seat saving
Oct 25, 2018, 2:44 pm
#241
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: SNA
Programs: Bonvoy LTTE/AMB, AmEx Plat, National EE, WN A-List, CLEAR+, Covid-19
Posts: 4,964
Oct 25, 2018, 3:10 pm
#242
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: 21,621
Oct 25, 2018, 3:31 pm
#243
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Chicagoland, IL, USA
Programs: WN CP, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 14,189
Southwest is the one airline on which passengers killed a guy who was trying to break into the cockpit. Pre-2001, no less.
Oct 25, 2018, 9:38 pm
#244
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 17,451
No, I wouldn't (nor would I have if I had A49)...I don't care if I have to sit a few rows back from my desired row/seat but it's still a piss-poor non-policy IMO. This thread is not specific to me, you or any other individual. This thread is about how it affects all WN passengers...passengers from A3 up to A1's companion may complain.
Like WN's, this is an outlier policy. And it's a strong reason - there are a few more - why BA gets none of my business. There are other carriers with policies that suit me better (better food too
).I've said it many times before. Courses for horses. If WN irritates you to the extent that you go into a mathematical analysis of the effect of a coat on an unoccupied seat.... you really need to find another carrier.
Fly Happy. It's your choice.
Oct 25, 2018, 11:19 pm
#245
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 1,808
But that honors the proper boarding order. It's not line jumping ahead of people either at the line or on the plane via saving.
Oct 26, 2018, 10:14 am
#246
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: SFO
Posts: 3,879
No kidding. 
Trying to juggle too many balls.
So I'll try to keep this simple so as not to confuse myself. If a saved seat doesn't affect anybody how is that lacking common courtesy or proper etiquette? You cannot assume that the saver knows anything, let alone that he has screwed other passengers. Not every saver purchases EBCI. Not every companion doesn't check in at T-24. I'm just as guilty of this as anyone else but we've not only gone down the rabbit hole on this, we've branched into many tunnels. Back above ground, my sole point in all of this is not that seat saving is right or wrong. Not that there is or isn't a policy. It is simply that you cannot make blanket statements such as the ones of yours that I've quoted in this post (trying to make sure I've got my quotes right
). There are too many variables in terms of saver and companions boarding numbers. Type of seat saved. How they go about saving it. Who is and who is not affected by it.
Trying to juggle too many balls.So I'll try to keep this simple so as not to confuse myself. If a saved seat doesn't affect anybody how is that lacking common courtesy or proper etiquette? You cannot assume that the saver knows anything, let alone that he has screwed other passengers. Not every saver purchases EBCI. Not every companion doesn't check in at T-24. I'm just as guilty of this as anyone else but we've not only gone down the rabbit hole on this, we've branched into many tunnels. Back above ground, my sole point in all of this is not that seat saving is right or wrong. Not that there is or isn't a policy. It is simply that you cannot make blanket statements such as the ones of yours that I've quoted in this post (trying to make sure I've got my quotes right
). There are too many variables in terms of saver and companions boarding numbers. Type of seat saved. How they go about saving it. Who is and who is not affected by it.
It was A16 in post 196, not A15. And really the exact number is not the point. That's semantics. The point was that not everyone was affected by someone saving a seat.
Correct. No meaningful difference. If I'm B47 how would C2 and C25 board ahead of me? Their seats are being saved but they aren't boarding ahead of me. The example was, IIRC, that they cut in line while boarding. Eh, I probably wouldn't say anything to the FA but I would say something to the seat savers. I'd say "hey, I was nice enough to let you cut in front of the line so you could sit with your companion but fair's fair, there are no other window/aisle seats, would you mind moving as you should have boarded behind me?" They are either going to move or they aren't. Just because they ended up being aholes doesn't mean I need to be one. I might though have a few choice words for them. Not B47 but sometimes A61+++ and depending on the through count that can be a challenge.
Not B47 but sometimes A61+++ and depending on the through count that can be a challenge.
