Amicus

^ Which is why my daughter and I both paid for EBCI, only to get B boarding passes, and then be told by the man in the bulkhead aisle that he was saving the whole row for his wife (who was one of the last to board the plane). We wanted to sit together on the 3 hour flight, and that's why we paid $10 each.

Amicus

Errr, could this be the same guy that saved the bulkhead row on my flight? He didn't pretend to have an imaginary aunt, he just insisted he was saving the 2 seats for his wife, who did eventually board at the end of the C group.
The FA on our flight intervened because she overheard his rant, and she had apparently already asked him to not save seats.

pinworm

I disagree..ban ALL seat saving, and force people who want to sit together to board together. Board with the person in your group with the highest number.

It would secure the value of EBCI, BS and AList. It would preserve the integrity of the line, and uphold an already standing rule on who to board with when issued different numbers

boeing727

+111111111111111111111

jamesteroh

+1!! Unfortunately a lot of people act totally opposite and if they board together feel that a person in b-30+ is entitled to board with the person holding the business select or EBCI pass (and I honestly have seen people try to board with their spouse or companion who had a much better number).

umustbjokim

I am the seat-savee (aka companion). No kids in the equation - but we do the same as above - so I am usually somewhere in the mid to upper A's. If Mr Umbjk doesn't get his "favorite" seat because someone is saving it, he moves on, and we're in another row.

Honestly - I cannot see what the big deal is if he holds the seat a few minutes for me.

I have premier status on the legacy airlines - and used to get all discombobulated if I didn't get my upgraded seats. Travel got a lot more enjoyable when I stopped obsessing over it.

If I get the upgrade great, if we get the "good row" on a SWA flight, great. If Hilton comes thru with a Diamond upgrade, great. If not, so be it. Life goes on - and both vacation and business travel are a lot less stressful - if not downright enjoyable.

IMHO, all the programs over-promise to their detriment and that of their customers. The perks begin to feel like "rights" and woe to those who stand in the way. (Although SPG rocked when I had platinum status.)

texashoser

I like your .sig. Somehow I think Aragorn wouldn't have the same opinion as you.

If you feel this strongly, and I most certainly see your points, complain and complain again to WN. Perhaps they will listen.

nsx

You haven't thought this through. How are people going to sit together if they board together at C15? Saving a middle seat for the late boarder is the only practical way to do this, as far as I can see.

jamesteroh

Then people should quit being so cheap and pay the $10 each way for EBCI if it's that important they sit together. I like to have an aisle seat towards the front if I have a tight connection and I pay the $10 EBCI fee and I always get one on the first leg of a trip (I dn't always on the second leg if the first flight is late and the connection is already boarding). If people would quit being so cheap and pay the $10 for EBCI, it wouldn't be an issue, even if they get a low b number and board together they will still find a set of seats together. This thread reminds me a little of people that complain about not having their upgrades cleared on the other airlines, if sitting in First is that improtnant to them, then they should pay for a ticket in F instead of risking their chances getting upgraded on a Y ticket and they will be assured of sitting up front. If people want to sit together then pay the EBCI fee and you will be sitting together if you board with your group.

And I really don't have a problem with someoe that is saving a middle seat in the last row. What iritates me is when people are saving seats towards the front of the plane or saving the entire row. If I have a tight connection I AM taking the first aisle seat I find with no one in it.

I don't understand why people insist on sitting together anyway. The longest flight on WN is probably 3.5 to 4 hours and the people will be together at wherever they are going to or had spent a lot of time together where they are coming from.

jamesteroh

No, the practical way is to pay for EBCI and you won't board with c15. You will board with either A or early b.

nsx

I don't think any reasonable person would object to a policy allowing one non-premium (not exit row, not front 5 rows) middle seat to be saved for a travel companion.

texashoser

Agreed.

jamesteroh

If there is someone in both the aisle and window seats I agree totally. Not like a single traveller wants a middle seat unless that is all that is left and the next closest one is quite a few rows back.

However if the middle seat and the aisle or window next to it are free and it's two people travelling together, I could see their objections if they boarding and there aren't two seats together nearby. It would be very unfair to deny them those seats because someone elses travel companion is too cheap to pay for EBCI.

nsx

Good point. If you are going to save a seat you should either pick a row with 1 person there already or attract another person before the other rows fill up.

pinworm

Then they can ALL buy EBCI, check in at the approprite time, go with family boarding, or learn to sit apart for an hour or so.

Seat saving was more tolerable before WN offered a revenue profile around getting a shot at a better seat (still unfair to lower BP holders, but "more" tolerable) But second they began making money off of it, they needed to step in to protect the integrity of EBCI and BS and they simply have not done it.

If someone pays 10 dollars to get a lower BP, and finds a seat held for someone who did not, it devalues the money the EBCI customer paid. If someone buys EBCI and holds seats for the rest of their party in the B or C groups, it devalues the other EBCI purchasers benefit AND causes a deincentiviation for groups to purchase it together.

So, to answer your question, if your family is stuck with C15 and above, that's your lot. That's what it is to be in the C group.