Ebci snafu
Mar 2, 2012, 5:20 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Formerly Box 350, Boston Mass, Oh two one three four. Now near Beverly Hills 90210
Programs: Loyal Order of Water Buffalos
Posts: 3,938
Ebci snafu
My sister and her husband are in Phoenix (lucky ***tards). Booked flights last August, got the EBCIs for themselves at that time. Trip to Phoenix was no problem, they were assigned A31 and A32 or something good like that.
Coming home tomorrow, checked on line a couple hours ago and saw they had B35 and B36.
Say what?
Called SW, were told "maybe that many people bought EBCI before you did".
Is that possible, 6+ months ago?
Then were told "it's a glitch, sorry, we'll refund your $20 each". To which they replied, "if we knew we didn't have EBCI, we'd have checked in at T-24 and gotten something better than mid/late B.
"sorry, nothing we can do, maybe at the airport they can help you" (this was after 10 minutes).
I suggested they call back and see if they can get someone more helpful, or a supervisor, but what are the possibilities here? Can they be given preboarding? Should they? I think they deserve something more than just their money back, can Southwest give them extra RR credit (free drink coupons won't cut it)?
Thanks for your advice.
Coming home tomorrow, checked on line a couple hours ago and saw they had B35 and B36.
Say what?
Called SW, were told "maybe that many people bought EBCI before you did".
Is that possible, 6+ months ago?
Then were told "it's a glitch, sorry, we'll refund your $20 each". To which they replied, "if we knew we didn't have EBCI, we'd have checked in at T-24 and gotten something better than mid/late B.
"sorry, nothing we can do, maybe at the airport they can help you" (this was after 10 minutes).
I suggested they call back and see if they can get someone more helpful, or a supervisor, but what are the possibilities here? Can they be given preboarding? Should they? I think they deserve something more than just their money back, can Southwest give them extra RR credit (free drink coupons won't cut it)?
Thanks for your advice.
Mar 2, 2012, 5:29 pm
#2
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Nashville, TN
Programs: WN Nothing and spending the half million points from too many flights, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 8,043
It may be a long shot, but here is what I would try.
The refund of the $20 is an admission that there was a mistake. Call them back and explain that you would like for the information to be placed in your reservation about the mistake and you simply request boarding with family boarding. You may have to push it up a couple of levels to get it done. At the desk at the gate, tell them your story yet again and have them to look up the info from your reservation. Go to the agent at the desk, not the one at the door.
This might work. I give it a 25% chance.
The refund of the $20 is an admission that there was a mistake. Call them back and explain that you would like for the information to be placed in your reservation about the mistake and you simply request boarding with family boarding. You may have to push it up a couple of levels to get it done. At the desk at the gate, tell them your story yet again and have them to look up the info from your reservation. Go to the agent at the desk, not the one at the door.
This might work. I give it a 25% chance.
Mar 2, 2012, 5:43 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Formerly Box 350, Boston Mass, Oh two one three four. Now near Beverly Hills 90210
Programs: Loyal Order of Water Buffalos
Posts: 3,938
Ok, they can try that. But if that fails, is there any other recourse they might have (bonus Rapid Rewards, credit towards a future flight, etc)?
Thanks!
Thanks!
Mar 2, 2012, 8:00 pm
#4
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Nashville, TN
Programs: WN Nothing and spending the half million points from too many flights, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 8,043
If they want to ask for a LUV voucher, it just might happen. I would bet against it, but not asking will definitely get nothing. If there is a separate customer service desk at the airport, I do not know about PHX, that is where I would try. Check in at the Full Service station, ask soulfully for a supervisor, and try there first.
Mar 3, 2012, 4:52 am
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Formerly Box 350, Boston Mass, Oh two one three four. Now near Beverly Hills 90210
Programs: Loyal Order of Water Buffalos
Posts: 3,938
Thanks for the advice. I'm forwarding it to my sister, as I myself am on my way out the door for a quick southward jaunt.
Have a great weekend, everyone!
Have a great weekend, everyone!
Mar 5, 2012, 7:41 am
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Formerly Box 350, Boston Mass, Oh two one three four. Now near Beverly Hills 90210
Programs: Loyal Order of Water Buffalos
Posts: 3,938
A happy ending for the story.
Got to the airport, agent at check in directed them to the Gate Agent. Told her their story, and for the first time they were told exactly what probably happened, in a clear, logical manner, that they had not been given in phone conversations with 6 different people. I don't know if this is correct or not, but they were told that even though they had bought EBCI early, that others who bought EBCI after them who paid more than they did for their fares (just due to bad timing regarding how fares go up and down) would move ahead of them on the priority list for early boarding, and that could possibly move them well into "B" boarding.
