If you’re traveling soon but haven’t been keeping up with recent travel news, we have something you need to know.
Southwest Airlines has been known for its no-assigned-seating boarding process for years. While it’s not guaranteed THAT will be changing, we do know that Southwest is making changes to their boarding process soon, but Southwest hasn’t elaborated on what changes those will be. We took to Facebook to ask our readers what changes they’d like to see, and while some of them were universally agreed on, some were more controversial!
UPDATE: Southwest Airlines has announced it will END its controversial open seating policy. Southwest has decided to assign seats and offer premium seating options on all flights. Previously, the airline had been known for its open seating model, but recent polls show that 80% of Southwest customers, and 86% of potential customers, prefer an assigned seat.
In addition to the seat assignments, Southwest plans to offer a “premium, extended legroom portion of the cabin that research shows many Customers strongly prefer.”
READ MORE ABOUT THE SOUTHWEST AIRLINES SEATING POLICY CHANGE HERE
The question was simple. We asked our readers, “Southwest Airlines might get a new boarding process. What changes would YOU want to see?!,” and they did NOT hold back.
No Saving Seats
This is technically already not allowed on Southwest flights, since it’s a first-come first-serve process, but a lot of passengers have run into family members who got to board during family boarding saving seats for the remainder of their family members, which isn’t allowed. So many passengers want this rule to be more heavily enforced.
Right now, Southwest just advises passengers to tell the person saving seats that it’s not allowed and that they have to move their belongings. However, this puts a lot of pressure on the passenger instead of the company and its employees, and can also slow down boarding if an argument breaks out. While it’s annoying that anyone has to remind someone of this rule, sometimes it’s better received from an employee of the company rather than a fellow passenger.
Early Bird Boarding Consistently Before Family Boarding
Many (MANY) of our readers shared that they’re immensely frustrated with the order that passengers board the plane.
For instance, many took issue with the process of Early Bird boarding and family boarding. Early Bird boarding is an extra charge that has a limited number of spaces available, so it’s typically a small group that is able to board ahead of other pasengers. Many families in our comments shared that their kids are above the age accepted for family boarding, yet their child still needs to have a seat next to them, which is why they purchase Early Bird boarding.
However, our readers have seen many large, multi-generational families ALL board during Family Boarding, rather than just the child six and under and their immediate family. This means that when these individuals who purchased Early Bird boarding (again, some of them being families who must sit together for the safety and wellbeing of their child and/or the people around them) board, many seats together are already taken up, which is frustrating.
Buying Early Bird Only to Be Put in Group B
Speaking of Early Bird boarding, a lot of readers are also frustrated that Southwest continues to sell Early Bird tickets, only to put those passengers in Group B — which means an ENTIRE group of people is still boarding before them (not early at all).
This means they’ve essentially paid for a service that becomes useless or gives the same experience they would have if they had just checked in on time for their flight and didn’t purchase anything extra. If Southwest stops selling Early Bird tickets once Group A has filled up, this issue will be easily solved!
Assigned Seats
We saved the most controversial one for last because while LOTS of our readers shared that they’d love to have assigned seating, just as many people said they like Southwest BECAUSE they don’t have assigned seating.
Some people shared that they appreciate not having to plan for their seats ahead of time, while others said that they’re anxious fliers and would really prefer to know where they’ll be sitting. Some of these readers fly with their families, and others fly alone — regardless, anxiety around flying is no joke! Perhaps Southwest could introduce the option to pay a little extra for choosing your seat ahead of time and have those guests board first (another perk), while the remainder of guests who don’t want to pay for that extra feature will board after OR just be assigned a random seat at the gate (and then the boarding process could stay the same).
We’ll be sure to keep an eye out for when these mysterious changes will be taking place, so stay tuned to AllEars!
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What changes are you hoping (or not hoping) to see? Tell us in the comments!
Why must there be a $100 charge for a pet that’s in a container under the seat? It is not taking up a seat or a normally charged for space? I understand why a cargo pet is charged, but not a small in-cabin pet.
One of the reasons that I always fly Southwest if possible is the ability to scan the surrounding passengers of a potential seat. Screaming baby, seat-kicking toddler, smelly carry-on food? Keep moving on.
I wish when the plane landed that people with no carry on luggage and only what fit under the seat in front of them items can deplane first
I get tired of all of the preboards. If they need help to the gate great give them the help but it is staring to be abused. I’ve seen flights with 20 some pre boards and they sure don’t pay the extra money for early bird or for numbers 1-15. Also, they need to stick with the pre board and one person. They don’t need a whole group going which I have seen also. If I’m paying for business class I wonder what’s the point.
You pay for business select. But they way they board it’s a waste of money. Needs improvement
I have always done business select, even if more money.Kids and family should board with the a,b or c group.
As a disabled veteran, where my disabilities are not obvious, I’d like to be able to board early. I’m 74 and it is tough for me.
When I go to the counter, they have an “I don’t care attitude”!
Early Bird is for check-in not boarding. You stand a better chance of getting an ‘A’ Group boarding pass, but you could end up in ‘B’ Group. The boarding between ‘A’ and ‘B’ is for families, and yes it is abused, and A List or A List preferred members that didn’t get ‘A’ Group, or more likely changed their flight.
The extra time handicapped people plus accompanying person is abused. Allegedly because they need extra time that could be accomplished by boarding them first at the rear of the plane. Take time to get on and get off. I generally see the first few rows gone with them and then they sprint off unassisted. A scam.
I so agree!
I for one do not fly Southwest airlines and this is the reason why, they do not sell seats that are assigned which I find to be along the same lines as “cattle car mentality”, you have people running from the back of the plane when the plane is at the gate taking up the front seats as they have gotten on prior from another destination, as for the people who like it it is because they are simply cheap they want to be able to go on and get the best seats and pay next to nothing for their tickets until Southwest change that policy I will never fly such an airline!!!!!
My family choses SW because of family boarding and also because of preboarding offered to those who need extra time/sit close to front due to mobility issues/disabilities. SW by far stands out in that aspect, and SW is therefore always our #1 choice if available. If SW no longer offers that, then not much stands out for my family to not shop around for the best price.
For me the biggest reason I avoid southwest is the stupid 24-hours-before-flight checkin game to make sure you get a good seat. Last time I flew southwest, 24 hours before the flight I was literally underground, in a cave. Fortunately that cave had wi-fi, but it’s a pain to interrupt your trip to play the southwest checkin game. Getting your boarding group and number when you book the flight would solve the problem, or of course having assigned seats.
How about families boarding early or those that need “a little extra time* must take seats in rows 20 and higher, and if you needed assistance boarding (i.e. wheelchair) then you must Wait for assistance to get off the plane, so you’re 1st on = last off.
I think a hybrid approach would be the best scenario. Replace early bird current concept with online seat selection for an additional fee. Remainder of passengers would continue to board in the traditional ABC order, boarding after those with seat selections (and families, etc). And passengers, with preselect seat assignments showing up late (after general board has started) would lose the seat and board with general boarding passengers.
I am 74 and have osteoarthritis and a heart condition. I need to travel to visit my grandchildren. You should offer special rates for older citizens and early boarding.
There’s no such thing as Early Bird Boarding. You can pay for Business Select in positions A1-15, or you can pay for Early Bird check-in, which checks you in 36 hours prior and doesn’t guarantee an A spot.
What if passengers asking for a wheelchair were required to show their handicapped placard to qualify?
YES!! I wish that was required, then there might only be 2 or 3 preboards. Also only allow 1 extra to assist their boarding, not entire families. I take my placard and the associated paperwork (that proves it’s mine) on all flights as I will need wherever I am going.