Recent trip report. BUF TPA return
May 5, 2014, 12:10 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2011
Programs: BA blue,, aeroplan 25K
Posts: 1,027
Recent trip report. BUF TPA return
Posted a question regarding seating and assorted others and despite being quite critical of the "seating" policy was asked to report back after the fact so here goes. Below are my observations and thoughts and not all negative but honest and hopefully unbiased
Trip was an early am flight out and late one back
Booked anytime getaway whatever it's called and paid for EB checkin
Minimal hand luggage as checked bags for free
Here's what happened and at the end a few thoughts
EB checkin gave us A 34,35. Only 2 in the A 1-15 group boarded, several in wheelchairs pre boarded (took the bulkheads) minimal walking for them I assumed We took a row around 8 or 9 isle and window and flight wasn't full and the middles seat remained unused
Service was drinks which was fine we had food and drinks
Pleasant flight and for the price was just fine
Ill comment on the open seating later but we sat together easy to chose with an A pass
Deplaning. You'd think the 8 or so "pre boards" would wait till everyone was off loaded and get assistance but NOPE !!! Better to hold up the entire plane. Same thing happened on the return flight. There should be a policy "if you need to preboard you sit and wait at the end" as for some I'm sure it was a way to get a front seat and get off early
Luggage came fast and easy
Return flight
EB CHECK INN gave us A 42,43 again only 3 boarding as A 1-15. Flight was full. Chatted with A41 in the line and the 3 of us sat in the exit row behind the 2 seats. Lots of room thin guy worked out just fine. Deplaning was a the oop.same - all the pre boards took forever to get off and were all in front of us
Service - pleasant friendly but for a 2 hour flight don't need any.......
Luggage came fast and again. No problems
Overhead luggage and space ? Not an issue for us and nothing had to be gate checked because there was no room but some people really do needed to learn what " one personal item and one regulation sized carry-on" mean......
On this route most checked bags.....I imagine there are other more "business routes that space is an issue
Over all impression
Tight seating but typical for domestic NA economy
Open seating for us was fine no issues but I really don't see how it saved ANY TIME AT ALL....for a full plane there was lots of gamesmanship over the final few passengers and seating them.... The planes tend to fill from the front to back so everyone waits in a queue both on the jetway and the plane. I know southwest says it's faster but I didn't see it.
Getting a decent position seems easy enough even with EB. We got A's and most I talked to said even on a full plane with full BS and lots of A listers which for our personal routes won't happen often , you are almost assured of an A or early to mid B at worst and that still gets us sitting together
My big beef was with the " pre-boards" they really slowed down deplaning. Seriously slowed it down.
If I could change one thing it would be if you want on first and with "assistance" you MUST wait till everyone else is off. Can't have it both ways
Otherwise it was a very enjoyable experience. I'm still not a fan of unassigned seating. I think assigned seating's benefits out weight it's disadvantages. It allows back to front boarding which does make it faster, amoung others but the SW seating worked out fine for us.....
Would I fly again ??? Totally yes because for the money it couldn't be beaten and the open seating does work (although I failed to see any real advantage)
Trip was an early am flight out and late one back
Booked anytime getaway whatever it's called and paid for EB checkin
Minimal hand luggage as checked bags for free
Here's what happened and at the end a few thoughts
EB checkin gave us A 34,35. Only 2 in the A 1-15 group boarded, several in wheelchairs pre boarded (took the bulkheads) minimal walking for them I assumed We took a row around 8 or 9 isle and window and flight wasn't full and the middles seat remained unused
Service was drinks which was fine we had food and drinks
Pleasant flight and for the price was just fine
Ill comment on the open seating later but we sat together easy to chose with an A pass
Deplaning. You'd think the 8 or so "pre boards" would wait till everyone was off loaded and get assistance but NOPE !!! Better to hold up the entire plane. Same thing happened on the return flight. There should be a policy "if you need to preboard you sit and wait at the end" as for some I'm sure it was a way to get a front seat and get off early
Luggage came fast and easy
Return flight
EB CHECK INN gave us A 42,43 again only 3 boarding as A 1-15. Flight was full. Chatted with A41 in the line and the 3 of us sat in the exit row behind the 2 seats. Lots of room thin guy worked out just fine. Deplaning was a the oop.same - all the pre boards took forever to get off and were all in front of us
Service - pleasant friendly but for a 2 hour flight don't need any.......
