Just a note (and possible harbinger of trouble ahead):
I purchased a ticket for travel and paid for early bird check-in on 9/2 in the evening. For some reason when the check-in occurred, I received B-17!!!. While I understand it is no guarantee, this is just goofy. Apparently 60 others had purchased the early bird check-in on my *underbooked MDW>MCI prior to me. Either that or there is some funny business going on here.
Definitely this has been one of the few areas of displeasure for me flying on WN.
Any similar experiences?
*wanna get away? fare available at last minute.
Last edited by onthesam; Sep 4, 09 at 6:10 pm..
Reason: clarity.
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I think the potential reason for that is a lot of connections that come through MDW to MCI from places that don't have non-stop flights, and they still get to check-in before the Early Bird takes effect.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by onthesam
Just a note (and possible harbinger of trouble ahead):
I purchased a ticket for travel and paid for early bird check-in on 9/2 in the evening. For some reason when the check-in occurred, I received B-17!!!.
When did you buy the EBCI? If less than about 30 hours before departure, some T-24 connecting passengers may have already checked in.
nsx:actually it was purchased on 9/2. The flight is tomorrow. That would be 60 hours or so.
Beckles: My understanding is that connecting passengers who do not have early bird check in for their initial flight less than 36 hours from the connecting flight, in general.
From a customer service perspective, my concern is twofold:
1. What about those who do not purchase the early bird and check in 24 hours in advance? Will the situation become either purchase early bird or be in "C" group?
2. Those who do purchase the product and receive low B or C boarding passes may feel somehow wronged.
To get more information, I called up Southwest and was transferred to a supervisor who is familiar with the program. He indicated to me that they were going to be assessing the effectiveness of the program as well as whether the technology was working properly or not in a few weeks.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by onthesam
nsx:actually it was purchased on 9/2. The flight is tomorrow. That would be 60 hours or so.
OK, then I'd say that this points to an underpricing of the EB product. Southwest should have priced it at $20 to limit the sales and assure the value of the result.
Your flight contained probably no more than 10 A-listers and over 50 EBCIs. Anyone who bought EB on a flight originating elsewhere and connecting to your flight was checked in ahead of you, and that was perhaps 35 or so of the 50.
Just like BS is not offered when there are going to be too many through passengers, EBCI should perhaps not be offered where there are too many connecting passengers.
Thanks for the pertinent report and reality check for Southwest. I predict that Southwest will make the EBCI price distance-dependent by January, if not sooner. The sooner the better, I say, ideally before too many people learn about it and get used to the $10 price. Change it now to a distance-dependent range of $10-$25 and the squawking would be minimal.
Note that a higher EBCI price would also reduce complaints by T-24 OLCI customers, because it reduces the devaluation of their product. I highly recommend an immediate pricing change. We could soon find out just how decisive Mr. Kelly is.
Buying EB check-in is essentially like buying a lottery ticket. You pay $10 and you might get A24 or you might get B15. It's a gamble, and you just have to decide if $10 for the "chance" of something good is worth it.
The point at which you buy EB check in relative to departure is also a factor. If you buy a ticket the moment the schedule opens and buy EB at the same time you'll be at the front of the EB line - if you buy your EB three days before your flight leaves you could be the last EB in line, just one position ahead of the first T-24.
Norm: I'll grant that it is a gamble, however, mine was purchased for me very shortly after the service became available.
Also:an update.
There were several empty slots in the b group before me (I was 17, there were 6 people plus family boarding before me). Ill post a photo somewhere. Could have been a lot of no-shows or last minute chage, or some issue with the system (I've experienced check-in glitches in the past which puts you at the end of the c group in the order in which the glitch occured).
I think one more of the potential problems is the blind nature of the program.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by normalone
If you buy a ticket the moment the schedule opens and buy EB at the same time you'll be at the front of the EB line - if you buy your EB three days before your flight leaves you could be the last EB in line, just one position ahead of the first T-24.
True, and this makes the OP's experience even more striking. Yes, 60 hours is close to last in line for EBCI. But EB is so new that the line didn't even START until the day the OP bought his ticket. It can only get worse from here, much worse, for those MDW-originating flights.
Southwest might face bad PR for changing the price of EB immediately, but the PR from EB buyers getting high B's will be much, much worse. A price increase due to a pricing mistake is understandable. Ripping people off by selling them a middle seat (anything above B30) for $10 is not. It will be a PR disaster, perhaps bigger than any in Southwest's history. I really hope Southwest strikes quickly to prevent this from happening.