However, I've saved a seat several times for someone in the C group and no one asked to sit in it (middle seat). Small sample size but you would think if seat saving truly was a big deal that at least once someone would have asked. That's why I don't think it's that big of a deal. Well that and the fact that there just aren't that many complaints compared to how many complaints there should be if it was a big deal on just about every flight
And just to be clear, if I set my headphone case and notepad down on a seat while I'm getting my other items out of my carryon that I want on the flight and stowing my carry on and getting my self situated and a couple dozen people walk by my row, have I saved that seat or not? I'm not travelling with anyone but I have something on it. I have no intention of saving the seat. Perhaps I don't even know about seat saving or I've never heard about it. I'm just an average traveler. Based on what I've read in these posts, I believe that because I put something on the seat, even though no one asked, I've saved the seat. Therefore I'm discourteous, lack etiquette, and am a douch*ag?? Wow, and all I did was set my headphone case down next to me while I got myself situated. Who knew!
Oct 26, 2018, 10:29 am
#247
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: SFO
Posts: 3,879
Okay. But now it's simply an argument about a particular carrier's seating policy. I don't mind it. You object. I despise BA not letting paid Club World passengers select seats at ticket purchase. They open seat selection for people paying thousands of dollars for a flight at 7 days before departure, unless a substantial extra fee is paid, so their elites get all the good seats. Crazy, right? In essence, BA is seat saving a whole cabin.
Like WN's, this is an outlier policy. And it's a strong reason - there are a few more - why BA gets none of my business. There are other carriers with policies that suit me better (better food too).
I've said it many times before. Courses for horses. If WN irritates you to the extent that you go into a mathematical analysis of the effect of a coat on an unoccupied seat.... you really need to find another carrier.
Fly Happy. It's your choice.
Like WN's, this is an outlier policy. And it's a strong reason - there are a few more - why BA gets none of my business. There are other carriers with policies that suit me better (better food too
).I've said it many times before. Courses for horses. If WN irritates you to the extent that you go into a mathematical analysis of the effect of a coat on an unoccupied seat.... you really need to find another carrier.
Fly Happy. It's your choice.
Oct 26, 2018, 7:06 pm
#248
Join Date: May 2005
Location: PHX
Programs: AA Gold, WN A+ & CP, HH Diamond, Hyatt Platinum, National Executive Elite
Posts: 3,246
You are very welcome. Anything else I can do for you?
Under the circumstances I outlined, yes I'm cool with that. In other circumstances I might not be. It just depends. You know, kind of like it depends on who saves a seat, which seat is saved, etc, as to whether or not it matters or makes a difference.I don't know. I don't have access to WN's customer service metrics. If I had to guess I would say about 4,000 per day. That's assuming that every flight currently averages 2 complaints and it would need to be 3 complaints. Although I think the current average is less than 2 but I'll say two so as not to minimize the issue. However if you go by enplanements, I would think maybe 12,000 per day. Based on going from 2% of the passengers to 5%. Based on July 2018's numbers and based on a total number of complaints in the 2% range. We know that not all complaints are about seat saving and we know that not everyone that has an issue with a saved seat complains. So I'll just go with the total complaints. Source.
Sure, a few people could mistakenly assume you were saving a seat. No question about it, mistakes happen. It would be apparent to me that you were doing as you described and not saving a seat. I think you fly enough to be able to spot someone getting situated versus pretending to in hopes of discreetly saving a seat.
Just kidding.)
Mar 11, 2019, 1:14 pm
#250
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: San Diego, CA
Programs: Southwest A-List; Alaska MVPG; Hilton Diamond; Avis PreferredPlus; Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite
Posts: 919
If your friend/companion is in the bathroom, then that’s one thing. But I’m amazed that people would be willing to sell their integrity for a seat on an airplane.
Mar 11, 2019, 1:24 pm
#253
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Nashville -Past DL Plat, FO, WN-CP, various hotel programs
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Posts: 11,072
The poster that brought it back to life has two posts. One here and one on support animals. LOL!
Mar 11, 2019, 2:29 pm
#254
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 5
saving seats
Good point. Answer depends on the person's attitude with me. They get the bathroom answer if they are being an a-hole. They get the seat is being saved if they are nice. I fly twice per month on SW. I do sit about mid way down or further back in the plane. That way folks who really need to sit up front that might be trying to catch a connection can get off faster. Wife always gets b or c. I sit in aisle save the middle. Then when she is walking down the aisle and she sees me, iI then move over to the middle. seat.
Last edited by ftnoob; Mar 11, 2019 at 3:37 pm Reason: fix markup
Mar 11, 2019, 2:32 pm
#255
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 5
animals
i do not support animals of any kind on the plane. All of them should go in the cargo hold. (unless your legally blind, but size of dog has to be restricted for safety issues. Dog only.