EarlyBird Check-in: A Convenient Way to Travel...
Sep 3, 2009, 12:11 pm
#136
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 470
Makes an A-lister less likely to fly WN for family travel
I am an A-lister so this won't impact me whe I'm flying alone. But, when I fly with the family this will make it less likely that I choose WN over other options. We've worked hard over the years trying to keep our family together when flying WN and generally succeeded. But, when you split up a family of 6 because of a full connecting plane that already makes WN less attractive. Having to pay $20 per family member round trip to get us together would have to be balanced against the cost of flights on carriers with assigned seating. In the past I would lean toward WN because so much of my business flying is on WN. Now, I will probably lean away from WN. Frustrating.
Sep 3, 2009, 12:13 pm
#137
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: 21,625
This is getting back to the old debate between open seating and assigned seating. If you buy your tickets way in advance and don't change them, assigned seating is clearly superior for you. If you buy less than a week before travel, you will do MUCH better with open seating.
As another poster said, you simply can't get a assigned seats together for a family unless you book pretty far ahead. You have to go to the gate early and try for the seats that were held back for airport assignment.
Each system has its strengths and weaknesses, and no system is superior to the others in every respect. I have a feeling that Southwest's system with EarlyBird will work out just fine, and that a year from now it will be seen as a non-issue. Just as look at how the furor over mid-boarding for families settled down once people had a chance to experience it and realize that their fears were inflated.
Sep 3, 2009, 12:24 pm
#139
Join Date: Mar 2008
Programs: AAPLT, RR Alist
Posts: 220
I'm not talking about being late to the gate. I'm talking about when TSA is at the gate, pulling people out of line for their additional (nonsensical) screening.
Sep 3, 2009, 12:53 pm
#140
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: 21,625
The Ops Agent who boards the flight had better hold the line for you when this happens. If the Ops Agent fails to do so, write to Customer Service and they will likely take care of you.
Sep 3, 2009, 1:23 pm
#141
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: ATL
Programs: DL - PM (Sky Priority);HH - Gold; Marriott - Silver; National - Executive; DL Reserve AMEX
Posts: 5,234
Just like every other "real" airline. (i.e. Delta, United, American, Continental...)
Sep 3, 2009, 1:34 pm
#142
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Programs: WN CP 7+ Years; Marriott PP
Posts: 25
Going the east to west works the same way, where one would be checked through a LGA-BWI-PHX flight before regular people using the 24 hour method.
Just a guess here, but your order would be BS, A-List, EBCI, Connections, 24 hour.
Sep 3, 2009, 1:41 pm
#143
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Programs: WN CP 7+ Years; Marriott PP
Posts: 25
Besides, as it is noted several times, you don't have to buy EBCI for each passenger. I'm sure that you could get away with 2 EBCI.
Besides, as an A-lister, you probably have companion pass and use your free flights for a ticket or 2 on each trip.
I'm just saying if good luck finding a better deal for traveling with 6.
Sep 3, 2009, 1:49 pm
#144
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 470
When you make the comparison, don't forget to include all the baggage fees for a family of 6. Heck, it is only $15 each way to check a bag. My guess is that you don't all travel with carry-on.
Besides, as it is noted several times, you don't have to buy EBCI for each passenger. I'm sure that you could get away with 2 EBCI.
Besides, as an A-lister, you probably have companion pass and use your free flights for a ticket or 2 on each trip.
I'm just saying if good luck finding a better deal for traveling with 6.
Besides, as it is noted several times, you don't have to buy EBCI for each passenger. I'm sure that you could get away with 2 EBCI.
Besides, as an A-lister, you probably have companion pass and use your free flights for a ticket or 2 on each trip.
I'm just saying if good luck finding a better deal for traveling with 6.
You are correct that free tickets may sway the deal. But, I've got other uses for free tickets.
All I'm saying is that I will look at cost closely and if cost is close I will chose the carrier that can get my family together the cheapest. That will likely be another carrier. If WN adds bag fees, we will probably never fly WN as a family again.
