Why would the website offer a BS upgrade at check in if they're sold out?
May 23, 2012, 4:54 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 226
Why would the website offer a BS upgrade at check in if they're sold out?
It asked me to upgrade a BS fare at check in only to be told that it was sold out after I had deleted my A+ boarding pass. It's a B for me now. I guess I should have known to look before deleting the boarding pass.
May 23, 2012, 6:48 pm
#3
Join Date: Dec 2010
Programs: Hilton Diamond, Marriott Titanium, Radisson Gold, Hyatt Globalist, M life Gold, IHG Spire
Posts: 918
+1. this is the kind of thing that only gets fixed if you jump on it right away. I would've been on the phone in 30 seconds if their computer pulled this on me.
May 23, 2012, 7:30 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 226
May 25, 2012, 4:21 pm
#7
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Traveling the World
Posts: 6,072
Ask for pre-boarding
In this case I would tell the agent I have a bad shoulder and need to pre-board. Then you would get your choice of seats(:
Last edited by ftnoob; May 25, 2012 at 11:22 pm Reason: fix markup
May 25, 2012, 6:52 pm
#8
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 4,872
...which is pretty slimy. Instead of fabricating an injury, why not just explain what happened to the GA if none of the above solutions works? Many will blue-sleeve you if you're honest about the situation you're in, such as IRROPS, etc.
Last edited by ftnoob; May 25, 2012 at 11:23 pm Reason: fix markup
May 26, 2012, 12:17 pm
#9
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: SJC, SFO
Programs: Delta DM, IHG Spire, Hertz PC, H.com Gold^3, lowly something on others...
Posts: 1,260
You think this is bad? How about I upgraded to BS on my own dime (company is not paying for it) and got the tail end of the A group. Flight was purchased 48 hours out - funny thing is the Boarding Pass shows A+ and BS. I had repeatedly explain to the check-in staff that I should have gotten a number <A15 and even if I was not on BS, it would have gotten a number in the teens of the A group because of A+ status. She actually told me BS does not guarantee you A group. WHAT!@!@!@ I was already irritated that day, so I gave her a lesson about SW policy right in front of other customers (pointing to BS materials that were near the counter). She still refused to acknowledge something is wrong until another BS customer also told them it was not right. The manager came by and looked at the board pass but not sure what to do. At this time, it was very close to departure time, so I didn't want to risk miss the flight, so I told them I will just keep this tail end A group and I would make a copy of the boarding pass and post it on the internet forums. I guess that didn't sound too good to her, so she called HQ. Someone suggested she delete the board pass and re-check in. She did it got a number <A15. She was like "oh, this is interesting, BS get to board early" I almost heeled over hearing this from a SW check-in agent.
Believe it, SWA has a LOT of system bugs. I've ran into several of them. Just call the A+ number and be persistent.
Believe it, SWA has a LOT of system bugs. I've ran into several of them. Just call the A+ number and be persistent.
May 26, 2012, 1:13 pm
#10
Join Date: May 2006
Location: TUS/PDX
Programs: WN CP/A-List, AS MVPG75K
Posts: 5,798
She's actually right. A few weeks ago, I showed up at PHX a few hours early for a flight (I booked BS for the extra points) figuring I'd get on one of the earlier flights. They got me on an earlier one, but the agent said the BS slots had already been released, so I got B36 or something. Same thing happened to me in SMF as well--I got the last seat on the plane.
My BP still showed BS and A+, I got the BS points, but I got a middle seat in row 20. No big deal as the flight was 45 minutes long.
It's perplexing that a BS ticket purchased 48 hours out didn't get A1-15. It's certainly not out of the realm of possibility that airport changes don't always get you a BS number, though. I always ask the ops agent boarding the flight if I can board at the end of the BS group. I've never been turned down.
My BP still showed BS and A+, I got the BS points, but I got a middle seat in row 20. No big deal as the flight was 45 minutes long.
It's perplexing that a BS ticket purchased 48 hours out didn't get A1-15. It's certainly not out of the realm of possibility that airport changes don't always get you a BS number, though. I always ask the ops agent boarding the flight if I can board at the end of the BS group. I've never been turned down.
May 26, 2012, 2:01 pm
#11
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
She actually told me BS does not guarantee you A group.
Business Select Fare Benefits
Priority Boarding
Enjoy priority boarding group A1-15 so you can select the seat you want and have room for your carryon bags.
Priority Boarding
Enjoy priority boarding group A1-15 so you can select the seat you want and have room for your carryon bags.
Best Value Business Select®
More Rapid Rewards® points
Fly By® Priority Lane
Priority Boarding group A1-15
Premium Drink (day of travel)
More Rapid Rewards® points
Fly By® Priority Lane
Priority Boarding group A1-15
Premium Drink (day of travel)
General boarding starts with Business Select customers, who are guaranteed positions at the front of the A Group, followed by Rapid Rewards A-List Members and the remaining Customers in the A Group, families with children under age 5, then groups B and C. Learn more about our boarding process.
You may also purchase a Business Select fare to guarantee you will receive an A1-15 boarding pass. Alternately, if you are an A-List Rapid Rewards Member or purchase Early Bird Check-In, we'll automatically check you in before general checkin begins. While this doesn't guarantee an "A" boarding position, it ensures you the lowest position available. Don't forget that you must still retrieve a boarding pass and be present in the gate area at least ten minutes prior to departure.
May 26, 2012, 2:06 pm
#12
Moderator, Southwest Airlines and Choice Privileges
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Central Texas
Posts: 3,038
As someone only casually acquainted with BS, I can't see how that statement even makes sense. In normal situations A1 to A15 are reserved for BS; those boarding slots are not released to non-BS customers, they go unused if BS doesn't sell out.
If she had said BS was sold out for the earlier flight it would make sense.
(I had the same reaction Ink did, BTW.)
If she had said BS was sold out for the earlier flight it would make sense.
(I had the same reaction Ink did, BTW.)
May 26, 2012, 2:38 pm
#13
Join Date: May 2006
Location: TUS/PDX
Programs: WN CP/A-List, AS MVPG75K
Posts: 5,798
In my case, either BS was sold out (and the agent misspoke) or released early.
Again, this is only at the airport that you might not get a BS number when standing by on a full flight. I've changed flights many times at the airport and been in a normal BS position.
May 29, 2012, 1:03 am
#14
Moderator, Southwest Airlines and Choice Privileges
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Central Texas
Posts: 3,038
BS slots are released sometime before departure. They aren't released as A1-15 though--they go into the end of the C group. You can tell you're in a BS slot if you look at the boarding pass number on your ticket. It'll show 1-15, since you can't get over 137 boarding passes. This has been the case since the BS program was rolled out in 2007.
Either way, apart from the drink coupon, it sounds like you were downgraded from BS to Anytime. While the extra points + drink may have exceeded the fare difference, especially considering the recent bonus promotion, it seems like you should have been able to claim a refund or credit for the AT/BS differential, should you have preferred that scenario.