Buying EB check-in is essentially like buying a lottery ticket. You pay $10 and you might get A24 or you might get B15. It's a gamble, and you just have to decide if $10 for the "chance" of something good is worth it.
It doesn't have to be this way. When I buy a ticket on UA sometimes I am offered a "buy-up" to first after I hit the purchase button. I can look at the seats available and select one at that time. Showing me what is available helps drive motivation to spend. Why can't WN tell you, "If you pay an additional $10 in the next three minutes, you will be guaranteed spot A37 in line"? Your position would be locked and guaranteed regardless of check in time, connecting passengers, etc. Once you have your number, it is concrete. Nothing will change it.
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It doesn't have to be this way. When I buy a ticket on UA sometimes I am offered a "buy-up" to first after I hit the purchase button. I can look at the seats available and select one at that time. Showing me what is available helps drive motivation to spend. Why can't WN tell you, "If you pay an additional $10 in the next three minutes, you will be guaranteed spot A37 in line"? Your position would be locked and guaranteed regardless of check in time, connecting passengers, etc. Once you have your number, it is concrete. Nothing will change it.
Understanding the SWA boarding pass/checkin process answers this question.
Purchasing a ticket three weeks out:
Business Select gets a BP between A1-A15, based on purchase date & time.
A-List gets automatically checked in at T-36, based on the secret sauce algorithm, starting at A-16, unless there are connecting flight A-Listers who scarf up A-16...
Early Bird Checkin gets checked in at T-36, based on date & time of EB purchase, behind A-List and connecting EB pax.
Displaying a BP slot at time of purchase is not possible.
BTW: Exactly why is my ice fishing not working again?
About the only thing you can say is that buying EB gives you a lower number than not buying it. The problem, of course, is a simple one. Previous to EB, if you were conscientious about checking in at T-24, you were way ahead of the game, since a large number of people did not check in precisely at T-24. Now, all those folks who didn't want to bother about T-24 will just pay the $10, and if they bought their ticket ahead of you, you will be behind them instead of in front of them.
I think they've opened up a real can of worms with this. With the legacies, at least you know what you're buying. This is altogether different and the only thing I can compare it to is the Prisoner's Dilemma problem in game theory. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prisoner's_dilemma
The problem here is that it undermines one of the fundamental factors in Southwest's success: a predictable travel experience. Under the old system, you simply hit the check-in at T-24 and that was it. This introduces an element of unpredictability that was missing before; if the OP's experience turns out to be fairly typical, then this could turn out to be alienating for some customers. If I want unpredictability, I can fly a legacy where I have no status. That's not something I expect from Southwest.
About the only thing you can say is that buying EB gives you a lower number than not buying it. The problem, of course, is a simple one. Previous to EB, if you were conscientious about checking in at T-24, you were way ahead of the game, since a large number of people did not check in precisely at T-24.
Well put. I have to imagine that the choices as follows:
1) EBCI (and, depending on how far out from the flight you purchased the ticket, you may get a low number)
2) T-24. Roll the dice as to high B or low/high C
3) Business Select.
WN's revenue stream is sure improve servicing those who prefer to secure a higher boarding position. (for EBCI I paid $10 on a $69 ticket, that's 14%)
BTW:
As for the overall EBCI purchase on first day available experience:
MDW>MCI made me question the viability of the program.
My return flight experience has been much better. With A-17 secured I showed up at MCI, printed boarding pass, and plan on walking on the plane (half filled with those continuing on from Denver) momentarily. But that just tells me that i would have been fine T-24, provided nobody else had EBCI.
On balance, I think that it doesn't really benefit the traveler as much as the airline in terms of revenue. From a customer satisfaction standpoint, both the airline and passenger are harmed.
[Off-topic discussion deleted by moderator in view of thread's move.]
So, my experience so far with the WN EBCI:
Bought it for my flight as soon as the program was rolled out last week. Flight is tomorrow morning, PHX to STL..an originating flight! Checked today to see what boarding number I got. Still about 19 hours from departure. A32. Not B30 by any means, but usually with the old T-24 that I would do I would almost always get A20 to A27. I am out 20 dollars for a worse BP than before.
I can only take it to mean that lot's of folks signed up for EBCI or there is a crapload of A listers, emps and BS.
The flight back to PHX is Friday..not originating. Will see how it goes then.
Also just purchased it for my PHX-DIA cycle next week, DIA to PHX is ALWAYS full, so we shall see. My traveling partner will be booking his at t-24..should be interesting to see if he ends up with a B.
Curious, anyone go through a flight yet on EBCI? What were the results?
Last edited by Ocn Vw 1K; Sep 7, 09 at 7:27 pm..
Reason: See first par. above.
