment, the seats were bulkhead seats, technically not exit rows,they had the big extra legroom with no one in front of you though.

The flight attendant did not turn a blind eye to anything, sorry if I implied they did.

 

off topic

This may sound crazy, but how do you post a new thread? lol

 

that was me! and i am confused why you say "only way there is no storage is due to exit row", well that is what we've been discussing on this thread: exit row seating. what were you referring to? the few times i have sat in an exit row, there were no under the seat storage areas; this is for safety reasons. if you're trying to exit the plane in an emergency, you don't want to get tripped up on someone's purse strap. also, after recently researching bringing my dog as a carry on, i found most regulations said people with dogs couldn't sit in the exit row because there is no storage in front of them to store their pooch. but i've never flown swa; i can only comment on the planes i have been on.

i guess joe is already on his plane, so hopefully he comes back and reports.

 

if you want to start a new thread, you just go to the forum that matches your topic (for example, you have a question about which hotel to choose on the strip; you go to LV Strip Hotels & Casinos). once you're in there, there is a button at the top that says "new thread." click on that.

 

Thank you

 

I am curious as to what airline/plane you were on with no storage in an exit row. As I said, I have sat in exit rows hundreds of times. Rows in the front where you board are usually called bulkhead seats, not to be confused with exit rows, usually over the wings.

Okay, now that I think back, there are some planes with exit rows that do not have storage. These are like on the 767 and 757. There are exit rows with a full door that is used for boarding, which are also exit rows. The exit rows in the middle of the plane.

Here is a 737 layout. Exit rows here are on the middle of the plane and typical of most commercial jets.

But, here on a 757, there are some exit rows at the very front of the economy cabin that are not against a bulkhead, and do not have storage in front of them. But if you look further back, the "normal" exit rows will have storage under the seats in front of them.

Bottom line, if their is a row of SEATS in front of the exit row, you have storage. If it is an open area, then probably no storage. As to pets, I think I read somewhere, they do not allow them in exit rows even if there is storage as that would distract the potential life saving passenger.

 

oh gosh, i honestly have no clue what planes or even airlines had no storage . i don't pay much attention to the type of airplane i'm on, so i can't help ya there. i just remember having to put my purse in the overhead because there was no storage in front of me. and it was an exit row, not a bulkhead. i didn't know there was a difference between front exit rows and "normal" ones. if there's an emergency exit, it's an exit row to me! and yes, there was a row of seats in front of me but no storage. it's been at least a decade since i've had an exit row though, so maybe things have changed? or maybe i am simply misremembering???

and you're right about the pet thing. the same logic seems appropriate to me for any carry on in an exit row. now i really really want an exit row; storage space and extra leg room? yes please!

 

The left side of the plane does have storage under all exit row seats, the right side does not on the window seat only, thats 737-300 and 500 at least.

 

Hard to get an exit row. On the legacy carriers (like Delta, American, US Air, United,etc)... these are held back for frequent flyers at certain levels. In some cases, you can pay extra for them. If we do not get upgraded, we are in exit rows maybe 80% of the time or better.

On Southwest, with open seating, those that board first generally grab the exit rows. Chances of getting them is very slim. They do allow their frequent flyers to board early, and along with people that might be on the plane from an earlier leg, they are very difficult to get.

I am sure there are some normal over the wing exit rows somewhere without storage, but we have ALWAYS had it. I travel with a computer bag with headsets, etc and always put it there.

I purposely avoid bulkhead because of the wall that eliminate storage. Some planes have removed that wall and now have a curtain instead. In those cases you can put your bags under the first class seat that is now in front of you.

 

This is very often the case. If your flight is a continuation leg, you can be pretty sure all prime seats will be gone before the first person boards the plane.

The only way to almost guarantee optimal seating is to book a flight with a short leg, followed by a long leg to Vegas on the same plane. After everyone unloads at the first stop, getting a great seat is rarely a problem.