Family Asked To Leave Southwest Flight After Tweet
Jul 24, 2014, 10:26 am
#181
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Thank you! I rarely post on the boards but yesterday felt compelled to give a +1 to a comment that I thought was very well written. This earned me much criticism from @findaway. It is nice to see that I am not the only one who believed s/he was defending the GA
Tweeting is as benign as it gets. It must be a terrible way to go through life, so malleable to other's wishes.
You do know how twitter works? All she had to do was pull up SWA's twitter feed, and she likely could pinpoint the tweet.
Puh-lease!
Anyone with an 8th grade reading comprehension, knows you are favoring the GA in this scenario. Back-peddle all you want.
Absolutely nothing.
You do know how twitter works? All she had to do was pull up SWA's twitter feed, and she likely could pinpoint the tweet.
Puh-lease!
Anyone with an 8th grade reading comprehension, knows you are favoring the GA in this scenario. Back-peddle all you want.
Absolutely nothing.
If the passenger's account is a complete and accurate version of the facts, then the agent/SWA employee who pulled the passenger off of the plane severely overreacted and discipline is warranted. If the passenger's account misrepresents the facts, then, that's a different story.
Jul 24, 2014, 10:36 am
#182
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I suspect the reason Southwest mentioned Family Boarding in their press statement -- despite it being irrelevant in this situation -- is so they can positions themselves as being "family friendly" by referencing its offering. This despite the reality that it's limited to a very small portion of traveling families (those with children age 4 and under).
I haven't wanted to address the actual boarding situation that precipitated this incident as it's completely beside the point… but it occurs to me that it's an indefensible position to say that the agent was right in stopping the father from boarding with the kids in his A position, but ok that she allowed them to board at the end of A with Family Boarding, as that's also breaking the rules.
I suspect the Family Boarding policy is one that's bent most often. As written it's supposed to allow one adult and one child under 4 to board together, but agents generally allow family groups to board together; mom, dad, multiple children over age 4.
Since WN allows seat saving, breaking up family groups becomes problematic. It's actually more efficient to board them all together, which may be why Family Boarding policy enforcement is so lax.
Which makes it perplexing as to why the agent didn't simply allow the A-Lister to board his kids with him. Southwest treats their elites very differently than legacies, who will often bend the rules for their most loyal flyers. With Southwest, there's sometimes a palpable distain for "entitled" A-Listers, perhaps a hold-over from their egalitarian "single class cabin" past.
An A-Lister who has spent a lot of money and BIS miles earning status may be somewhat justified in being upset when that status becomes moot simply because he's brought his minor children along.
I'm not defending his behavior prior to the tweet -- I still think he was wrong and should have known better -- but this incident does point out how WN's unique boarding system (and their desire to monetize it effectively) creates these types of situations.
I haven't wanted to address the actual boarding situation that precipitated this incident as it's completely beside the point… but it occurs to me that it's an indefensible position to say that the agent was right in stopping the father from boarding with the kids in his A position, but ok that she allowed them to board at the end of A with Family Boarding, as that's also breaking the rules.
I suspect the Family Boarding policy is one that's bent most often. As written it's supposed to allow one adult and one child under 4 to board together, but agents generally allow family groups to board together; mom, dad, multiple children over age 4.
Since WN allows seat saving, breaking up family groups becomes problematic. It's actually more efficient to board them all together, which may be why Family Boarding policy enforcement is so lax.
Which makes it perplexing as to why the agent didn't simply allow the A-Lister to board his kids with him. Southwest treats their elites very differently than legacies, who will often bend the rules for their most loyal flyers. With Southwest, there's sometimes a palpable distain for "entitled" A-Listers, perhaps a hold-over from their egalitarian "single class cabin" past.
An A-Lister who has spent a lot of money and BIS miles earning status may be somewhat justified in being upset when that status becomes moot simply because he's brought his minor children along.
I'm not defending his behavior prior to the tweet -- I still think he was wrong and should have known better -- but this incident does point out how WN's unique boarding system (and their desire to monetize it effectively) creates these types of situations.
