returnoftheyeti

I saw my first "seat saver" on an LAS - SFO flight this weekend. Some guy, obvious A list (busisness traveler, frequent flier), in the aisle, row 5 or so. My girlfriend and I asked if we could sit there and he stated that he was saving the middle seat. I ignored it, and went back to row 9 or so. In the middle of the C's, his wife and infant board, and sit with him. So I thought of this thread.

Here are my issues:

1) you are right, saving seats sucks. It was a full flight, and our goal was to sit together at the front of the plane so we could get off as soon as we got to SFO.

2) I wasn't going to argue, or pick a fight with the guy, the main reason was to because my only goal was to get to SFO ASAP, and picking a fight would have delayed the process.

3) what kind of [...] leaves his wife and infant at the gate, while he boards A list and saves a seat. I had A49 and my girl had A56, we tried to board together at about A53 and the gate Nazi (this is a good thing) made her wait for untill A55 had boarded. I waited just inside the jetway for her, not getting on the plane and saving a seat.

I dunno, no solutions here, just that I noticed it, and it annoyed me.

izzik

racist.. sexist.. same smell. basically a lowlife jerk.

Firewind

In this thread, the issue has been drawn pretty closely around saving seats for family and friends. But izzik and USAF1 are debating the question of whether someone has the right to save a seat until s/he sees someone come along that s/he'd prefer to sit beside. That is, to deny people on that basis. ...The same right someone claims to save seats for family and friends.

Firewind

At 33 comments, many pretty strong, it looks like Don'tCallMeShirley sure called it. Then again, one can observe that things nearly always work out in real life. But, then again, when I said above that it's huge that she would post this, it was because she sees a sample, while most of the comments from Customers here reflect a sample of one.

DontCallMeShirley

Maybe, but ever so slightly.

I believe a good way to solve this problem is that if you purchase early bird, then everyone on your reservation must also purchase it. If they don't the purchase wont go through. Of course, some could be savig for people not on their reservation

judolphin

Not sure why this is huge -- there are two senses in which this post could be huge, and I don't think either applies:

(a.) "This is a huge problem." I disagree, because I don't think most people care. I don't see how it's that big a deal. Literally > 90% of my WN trips (I take 40+ RT per year on WN), I'm alone. But I want to save a seat for my companions on the other < 10%.

I'm willing to be consistent: I'm A-List so I'm always first in my group to board. I save one or two seats as long as it's not row 1 or 11. No one has ever as much as given me a dirty look for this, let alone tell me "I'm sitting here anyway", or try to physically climb over me, or call a FA.

Likewise, if someone else happens to be saving a seat on any flight I don't make a ruckus, even if it is row 1 or 11. I feel some of the sentiment on this board is from another planet than the rest of WN passengers live in.

(b.) "The OP will be the impetus for WN to change its policies"... with all due respect, this is something like the 17th thread about people saving seats, and it's usually the same half dozen people agreeing with the OP. Is the thread huge because DontCallMeShirley is the CEO of Southwest or something? (No offense meant to the OP, really and truly, I promise).

DontCallMeShirley

Please reread my OP. I specifically spoke about the EXIT ROW SEATS.

And, this has become a huge problem that I witness on a day to day basis. Trust me, I would hope that people have the decency to be honest and not do something so sneaky as this, but we live in a ME ME ME world, and I am never shocked to see people pull strategy such as this anymore. I just feel terrible for the people that followed proper procedure and then get screwed by the folks that don't give a darn about anyone besides themselves.

DontCallMeShirley

Again, it sounds as if no one gave you much trouble as you were not taking the ER seats. I have been witnessing one person sitting down in the ER, then throwing their bags on other EXIT seats. I am not referring to other seats, as I don't keep an eye on those, although I think it's pretty low to save those as well.

Boraxo

Wow- row 5 instead of row 11. That's going to cost you what, all of 2 minutes in Vegas. I'd make a federal case out of it.

The problem is that you mistitled your post so most everyone interpreted it post to refer to the entire aircraft (though in practice it's more likely the front section and exit rows).

As someone noted, FAs are supposed to monitor the exit rows and prevent people from saving seats in those rows. Also, you won't see families with children saving seats there due to age requirements.

Your real issue is that you are upset when you don't get one of the very few exit row seats. I bet that's a big club here at FT. If it is that important to you then you are flying the wrong airline - many others will permit elite passengers (and sometimes even non-elites) to reserve those seats.

mvoight

WN does have a policy, and that policy is that seats cannot be saved
If you want to sit together, pay for early boarding or wait and board with your group

AlyJa

I am flying Southwest this weekend with my husband & 3 kids. Was thinking of signing my husband up for the Earlybird so he can get on & save us seats together. After reading these post & how rude people are I have just decided we will all board together. If we can't get seats together I will simply strap my 2 year old in between two of the $10 earlybird people & hope they enjoy the flight! What else can I do. I would rather have the extra $100 it would cost for all 5 of us to do the earlybird to spend on our vacation.

SAPMAN

judolphin and others: You are unwilling to buy EBCI, but think it is ok buy one and save a seat for someone who does not and is far back in the line? Don't you think someone who pays to board early should have choice of unfilled seats? Is that not the benefit associated with EBCI?

On the other hand -- why not just have anyone you want to sit with claim a handicap and pre-board and he will be there before you get on?

For that matter- why buy EBCI when you can get on early with a disability sleeve and get your choice seat (except Exit, which is unlikely you get anyway).

If it's a ME, ME world - guess that is what I will do. Actually I have never done that -- but if I have a B50 BP someday on a 4 hr flight, I may resort to it. I do see many who can walk all over the terminal, but need extra time to get on, so unsure why they need the extra time.

WN is in a no win situation here -- similar to COS policy. If they enforce, they are the bad guys, if they don't they do not follow their own rules.

freeflyin

Welcome to Flyertalk. You picked a very contentious thread to begin your experience.

You are doing the right thing boarding together.Saving seats can cause all kinds of grief,as you can see here.

Check in early and hopefully get A boarding passes. If not,then you will board in front of the Bs and will still be able to get seats together.They may not be all in the same row,but should be close enough to keep an adult with each child.Realistically,once most passengers see kids,they will not want to sit near you. Personally, I prefer sitting near families over many adults these days.

Enjoy your trip and don't let seating worries ruin it.

rove312

The official FAQ on EBCI has the Q&A:

If a Customer is booked in the same reservation with other Passengers, can he/she purchase EarlyBird Check-in even if the others do not choose to do so?
Yes. EarlyBird Check-in options are available for purchase on an individual Passenger basis.

Do they think that people booked in the same reservation won't expect to sit together? I'd say that's a place to clarify rules on seat saving, whether it's "Don't count on your companion being able to sit with you" or "You may save a seat, but not in the exit row."

nsx

Because you have a 2 year old, you can utilize mid-boarding, right after A60. That's almost as good as EB, and it's free. You will definitely get seats together that way, just not in the front of the aircraft.

Welcome to FT!