connor35

My favorite that I observed once as A1.

Older couple gets on (SAN to MCO flight) via pre boarding in front of me and starts putting hats, magazine, purse, everything in 13 other seats up front. I waited and counted. I waited patiently and went to my exit row.

Kevin AA

An easy fix is for Southwest to make it an official policy: NO SEAT SAVING. One boarding card, one seat, end of story.

SacTownGuy

No doubt.

Regardless of that the current WN pre-board system is very broken from my perspective.

djp98374

I’ve seen this kind of thing, but it wasn’t the grandparents, but thr FAs blocking 3 rows for a college basketball team.

kennycrudup

... and I'll just chime in again and mention that I, who gets A16-35 99% of time yet walks to the next-to-last row (horizontal space is better to me, which I have a better chance of getting back there) that I arrive the same time as you "they took mah up-front seat!" folks.

Funny story- I was saving a seat for a fellow traveler back there with me (on the opposite side of the aisle), which usually isn't a problem. This time, though, some collegiate cheer/athletic team had a bunch of "What's Check-in?" folks all in the late-B/C group and the rear started to get crowded, and an FA told me I couldn't save the seat (in her defense, it was starting to go stits-up back there with confusion abounding). My fellow traveler, having forgotten to check in until something like T-12 and getting a high-C, ended up somewhere midships in a middle.

justhere

​​​​​​Southwest can't do anything about the preboard process without changing to assigned seats. That, or the DOT changes the ACAA.

pinniped

You probably get a lot of dirty looks. This is why I've trained my emotional support iguana to walk with a slight limp.

I've so thankful I very rarely have to fly to Florida for any reason. I'm mostly MCI to the west and northeast. There is occasionally a little bit of preboard chicanery but never so much that I can't get an aisle seat.

I don't think WN sees this as a big enough systemwide problem to do anything about it. A-List and AL+ aren't the ones getting hosed: even on the worst flight from MCO, if you're AL you're getting an aisle or window. It's the honest people in the late-B's who are getting hosed, and they aren't organized or vocal enough to be seriously noticed to the point where their business is worth changing the process. In fact, they don't really know and certainly can't prove that it was the preboarders who would have been behind them who caused them to get a middle seat.

djp98374

post Covid…it was our first family get together. My brother and his family was connecting thru bwi. Thry had an early flight and a 3+ hr layover. I’m in DC so I booked my flight for the same one as there’s out of BWI.

even at T24 I was a C. My brother and his family was a low A or high B. When they boarded they sat in two rows on same side window and aside. Saving a middle seat for me. When I got to one, my SIL took the middle giving me the aisle.

jjbiv

It seems one solution to this "issue" is for everyone who feels afflicted to ask for extra time during boarding. Then we can turn that part of the boarding process in to chaos and every Customer can fend for themself.

It makes no difference to me and seems to be much ado about very little actual difference. Southwest in general is very comfortable. I often change flights at the last minute, board last, and still get a window or bulkhead seat.

SacTownGuy

You are probably right and that's disappointing.

FlightNurse

If the OP was my employee, who dumped and ran, I wouldn't do a thing, I wish the OP would come up with a fix. I have found getting the early bird boarding has worked well. Let the PRe-Boards get on, if one of them was holding a seat and I wanted it, I'll take it, plain and simple. If more people would do that, then the pre-boards wouldn't do it as much.

Today PHX-ONT, on a 700, not a full flight, I was A-36, no problem getting a seat in row 6 window. The middle seat opened the entire flight. My flight from PHX-SNA, was full, B-30, about 20 pre-boards, but I was still able to get the seat I wanted. The only time I got a middle seat, was on my return SNA-PHX, since the flight before my original flight was delayed and I was able to get to the airport much sooner so I made a change. Was able to get my carry-on in the overhead bin.

So basically when you fly WN, just be ready for 30-40 pre-boards and do the early bird check in.

Kevin AA

I'll pay for a seat assignment on other carriers. If I know I'm getting the seat that I want, it's worth it to me.

I will not pay extra for early boarding on Southwest. I'm still behind the masses of pre-boarders, and I'm still behind the A-listers, so its value to me is about five bucks (far less than what Southwest wants). No thanks!

FlightNurse

On my flight to ONT from PHX I was A-36 on my flight to PHX I'm A-38. I'll still get the seat I want. I don't expect much from WN when it comes to service.

m907

It's not actually true, but one cannot say that on these forums without being called a bigot.

justhere

Please explain how it's not true. The ACAA is pretty clear on how it works.