Southwest Rapid Rewards - Only 1 person though the express line per A List Card

we were catching our flight at DAL and was going to use the A List security line (Mrs. Jonezy is the A lister I'm trygin to get by on her coat tails!). The Line Dragon says sorry only one person per A list card. Was courious is this standard for the WN A list program. In other express lines (with other carriers) bringing a spouse or co-worker along has never been an issue.

we were catching our flight at DAL and was going to use the A List security line (Mrs. Jonezy is the A lister I'm trygin to get by on her coat tails!). The Line Dragon says sorry only one person per A list card. Was courious is this standard for the WN A list program. In other express lines (with other carriers) bringing a spouse or co-worker along has never been an issue.

I'm glad to hear that they enforced the rule... While I can certainly understand the desire to walk someone through, it significantly devalues the effort and expense we went into to get A list in the first place... ;)

(You could always upgrade them to BS and they could walk the line anyway - of course assuming they're not on a CP ticket...)

It's WN's policy. Friends & family members go through lines & board each according to his or her proper priority. The exception is family boarding after A60.

I agree it would be nice if spouses could go through the A-list line with us. Sometimes you can talk your way through with a A boarding pass (always do a reprint since A-listers print only reprints).

I agree it would be nice if spouses could go through the A-list line with us.

I agree too, especially if the A-lister is also a CP holder traveling with his designated companion. I disagree that this would devalue A-list in any noticeable way.

I would like for someone to actually explain de-value as it pertains to the Homeland Security Checkpoint? Typically, the person who moans about de-value is the guy who complains about everything or the guy who who is looking for the mattress run do gain elite membership in the Super 8 chain of hotels. LOL de-valued.

I agree too, especially if the A-lister is also a CP holder traveling with his designated companion. I disagree that this would devalue A-list in any noticeable way.

I agree too, especially if the A-lister is also a CP holder traveling with his designated companion. I disagree that this would devalue A-list in any noticeable way.

I agree with this as well. WN should consider extending the A-list priority security line benefit to companions traveling with a CP holder who is an A-lister. It only makes sense and does not devalue the benefit at all. I usually end up not being able to take advantage of this benefit for myself since I usually accompany Mrs. Chuckworth in the regular screening line. It's really silly for us to split up just get through security. Although, I have covertly snuck her through the A-List line a couple of times successfully. YMMV.

I'm an A Lister. And the rules states BS and A Listers use the A List line.
Before I was an A Lister I would alter a second boarding pass, quite easy, takes 5 mins, and print the other boarding pass with A5, BS, on it.
So now I have two boarding passes for the same flight and use the dummy one to get through the line as BS member and then throw that one away, scribble a couple of lines on the original boarding pass and presto, through the A List line as a non A Lister or BS person.

I agree with this as well. WN should consider extending the A-list priority security line benefit to companions traveling with a CP holder who is an A-lister. It only makes sense and does not devalue the benefit at all. I usually end up not being able to take advantage of this benefit for myself since I usually accompany Mrs. Chuckworth in the regular screening line. It's really silly for us to split up just get through security. Although, I have covertly snuck her through the A-List line a couple of times successfully. YMMV.

I'm glad to hear that they enforced the rule... While I can certainly understand the desire to walk someone through, it significantly devalues the effort and expense we went into to get A list in the first place... ;)

(You could always upgrade them to BS and they could walk the line anyway - of course assuming they're not on a CP ticket...)

An argument could be made that this policy significantly devalues the CP which takes a lot more time and expense to earn than A list.
Especially if you always take your CP --then you can never use the flyby lanes....

An argument could be made that this policy significantly devalues the CP which takes a lot more time and expense to earn than A list.
Especially if you always take your CP --then you can never use the flyby lanes....

Exactly. Especially if other carriers allow spouses/travel companions to accompany their elite/status members through the priority lines. This is an obvious disadvantage to the RR program in relation to the competition.

I would like for someone to actually explain de-value as it pertains to the Homeland Security Checkpoint? Typically, the person who moans about de-value is the guy who complains about everything or the guy who who is looking for the mattress run do gain elite membership in the Super 8 chain of hotels. LOL de-valued.

It does seem that I'm on an extreeeeeme edge of opinion on this - but my core belief still ruts back to " if you didn't earn it, you shouldn't get it " - and this ideology transfers easily (for me) on this topic as well. Frankly, (an example) if I were traveling with an A lister and had 31 flights (not including the one I was about to take), I'd personally put myself in the "creeper" line at security (unless flying BS), out of integrity reasons rather than 'complainer' ones... ;)

Yes, to me it does devalue the A list from the standpoint that being in a group among 15 BS per flight or X% of top flyers should have rewards not available to folks not in that group... {Added later = (As in, the value of a particular benefit is directly tied to how many are denied the same benefit...) }

( I think I read someone else's post about a slippery slope and see this the same way... )

An argument could be made that this policy significantly devalues the CP which takes a lot more time and expense to earn than A list.
Especially if you always take your CP --then you can never use the flyby lanes....