Sep 3, 2009, 1:54 pm
#145
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Programs: WN CP 7+ Years; Marriott PP
Posts: 25
I hope this allows WN to become more competitive with fares again. Over the last 18 months or so, I've noticed that many of their fares are not equal or less than the competition.
I know that the competition is based upon earning $40 or so extra revenue dollars from baggage fees. However, as a business traveler that doesn't check a bag, it is tough to purchase the higher WN fare.
Less than 2 years ago, you could orbitz a flight and know that SWA was actually going to be cheaper on 9/10. Now, I'd say that it is less than 50%.
Heck, I'm flying PHX-BOS, BOS-CAK, CLE-PHX all non-stop. The PHX-BOS (US Worst - $200) was comparable, but the stop wasn't worth the money on WN. BOS-CAK(CLE) was $75 (Air-Tran). CLE-PHX was $184 and is Continental direct.
That said, this trip was firm or else the open credit policy on WN would have been the deciding point.
I know that the competition is based upon earning $40 or so extra revenue dollars from baggage fees. However, as a business traveler that doesn't check a bag, it is tough to purchase the higher WN fare.
Less than 2 years ago, you could orbitz a flight and know that SWA was actually going to be cheaper on 9/10. Now, I'd say that it is less than 50%.
Heck, I'm flying PHX-BOS, BOS-CAK, CLE-PHX all non-stop. The PHX-BOS (US Worst - $200) was comparable, but the stop wasn't worth the money on WN. BOS-CAK(CLE) was $75 (Air-Tran). CLE-PHX was $184 and is Continental direct.
That said, this trip was firm or else the open credit policy on WN would have been the deciding point.
Sep 3, 2009, 1:58 pm
#146
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Programs: WN CP 7+ Years; Marriott PP
Posts: 25
Understood. Don't forget to make sure you can get 6 seats together on the flight before purchasing. I've found it difficult to get even one seat on several flights recently. Most have been premium seats or middle seats only. At that point, I'm in the same boat as the SWA 24 hour check-in where I just make sure to change my seat selection ASAP.
Sep 3, 2009, 4:07 pm
#148
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: stuck at home now.
Programs: status-less.
Posts: 486
As a non-A-list person who on personal travel can only afford WGA or Ding! fares, and who on business travel is restricted to government fare with no allowed add-on fees (they won't reimburse a baggage fee unless the trip is >3 nights, anything optional is disallowed), there's no upside here. I already get B boarding passes about 15% of the time checking in at T-24 and now expect that this will increase to more like 33% of the time. This isn't by itself a tipping point but is a step towards one.
Sep 3, 2009, 5:10 pm
#150
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 3,098
Fair enough nsx. If I pay the $10 and end up in a middle seat, I think that would be worth requesting a refund.
I just hate not having enough data to make an informed decision.
If there are only going to be 30 people on my flight, there's no way I would pay the money. If there are 137 on board and I'll be nowhere near a computer at 24 hours in advance, then I would absolutely pay the money.
I'm also hoping that SWA will have some kind of algorithm in place so that EBCI isn't available after a certain number have been sold. That would make this a moot point and proactively avoid Customers feeling like they were ripped off.
I just hate not having enough data to make an informed decision.
If there are only going to be 30 people on my flight, there's no way I would pay the money. If there are 137 on board and I'll be nowhere near a computer at 24 hours in advance, then I would absolutely pay the money.
I'm also hoping that SWA will have some kind of algorithm in place so that EBCI isn't available after a certain number have been sold. That would make this a moot point and proactively avoid Customers feeling like they were ripped off.
But then again, if a WN flight costs 100 WITHOUT EBCI and a US flight to the same destination costs 120, I am going to go with US for the assigned seat option and not risk a C EBCI bp. If this catches on to the point where not buying it basically means a high A or low b, I might as well go with another carrier without the line up or 24 check in deal.