UALOneKPlus

I flew yesterday with my BS fare, spot A1.

I boarded first, grabbed an aisle right in the front. Everyone boarded, and it looked like the middle seat was going to be empty. At the last minute a woman of size showed up, surveyed the plane, and sat right next to me (probably because I'm a skinny fella).

In order to fit, she had to lift the armrests, and I was pushed over to the side of my seat. My side felt like it was laying on a Temperpedic mattress because it was pressed against her side all flight long.

I don't see the advantage of boarding first any more. From now on, I'll just board with the B or C group, and pick a seat where there'll be no risk of having to be squeezed in my seat.

Oh, I also dozed through the entire flight, and didn't even get anything to drink. So now I've got several BS drink coupons, which when I'm flying today I'll be treating my fellow passengers to.

One final observation - another passenger who was A2 sat close by. He didn't look like he was the business flier type, so we struck up a brief conversation. Turns out he was flying last minute for a funeral, so bought the only seat available - BS fare. He had never flown WN before and had no idea what BS was. Very interesting conversation.

Anyway that's my future strategy and I'm sticking to it. BS for me is not going to be about boarding first or getting free drinks (except to treat fellow pax).

beckduer

I haven't had the opportunity to fly BS yet, but in the past, I've deliberately chosen not to queue up until all of A and about half of B has been allowed through, for just the reason you mention. It allows me to see where the screamers are and also allows me to pick who I'll share real estate with.

nsx

If you sit aft of the exit row (rows 13-16) your middle seat will be one of the last taken.

UALOneKPlus

Yup, the advantage of open seating.

UALOneKPlus

True, but I prefer to sit up front in an aisle so I can deplane quickly.

joshua362

Well, look at the postitive side, your mattress size and providing seatmate allowed you to sleep most of the flight. Imagine the torture had you remained awake.

The scenario you described is why I liked the old system better, no matter when I got to the gate, I'd only get up as the last A'ers where passing through the scanner - then a quick glance at the monitor would tell me where best to sit.

Its all a crapshoot and trade off where you sit and who sits next to you.

As much as I hate US Air and Delta and the other legacies, sometime their real time seat maps and gate side kiosks come in handy to view & switch seat assignements at the last second...

LarryJ

If they couldn't lower the arm rest then they are a C.O.S. and should have bought two tickets. Contact an F/A and point this out to them.

nsx

If you write to Southwest they will likely give you some compensation, although the reply may take 4 to 6 weeks/

kerflumexed

If this happens early enough in the boarding simply get up and move further back. Life is too short, and I would not bet on a successful intervention after the pax is on the airplane.

Not sure, but I think you can insist on having the armrest down.

One of the most uncomfortable flights I ever had was on AA where I had a middle, in the back of the md80 and it was between two guys that looked like (to me) sumo wrestlers.

Jaimito Cartero

It does seem to be aptly named, as a BS fare.

nsx

You're almost exactly 2 weeks late in noticing this infelicitous initialism.

jeelele

hahaha... a good one^.

i love snowboarding

^
I have a similar strategy. First in line is definitely not always the best!

beckduer

The (long) thread over on WN's own web page brings up this parallel MANY times. (Some really unhappy people over there! )

darthbimmer

I timed it twice. Even on a full flight, the difference between row 1 and the back of the plane is typically 6-7 minutes. My schedule is seldom that tight. I do prefer not to sit in the back for other reasons, though.