Hardly. My experience is that most FlyBy lanes either are empty or there's only one person ahead of us.

I think it totally devalues the A List/BS worth...it may seem like you are only bringing one person, but if everyone does it that line gets fatter with people who are NOT entitled to it and who did not pay/earn the right to use it. If THEY don't have to earn it, why should I? That's the devaluation.

It's like people sneaking into First Class on other airlines and the FA's not doing anything about it. The poacher paid for coach, and I paid full or used miles...he gets it for coach price and I am out miles/$'s for the same product. It's a waste of the honest people's money and effort if not everyone pays for the privilage. Imagine going to a grocer and he tells you that grapefruits are 4 dollars, and then charges the woman behind you in line 10 cents for the same grapefruits after you paid 4 dollars. It becomes arbitrary, therefore the value is removed

It's not that different from boarding order violations that are not caught or enforced. If I have A list, BS, or EBCI, or just got my butt out of bed early to get a good number at t-24 and someone with A40 decides to board with their friends at A10 in front of me, I would feel like my efforts or money were meaningless to WN.

The flyby lanes are offered incentive products, and as such are commodities with real value. It is therefore possible to steal them.

It may not be much of an inconveinience in terms of time, but that doesn't matter. I am sure you can be away from your spouse for 10 minutes without the world falling apart. People eligible for flyby lanes are almost never the Ma and Pa Kettle types, but those who know what they are doing and do it efficiently. The regular line is full of the Kettles, who don't put their liquids and gels in a bag and who don't remove their jewelry and slow everything up. It not only faster because of less traffic, but faster because of better traffic. You start bringing your infrequent flier companions with you, and you mess it all up.

Your companion is not entitled to it, and your being entitled does not make it so for them. Those are the stated rules that you agree to.

I am glad it was enforced.

I'll take the opposing position too. As a CP but non a-list holder I believe priority screening for companions IS not A-List perk and I'm glad it isn't. Less people to cut in front of me and my lowly companion in security. However, the airports I've flown out of recently couldn't really care less who's in the priority line anyway .. guess some places are more sticklers.

I think it totally devalues the A List/BS worth...it may seem like you are only bringing one person, but if everyone does it that line gets fatter with people who are NOT entitled to it and who did not pay/earn the right to use it.

I'd bet that over 90% of A-listers are traveling alone. A properly enforced fly-by lane has maybe 3 people in it at any time. I don't mind increasing that by 10% on average to make it convenient for spouses to accompany A-listers. If you disagree, you must never have been married. ;)

I'd bet that over 90% of A-listers are traveling alone. A properly enforced fly-by lane has maybe 3 people in it at any time. I don't mind increasing that by 10% on average to make it convenient for spouses to accompany A-listers. If you disagree, you must never have been married. ;)

My home airport is a WN "hub", and some of the security gates are shared with USAirways, where Pref. Customers/First Class are also permitted to use the same lanes. The Flyby lane, while not as busy as the Peon line, is still busy enough on a Monday morning to make it important

I am married, and my wife can cool her heels in the peon line. I will meet her on the other side!

Still, even if the lane is clear..the flyby service is a tangible commodity and an earned or paid for service with a price tag attached. Only those eligible should be going through or my own earned privilage and the airlines incentive package becomes worthless.

As someone who flies out of well enforced Fly By WN cities, I can say that the addition of one extra person per priority passenger would not really slow things down. As mentioned above, the Fly By lanes that are well managed are usually only 2-4 people deep so I still get through security rather quickly. I believe allowing CP holders to Fly By with their designated companion to be a great value add and in the grand scheme of things, would result in a pretty low impact on the overall system (I mean how many CP holders would be flying out of the same airport at the same time and also have their companion?)

If you are worried about devaluation then look no farther than WN itself. Remember the promo earlier this year that you could fast track to an A-List status? I would say someone getting the benefit for half the travel is getting a great deal and this would be a perfect example of a true (and measurable) devaluation.

I have no problem bring people into the priority line with me as an AA elite. I don't see why WN should be different.

I have no problem bring people into the priority line with me as an AA elite. I don't see why WN should be different.

Exactly!

Southwest really hasnt figured out how to treat its 'best' fliers yet.

Exactly!

