Yet another rant about EBCI & seat saving (was Sw airlines reputation crashing)
Jan 9, 2017, 6:46 am
#61
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: STL
Programs: Southwest A+/CP, Hilton Diamond, National Executive Elite
Posts: 170
The problem is that it's not intuitively wrong to save a seat for your companion. In other social settings (e.g. a movie theater), saving a place in line is the quite the norm.
Did the guy on this flight intentionally game the WN system? I don't know. I just wish the airline would clarify the policy so all could operate under a common set of rules.
Did the guy on this flight intentionally game the WN system? I don't know. I just wish the airline would clarify the policy so all could operate under a common set of rules.
Jan 9, 2017, 7:47 am
#62
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: MCI
Programs: AA Gold 1MM, AS MVP, UA Silver, WN A-List, Marriott LT Titanium, HH Diamond
Posts: 52,555
Honestly, in the case of Southwest, if it was 1-for-1 seat saving of an adjacent (middle) seat only, I don't think anyone would have a big problem with it. In the slightly upthread example, it was a guy sitting in an aisle trying to save another desirable aisle seat. That's piggish behavior and I'm glad he got called out on it and got pissed about it. If he'd simply saved the middle seat next to him, it would have been no problem.
Seems like Southwest could craft a reasonable policy here, expressly permitting very limited seat saving, that accommodates almost all situations in about 2-3 sentences.
Jan 9, 2017, 7:48 am
#63
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Peoria
Programs: Southwest, Best Western Gold, La Quinta, Dollar
Posts: 819
I don't get EBCI often (usually just for my return trip since I'm not always in a position to check-in right at T-24) but when I do, it does its job and it does it well. I'll take A-59 over B-59 every time. But typically, I've bought my tickets far enough in advance that my EBCI is usually in the neighborhood of A-20 to A-25. Every time.
Jan 9, 2017, 8:03 am
#64
Join Date: Oct 2001
Programs: LTP, PP
Posts: 8,698
Last week, we boarded a flight from LAX to MDW. Three of us were traveling as a family and paid for priority boarding. We got A59-B02 and located the first empty row immediately behind a wing.
Someone's belongings were placed in the aisle seat, which belonged to a man sitting across the aisle who was saving that seat for his wife. The next available row was near the very back of the plane.
I asked if his wife had boarded the plane. When he said she hadn't, I said there was no seat saving and asked him to remove the belongings. He eventually did, though not until throwing some angry insults my way.
We got our row, though not without paying the price of an awkward and uncomfortable flight directly across from this individual. I've written to WN to explain how unpleasant and unfair and ambiguous the current policy is.
I think next time, I simply won't pay-up for a better seat, since actually getting the seat sometimes comes with an emotional cost.
Someone's belongings were placed in the aisle seat, which belonged to a man sitting across the aisle who was saving that seat for his wife. The next available row was near the very back of the plane.
I asked if his wife had boarded the plane. When he said she hadn't, I said there was no seat saving and asked him to remove the belongings. He eventually did, though not until throwing some angry insults my way.
We got our row, though not without paying the price of an awkward and uncomfortable flight directly across from this individual. I've written to WN to explain how unpleasant and unfair and ambiguous the current policy is.
I think next time, I simply won't pay-up for a better seat, since actually getting the seat sometimes comes with an emotional cost.
#1 was piggish of the man to save an adjacent aisle seat but not against any "rules".
#2 There were no other empty rows nearby boarding at A59? I'm finding that hard to believe unless there was an unusual number of through passengers headed to Orlando.
#3 How did you board in this case? Did A59-60 save seats for B01-02 since family boarding had to take place in between?
"Sometimes we just have to all get along." Charlie Runkle.
Jan 9, 2017, 8:12 am
#65
Join Date: May 2005
Location: PHX
Programs: AA Gold, WN A+ & CP, HH Diamond, Hyatt Platinum, National Executive Elite
Posts: 3,240
And if the flight isn't full there is going to be an open seat somewhere so middles are the most likely to remain open anyway.
Jan 9, 2017, 8:35 am
#66
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Blue Ridge, GA
Posts: 5,502
Most unlikely. LUV means no enforcement mechanism or on-board arbitration, a priori consequences of seat saving directives.
Jan 9, 2017, 8:48 am
#67
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Peoria
Programs: Southwest, Best Western Gold, La Quinta, Dollar
Posts: 819
Jan 9, 2017, 12:13 pm
#70
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,618
Hi -
I am surprised that this issue keeps having the legs that it has. A similar thread I started a few years ago sparked a lengthy, often viewed and spirited discussion.
My response was to take my CP-level flying (no CC, just BIS) and become a 75K on Alaska and a Mosaic on JetBlue. I am now down to 1-2 WN segments a year.
For those that can't stand seat-saving WN style (and I count myself as one), I encourage you to find alternatives -- there usually are. WN doesn't care, the other carriers are happy to have your business and you have a lot less stress and hassle.
