sydneyracquelle

MJonTravel

I prefer Delta overall compared to the other big US airlines. But having relocated from Atlanta to a 10 minute Uber ride from DCA, I probably fly AA and UA more than anyone else. That said, my MO has become that if I'm not booking some other airline in first class, I prefer Southwest and their boarding process to all of them. Just my opinion.

trentryan

SJC ORD LDR

I always think WN is great for intra-state flights. But, I like knowing where I sit on anything longer than that.

bcphitau

Funny, I was thinking of posting something similar... on Friday I had my 2nd SW flight of 2018 but only my 3rd in ~10 years.

I've been a DL Plat nearly all of that time but begrudgingly took SW where I needed a non-stop, logistically, to make a tight work schedule.

Honestly, I hated the boarding process.

While it was nice to have people, for the most part, remain seated until their time instead of swarming the gate, I've experienced a great deal of gamesmanship within the lineup.

Friday's episode was the person who appeared to be a seasoned road warrior, "obliviously" hanging around B10 while trying to conceal the ~B30 on her mobile boarding pass.

The gate agents appear to be most concerned with pleasantly, respectfully and rapidly boarding everyone regardless of numerical position, so non-enforcement seems to encourage cheating.

On each flight I have encountered pairs playing the empty-middle-game as well, with a touch of passive aggression when I ask if the seat is available.

That having been said, I do love that middle seats in row 1, in my experience, tend to go unfilled during B group, so I can board as a commoner and enjoy almost better leg room than I do in F or C+ on DL.

I've found that, as a tall fella in a row 1 middle on SW, that I can just lean forward, close my eyes, and dream that I am on DL to pass the time while enduring the short SW flight. 😊

ATLMike1234

Sure, if you're someone that always shows up early to the gate then the Southwest process will work. However if you prefer to have the option to board 15 minutes prior to departure (many people don't mind having to check their carry on), then that's not an option with Southwest unless you want to end up in the worst possible seat.

rickg523

Why? Once you're checked in, you're assigned a Boarding line number. Doesn't matter if you show up while the line is boarding, you can still take your assigned spot. I've done this. What you can't do, is prance on in, wave some card around and demand to be boarded out of order because of status.
Without EBCI, if you check in at T-24 your boarding spot will almost always get you a aisle or window.

ATLMike1234

Because you also can't prance on in and demand someone to be booted out of an aisle or window once they're already seated. Instead of picking your window/aisle/exit row easily on an app, you have to physically be there to board with your group instead of knowing that the seat is reserved for you.

rickg523

Yep... You don't want to fly WN. But if that stresses you, IRROPS on your chosen carrier must send you right round the bend.

Hipplewm

Same - IRROPS is the number 1 reason, and the fact that they fly to about 50% of the places I travel is a distant second

rickg523

IME, IRROPS aren't terrific on WN because they don't have any interline agreements. So you're pretty much limited to whatever they have going out of airport you're stuck in. And space available. About a decade ago, I noticed a significant reduction in flights per day per route and it's concomitant increase in cabin load per flight.
OTOH, they almost always fly if they can because they need the planes positioned along the route. OTOoH, I mostly fly the West Coast with WN and WEX is almost non-existent out here.

Ysitincoach

In fairness, how is that different now from the new SOP of not cancelling, but delaying 10-12-14hrs, and not allowing pax to interline? Or only interlining if absolutely necessary?

Oddly, I actually looked to WN as an out of pocket alternative.
Folks are quick to mention WN IROPS, but having spent the last two major IT failures in ATL, and arriving at the destination at 4am were suboptimal.

RRDD

rickg523

I *think* we're agreeing. WN isn't great or even that good at IRROPS.
My point beyond that was that on the routes I fly IRROPS are so rare and resolution is so easy when it does go pear-shaped (because they fly many flights a day on these routes, and in pinch even more flights if you are willing to make a cxn) that it's not even a real consideration when I select a carrier.

hotturnip

This is a fluke. I can remember once when this happened to me on WN, but it only happened once. Typically, checking in right at T24 lands you in the upper half of B, or maybe the bottom of A.

And don't be seduced by this. The first time you have IRROPS on WN, the bloom will be off the rose--believe me.