Add me to the allowing-one-companion-actually-adds-value camp.

Southwest really hasnt figured out how to treat its 'best' fliers yet.

Hopefully, the key word is "yet." It may have been a relatively (or deliberately) slow process but there's been a steady transition from a pure egalitarian (cattle car) airline to one that offers elite perks and recognition.

As I have said, the Fly By lanes at many airports are not only for WN..they are for people who have earned/paid for status on many other airlines as well. Is it up to WN to increase traffic through it for everyone else? To devalue products that are not theirs? What good is my USAirways Chairman advantage of going throught the FC line if "Ding"/ "Wanna Get Away" WN pax are clogging it up?

Oh, I know USairways allows companion passes..but at least they have it on their boarding passes and will be sitting in the same class.

And who is a companion? Anyone I travel with? We cannot assume it is spouses alone..it is business colleagues, a frat guy with 4 buddies, a family of 9 including in-laws and cousins.

If WN sells it to me as incentive to fly them instead of some other airline so I can get the perks, it becomes less of a perk if just about anyone traveling with an A list or BS aquaintance can get through.

And who is a companion? Anyone I travel with? We cannot assume it is spouses alone..it is business colleagues, a frat guy with 4 buddies, a family of 9 including in-laws and cousins.


The captial C Companion has a plastic card from Southwest they can present. I wouldn't want anyone other than a card holding designee to have access to the line.

In my case it's not about being away from my wife for 10 minutes, my prized benefit of FlyBy access is being able to reduce my margin-for-delay time when traveling to the gate.

I would prefer to have the FlyBy lane consistently one or two minutes longer and accommodating everyone's Companion than to have to plan for the possibility of a 30 minute security line every time I travel with my wife.

nsx, I've been married for over a decade and I still disagree with companion benefits for A-List. A matter of opinion, I suppose. If it becomes a published benefit I won't lose any sleep either though :) I'm a lifetime AA elite and I believe that anyone on my reservation gets the same pre-boarding benefits I do, but I'm not sure if that officially extends to the express security line. Maybe it does since I believe both boarding passes are marked as elite.

Here's a recent example. I get to the airport at my usual time, except that for once I have my companion along. I forgot to allow extra time for security lines because they have not been part of my travel experience since November 2007. The line for non A-listers is 30 minutes or more longer.

Now I have to wait at the gate and board at the end, because I don't know whether my wife will clear security in time to make the flight. Boarding at the end means middle seats, so I am not able to sit next to my wife. That reduces the values of the CP, in my opinion.

"Boarding at the end means middle seats, so I am not able to sit next to my wife."

That's why you shouldn't fly WN.

And she's still not entitled to the fly by lane, no matter how inconveininent it is for you.

I forgot to allow extra time for security lines = reduces the values of the CP, in my opinion.

???

Count me in as one who thinks it would a nice upgrade for my wife to join me through the Fly By lane. For an airline that prides themselves on LUV, you would think they could find a way to figure this out. Heck, its only asking for quicker access to the TSA checkpoint, not asking for an A boarding pass.

???

I guess the value of CP is indexed against his ability to remember things.

And who is a companion? Anyone I travel with? We cannot assume it is spouses alone..it is business colleagues, a frat guy with 4 buddies, a family of 9 including in-laws and cousins.


Companion as in someone you have designated with SWA after you have earned 100 RR within a 12 month period and who can only travel as a companion on your same itinerary....

While agreeing that the current rules do not allow it, count me in favor of allowing a CP holder or even those traveling on the same itinerary as an A-lister to go through the Fly-by.

Minimal impact to other a-listers, much benefit to those of us that like to enjoy our personal time when traveling with family. My Fly-by perk from "a-list" status, in practicality, is negated if my wife can't go through with me.

The captial C Companion has a plastic card from Southwest they can present. I wouldn't want anyone other than a card holding designee to have access to the line.

In my case it's not about being away from my wife for 10 minutes, my prized benefit of FlyBy access is being able to reduce my margin-for-delay time when traveling to the gate.

I would prefer to have the FlyBy lane consistently one or two minutes longer and accommodating everyone's Companion than to have to plan for the possibility of a 30 minute security line every time I travel with my wife.

Thanks Sigma for clarifying to the other poster, I was referring to my designated WN Companion on for my CP. I do believe they should extend the Fly By lane access to those who have been able to reach the CP level. I remember hearing Gary Kelly say that A-List was about 1% of their pax, so I cannot imagine allowing CPs (which should be lower % than A-List) to go through security with the CP holder would really increase traffic at all. Hopefully this will be a modification to RR 2.0 in the future.