Everybody wins.
I am surprised that this issue keeps having the legs that it has. A similar thread I started a few years ago sparked a lengthy, often viewed and spirited discussion.
My response was to take my CP-level flying (no CC, just BIS) and become a 75K on Alaska and a Mosaic on JetBlue. I am now down to 1-2 WN segments a year.
For those that can't stand seat-saving WN style (and I count myself as one), I encourage you to find alternatives -- there usually are. WN doesn't care, the other carriers are happy to have your business and you have a lot less stress and hassle.
Everybody wins.
Jan 9, 2017, 12:20 pm
#71
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: MCI
Programs: CBP Global Entry, WN A-List Preferred, WN Companion Pass
Posts: 2,007
Jan 10, 2017, 10:43 am
#72
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 141
It was EBCI.
Priority boarding, or just regular Early-bird Check-in? I doubt its the former, since that should have gotten you in between A-1 and A-15. If its the latter.... Imagine what your boarding position would have been without it.
I don't get EBCI often (usually just for my return trip since I'm not always in a position to check-in right at T-24) but when I do, it does its job and it does it well. I'll take A-59 over B-59 every time. But typically, I've bought my tickets far enough in advance that my EBCI is usually in the neighborhood of A-20 to A-25. Every time.
I don't get EBCI often (usually just for my return trip since I'm not always in a position to check-in right at T-24) but when I do, it does its job and it does it well. I'll take A-59 over B-59 every time. But typically, I've bought my tickets far enough in advance that my EBCI is usually in the neighborhood of A-20 to A-25. Every time.
Jan 10, 2017, 10:50 am
#73
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 141
#2: As I explained above, there were no empty rows nearby or we would have taken one. The only rows were near the back.
#3: We had A59, A60 and B01. The gate agent allowed us to board together.
#3: We had A59, A60 and B01. The gate agent allowed us to board together.
It is amazing the splitting of the hairs that can go on here over this issue.
#1 was piggish of the man to save an adjacent aisle seat but not against any "rules".
#2 There were no other empty rows nearby boarding at A59? I'm finding that hard to believe unless there was an unusual number of through passengers headed to Orlando.
#3 How did you board in this case? Did A59-60 save seats for B01-02 since family boarding had to take place in between?
"Sometimes we just have to all get along." Charlie Runkle.
#1 was piggish of the man to save an adjacent aisle seat but not against any "rules".
#2 There were no other empty rows nearby boarding at A59? I'm finding that hard to believe unless there was an unusual number of through passengers headed to Orlando.
#3 How did you board in this case? Did A59-60 save seats for B01-02 since family boarding had to take place in between?
"Sometimes we just have to all get along." Charlie Runkle.
Last edited by Hank Moody; Jan 10, 2017 at 11:20 am
Jan 10, 2017, 1:51 pm
#74
Join Date: Oct 2001
Programs: LTP, PP
Posts: 8,698
#3 - so you were cut a break! Nice if you could have cut your fellow man one too!
Otherwise there might have been 20-30 people boarding between A60 and B01 and YOU would have been the one saving a seat! Would you have felt differently then?
I wonder how the real Hank Moody would have felt, I think he lets it pass and saves the conflict for more important matters...
Jan 10, 2017, 2:15 pm
#75
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 141
Well, I respectfully disagree on both points.
#2, the passenger holding the seat was taking advantage of the system. His wife didn't board until the very end. Yes, everyone's definition is different, but if I didn't care about back of the plane, I wouldn't have paid for early boarding.
#3 You would have expected us to leave our 7 year old daughter who had B-01 behind? In that case, we would have saved a middle seat for her, and I would not have complained if someone else had done the same.
#2, the passenger holding the seat was taking advantage of the system. His wife didn't board until the very end. Yes, everyone's definition is different, but if I didn't care about back of the plane, I wouldn't have paid for early boarding.
#3 You would have expected us to leave our 7 year old daughter who had B-01 behind? In that case, we would have saved a middle seat for her, and I would not have complained if someone else had done the same.
#2 - well everyone's definition of "nearby" is different as well as "back". What is wrong with the back being past row 13 anyway? All seats arrive at the same time.
#3 - so you were cut a break! Nice if you could have cut your fellow man one too!
Otherwise there might have been 20-30 people boarding between A60 and B01 and YOU would have been the one saving a seat! Would you have felt differently then?
I wonder how the real Hank Moody would have felt, I think he lets it pass and saves the conflict for more important matters...
#3 - so you were cut a break! Nice if you could have cut your fellow man one too!
Otherwise there might have been 20-30 people boarding between A60 and B01 and YOU would have been the one saving a seat! Would you have felt differently then?
I wonder how the real Hank Moody would have felt, I think he lets it pass and saves the conflict for more important matters...