Originally Posted by
ave1024
I am suggesting that rules are rules and if you choose to fly an airline that has an open seating policy you should follow their rules. And your first point about somebody with more status really doesn't make sense. I can pay the $40 or so at the gate and get A1-15 and i'll be ahead of you and I would presumably have less "status" than OP, yet I board in front of him and for a reason.
And you proved my point about there "being plenty of open seats". If there will be plenty of open seats, why is there a need to break the rules?
Your original post said to buy EBCI, which I pointed out isn't possible for the OP. You said nothing about buying up to a BS boarding position. There isn't a need to break the rules. Well other than just to piss some people off.
The problem is that when some rules are potentially in conflict with one another, then just use some common sense.
Originally Posted by
dabeags
The intricacy of this situation is this. Under 24 month old and as a lap infant, he could board with me at my number.
As my companion, he will then have his own seat and his own boarding number, even when he is under 24 months old. As such, if going by the "rules", I think we should either board at his number, or board between A/B. Therefore, I am being "punished" for using a benefit given to WNs most valuable FFs.
Exactly.
Originally Posted by
ave1024
What benefit are you missing out on? What you are saying doesn't make sense. You can't miss out on a benefit that doesn't exist, what FF benefit is this that HE has?
I too have a companion and my companion is my 3 year old. I am not A+ since I book all my flights on points due to very high business CC spending, but it's possible I am just as much as a FF as you are minus the status. There have been times when I have received an A boarding pass at T-24 check in, probably due to somebody with EBCI cancelling at last minute. My son received a B. I could have tried to take him with me in the A group but I boarded between A and B group. I don't see what the big deal is. What you should be doing is campaigning to SW to allow companions to check in with the paid passenger. I would benefit by this as well, but since they don't allow this I play by the rules.
His missing out on his A+ boarding position benefit which certainly does exist. If the companion was 18 years instead of 18 months, then the OP could board at his A+ number, save a middle seat, and companion board at their number. But because the companion is only 18 months, boarding separately isn't an option but the end result is the same, that they will be seated together. So why get in a twist about "rules" when the outcome is exactly the same as long as some common sense is used.
Originally Posted by
ave1024
You aren't losing a benefit if the benefit doesn't exist. You are still getting a benefit of a free ticket for him, and the benefit of boarding in front of potentially 80 additional people regardless of boarding number. If you want the benefit of boarding together in a premier spot, pay the $40 to board A1-15 if available. Done.
He's losing the benefit of his A+ boarding position by using a different benefit. Which is fine and a trade off that needs to be considered but he's really just asking if common sense will prevail. The benefit of a free ticket has nothing to do with them sitting together. He's not asking for boarding in a premier spot. He's just asking if common sense will prevail.