Originally Posted by
rsoderberg
Originally Posted by N702ML
Expert,
As a Southwest flight attendant, I can understand your frustration at the cabin crew not confronting Customers who are saving seats.
However, after a lot of searching, I have managed to find a copy of our official Inflight Services monthly publication dated March 2009.
This ISSUE is addressed:
"Myth: Customers are NOT allowed to save seats for their traveling companions.
Busted: We currently have NO policy preventing Customers from saving seats, and as a flight attendant, you are not expected to monitor Customers who are attempting to save seats for their traveling companions."
The article goes on to explain that in a situation where two people are on a PNR and one Customer is A-List and the other person is not, our Ground Operations personnel are to suggest that they save a seat for their traveling companion since they will not be able to board together.
The article also states: "Customers are also to be told that if they are going to be attempting to save seats in a 'prime real estate area,' they can expect to be challenged by their fellow Customers."
This simply reconfirms the SW policy of open seating. If a person tries to save a seat and another passenger wants that seat, they are allowed to sit there. SW may not have written policy that specifically addresses seat saving, but they
do have a written policy of open seating. One effectively overrides the other.
If SW has a stated policy of open seating, they by default, have a policy against seat saving. You can't have both at the same time.