Luggage came fast and again. No problems
Overhead luggage and space ? Not an issue for us and nothing had to be gate checked because there was no room but some people really do needed to learn what " one personal item and one regulation sized carry-on" mean......
On this route most checked bags.....I imagine there are other more "business routes that space is an issue
Over all impression
Tight seating but typical for domestic NA economy
Open seating for us was fine no issues but I really don't see how it saved ANY TIME AT ALL....for a full plane there was lots of gamesmanship over the final few passengers and seating them.... The planes tend to fill from the front to back so everyone waits in a queue both on the jetway and the plane. I know southwest says it's faster but I didn't see it.
Getting a decent position seems easy enough even with EB. We got A's and most I talked to said even on a full plane with full BS and lots of A listers which for our personal routes won't happen often , you are almost assured of an A or early to mid B at worst and that still gets us sitting together
My big beef was with the " pre-boards" they really slowed down deplaning. Seriously slowed it down.
If I could change one thing it would be if you want on first and with "assistance" you MUST wait till everyone else is off. Can't have it both ways
Otherwise it was a very enjoyable experience. I'm still not a fan of unassigned seating. I think assigned seating's benefits out weight it's disadvantages. It allows back to front boarding which does make it faster, amoung others but the SW seating worked out fine for us.....
Would I fly again ??? Totally yes because for the money it couldn't be beaten and the open seating does work (although I failed to see any real advantage)
May 5, 2014, 12:29 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2011
Programs: BA blue,, aeroplan 25K
Posts: 1,027
I still don't see the advantages to be honest but it was very orderly, organized and worked out well. The speed once about 20 -30 were in the "queue" on the ramp and the isles was not very fast....but that was just an unscientific observation.
May 5, 2014, 12:43 pm
#6
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: ORD/MDW
Programs: AA EXP, DL-Plat, WN-CP | Hotels: Choice-Gld, IHG-Plt, Rad-Gld, HH-Dia, Hyatt-Glob, Marriott-LtPlt
Posts: 2,889
Recent trip report. BUF TPA return
Posted a question regarding seating and assorted others and despite being quite critical of the "seating" policy was asked to report back after the fact so here goes. Below are my observations and thoughts and not all negative but honest and hopefully unbiased
...
We took a row around 8 or 9 isle and window and flight wasn't full and the middles seat remained unused
...
Chatted with A41 in the line and the 3 of us sat in the exit row behind the 2 seats. Lots of room thin guy worked out just fine.
...
Open seating for us was fine no issues but I really don't see how it saved ANY TIME AT ALL....for a full plane there was lots of gamesmanship over the final few passengers and seating them.... The planes tend to fill from the front to back so everyone waits in a queue both on the jetway and the plane. I know southwest says it's faster but I didn't see it.
Getting a decent position seems easy enough even with EB. We got A's and most I talked to said even on a full plane with full BS and lots of A listers which for our personal routes won't happen often , you are almost assured of an A or early to mid B at worst and that still gets us sitting together
.....
Would I fly again ??? Totally yes because for the money it couldn't be beaten and the open seating does work (although I failed to see any real advantage)
...
We took a row around 8 or 9 isle and window and flight wasn't full and the middles seat remained unused
...
Chatted with A41 in the line and the 3 of us sat in the exit row behind the 2 seats. Lots of room thin guy worked out just fine.
...
Open seating for us was fine no issues but I really don't see how it saved ANY TIME AT ALL....for a full plane there was lots of gamesmanship over the final few passengers and seating them.... The planes tend to fill from the front to back so everyone waits in a queue both on the jetway and the plane. I know southwest says it's faster but I didn't see it.
