jamesteroh

^^^^ To the FA and to the passengers that didn't tolerate granny's bullying.

In this case, they were all adults, not like they need to sit together for a flight. And in the OP's case, or any case of a child flying regardless of age, why is it necessary for a kid to sit with BOTH parents. And in the OP's case if the "child" was able to board by herself, than she was obviously old enough to sit by herself.

And I'm sure in the OP's case the kid played on her tablet or phone and/or used the IFE. I usually fly at least once a week and rarely see a "kid" over 10 talking with their parents in flight, they are usually watching a movie or playing cames on the IFE if the plane has it, or listening to music or playing games on their tablet

SANdyFlyer

With over 400 posts, it sounds like it might be time for a summary!

1. While many may have issues with the de facto policy, SWA is unequivocally aware and supportive of seat saving on flights when done with moderation; from GAs recommending it, to FAs supporting it in disputes, to the Customer Service department recognizing it as a "benefit" and "byproduct" of their open-seating policy.
   
   
2. Remarkably, even though SWA provides an actual picture of what an 'available' seat looks like on their boarding FAQ, many are still left confused. For the confused, below is a reference image. I have included verbiage of 'open and unclaimed' from reported official SWA correspondence (emails).
   
   
   
   
3. Unfortunately, when saving seats, you may encounter an individual who does not agree, or accept, the Southwest 'way' of things. It is recommended that a seat saver place themselves between the aisle and any saved seat(s). If the individual challenges you after letting them know the seat is already 'claimed', simply press your FA call button (no need to yell to get their attention). Calling their bluff is usually enough to get them to move along. If not, the FA will dispatch the saved seat thief in most situations.
   
   
4. Be courteous when saving seats. If you're saving seats to sit together with friends and family, NICE! (who doesn't like to sit with friends/family during flights and enjoy a cocktail?) If you're saving seats to hog the premium bulkhead and exit row seats, NOT NICE!
   

Cheers! FLY HAPPY® my friends.

(special thanks to Orwaid for the GREAT idea of thread summaries and to ursine1 for the picture of an 'available' seat)

texashoser

No offense, but if you don't fly WN anymore, why is this issue so important to you?

I see both sides of the debate, but when folks claim the loads of fun it is to watch hysteria, chaos, and crying simply to make a point, etc, it seems they've lost some priorities in life.

I think a better way is simply to mention, in a way that's overheard by other passengers, to the seat saver and FA's, that you've paid for BS, EB, etc, etc, and they wouldn't need to save that seat, blah, blah, blah. It may not make them move, but if the FA's hear this enough, they may be more likely to help, report up the chain, etc. Causing hysteria certainly isn't going to win brownie points with the FA's.

But whatever floats folks' boats.

SpartanTraveler

Wow you are like the posterchild for sleaze. Completely making up your own facts post after post and putting up fake images you claim come from Southwest, how sleazy can you be??

The company themselves say they have no policy for or against it. They also say they only find it acceptable if it doesn't convenience another passenger. If you comprehend basic English that means another passenger's inconvenience trumps your sense of entitlement.

Your entire post history is nothing but you trying to defend your sense of entitlement to something you never owned. That is sad enough, but what is even worse is you trying to speak with authority of "summarizing the facts" when all you're doing is making up whatever facts you find convenient. Pathetic, I hope you're not representative of the typical WN flyer. I thought Spirit had a lock on your segment of the population.

SANdyFlyer

Starting a post with an ad-hominem is always a GREAT way to reinforce your point...

I never claimed the image came from Southwest. I'm sure the fact that it did not is more than obvious to everyone else in this thread.

Your inability to differentiate between 'official policy' and 'de facto policy' is unfortunate.

My "summary" was a parody of Orwaid's multiple attempts. This is now your second post where you have made it abundantly clear that you are too lazy to read and follow along with the thread, but simply interject out-of-context. You are just embarrassing yourself now...

jamesteroh

Because sometimes I get stuck flying on WN, fortunately it isn't often.

This thread was of particular interest to me, because as I stated in another post one time I was on a flight as a through that stopped in BHM where my best friend was getting on the plane and continuing with me. I took a seat towards the back since he had a late B boarding pass, and if I would have known WN didn't prohibit seat saving (and in fact encourages it according to some), I would have taken thew aisle exit row or luv seat and saved him the middle.

This whole issue could be resolved if WN had a written policy and the FA's enforced it.

I also find the sense of entitlement to sit with others amusing. I encounter it a lot on Delta. Someone with a lower status than me will get upgraded after me or at the gate and think I should change seats so they can sit with their spouse or kids, or they pay for one EC or premium seat when I'm not upgraded and expect me to switch seats (and there have been times where I have boarded and someone has been in my seat thinking I'll change seats and that is enough to make me flat out refuse when I may have otherwise). If southwest assigned seats it would avoid a lot of arguments. I simply say I chose that seat and I refuse to move and if the person whines, the FA has no choice but to back me since I have the seat assigned and they don't look like the bad guy.

I think I'm going to be stuck on WN in May, so this thread will be useful for me since I would like to have an empty middle. I am only going to do this if expert flyer is showing y=9, but if it does, I'm thinking about just saying the middle is saved. If expert flyer shows the flight sold out, I won't bother since it will be useless and every seat will be taken

texashoser

As I've said before, it seems this is only an 'issue' for a very small portion of its customer base. Coming out with a policy against seat-saving and enforcing it is likely an idea Southwest has purposely not done because while this policy might be to your liking, it would then create a larger class of customers that it wouldn't be to theirs. That seems to me like a logical decision.

