If WN had a policy it would need to train for it and to enforce it. As you wrote, they seem to like this ambiguity. Apologies after the fact cost nothing - but achieve nothing.

No, there was no previous leg.

Love me some purple prose. 🙃

Put aside whether or not you think this was reasonable for a FA to save a seat, or whether or not my complaint makes you "ashamed to be part of the human race." The FA lied to my face. She said "someone is already sitting here." Nobody was sitting there. It's impossible for the seat to be taken when the person that got the seat was the last person to board the plane. There are no circumstances when it is appropriate for a FA to lie to a pax. No, I don't have 100% proof of what happened, but I think the conclusion I reached is more likely than not what happened based on the circumstances.

The fact that WN actually bothered to call, which takes time and costs money, suggests that the issue is taken a bit more seriously than ordinary or that it received multiple reports of the same incident. Cut & paste emails cost close to nothing to generate.

But, I still suspect that WN is fine with the ambiguity of not assigning seats but allowing various informal seat assigning to take place. It is poor service, but not likely to change as WN thinks it has a happy medium.

No problem. If I'm ever traveling with a circus, I'll gladly pay the ECBI and save an entire row of seats with assorted personal items and stern uninviting glares for my fellow pax, which I've been on the receiving end more times than I can count.

Reassuring to know that WN will have my back.

While that may not have been terribly apparent (many times I've been the sole through passenger on such ridiculous routings such as ISP-FLL-MCI and MCI-MCO-ISP), and I have deplaned, I always left a bag on the prized seat in case I did not make it back before general boarding. In the absence of that, I agree sum ting wong here.

So, it looks like we might a "wording" issue here.

You are right, nobody was sitting there. That was very obvious. 100% agree with that.

What we do not know is if someone had been sitting there, then got up and went back to get something left at the gate, for example. Lots of other possibilities, but who knows? Heck, maybe it was an Air Marshall and he had some official duties to attend to.

Nor do we know if there was some reason the seat was being saved.

All three of these things could mean the same to most people. Apparently, the wording she used meant she told you a lie.

* That seat is taken.
* Someone is sitting in that seat.
* This seat is saved.

So, at this time, it is very hard to say the FA told you a lie - to your face.

Let me add... if was saving for a friend, that was wrong.

(unless it was for me)

Oh come on, do people really not realize that not everything in life is fair?

Years ago, I was dating an FA. Do you really not think I got special treatment when I was on a flight she was working? Or even that I did not get special treatment from other FAs as well, who knew her and by extension myself. I got upgrades, special meals, free mini-bottles to take home, etc. etc. I can also tell you what the inside of a galley elevator was like on an old 747 and give some tips on making out in the lower galley. My FA girlfriend had seniority and always chose to work that galley rather than walk the aisles dealing with people who thought they should be treated fairly. I heard all the stories of how FAs dealt with passengers that they liked and didn't like. They have as many ways to make your life pleasant or miserable as many people in many other jobs do. I find it rather naive to think that 'unfair' shouldn't be expected to apply when flying.

I enjoyed my 'unfair' treatment for as long as it lasted. That was right up until I asked her when she was going to get me free flights and she replied, 'you have to marry me to get that.' See ya later sweetheart. A week later, another FA (a friend of hers obviously) 'accidentally' spilled an entire pot of coffee in my lap. What goes around, comes around.

OMFG all I want for Xmas is ONEEEEEE day w/o another stupid seat thread!!

It's a tapered tube with 32" between rows, not the good ship Lollipop.

Southwest allows seat saving. If it inconveniences you as a passenger, you should let them know. Do not expect much from the reply.

PLEASE
PLEASE
PLEASE

Let's not get into another seat saving discussion with 8,439 posts.

P.S. - Southwest does not allow seat saving.

AND -

Southwest does not disallow seat saving.

There is no policy.

Get over it.

God help us.

Yay!! I was just thinking it had been far too long without a seat saving thread. Now, with a little pot stirring, I'll have something entertaining for the next few days.

I had an FA save an entire row plus an aisle seat for me once and that was because the captain asked her to. Traveling with 3 kids and we were last to board. Didn't know either of them.