Originally Posted by FCfree

SWA's open seating is natural seat blocking -- most people won't sit in a middle unless that is all that is left. Sure, a couple might sit together thus taking a middle, but if you sit in the window and you get another person in the aisle, then the open middle is locked up until there are no more window/aisles left. Call it the "bus seat rule" if you will. Also, because SWA flies with a lower load factor (and can afford to, given lower costs), the chance of an open middle is greater, especially for the non-status traveler. As a 2P with United, I rarely got seat blocking. As an A-list with Southwest, I get it all the time. Even if I lose A-list, I can still check in at T-24 and get a pretty good A boarding pass.

E+ is nice, but not worth the hassle and expense, in my opinion of bag fees and especially change fees. Even with status, E+ is NOT free -- they still get you on the change fees.