kwildnj

Hi All,

Background:


So here's the deal: I'm flying WN for the first time in ten years, and despite my last posting's responses that boarding had drastically improved in that time, I paid the $10 for EarlyBird Check-In.


As I understood it, it checks me in 36 instead of 24 hours in advance. Well T-36 came and went at 12:10EST this very early AM, and no e-mail from WN...... :-(


I go online, thinking perhaps I had misread, and EBCI just allows me the ability to Check-In 36 hours in advance, not doing it automatically for me. On Southwest.com mobile, I attempt to check-in, and it tells me I'm unable to checkin, period, end of discussion.


So I call Southwest, at 3:30am, and am told that I can't get my BP until 24 hours in advance, but confirmed that I had EBCI, and was 'checked in', though she couldn't provide me with a (and pardon my lack of the correct term here), boarding sequence number.


She went on to educate me that it is a federal regulation that one cannot receive their boarding pass (or apparently know their boarding sequence) until 24 hours in advance of their flight......



Now My Rant:

This week, leading up to my flight, Southwest sent me no less than three emails reminding me of the flight I had on Sunday......

Why can't Southwest the airline of such "great" customer service send an e-mail when I was automatically 'checked' in at T-36 saying to the effect:

"Dear Customer, thanks for paying extra for early bird checkin, please note, we have checked you in for your flight on 10/24/2010. While you have been checked in for your flight, federal regulations prohibit us from providing you with your boarding pass until 24 hours prior to your flight's departure"


Because honestly, how do I even know the extra $10 'did' anything?


In addition, and perhaps this will happen, but, at 24 hours out an e-mail should be sent saying:

"Dear Customer, thanks for paying extra money for EarlyBird Check-In. As a result, you were able to get boarding sequence A10, where you would have only had B50 (or whatever) without"




Okay rant done, overall a poor execution of EBCI in my opinion.....

tusphotog

They've never sent emails saying you're checked in. Not for A-list, not for EBCI. Your number is reserved at T-36. You can print your BP at T-24. EBCI checks you in, the same way A-listers are checked in. You don't do anything.

If you're that desperate to know if EBCI is on your reservation, open your reservation in the view itinerary tab. If there's a green E, you're set. Alternatively, you can try and change/cancel your reservation. It'll come up with a warning saying you need to delete the boarding pass with your reservation. Don't click "yes" obviously...

I'm not sure how this qualifies as a "poor execution of EBCI..."

grain

what i didnt see in your rant on how bad this service is.... what was your boarding number?

lougord99

How does WN know what number you would have been without EBCI?

I doubt anyone here understands what you are unhappy about.

kwildnj

What I am upset is about is that no where when I paid for my EBCI did it discuss that I would have to wait to receive my boarding pass until T-24......

And all I was trying to say is that if Southwest can send me three separate emails this week to reconfirm my trip, why couldn't they send a confirmation at T-36 confirming that I had been checked in, and mentioning that I'd have to wait until T-24 to get my BP, perhaps even with a link to it, etc....


I don't think I'm asking for a lot here............Especially when adding a premium product to my reservation.

lougord99

As the agent told you, it is a TSA mandate that you cannot get your boarding pass until T-24.

kwildnj

OMG I am not complaining that I could not get my boarding pass @ T-36, my problem with WN is that they could have sent an e-mail confirming that my PREMIUM SERVICE had been fulfilled, that also indicated what I now know from the agent, that despite being checked in early, that I could not print my BP until T-24..........


I again, don't think it would too hard for WN to do this........It would be a nice courtesy.

pirossalma

The 24 hour rule 'mentioned', 'indicated' on the website:
Learn More About EarlyBird Check-in
http://www.southwest.com/html/custom...lybird_checkin

Quote: EarlyBird Check-In Customers will be checked in automatically and receive a reserved boarding position 36 hours prior to their flight's scheduled local departure time..... Boarding Passes can be printed beginning 24 hours prior to the flight's scheduled local departure time.

To prevent similar disappointment, it might be nice if costumers read the basic rules, before signing up for any service. I do not think it would be hard.

wuds

from the website:

When are EarlyBird Check-In Customers' boarding pass positions reserved?
EarlyBird Check-In Customers will be checked in automatically and receive a reserved boarding position 36 hours prior to their flight's scheduled local departure time. Customers who purchase EarlyBird Check-In between 36 and 25 hours prior to their flight's scheduled local departure time will have their boarding position reserved 25 hours prior to their flight's scheduled local departure time. Boarding Passes can be printed beginning 24 hours prior to the flight's scheduled local departure time.

i think it would be a good idea if there were an email at t36 and t25 confirming the passenger is checked in, and the boarding pass will be available to view/ print at t24. it can also advise that, if you choose, you need do nothing but show up at the airport with a photo id to get your boarding passes.

SW High

Hey, chill a little. Have the other airlines done such a number on you that you have become a basket case before you even experience a flight?

You paid your $10 and you can now relax. The little elves at WN have done their work so you do not have to. You're checked in automatically and can wait till you get to the airport to get your boarding pass AND be assured that your $10 investment got you a better boarding position - better than those who did not pay and had to be at a computer to check in at T24.

So relax and wait till you have the overall experience of the flight. Stop complaining so much in advance, thinking WN has failed you.

Once you know the procedure, you will see your fears are quite unfounded.

nsx

@:-) This is a really, really good idea. Positive reinforcement.

pirossalma

OR very negative enforcement.
A10 vs B50 might be nice, but it is a fiction. In many cases the "true" would be much less difference. See the "Post your BP - not EBCI" thread. Most of the posters get A at T-24 without any EBCI.

If you get repeated letter about how lucky you are to get A 45 instead of A 50 - then you would be less inclined to pay that extra $10.
(Btw how to know what would he get?)

Horse

Agreed. That way you would also know that your ECBI processed and you didn't have to worry about having to check in at T-24 as a backup (recall recent glitch http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/south...-list-b15.html).

nsx

That is a good point. The message should instead appear when you actually print the BP. At that time the software could check what BP is available for the next non-reserved OLCI. It could then display your BP number and the number that you would have gotten if you had printed your BP exactly then without EBCI. This method appears simple to implement.

SAPMAN

But, if you have EBCI, unlikely that, if you did normal check in, you would have waited until T-23 or whatever. Those with EBCI rarely use the count down clock to hit exactly at T-24.

I know I have had one of my party get EBCI and get A25 and then I get on at T-24 and get A35 or A40. So really no difference (wasted $10).

Unless you are a couple/group wanting to sit together, getting EBCI is usually not that important as I would guess at least 90 do not use priority boarding systems. So if you get B10, still have a choice of aisle or window, albeit maybe not front of plane.

Remember, at WN most prized seats are exit row or bulkhead. BS and A List and pre-boarders get those.

Personally, I only buy EBCI if I will be unable to get on line at T-24, have a 2+ hour flight, and know it is a thru flight which may have many staying on plane. Also if I am boarding at a hub but think many will be connecting there onto my flight and getting their BP based on initial flight departure.

I have only had to sit in middle if I had a late inbound flight and connection ended up being less than 15 minutes (boarding started before I could get to gate). Or, of course, missed a flight and had to get a reboarding pass 3 hr. before flights.

But WN makes good money for minimal effort for Early Boarding without upsetting many, so makes sense for them.