This is not directed at you, but some folks need to also remember the phrase, "win the battle, lose the war."

SpartanTraveler

Really? How did you want people to interpret this statement you wrote:

"Remarkably, even though SWA provides an actual picture of what an 'available' seat looks like on their boarding FAQ, many are still left confused. For the confused, below is a reference image with the verbiage of 'open and unclaimed' from reported official SWA correspondence (emails) included."

You claim it is a reference image from reported official SWA correspondence. That is a complete lie. Its an image you sat in your basement and photoshopped.

Your ability to claim anything that your prefer is "de facto policy" is unfortunate. WN explicity says seat saving isn't acceptable when it inconveniences another passenger. If you want to save a few bucks by saving a seat go ahead, but don't start believing its yours and that someone else doesn't have a right to it.

No I think you've done that to yourself since the beginning by posting made up facts to justify your unearned sense of entitlement.

texashoser

I haven't read every post in this thread, and this isn't a rhetorical question, but where is this spelled out? Genuinely curious.

SANdyFlyer

This is referencing responses from reported customer service emails.

"We don’t have a policy regarding saving seats, and it is acceptable for a Customer to "claim" a seat for someone as long as the boarding process is not delayed and other Customers aren't inconvenienced."

The funny thing is that even if you complain about not getting your desired seat because of a seat saver, they will still give you a 'too bad' response. So apparently, not getting your desired seat is not enough to qualify as 'inconvenienced' by SWA.

SANdyFlyer

No I didn't, I stated that SWA's Boarding FAQ contains a picture of an available seat. If you had taken the time to click the link, you would have noticed. Again...too lazy....

Edit: Upon re-read of my sentence, I realized that there could be some ambiguity with someone mistaking that the 'image' came from the correspondence instead of the intended 'verbiage' coming from correspondence. I have updated accordingly. Thank you for bringing it to my attention, but I still think you doth protest too much...

InkUnderNails

I have been watching this thread and have been amused, entertained and occasionally bemused. As someone the saves a seat for a companion on every flight (100++ since CP), I have to agree that this is a problem for a very small portion of the customer base.

My experience is indeed unique, but I think the perspective is important. The seat I save is always in row 5-7 unless there are a ton of through passengers. Exit row is not allowed and I do not like the bulkhead. The seat remains empty until after the door closes. It is marked by only a piece of paper, no backpack, magazines, coat or other serious obstruction. It is a middle, but near the front of the plane and full flight with close connections, its value increases. Since I preboard, every other passenger that boards passes or has opportunity to see my reserved seat.

In all of this experience I have had only one passenger complain that I could not reserve seats as this was WN. One. One of thousands. On full flights, I usually get three-five that ask for the seat and I politely say it is reserved and they move on without complaint. I will admit that I am not exactly the ideal seat companion.

The most interesting are those that will ask if the still open aisle is available I will say yes, but that the middle is reserved. Many times they will move on unaware that they just passed up an open middle for the flight. I have even had people sit right behind me for the first leg knowing the empty middle will remain so and take a different seat than my aisle seat on a through flight only to get squeezed by someone that encroaches on their space. Oh, well.

When my wife or son travels with me, I will try to save the aisle, but I will not deny it to anyone that insists. In one case, a young man sat in 5C early in the boarding process and I said my wife will coming later and I asked to save the seat for her. He refused. My wife gets on and asks him nicely for the seat. He refused. She moved on and sat in the aisle seat 6C right behind me. No big deal to us, but we were amazed that he would not move one row. Maybe he understood the value of the open middle. This one case was the only time that I have been unable to sit with my family member.

As a preboard, I do see the techniques up close, and it is somewhat amusing. Bag in seat, coats over seat backs (once I saw a bed sheet over the backs of nine seats), sitting in middle leaving window and aisle open (my favorite), simply saying the seat is saved, putting down tray tables, standing at the aisle seat, a couple sitting window/aisle and leaning toward each other in conversation (actually more common with business people traveling together), sitting in the window seat with feet up in the other two and pretending to sleep, and feigning sleep in the aisle seat.

In all this time, the best ever, only seen once, but happened to me in my thinner days. I already had window. Woman sits in aisle and puts purse in middle and her tray table down. She pulled a huge wad of tissues out of the purse and the show began. She would sneeze. She would blow her nose. She had nose spray and throat spray that she would use from time to time. There was a deep and painful-sounding cough. Every time someone would look at the middle she would blow her nose loudly or cough. I actually thought of moving based on the show. Door gets closed and the safety demonstration started. Tissues, sprays and other things were put away. The rest of the four hour flight, no cough, no sneeze, not even a sniffle. It was performance art and nothing else. I was impressed and a bit repulsed. It did work. There were fewer than five empty seats on the flight, and we had one of them.

texashoser

Awesome post, Ink!

pinniped

Great post, Ink! On my way to Walgreen's now to pick up some tissues, sprays, and some acting lessons. Maybe a new copy of "Effective Proselytizing on Airplanes" to casually flip through during the boarding process...

jamesteroh

That is pretty low.

One time (might have been during the SARS scare), I had an aisle and someone came on board and took the window and put a facemask on. He laughed and said not to worry and he wasn't sick and said the flight wasn't full and we should have an empty middle since the face mask scared people off. He was right, the middle was empty I think he was a germophobe though and not trying to game the system because the mask stayed on the entire flight