EarlyBird Check-in: A Convenient Way to Travel...
Sep 2, 2009, 12:26 pm
#61
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Dallas, TX
Programs: SWA A-List Preferred, AAdvantage Lifetime Gold, SkyMiles, Hyatt Platinum
Posts: 12
I just changed my ticket for Friday to biz select. I bought it yesterday, full fare DAL/LIT.
The way I see it, the last minute full fare travellers are going to end up in the middle seat unless they book biz select. If the BP is assigned based on purchase date, then the ticket I purchased yesterday will get one of the last one's (depending on the number of early-birds, A-list, biz select. Potentially all 137 pax could buy early bird.). Am I missing something?
So it costs me an extra $15, but I get a drink, extra 1.25x points, a guaranteed A 1-16 boarding pass, and fly-by lanes. Maybe SWA canaballized the Y-fare instead.
The way I see it, the last minute full fare travellers are going to end up in the middle seat unless they book biz select. If the BP is assigned based on purchase date, then the ticket I purchased yesterday will get one of the last one's (depending on the number of early-birds, A-list, biz select. Potentially all 137 pax could buy early bird.). Am I missing something?
So it costs me an extra $15, but I get a drink, extra 1.25x points, a guaranteed A 1-16 boarding pass, and fly-by lanes. Maybe SWA canaballized the Y-fare instead.
Sep 2, 2009, 12:32 pm
#62
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 54
Nice try. The reason most passengers check in 24 hours in advance is to get an A BP with a low sequence number. A low sequence number offers the passenger a higher probability of selecting a preferred seat. The only reason a passenger would pay the $10 charge is to give them a higher probability of selecting a seat of their choice. Remove seat selection from the equation and there is no reason to check in 24 hours in advance instead of 12 hours in advance. I'll concede passengers who wait until they arrive at the airport may have "issues" if the plane is overbooked.
I understand why WN is doing this but it is no different then some of the junk fees other airlines are charging.
I see problems. A family of 6 decides to pay one fee and have 1 passenger try and hold 6 seats.
I think WN should also go the other direction and only offer BPs 12 hours before the flight for passengers in the lower fare buckets (or maybe just DING).
I understand why WN is doing this but it is no different then some of the junk fees other airlines are charging.
I see problems. A family of 6 decides to pay one fee and have 1 passenger try and hold 6 seats.
I think WN should also go the other direction and only offer BPs 12 hours before the flight for passengers in the lower fare buckets (or maybe just DING).
Sep 2, 2009, 12:37 pm
#63
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 54
I know that SWA needs to generate addl revenue and this is an example of charging for something that I do not have to have (unlike baggage). If lots of folks use it, it will be a major negative for me. SWA Brian does need to address the issue of "saving seats". I can see things becoming very unpleasant in the cabin as people try to do that (i.e., pay $10 and save seats for 4 people). What is the SWA policy on "saving seats" and to what extent are flight attendants instructed to intervene in disputes?
Sep 2, 2009, 12:38 pm
#64
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Programs: WN CP
Posts: 6,360
I think we all can agree that this morning's EarlyBird announcement is preferable to this one:
Get the Worm with Southwest's "Early Bird" Seating!
[...] [The A-B-C] boarding procedure has worked very well for the airline, but the company wants to attract those obsessed customers who have too much time on their hands. (You may know them as your parents.) Well, these people would make up Southwest's new "Early Bird Class." This Group "A+" allows for pre-pre-boarding giving them preferred treatment over Group "A" fliers and those passengers requiring extra time for boarding. Why should you have to board later because you didn't break your leg anyway?
The only drawback to the program is that travelers must check-in at the airport 72 hours before the flight and remain at the gate to receive "A+." If the passengers leave the airport before the flight, they lose their Class "A+" pass. Yes, it's harsh, but these people can sit anywhere on the plane! Take that, assigned seating. [...]
[...] [The A-B-C] boarding procedure has worked very well for the airline, but the company wants to attract those obsessed customers who have too much time on their hands. (You may know them as your parents.) Well, these people would make up Southwest's new "Early Bird Class." This Group "A+" allows for pre-pre-boarding giving them preferred treatment over Group "A" fliers and those passengers requiring extra time for boarding. Why should you have to board later because you didn't break your leg anyway?
The only drawback to the program is that travelers must check-in at the airport 72 hours before the flight and remain at the gate to receive "A+." If the passengers leave the airport before the flight, they lose their Class "A+" pass. Yes, it's harsh, but these people can sit anywhere on the plane! Take that, assigned seating. [...]
Sep 2, 2009, 12:41 pm
#65
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Programs: WN CP
Posts: 6,360
That same risk existed yesterday, and that is exactly why Business Select was introduced. Fix that problem, and capture additional revenue in the process.
Sep 2, 2009, 12:49 pm
#68
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: 21,622
To be fair, some WGA customers have been begging for a reasonably priced pay-for-A option ever since BS was introduced.
Sep 2, 2009, 12:51 pm
#69
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: 21,622
Maybe travel is like our tax system: Once the majority figure out how to work the system, the system needs to be changed to put everyone back in the dark.
Sep 2, 2009, 1:09 pm
#70
In Memoriam - Company Representative - Southwest Airlines
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Dallas, TX
Programs: Southwest spokesperson
Posts: 1,201
Hey, I know change is painful, but we are "damned if we do, and damned if we don't." Every change and improvement that someone requests is going to cause somebody else pain because they like the current system. How long is that thread about comparing the non-A-List BP numbers? 50 or 60 pages. EarlyBird will eliminated all of that if a boarding position is that important. How bout those of you fretting over a ten-second difference between computer time and atomic time? Geez,I'd pay $10 and be done with it. Bottomline, there is no perfect boarding system
Sep 2, 2009, 1:19 pm
#71
Original Member and FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Kansas City, MO, USA
Programs: DL PM/MM, AA ExPlat, Hyatt Glob, HH Dia, National ECE, Hertz PC
Posts: 16,579
As an A-List member, CP holder, and LUV shareholder, I like this. It doesn't affect me as an A-List member, it allows me to now spend $20 more on my Companion's tickets to get her a better seat and avoid the unpleasantness of having to try and ward off folks from the seat I try and hold for her, and as a LUV shareholder I do think it will generate additional revenue.
As much complaining about this that I've seen here and on the Southwest Blog, I don't imagine many folks will not fly WN because of this.
As much complaining about this that I've seen here and on the Southwest Blog, I don't imagine many folks will not fly WN because of this.
Sep 2, 2009, 1:32 pm
#72
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Dallas, TX
Programs: SWA A-List Preferred, AAdvantage Lifetime Gold, SkyMiles, Hyatt Platinum
Posts: 12
Not really. In the past you could get a reasonably good BP a T-24. The worst I have received is B-1 in the last 24 months. Now potentially, all of the A & B BP's could be gone. Also, I have had a couple of flights where BS is sold out and I had to pay full fare. I still got an A BP and an aisle seat with check-in at T-24. Now, I won't risk it.
Sep 2, 2009, 1:37 pm
#73
Join Date: Nov 2006
Programs: AA EXP, 1 MM, AC, HH Diamond, Marriott Silver, Hertz 5*
Posts: 4,010
Sep 2, 2009, 1:38 pm
#75
Join Date: May 2006
Location: TUS/PDX
Programs: WN CP/A-List, AS MVPG75K
Posts: 5,798
I'm not 100% sure about this yet. I can't wait for the person who pays for this on the 6:30 am Monday morning commuter flights to start complaining about getting B1. Even with 52 qualifying A list flights since January, I still get high A list numbers on some Monday routes.