That's why WN should just go with reserved seating. I wish I would have known that though in the case of my flight that stopped in BHM, I would have just taken the aisle Exit row and saved the middle. I was just scared that since my friend was in the high B's a couple would have wanted it (If it would have been a solo traveller taking the window probably wouldn't have been any issue).

Southwest should change their policy to give allow a CP holder to board with the passenger if the ticket holders is an A list member (or even paid ticket holders of an A list member if they are on the sam PNR). If I travel with someone on the same PNR on Delta they get the same luggage allowance, access to early boarding and the priority security lane, etc. About the only benefits I get they don't is a higher priority for upgrade if I don't split the PNR and the bonus miles. It wouldn't cost Southwest a dime to give the same benefits to someone on the same PNR as an a-lister and would generate some good will with their frequent flyers.

Not sure if this is still the case but it is possible to have a CP without giving much $ to WN. I use to get CP status by giving WN less than $1,500 a year in paid travel thanks to Chase and Hilton. I miss the days of RR1:) I can understand when I was a CP holder and paid for BS or EBCI why WN would have a problem with me saving a seat for my CP holder, especially seeing the flight we were on was more than likey a free ticket to begin with

I think that will be sooner rather than later, but not before they finish digesting Airtran, fully exploit their new slots, fully implement new reservation system, DAL Wright Amendment expansions and the first phase of their International Plans. Sometime late 2015 or later.

Your observations match mine. It doesn't bother me except for saving multiple prime seats, and I have never seen an FA challenge that. Not even spreading coats over 6 seats draws up front any reaction from them.

People advocating taking a "saved" seat overlook one aspect: Probably dozens of people boarding earlier passed up that seat. If the "saved" seat is to be occupied by someone else, shouldn't it be one of those earlier boarders? That would seem to be more fair. Or should the seat be considered compensation for taking on the job of open seating enforcer?

Do you believe there are any limits to this rule? You seem certain that it is a policy: is there any upperbound on number of seats saved or restrictions on the locations of seats saved that you are aware of?

Just wonderin'...

Just curious, because I don't buy EBCI: are EBCI sales charged per PNR or per traveler? The above statement implies that EBCI should be sold at a flat rate per PNR, regardless of whether 1 or 8 (whatever the maximum is) on the PNR.

Per passenger, per one-way flight. I don't think Southwest does multi-passenger PNR's anymore.

nsx, I can't speak for other people that choose to not sit in an unoccupied seat because there is a coat or a backpack on it. I can only tell you that that if I come up to a seat that is unoccupied, WN's open seat policy allows me to take it, regardless of what is placed on it.

Obviously, if someone is trying to put a bag overhead or anything similar, they have occupied that seat. Having someone else put a backpack down for you when you have not come up to that row clearly does not count.

And no, I do not fly currently WN with any regularity. Back in the RR1 days I was CP twice and did not see seat saving as blatant (to include aisle and window seats) as it is now; now I am 3-4 flights a year, and only when WN is the last reasonable choice.

I seriously wonder where the seat saving will end. Everyone seems to think it's ok to save a center seat (which I agree with) but how about a whole row? A whole exit row? A whole section of 6 seats near the front? 10 seats for your entire family group?

Yes. I have been in movie theaters in Hong Kong and Capetown, SA. Both have assigned seating which blew my mind since I am so used to the unassigned ones here in the U.S.A.

Me too :D

Categorically, unequivocally YES. If people don't like this rule then pick another airline. Many do. When I travel with my family I always save seats - sometimes I buy 1 EBCI or sometimes I don't but rarely do we have 4 sequential #s. Why would anyone pay extra when WN permits seat saving?

Ahh but if the shoe fits... You don't want to face up to the fact that you failed to buy EBCI and now want to steal a seat from someone who outranks you due to BS fare, A-List, EBCI - all people who paid more than you or fly more frequently then you do. Ethically you are no better than the "freeloaders" who will occupy the saved seat and perhaps worse because nobody in your party paid WN for a better seat.

You basically want to have your cake and eat it too. Yes I get that WN has open seating but it also has seat saving. Deal with it.

This has been discussed ad nauseum in several other threads. For most of us the line is drawn at the exit row. If you are paying for BS (or fly enough for A-list) you should have first crack at this row. And WN has also differentiated exit row seating (as required by law) to exclude blue cards and children. But all the other seats in the cabin are the same, so really does it matter if you have to walk a few extra feet to the next row?

On my last flight a group of teens was saving 3 rows. I grimmaced but really the inconvenience was minimal.

Some theaters in the US have assigned seating, like Legitimate Theaters, Opera Houses and Concert Halls.

Just like just about every airline in the US has assigned seating, and they seem to pull it off as well.

Pull what off? Running a successful business for several decades in a row?

Running an airline.

I'd point out that Delta was started in 1924, American in 1930 and United in 1929.

Southwest has a long way to go before they hold any kind of longevity record.

What was the consensus of those discussions? Clearly an answer must have been reached, since the topic never comes up anymore. </sarcasm>

So, how exactly does "Categorically, unequivocally YES" and "Except the exit row" coexist?

They don't.

Maybe you should, but you don't.

Because Southwest doesn't disallow seat saving.

It means absolutely nothing to say that a line is drawn somewhere for "most of us" if there is no official policy drawing any lines.

Hence the problem.

I am Totally not being hypocritical.

I take an unoccupied seat when I board, consistent with WN's open seating policy.

I guess it comes down to if WN's stated Open Seating policy takes priority over an unstated, unclear, undefined "seat saving" policy.

To those of you that feel that any seat saving takes priority, we can agree to disagree and see what happens when I take an unoccupied seat you are trying to save.

Finally, I won't go out of my way to snag a saved seat. But if the only remaining aisle or window seats are trying to be saved for someone behind me, then I will choose one of those unoccupied aisle or window seats and sit in it.