Gate Agent appreciated the fact that hours on the phone had been spent with SW and no one had tried to explain this, and offered them early boarding with a very friendly understanding that they now knew the circumstances, and this was a one time deal, which they certainly agreed to.
One oddity I found out later -- even though they had booked the tickets and the EBCI as one transaction back in August, the seating assignments they were given were 3 slots apart. Haven't figured that out yet, just seemed strange.
Got to the airport, agent at check in directed them to the Gate Agent. Told her their story, and for the first time they were told exactly what probably happened, in a clear, logical manner, that they had not been given in phone conversations with 6 different people. I don't know if this is correct or not, but they were told that even though they had bought EBCI early, that others who bought EBCI after them who paid more than they did for their fares (just due to bad timing regarding how fares go up and down) would move ahead of them on the priority list for early boarding, and that could possibly move them well into "B" boarding.
Gate Agent appreciated the fact that hours on the phone had been spent with SW and no one had tried to explain this, and offered them early boarding with a very friendly understanding that they now knew the circumstances, and this was a one time deal, which they certainly agreed to.
One oddity I found out later -- even though they had booked the tickets and the EBCI as one transaction back in August, the seating assignments they were given were 3 slots apart. Haven't figured that out yet, just seemed strange.
Mar 5, 2012, 8:45 am
#10
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,832
The Dallas-based customer care group at 214-932-0333 are going to be your best bet for accurate information. And even then, you can get different answers based upon how new or complicated a policy is.
To this day, I can't get a straight answer on why the fare you paid for a ticket is not displayed on-line while looking at upcoming itineraries. The only documentation that exists of price paid is on the confirmation email or looking at your credit card statement.
To this day, I can't get a straight answer on why the fare you paid for a ticket is not displayed on-line while looking at upcoming itineraries. The only documentation that exists of price paid is on the confirmation email or looking at your credit card statement.
Mar 5, 2012, 9:46 am
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Chicagoland, IL, USA
Programs: WN CP, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 14,192
A happy ending for the story.
Got to the airport, agent at check in directed them to the Gate Agent. Told her their story, and for the first time they were told exactly what probably happened, in a clear, logical manner, that they had not been given in phone conversations with 6 different people. I don't know if this is correct or not, but they were told that even though they had bought EBCI early, that others who bought EBCI after them who paid more than they did for their fares (just due to bad timing regarding how fares go up and down) would move ahead of them on the priority list for early boarding, and that could possibly move them well into "B" boarding.
Gate Agent appreciated the fact that hours on the phone had been spent with SW and no one had tried to explain this, and offered them early boarding with a very friendly understanding that they now knew the circumstances, and this was a one time deal, which they certainly agreed to.
Got to the airport, agent at check in directed them to the Gate Agent. Told her their story, and for the first time they were told exactly what probably happened, in a clear, logical manner, that they had not been given in phone conversations with 6 different people. I don't know if this is correct or not, but they were told that even though they had bought EBCI early, that others who bought EBCI after them who paid more than they did for their fares (just due to bad timing regarding how fares go up and down) would move ahead of them on the priority list for early boarding, and that could possibly move them well into "B" boarding.
Gate Agent appreciated the fact that hours on the phone had been spent with SW and no one had tried to explain this, and offered them early boarding with a very friendly understanding that they now knew the circumstances, and this was a one time deal, which they certainly agreed to.
I have my doubts about this explanation.
Mar 5, 2012, 11:54 am
#12
Join Date: Jul 2001
Posts: 3,975
It's often been reported that EBCI with Anytime comes ahead of WGA. This is from the current FAQ:
For a long time there was no mention of time of purchase, and there have been indications that there was a ranking by fare among the WGA pax.
Customers who have purchased Anytime Fares will receive priority over other fare types that are assigned their position based on the time stamp of the EarlyBird Check-In purchase.
Mar 5, 2012, 12:05 pm
#13
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 6,286
I thought it was pretty well understood that the ranking for EBCI is 1) those that purchased Anytime fares, in chronological order of EB purchase, followed by 2) those that purchased WGA fares, in chronological order of EB purchase. So, this *is* new news, if correct.
Would it be possible for a Southwest rep to chime in here with clarification?
Would it be possible for a Southwest rep to chime in here with clarification?
Mar 5, 2012, 1:32 pm
#15
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: USA
Programs: AC SE100K, F9 100k, NK Gold, UA *S, Hyatt Glob, Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 5,195
Southwestcat--thank you for responding, as it helps fill in part of a missing formula for EBCI.
In order for the original poster to have pulled an EBCI of B35/36, that implies that there were 79 people ahead of them (plus up to an extra 15 business select people), either Anytime fares or WGA fares at an earlier purchase date/time?
In order for the original poster to have pulled an EBCI of B35/36, that implies that there were 79 people ahead of them (plus up to an extra 15 business select people), either Anytime fares or WGA fares at an earlier purchase date/time?