elevatorgeek

Business Select does not guarantee anything. Nor does EBCI. WN sells 15 BS positions and there aren't 15 exit seats with extra legroom and bulkheads are often taken by preboarders.

TomMM

I've been known to spend $150 to upgrade into a seat in First/Business but $150 just for a possible exit row seat

Often1

This is yet another of the numerous threads in which people want to fly a carrier which permits seat assignment or something close to that, complaint that a carrier which does not do either, ought to.

WN does not. It won't.

If you pay for BS or EBCI, that may increase your chances of getting the seat you want, but that is it.

If you want a seat assignment, fly any other carrier.

Michael El

Never have a problem getting a "preferred seat" when I fly AA. In fact, I can be the last to board and still sit in a "preferred seat."

SpaceCoastBill

This was also posted in the southwestaircommunity.com website. Got pretty much the same response.

rsteinmetz70112

Open seating is what is so deal with it. Suothwes5 may go to assiginedseting but that willlpresent different problms.

LegalTender

Assiginseting on Suothwes5 would mean anarkey.

alchemista

Yeah, I've been pretty disappointed after reaching A-List Preferred and seeing what you (don't) get from it. I frequently get A mid-20s/30s, usually only get the 3 best exit seats on the 700s if I have BS, have had a few of these cases where people are already on the plane, people saving seats, etc. The experience is too variable for being in a top tier of an airline program - all for the pretty bad free wifi!

Another good tip from the other thread is to look for the 800s if you want extra leg room, which have 12 good legroom seats instead of 4 on the 700s.

Even though I qualify again next year, I think I may use the time to instead qualify on another airline program - unfortunately that is UA with its own issues

Boraxo

For many years as UA Gold or higher and previously as AA Gold I never had/have a problem reserving exit row seats at time of booking. I think AS also offers a purchase option. If that is important to you I suggest you pick a different airline to fly.

SWSNA

View from the other side....I'm always happy with a [short-long] touch-and-go flight for long hauls, particularly if I'm with non-A-list travelling companions.

For example, on LAX(via PHX)BWI (just making that up), I'm pretty confident I will get my group into the exit rows for "free".

Kevin AA

The purpose of Business Select is to give you the option to board early, earn more points, and get a free drink for just a few dollars more than the Anytime fare. I doubt Southwest sells that many BS fares to people who could have bought a WGA fare but that's just a guess.

For example, LAX-FLL one way on Friday, Oct. 6, WGA is sold out, and the single connection itineraries are $548 Anytime and $576 for Business Select ($4 more for the double connections for taxes). That is a fare difference of only $28.

rsteinmetz70112

That is the phunniest post I've seen in along time.

jeffandnicole

OK...so did it happen a few times, or several times? In the grand scheme of things, with how many flights you have taken, do you still have a very good chance of getting an exit row? You clearly don't think you'll get it every time...and based on the stories you're telling, I imagine you have gotten it in the past.

There's no guarantee those passengers moved. The fact that you even questioned them puts you out of line. Business Select offers no guarantee whatsoever that you'll get an exit row. Many people think a 'good' seat is in Row 1, or an aisle in Row 2. Or whatever. Not everyone shares your opinion.

Next time, go to the airport, ask if you pay the $40 if you'll get A1 - A5, and ask if the flight originated from another airport with thru passengers.

rove312

If you want to see the routing of a flight after a future schedule change, enter the flight number at http://info.flightmapper.net/search , then Select Flight Date on the results page.

ijgordon

FWIW, AA Gold (entry level, 25k) requires payment for extra legroom seats, including exit rows. It's half off the regular price, though, and free at OLCI. UA Gold (50k level) I believe gives free E+, as does AA's 50k equivalent, Platinum. And on DL, any elite can book the regular exit row, but their extra legroom seats up front are a separate booking class you need to get upgraded into at various windows (for 75k+ elite flyers that window is at booking, based on availability).
So it gets quite complicated, as opposed to first-come-first-served!