Orwaid

So I am boarding. The FA announces over the intercom that there are only middle seats left. Abut eight rows back, a teenager is sitting in a window seat with two backpacks over the middle and aisle seat. I ask, "is this seat taken?" and the girl says "I'm saving it for my parents"

I see a FA standing by the Exit row and I ask her "Does Southwest allow seats to be saved?", and she starts rambling about how all the seats are good ones. I reply "You did not answer my question. It is a simple YES or NO. Does Southwest now allow seat saving?". She looks nervous and starts rambling again, but won't answer the question.

Now it gets interesting - about 6 people behind me, I hear a man's voice say "I am right here". I say " Southwest has open seating, I am taking this open aisle seat".

All of a sudden the guy behind me starts yelling at me. I calmly repeat that there'd is no seat saving on Southwest, and that he or his wife can sit in the middle seat and the other can sit somewhere else. He continues yelling qt me.

I then look at him and say "Hey if you REALLY want to sit together, go to the ticket counter and pay for A1-A15 boarding. If you don't do that, you get what you get. Too bad."

At that, all the murmuring around me stopped, as EVERYONE knew I was right. Finally the FA says "sir, I have an aisle seat in the exit row for you". I guess that a non-rev got out of her seat?

So I got a good seat in the end. But I just find it appalling that the FA does not adhere to their stated policies. Equally appalling when Southwest gives people an option to be able to sit together and they don't use it (yes it costs $$), but they think it is OK rant and yell at someone that calls them on their actions.

I would think that WN corporate would want to start demanding that FAs start enforcing policies that would drive incremental revenue to the airline as well as make the boarding process faster and fairer for everyone.

SANdyFlyer

What seems odd to me is that you don't seem to realize that the same can be said for you. If you REALLY wanted to not sit in a middle seat, why didn't YOU pay for an A1-A15 boarding? Instead you choose to get yourself all worked up and arguing with other passengers and an FA about a policy that doesn't exist. For all you knew, the kid and his parents were pass throughs, and 2 were using the restroom before taking off again...

smmrfld

OP, before you go on another rant, you should make sure your facts are correct. WN has no policy at all regarding seat saving. You made a fool of yourself for no reason.

Orwaid

1) that is the whole point. Southwest has open seating, meaning I can take any seat that someone is not sitting in. I know exactly what is going on.

2) I am prepared to take a middle seat when I get a low boarding number. What I am NOT prepared to do is let the last unoccupied aisle seat stay that way for someone behind me with a lower boarding number than I.

SANdyFlyer

But Southwest doesn't formally define what an 'open seat' is. YOU are the one who chooses to arbitrarily define it as 'any seat without a warm body in it, at some specific moment in time'. Unfortunately, many FAs don't share that definition with you.

I agree that a case can be made that a more defined seating policy is needed, and might even grumble about it on FT, but I would NEVER get into a confrontational situation over this.

bmrisko

Hey if you REALLY want to sit in an aisle seat, go to the ticket counter and pay for A1-A15 boarding. If you don't do that, you get what you get. Too bad.

ursine1

The fact that Southwest refuses to define what "available" means is the crux of the problem.

More and more, many people are indeed getting into confrontations over this.

Southwest monetizes "early" access to available seats, and yet has no policy against seat saving, which would seem to be in conflict, and some would say is unconscionable.

john398

I think I would of rather play unite the couple rather than be confront someone, anyway glad it worked out for you

antinseattle

Nope.....here to back the OP. they have no "seat saving" rule, but they do have a "open seating policy". It's all up to interpretations, but if there's not a butt in that seat, IMO, the seats open.....the reason OP and others get worked up is because it's an "all about me world" and people are just selfish and want what they want.....the three wants to sit next together, they should ave done so at their cost......

There's plenty of examples that make seat saving obnoxious. There are times for kids, etc, completely fine......

I haven't had to deal with this in a lonnnnnnnng time, except in the exit row, but the OP is in the right IMO. I'd do the same exact thing.......

It's all insane. I've been A2, spending $$$ for what I want, and A1 wants to save 2-4 seats in the exit row? Gtfo and lmao......
But we all have different thoughts and opinions on a vague guideline....

If we're going to use some of you people's logic, 12 people wants to sit together, you're okay with 12 backpacks on rows 4 and 5, while there's only middle seats left?

john398

What about when the FA allows thru passengers to leave the plane to get food or something and they tell you not to worry your seat is safe. Has anyone ever had an issue with that? were these thru passengers on were they just getting on board

rsteinmetz70112

This is absolutely true.

It was less true back in the days of the plastic boarding cards when the cards were handed out on a first come first served basis. Anyone could get to the airport early and get a boarding pass, family groups would generally get passes at the same time.

I would say if someone wants to save a middle seat for a companion I don't have any real problem with that - UNLESS they are trying to save an Exit Aisle or Bulkhead. Accommodating other people seems to me to be common courtesy. I don't even mind couples who position themselves on the Window and Aisle seats in hopes of diverting people from taking the middle seat. My wife and I often do that (if the LUV seat isn't available) but if someone shows up and wants the middle, my small wife moves to the middle. We've never had anyone demand to sit in the middle seat.

But when someone tries to snag all of the good seats, that crosses the line from common courtesy to banditry and boorishness.

Southwest is abdicating their responsibility for fairly implementing the policy they promote and profit from.

SANdyFlyer

But when walking up on a seat without someone in it, you don't have any context. For all you know, one of the following situations could be taking place:

1. Couple comes upon two available seats, but there is not enough room in the overhead. One of the individuals walks to the back where there is space, and is fighting through the crowd to make their way back.
   
2. Couple boards the plane, but one needs to make an emergency bathroom break before takeoff.

Using your logic of 'any empty seat is available', it should be OK for me to take an exit row seat mid-flight as soon as someone got up to use the restroom. If you wanted to have kept your exit row seat, you shouldn't have gotten up! That interpretation of 'open seating' seems just as valid as any other...

antinseattle

That is completely fine too. Or if someone's in the bathroom (not. Oh ya. He's in the bathroom, clearly not). It's all about common courtesy and not trying to get away with something.....I guarantee the person saving the seats,knew he/she was in the wrong, and was probably very uncomfortable....

Michael El

BS as all Devolve seats suck. Middle Devolve seats really suck.


The OP did not make a fool of him or herself. This seat saving thing is getting out of hand.

+1

BS! An open seat is one that does not have a butt in it. The teen said she was saving them for her parents. Too bad.


Some of us just don't want to be sheep.

The OP didn't need to buy a BS ticket to get an aisle seat since there was one already open.

The teen said she was "saving" them for her parents.

ursine1

Yup. ^