Getting a decent position seems easy enough even with EB. We got A's and most I talked to said even on a full plane with full BS and lots of A listers which for our personal routes won't happen often , you are almost assured of an A or early to mid B at worst and that still gets us sitting together
.....
Would I fly again ??? Totally yes because for the money it couldn't be beaten and the open seating does work (although I failed to see any real advantage)
I don't think that open seating saves much, if any, time boarding in practice either...but that's not really something that is a benefit touted by most WN flyers.
Last edited by FindAWay; May 5, 2014 at 12:52 pm
May 5, 2014, 12:48 pm
#7
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: ORD/MDW
Programs: AA EXP, DL-Plat, WN-CP | Hotels: Choice-Gld, IHG-Plt, Rad-Gld, HH-Dia, Hyatt-Glob, Marriott-LtPlt
Posts: 2,889
I still don't see the advantages to be honest but it was very orderly, organized and worked out well. The speed once about 20 -30 were in the "queue" on the ramp and the isles was not very fast....but that was just an unscientific observation.
May 5, 2014, 3:07 pm
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2011
Programs: BA blue,, aeroplan 25K
Posts: 1,027
Ah....now I see the "miracle".... Yep. Crazy miracle all right
Not a mad house or a Disney ride other than the well organized line up to board
Yes a different experience than I was expecting for sure
Pleasant - organized - very civil - not very speedy especially deplaning. I was mistaken in my interpretation of what to expect. Pleasantly and I'll be the first to admit it
I personally like knowing where I'll be sitting when I book but no question that with a non full flight the open seating has it's advantages.....
But it was pleasantly different than my expectations
I don't think I'll be campaigning for the "legacy" airlines as you say to abandon their seating policy but this does work and did work and compared to Toronto prices was half !! In fact nearly a third !!!!
Not a mad house or a Disney ride other than the well organized line up to board
Yes a different experience than I was expecting for sure
Pleasant - organized - very civil - not very speedy especially deplaning. I was mistaken in my interpretation of what to expect. Pleasantly and I'll be the first to admit it
I personally like knowing where I'll be sitting when I book but no question that with a non full flight the open seating has it's advantages.....
But it was pleasantly different than my expectations
I don't think I'll be campaigning for the "legacy" airlines as you say to abandon their seating policy but this does work and did work and compared to Toronto prices was half !! In fact nearly a third !!!!
May 5, 2014, 3:20 pm
#9
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Dallas, TX USA
Programs: Rapid Rewards/AAdvantage
Posts: 1,245
I think it speeds up the boarding process because your eager to board at your turn and not wait til the end when only middle seats are left, if you have a reserved seat theres no reason to be in a hurry to board other than running out of bin space
May 5, 2014, 6:06 pm
#10
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
When I try to book another airline, I go to the seat map and find every seat blocked out, marked as premium, or middles in the back. Occasionally every seat will show as unavailable. In these cases, if a buy a ticket, I find out maybe a day before boarding where I will be sitting. I do not pick, they tell me. I'll take open boarding any time.
May 5, 2014, 8:12 pm
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2011
Programs: BA blue,, aeroplan 25K
Posts: 1,027
When I try to book another airline, I go to the seat map and find every seat blocked out, marked as premium, or middles in the back. Occasionally every seat will show as unavailable. In these cases, if a buy a ticket, I find out maybe a day before boarding where I will be sitting. I do not pick, they tell me. I'll take open boarding any time.
Your point is well taken for most US airlines though, albeit my experience is different as my status and flying is different. Without that and with no status and flying legacy airlines : I'd take SW and it's seating policy for sure
May 8, 2014, 4:38 pm
#14
Moderator: Southwest Airlines, Capital One
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: California
Programs: WN Companion Pass, A-list preferred, Hyatt Globalist; United Club Lietime (sic) Member
Posts: 21,620
Just like my flights on RyanAir last year. FT'ers emphasize the negative almost to the point of departure from reality.
Also, I have to ask you about that handle of yours: What kind of crash did you experience?
Also, I have to ask you about that handle of yours: What kind of crash did you experience?