I was flying out of BWI this afternoon with my wife, I waited in the line for about 15 minutes with her instead of using FlyBy. My wife actually started feeling a little ill while we were waiting and I encouraged her to exit the line and go to the restroom, but the line had literally doubled in length by this time. When we were close to the front of the line some douche with an A-List card and his companion saunter up to the front, he points at her "She's with me" and the TSA agent takes her too even though she has no right to FlyBy.

At BWI I don't think there is anyone but the TSA agents themselves policing the line (most airports have a contract employee to police the FlyBy line I believe), so I'm not sure there's much WN can do about this, but it was a very disappointing experience. :td:

I was flying out of BWI this afternoon with my wife, I waited in the line for about 15 minutes with her instead of using FlyBy. My wife actually started feeling a little ill while we were waiting and I encouraged her to exit the line and go to the restroom, but the line had literally doubled in length by this time. When we were close to the front of the line some douche with an A-List card and his companion saunter up to the front, he points at her "She's with me" and the TSA agent takes her too even though she has no right to FlyBy.

At BWI I don't think there is anyone but the TSA agents themselves policing the line (most airports have a contract employee to police the FlyBy line I believe), so I'm not sure there's much WN can do about this, but it was a very disappointing experience. :td:

That has been my experience at BWI as well. The TSA person did not care why you went in that line, he was just checking boarding passes and moving on. I am not sure why they could not get an airport employee to monitor it just like the other airports. I am guessing money, but I wonder why other airports pay for them then.

As an aside, I would avoid that Diner that you see as you walk towards the WN gates if you are not feeling well. I have had many a co-worker get sick there. :D

Add me to those that feel that your Companion (as in the person designated as your Companion on your Companion Pass) should be able to use the FlyBy Lane with an A-Lister.

Simply show the Companion Pass card and the A-List Card to get in the line.

That has been my experience at BWI as well. The TSA person did not care why you went in that line, he was just checking boarding passes and moving on. I am not sure why they could not get an airport employee to monitor it just like the other airports. I am guessing money, but I wonder why other airports pay for them then.

As an aside, I would avoid that Diner that you see as you walk towards the WN gates if you are not feeling well. I have had many a co-worker get sick there. :D

FYI...I have been asked to show my A-List Card at BWI.

Add me to those that feel that your Companion (as in the person designated as your Companion on your Companion Pass) should be able to use the FlyBy Lane with an A-Lister.

Simply show the Companion Pass card and the A-List Card to get in the line.

+1

I also believe that a CP holder traveling with their main flyer should travel in the "class" that the main flyer is traveling in... A-list or BS fare, I'd not have an issue with an actual CP being with them, provided WN adds that to the list of benefits to earning a CP.

Outside that change, I'd send my wife through the slow line, then give her a fun supply of playful banter when we meet back up on the other side of security... ;)

When we were close to the front of the line some douche with an A-List card and his companion saunter up to the front, he points at her "She's with me" and the TSA agent takes her too even though she has no right to FlyBy.

Just for the record, that wasn't me.

I have always seen the general norm as an elite and a companion can use the express line, whereas an elite traveling with a whole gaggle of companions/buddies/coworkers/etc. should go through the regular line.

Sort of a common sense thing if not a published TSA rule. I fly with my wife often. She holds no elite statuses. We always walk through the express line and have never had a problem. I think that's reasonable, just like I think it's reasonable that a whole gaggle of companions should *not* do it.

The only oddity I've ever encountered is one specific line at SEA. One of the middle express lines is for Alaskan Airlines elites only - no other elites. I guess they get away with it since AS is so prominent there. Other elites are required to use North or South checkpoints...not the big one in the middle near all of the restaurants.

So the focus here has been those who have BOTH A-List and Companion Pass, and not only one or the other (of which there are probably many). I can agree that it would be a decent add-on perk to get people who have one to try for the other ... ie , you got A-List, why not earn a few more credits and then on top of the regular benefits of the Companion Pass, your Companion also gets A-List when flying with you. And vice versa; you have Companion Pass, why don't you fly enough to get A-List so both of you can get on early when you fly by yourself or with your companion.

So.. I still think its not a benefit, and it obviously will put more people in the A-List line than before, so it does make everyone a bit slower. But if it becomes a listed benefit.. sure.. why not. WN can and has done a lot worse things to annoy me :)

Just for the record, that wasn't me.You mean this time? ;)

(I know there's a few FT'ers who have admitted to this behavior ... but it does piss me off that people knowingly bend/break the rules screwing those of us who are following the rules.)

I have always seen the general norm as an elite and a companion can use the express line, whereas an elite traveling with a whole gaggle of companions/buddies/coworkers/etc. should go through the regular line.

