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Southwest Airlines offers early boarding for $10
Traditional airlines get around this by assigning seats at ticketing (and often separating select seats out for elites,) but Southwest Airlines has always had an "open seat" policy. That is, you board roughly in zones and pick whichever seat you want when you get onto the plane. Kind of like a bus. Depending on when you check in and a few other factors, you're allowed to stand in a certain part of the line.
It's a very democratic way of boarding, with a wide range of supporters and opponents.
If you'd really like the chance to pick your seat (or pick your seatmates,) however, you can now do it in a new way. For an extra ten bucks, Southwest will give you the opportunity to board early, freely stow your bags and grin at all of the other passengers as they struggle to find space for themselves.
With EarlyBird boarding, you'll board with Rapid Rewards A List and Business Select customers.
You can read more about EarlyBird checkin at Southwest's site. Now the real question is: would you pay $10 to board early?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
steve326m Sep 2nd 2009 9:47PM
What if everyone wants to pay the 10 bucks to board early? Now what?
Whatcha gonna do? Whatcha gonna when the TSA comes for you? hehehe
DEE S. Sep 3rd 2009 5:13PM
My thoughts exactly.
FlyBye Sep 3rd 2009 5:51PM
Same thing on overbooking...airline pays those who are willing to NOT board early.
Andy Jarosz Sep 3rd 2009 7:40AM
Easyjet and Ryanair have been doing this in Europe for a few years. It works well, with typcially between 3 and 10 people paying the extra.
I have paid it twice. Once when travelling with my elderly mother, when it was great to take a slow walk across the tarmac to the plane without being in the crowd and be able to choose a seat and get settled before the rush. The other time was on business - because I could, and it meant I could guarantee an emergency exit seat with more legroom.
There's a market for this, no doubt.
Kara Sep 3rd 2009 9:15AM
Or....you can just check-in online 24 hours before your flight which will put you in the A group and you'll board early for free.
Michael Sep 3rd 2009 4:50PM
No you will board after Rapid Rewards A List and Business Select and those willing to pay an extra $10. Not with or before.
karloar Sep 3rd 2009 2:21PM
If everyone does this or the majority of the people, there will be no more A, B, or C groups. I fly Southwest all the time and over the years, I have seen the board early line grow and grow. First, you are getting more people in wheel chairs (some that are fake because I have seen them get off running for the luggage). Then all the little kids. I had A and actually there was 30++ in the "special line = it was like being in B. Friends of mine had B and they had to sit separately. They had 6 in the family but they were older and couldn't get seats together. Just another way for Southwest to make money. What is the purpose of "A" if everyone pays the $10.00. If they want the money they should just go to assign seating like the other airlines.
Cindy Sep 3rd 2009 2:36PM
You must not have been flying lately on Southwest because they have taken away that families traveling with small children (4 and under) no longer preboard, they board after the A's and before the B's unless they are in the A group. I know what you mean though about people "supposedly" needing wheelchairs, I have seen them come up in a wheelchair and then after they are at the gate and the wheelchair leaves (in some airports) they get up and walk all over the airport, ya they really need it. I've actually heard people say that all they needed was extra time so they no longer preboard either, they have the option of boarding in their group or after the A's and before the B's like the family boarding. What gets me is that people say that they need extra time because they don't want people "running them down" in the jetway. Personally I have never seen people go around other people because they were slow. And if you purchase this product you also can checkin earlier then 24 hours to guarantee that you are after the Business Select and A-list passengers (which usually aren't that much on most flights I've seen). This would be great for families or larger groups of people traveling together who want to board and/or sit together. If you really want to sit together then go on an airline (and pay more money) to have assigned seats. You fly Southwest for a reason, they're a low-cost, no-frills airline. You get what you pay for.
Pissed Customer Matt Sep 3rd 2009 2:44PM
I hate Southwest because they have my name on some stupid watch list. I always end up having to board in the last or second last group (you know sit next to the smelly toilets). They won't let me check in 24 hours before my flight.
That is why I refuse to fly with them and I think I'm going to stick
to that policy. How's that for A class boarding Southwest?
Yay! I love watching that company's stock go down the toilet. Please
do me a favor Southwest, go bankrupt yourself. Thanks.
CH Sep 3rd 2009 3:06PM
SouthWest does not have you on a watch list. Those watch lists you speak of are put together by the Department of Homeland Security, and synced into ALL airline's reservation systems. They are names of people on the FBI watch list, etc. If your name happens to match one of those names, it will flag you, and you have to be cleared. It isn't SouthWest. You need to go to TSA.gov, and seek getting your name removed from this list.
The airlines do not keep their own, seperate, no fly lists.
johnny on the spot Sep 3rd 2009 3:41PM
Look dude,
Its not that Southwest has your name on a watchlist, it must be the TSA.
You should get them to take your name off of it, and then you wouldn't have to hassle with sitting in a seat you dont want.
Or, you can always just become a business select customer and you wont have that problem.
ciao
Seymour Sep 3rd 2009 2:59PM
Complain, complain, complain! What a bunch of crybabies. Just get on the plane, shut up and sit down.
greg Sep 3rd 2009 3:10PM
I've never flown Southwest, and every other airline I fly on has seats which I have picked in advance for no extra charge. On the occasion that someone has their things in my overhead, I simply move them. I feel the seat, the space in front of me where my feet go, and the space overhead of my seat is what I paid for. Some people bring these steamer trunk size bags onboard and try to take all the space. Stricter enforcement of carryon bag sizes is required. So far, no one has offered to fight me.
Doublespeak Rules Sep 3rd 2009 3:36PM
The AOLwebsite homepage "teaser"headline for this article reads, "Southwest offers new perk for fee." Here's a bit of information for the geniuses at AOL: If there's a fee to be paid to get it, it's not a perk; it's a product for sale. Go back to school.
Meh Sep 3rd 2009 6:10PM
The 737 in Southwest's new configuration is a pretty uncomfortable plane no matter where you sit. Save for the exit row, maybe (but the business select folks usually snap those up right away). I'll continue to fly Southwest, but I refuse to entertain the illusion that I can do it comfortably!
Eric Sep 3rd 2009 3:50PM
I'm planning for a trip this winter for my family and I to go from north carolina to Iowa.... I have found out that it is cheaper to go on Amtrak than to fly any airline... cheaper by almost $200 grant it.. it does take a little bit longer to get there, however; I will save money and get to see a little bit of the country at the same time
I believe there's a saying.... It pays to have patients
arnel Sep 3rd 2009 5:51PM
it does pay to have patients, lots of them so you can bill their insurance, make tons of money and fly first class!
just messing with you, bro
Sandy Sep 3rd 2009 4:06PM
What I don't get is who would want to board early? Isn't bad enough you hear the horror stories of people being stuck on the plane for hours, not able to leave. Why would someone pay to get on the plane early and end up having to be stuck there LOL
Juan Sep 3rd 2009 7:27PM
Southwest is a fantastic airline in my opinion, as an individual with a mobility disability, They have more the accomodated my family and myself. I wonder though with this new bording policy I wonder how that will work out. Also what happens if someone pays the ten dollars and then gets bumped.
Evelyn Sep 3rd 2009 4:22PM
I am one of those people who "appear" to not really be in need of a wheelchair. I have chronic asthma and cannot walk long distances. However, I can manage to get my luggage and tote it outside with a luggage cart. I have flown Southwest many times and I find the "stews" to be very effecient, friendly, and helpful. I will continue to fly Southwest. And YES, I would pay the ten bucks