I tend to agree with you. I don't know what his behavior was prior--but according to the Dad, he asked for the Ops agent's name so he could complain to Southwest and she refused. ( If this is true, I could see why the Dad was a little frustrated. )
This was a previous post
This ABC News article has more (alleged) dialogue between pax and GA:When the gate agent told Watson she can’t let his children board with him, Watson said he asked the agent: “Is this a new policy?”
Watson said the agent didn’t answer his question directly, but told him: “I am not going to change my mind.”
The gate agent allegedly asked Watson and his two children to step aside and wait until the rest of the A-list members board.
“We waited, which was fine,” Watson said. “I thought she was very rude and wanted to complain to customer service, so I asked her: ‘Can I get your last name?’”
“She told me: ‘You don’t need my last name for anything,’” Watson said. “I told her: ‘Real nice way to treat an A-list member.’”
Watson said the agent didn’t answer his question directly, but told him: “I am not going to change my mind.”
The gate agent allegedly asked Watson and his two children to step aside and wait until the rest of the A-list members board.
“We waited, which was fine,” Watson said. “I thought she was very rude and wanted to complain to customer service, so I asked her: ‘Can I get your last name?’”
“She told me: ‘You don’t need my last name for anything,’” Watson said. “I told her: ‘Real nice way to treat an A-list member.’”
Jul 24, 2014, 11:35 am
#183
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I for one wouldn't mind an official policy allowing one companion, minor or not, to use Fly By and to board with an A-lister. That companion is going to have a middle seat. No big deal. But Southwest probably correctly believes that people would abuse such a policy, converting it to something like the pre-boarding parade at MCO.
This. No good deed goes unpunished.
Jul 24, 2014, 11:35 am
#184
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I learnt something new today and it makes me livid.
I was always under the (now mistaken) assumption that families board together after A boarding so that they can sit together. This reinforced my view of WN as a "true family friendly airline". This is why I have always boarded after A boarding when travelling with my kid even when she was under 2 (infant-in-arms) and I have had an A16 position.
Now I realized that apparently kids "age out" at 4. This is simply ridiculous. Which parent in their right mind would leave a 4 year old at the gate and board by himself/herself? What's the point of the stupid A List/A List Preferred Status if it is pointless when I travel with family? Heck, why even offer the Companion Pass if I cannot have my Companion sitting next to me on the flight?
My daughter turns 5 next month. I'll see how that goes the next time she flies with me.
I was always under the (now mistaken) assumption that families board together after A boarding so that they can sit together. This reinforced my view of WN as a "true family friendly airline". This is why I have always boarded after A boarding when travelling with my kid even when she was under 2 (infant-in-arms) and I have had an A16 position.
Now I realized that apparently kids "age out" at 4. This is simply ridiculous. Which parent in their right mind would leave a 4 year old at the gate and board by himself/herself? What's the point of the stupid A List/A List Preferred Status if it is pointless when I travel with family? Heck, why even offer the Companion Pass if I cannot have my Companion sitting next to me on the flight?
My daughter turns 5 next month. I'll see how that goes the next time she flies with me.
Jul 24, 2014, 11:41 am
#185
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I would just use the family boarding until she is old enough that you feel comfortable with solo boarding. Your other option is to swap boarding passes. She can board as A-list and save you a seat. You can board in her position.
Jul 24, 2014, 11:46 am
#186
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 6,286
They don't ask for birth certificates at the gate. Ops agents aren't strict on age 5. I think Southwest says age 5 because they know everyone will push it to age 7 or 8. If they said age 8 you'd have 12-year-olds in family boarding. It works like speed limits.
I would just use the family boarding until she is old enough that you feel comfortable with solo boarding. Your other option is to swap boarding passes. She can board as A-list and save you a seat. You can board in her position.
I would just use the family boarding until she is old enough that you feel comfortable with solo boarding. Your other option is to swap boarding passes. She can board as A-list and save you a seat. You can board in her position.
A five year old?
