Southwest Rapid Rewards - Lesson Learned: Sky caps vs. Ticket agents

On Oct 30, I was flying LAS-DEN. Checked flight status early because Denver was recovering from snow the 2 days before. All was on time. Didn't check as I got closer to the airport. At the airport, went to the sky cap to check my bag and asked if flight was on time. No, delayed 20 minutes. I was supposedly too close to check-in for the earlier flight, although I later learned that it was delayed 30 minutes. Sky cap checked my bag on my assigned flight.

At the gate, I asked if I could go on the earlier flight. Gate agent let me but said bag will stay on my assigned flight. I did that, then, in Denver, paid $45 to have my bag delivered to my home.

I think the ticket agents could have put me on the earlier flight, but the sky caps, who are not SWA employees, either didn't know the rules or just didn't want to go through the hassle.

The rule is a 30 minute delay so the gate agent fudged it a bit for me, because mine was only delayed 20 minutes.

What has your experience been about switching flights and getting your bag on the same flight as you get on?

The $45 to have the bag delivered is somewhat expensive, but overall, not a terrible deal. Isn't an extra hour of your life worth $45 vs. hanging around at the airport?

I've had just the opposite happen. Checked in for my flight, but without my knowledge my bag was put on an earlier flight. When I got to my destination, I was in a panic when my bag didn't come off with the other bags on my flight. As I headed over to the baggage office, I saw it sitting there on the side by the entrance to the office. I asked the agent what had happened and they told me it had just been put on an earlier flight.

I've had just the opposite happen. Checked in for my flight, but without my knowledge my bag was put on an earlier flight. When I got to my destination, I was in a panic when my bag didn't come off with the other bags on my flight. As I headed over to the baggage office, I saw it sitting there on the side by the entrance to the office. I asked the agent what had happened and they told me it had just been put on an earlier flight.

That used to happen and I wish it would have this time. But I thought post 9/11 the bag has to go on the assigned flight?

Isn't an extra hour of your life worth $45 vs. hanging around at the airport?

Depends what sort of liquid refreshment I have at hand.

I always check the area where they store bags. On most of my routes there are many flights a day and it is not unusual for the bag to go on an earlier flight. All bags are now screened for explosives and as long as you do not know that your bag is not going on your flight, the airline is allowed to put it on another flight.

[QUOTE=FCfree;12783478]
At the gate, I asked if I could go on the earlier flight. Gate agent let me but said bag will stay on my assigned flight. I did that, then, in Denver, paid $45 to have my bag delivered to my home.

Sounds like a violation of TSA regulations.

I think the ticket agents could have put me on the earlier flight, but the sky caps, who are not SWA employees, either didn't know the rules or just didn't want to go through the hassle.

Good advice on any airline.

How not separating bag from passager make flight any safer?
this days terorist do not care if they die only if they kill me and you

PPBM (Possitive Passenger Bag Match) is mainly used on international flights where customs is involved.

I don't think the SkyCaps are able to change your flight. In order to do that, they'd have to be familiar with all of the intricate details of fare rules, standby rules, and so on. They're not set up to take any change fee or fare collection, and don't know enough just to know in which situations a free switch of flights is allowed.

If baggage had to be on same flight as passenger, it would add lots of time to the process. If oversold, volunteer pax just take later flight and get bag that arrives earlier. Otherwise, WN would need to find the correct bag(s) to match that pax and offload - could be a 15+ min process. Remember, volunteers are usually not determined until just before flight time.

Also, if a BS pax wanted to fly standby and wait for his bag at destination -- another delay. Why would one do so, to have time at other end with a client, friend, or maybe lives near airport and can return later to get bag.

PPBM applies only to international flights.
Due to 100% screening, bags and pax on domestic flights are not required to fly together.

PPBM applies only to international flights.
Due to 100% screening, bags and pax on domestic flights are not required to fly together.

I believe the official rule is that this is true as long as the passenger is not absolutely sure that the bag will not be on their flight.

If this is true, then how do you get the sky caps or the ticket agents to put your bag on the earlier flight more frequently so that if you get out to the gate and the flight is delayed, you and your bag can go on the same flight?

Or, do you have to avoid the sky caps when there is a delay or the possibility of a delay and go only to the ticket agents, so that they can move both you and your bag to the earlier flight?

The "half hour, we're delayed, so free changes apply" rule is great, but if you can't get them to move your bag, then you get stuck, like me, with a $45 home delivery fee for your bag -- or you wait around at your destination until the bag gets there, which defeats the whole purpose of jumping to an earlier flight.

It seemed, based on this experience that if there is any chance of a delay and a free jump to an earlier flight, you've got to skip the sky caps. Sorry about that, sky caps, as I don't mind tipping you to use your short line. However, if using the sky cap means sometimes not getting the free jump to the earlier flight, then I'll have to carefully pick when I use the sky cap and when I use the ticket agent. Any hint of a delay and its ticket agents, not sky caps for me.

That used to happen and I wish it would have this time. But I thought post 9/11 the bag has to go on the assigned flight?


I've taken numerous bumps and my bag ALWAYS goes on the earlier flight....and waits for me to arrive.