Yet another rant about EBCI & seat saving (was Sw airlines reputation crashing)
 

Companions travelling on Southwest Airlines now pay for Early Bird Boarding for one ticket. That ticket holder boards early and "saves" (cheats) seats for his companions, at the expense of others who have purchased Early Bird Boarding. My boarding number yesterday was 44, but I had to sit 90 seats back because of all of the "saved" seats. Flight attendants that I complained to brushed me off calling it a normal practice. I call it theft of my Early Bird fee.

This would be more appropriate for the South West (WN) forum. I've alerted a MOD to move this there. I do believe it is a standard practice that does devalue the paid service. Complaint to corporate as that will be the only way to affect change. You should also stop paying for a service that does not provide for you.

(1) Welcome to Flyertalk.

(2) See the Southwest forum: this thread gets done weekly if not more.

(3) Is it possible that you're exaggerating a wee bit on the "90 seats back" with an A44 BP bit? ;)

(4) I don't disagree with you in premise. WN purposes ignored this topic to the detriment of its passengers (and some might argue its flight attendants). That said, the Early Birder saving 1 seat, which probably isn't one you want anyway, isn't the biggest crime in the WN seat-etiquette universe.

Moving thread to the Southwest Airlines Forum, where a Moderator may merge it with existing topic re: this issue.
Obscure2k
TravelBuzz Moderator

boarding #a44, found seat in row 15 (6x15=90)

Could you not have selected a middle seat further forward?
Were no other passengers further back?
How many passengers were on the flight?

If no butt is sitting in the seat, just sit down. If you want to be nice, ask them if that seat is open, if they say they are saving it, just tell them that is not allowed, and sit down. The FA's are bad about enforcing the rules, but if you just sit down, they wont make you move if you point out that seat saving isn't allowed.

Sit where you like. If someone says that the seat you want is saved, sit down and say thank you. Why is this so hard?

You're most recent thread prior to this one was also a complaint about Early Bird and the position you got.

Might I suggest Southwest may not be the right airline for you and maybe you should try one that has assigned seating?

Edit: Nevermind - I see your other 6 posts were complaints about United Economy Plus fees or upgrade fees.

:D

So...

60 theoretically desirable seats. (No solo-traveling A44 BP holder in the history of humankind has been forced to take a middle seat.)
43 people ahead of you. (I'll just assume 0 thru pax.)
Maybe two or three seat savers...

We're talking about the difference of one or two rows.

Or zero rows.


But it makes for a fun thread, so please continue.

👏👏👏

WN is what it is. Seat saving is not permitted, but FA's don't get involved. So, just use self-help. If you board and there is nobody in a seat you want, sit in it.

Unless someone shows up with a boarding pass for that seat, it is yours. And here is a tip: nobody will show up with a boarding pass for that seat.

Which is why WN clearly states no particular seat is ever guaranteed. Not an exit row, not a window, not an aisle. Not even if you buy early boarding, are on the A-list or fly enough to qualify for the Companion Pass.

Seat saving is permitted.

<Against my better judgment, wading into what will likely turn out to be yet another seat saving discussion.>