Sometimes - hard to believe I know - but sometimes you can actually get a good feel for process without actually experiencing it !!!
This is the ideal case. And like it or not, support this airline or not, Southwest is an airline that offers tickets at a range from quite inexpensive ie $108 one way from the NY area to Florida as example all the way to nearly $500 one way. Each with its own advantages or limitations. The only significant diff being boarding position and points and a $5.00 drink.
None offer any IFE, or other included service
All allow changes at no fee except the type of fare changed to.....
All have NO pre assigned seating. And all allow free checked bags (for some an advantage)
That's how WN operates......
Buy your ticket. Unlimited no fee changes (for some a real advantage for me Zero).... 31" pitch (some have 32-33) 2" not 3" of recline, no real service on board. No IFE again things I could care less about
But for $220 r/t buffalo to Tampa it's seems like a cheap tolerable flight
For me it has ONE advantage. Price. Nothing more
For many the ability to change the flight is a REAL advantage. For me not
If I lose $100 on having to miss the flight - so be it
But I challenge anyone to seriously say that not being able to pick your seat in advance is a benefit. The only benefit would be for a last minute fare where on most other airlines the seats are mostly already assigned and if that was the case it would likely be at a full fare and most hold some seats back for those clients anyway so....not an issue either way
I think I know how WN operates.
My initial question was related to the fact that I spent a whole $12.50 on EB check in and wondered if checking in right at 24hrs would change the position of boarding (I've since found out no) or whether there was some other way to get an early boarding position. Like buying the BS $40 option A1-15 if available at the gate (depends if available) and it seems if you get at least a mid B or late B should be able to get 2 seats together and so getting a very low A has no real advantage.
My question was answered and I think I know how Southwest operates.
For $220 r/t it'll be just fine. The $400 savings over air canada or west jet for example can be better spent. It's not worth $400 a person to get a seat pre assigned.