If this is truly the norm for legacy elites, why should it not be the norm for WN CPs with A-List? Since legacy elites are already doing this, their companion passengers are already in the priority lines. I just don't see a huge traffic jam occurring in the priority lines from WN allowing this as well.

I like the idea of only allowing companions who show their CP card to accompany a CP Holder/A-Lister in a priority line. This would essentially limit someone from bringing their 100 closest friends through with them. However, you are always going to have people who will try and succeed at bending the rules. At the end of the day, not a big deal but would be a nice perk.

After reading the Enforcement of Boarding Order thread, I realized why Southwest might not want to allow capital-C companions to use the Fly By Lanes. Because it would create an expectation with some customers that the companion could also cut the boarding line.

However, having one companion (capital C or not) board with an A-lister or other priority boarder does not significantly devalue early boarding. The companion normally occupies a middle seat, which none of the early boarders want.

... However, having one companion (capital C or not) board with an A-lister or other priority boarder does not significantly devalue early boarding. The companion normally occupies a middle seat, which none of the early boarders want.

Yes, but.

I have seen many a couple (mostly older) board in the A group and pick two aisles across from each other. Some have even played cards across the aisle.

Personally, I prefer the aisle and Mrs Irabk takes the middle so we can both see the DVD player. The headset cord across the aisle MIGHT cause a problem otherwise. :D

"Before I was an A Lister I would alter a second boarding pass, quite easy, takes 5 mins, and print the other boarding pass with A5, BS, on it.
So now I have two boarding passes for the same flight and use the dummy one to get through the line as BS member and then throw that one away, scribble a couple of lines on the original boarding pass and presto, through the A List line as a non A Lister or BS person."

You do realized that by "altering" or making fake boarding pass to get through security is a Federal offense at the checkpoint right?

It's a good thing you are not posting how to make a fake boarding pass, as you just admit you did, so that "security" wouldn't be breach while EVERYONE can get through the checkpoint.

Are you going to tell us next that you "alter" the CODE that is printed on your boarding pass so you won't get a secondary screening at the gate?

It's WN's policy. Friends & family members go through lines & board each according to his or her proper priority. The exception is family boarding after A60.

I agree it would be nice if spouses could go through the A-list line with us. Sometimes you can talk your way through with a A boarding pass (always do a reprint since A-listers print only reprints).

Maybe it's just me. But maybe SWA should enforce this like they should be enforcing the "preboard". I have seen OPS agent turn away a family of 6 trying to preboard consist of ONE small child, parents + FOUR additional adults. The FOUR plus adults look like healthy grandparents and aunt and uncle. The OPS only let the parents and small child to preboard while the rest board with their own group. ^

"Before I was an A Lister I would alter a second boarding pass, quite easy, takes 5 mins, and print the other boarding pass with A5, BS, on it.
So now I have two boarding passes for the same flight and use the dummy one to get through the line as BS member and then throw that one away, scribble a couple of lines on the original boarding pass and presto, through the A List line as a non A Lister or BS person."

You do realized that by "altering" or making fake boarding pass to get through security is a Federal offense at the checkpoint right?

It's a good thing you are not posting how to make a fake boarding pass, as you just admit you did, so that "security" wouldn't be breach while EVERYONE can get through the checkpoint.

Are you going to tell us next that you "alter" the CODE that is printed on your boarding pass so you won't get a secondary screening at the gate?

I think he meant that he uses the fake BP to get by the Fly By lane checker and then switches back before going through security. I doubt he would try and use the fake one with TSA. That being said, he could also just alter the real boarding pass to have a BS number like A5 and just add the BS logo to the ticket and reprint it. It would only take a few minutes using Microsoft Paint. Technically everything that TSA would be looking at is legit, just the WN specifics would be different. I really don't see anything illegal about that, but I am not sure how desperate you must get before you would do this. I would just make an A-List fake card so it is more legit :D

I think he meant that he uses the fake BP to get by the Fly By lane checker and then switches back before going through security. I doubt he would try and use the fake one with TSA. That being said, he could also just alter the real boarding pass to have a BS number like A5 and just add the BS logo to the ticket and reprint it. It would only take a few minutes using Microsoft Paint. Technically everything that TSA would be looking at is legit, just the WN specifics would be different. I really don't see anything illegal about that, but I am not sure how desperate you must get before you would do this. I would just make an A-List fake card so it is more legit :D

Which ever BP he uses either way, it's too much trouble to go through just for going through security early.

If i do that and with my luck, a security camera catches me at security screen and i get pulled aside for more wanding/searching.