Boarding by themselves?
And saving a seat?
Jul 24, 2014, 11:51 am
#187
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 27
I'm amazed at how many people in this thread seem to think that if they don't use family boarding, then the family can't sit together. I always took this 'family boarding' time as a chance to let the pain in the @$$ slow kids get seated, but after the priority passengers had had their chance. People with kids take FOREVER to load a plane, and there is nothing more maddening than thinking you have an upgraded seating selection, and getting stuck moving 2 inches at a time while a kid tries to do everything but what their parents tell them to do. Let the people that earned (or bought) high privilege seats board first, then you and the slow kids can do your thing, then everyone else.
If your kid is over 4, maybe by now you've taught them to listen (though, I highly doubt it) and you can board with them on their ticket number. It's not that complicated. NOBODY is suggesting kids and the parents be separated.
If your kid is over 4, maybe by now you've taught them to listen (though, I highly doubt it) and you can board with them on their ticket number. It's not that complicated. NOBODY is suggesting kids and the parents be separated.
Jul 24, 2014, 11:56 am
#188
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 54
You don't. You board with her in whatever position she gets. I've been doing that with my kids for years. I use points and buy them EB. We may not be in the first row, but we all sit together. If it's important to you that you board A1-15, buy her a Business Select ticket.
Jul 24, 2014, 12:01 pm
#189
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Jul 24, 2014, 12:04 pm
#190
Join Date: Feb 2013
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Wow. The milk of human kindness is really coming out for children on this thread.
If children would be unaccompanied minors, they certainly are too young to be left chilling in the boarding area on their own. Furthermore, traveling for a family can be stressful and difficult, so cut them a little slack. Finally, would you really rather have the kids board last and end up seated separated from their parent and next to you? I certainly don't dislike children, but in my experience single children sitting separated from their parents usually become a significant drain on time/sleep/attention during a flight.
If children would be unaccompanied minors, they certainly are too young to be left chilling in the boarding area on their own. Furthermore, traveling for a family can be stressful and difficult, so cut them a little slack. Finally, would you really rather have the kids board last and end up seated separated from their parent and next to you? I certainly don't dislike children, but in my experience single children sitting separated from their parents usually become a significant drain on time/sleep/attention during a flight.
Jul 24, 2014, 12:07 pm
#191
Join Date: Jul 2001
Posts: 3,975
One thing I haven't seen mentioned before in the video at http://www.usatoday.com/story/todayi...ripe/13088173/ : the pax had, just previously, tweeted praise of an agent at check-in and got a quick reply from SWA. Also appears to say a supervisor came over and backed up the OA in demanding the pax delete the tweet.
Jul 24, 2014, 12:11 pm
#192
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Gary Kelly apologies after tweeter kicked off flight.
A-List Southwest passenger kicked off flight interview.
A-List Southwest passenger kicked off flight interview.
Jul 24, 2014, 12:12 pm
#193
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The answer is certainly not for "A listers" to throw temper tantrums
I don't think having them save seats is any more justified.
At the end of the day, the abuses of "families with small children" preboarding (independent of carrier) that I've personally witnessed are relatively rare. Usually they entail an attempt to preboard a bunch of adults with one kid. I don't consider Dad + 2 small kids an abuse of the system. Sometimes I think we try to create a bigger problem where there really isn't one.
Jul 24, 2014, 12:21 pm
#194
Join Date: Apr 2006
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Gary Kelly directly asked about this Tweet this morning on CNBC and said contact was made with OP to satisfaction of both parties.
OP interviewed on CNBC with Phil LeBeau and asked about Tweet and asked whether he will fly WN again. Response was positive.
CNBC has the interview online.
OP interviewed on CNBC with Phil LeBeau and asked about Tweet and asked whether he will fly WN again. Response was positive.
CNBC has the interview online.
Jul 24, 2014, 12:21 pm
#195
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 54
But that's how SWA makes money. If a family of 5 buys tickets and only one ticket has EB, then all five people should board with that one passenger that has A16? What is the point?