Southwest's new $10 Early Bird Option...

[SorcererJim]

... anyone upset at this new "option"? I am one of those people that took great pride in getting "A16's" (since A1-15 were the business select spots) when checking in 24 hours ahead of time. I would syncronize my clocks to the southwest servers and hit it on the nose.... now I am going to have to "fight" with people buying there way to the front of the line for $10? I thought that was what their Business Select fares were? why on earth would anyone buy one of those tickets now if they can get the same thing by buying a regular ticket and then add on $10?

Now I know what some of you will say... well, then pay the $10 like the them and you wont have to worry... because then they might as well just call it a FEE and be done with it!

Anyway, just felt like venting to my Intercot friends ;)

[Gregandmel]

I'm with you!! I love Southwest and I, too, prided myself with logging in exactly 24 hours prior to boarding and getting a good "A" slot. I was on their website today reading their Q&A on the $10 fee and what I do NOT know - is what if EVERYONE bought the $10 Early-Bird option?? HOw in the WORLD would the seating assignments be assigned?? I love being able to get a good seat and my kids love getting a window seat. I'm not sure how it will work, and I probably need to call them to find out exactly how the "assigning" of the A,B or C works. Is it who books their flights first?? Hard to say. I'm still a bit confused on it. :confused:

[swampfox28]

Jeez - I never heard of this until just now.

We're flying SWA in November - does anyone have more info?


-Sarah

[SorcererJim]

There's an "Ad" for it right on their main webpage. Agreed... very confusing!

[teambricker04]

They have to increase their rates some where... if they aren't willing to add bag fees, it is going to come from some where. Even Southwest isn't immune.

[Gregandmel]

[QUOTE=swampfox28;1951357]Jeez - I never heard of this until just now.

We're flying SWA in November - does anyone have more info?


I you go on their main website southwest.com look on the right side about the middle of the page and there is a link about the "new" early bird check in option. :(

[SurferStitch]

I read through all of the info on this at the SW website.

Sounds like it's more of an "automated checkin" fee (each way) rather than an actual early bird fee. You aren't guaranteed A seating since business select and Rapid Rewards A-List people get first priority. It also depends on how many Early Bird buyers there are. There is no limit to how many Early Birds can be purchased per flight. ALL eligible customers can purchase it.

It's also non-refundable if you cancel your flight.

Also, there is a pecking order for who gets assigned first under the Early Bird program (AFTER business select and Rapid Rewards): "Customers who have purchased Anytime Fares will receive priority over other fare types during the initial boarding position assignment." So, Ding people, Wanna Get Away customers, and so forth are assigned last under the Early Bird.

Hey, SW has to start assigning fees somewhere. I also noticed that since they started the Early Bird option, they are again prominently advertising their "no charge for 1-2 checked bags" to help ease the pain.

[Belster]

This is why I do not fly SW they are all too confusing.....

[aurora, ariel, and bell]

I love Southwest. I just heard about this here on intercot and went to website and called southwest. We fly out on Tuesday sept 8. I went ahead and did the early bird. It gets assigned in order of purchasing the early bird. i actually like it because i've been stressing that i might forget to call at 24 hr mark, and wasn't sure how I would do it coming home. Now it is all taken care of.
I'll let you know how it worked...hopefully as smooth as I am planning!:thumbsup:

[TheRustyScupper]

... anyone upset at this new "option"?

1) I think it is a good thing.
2) There are folks who cannot call at 24-hrs to get a good number
. . . they work
. . . they can't get to a computer
. . . they have another appointment
3) This gives them the ability to get a great seat.
4) For others, they will have to pay the $10 or take their chances.
5) Like any other company/business, money talks.

[BMan62]

For us, this is a good thing. DW just can't stand the thought of something happening and we wouldn't be able to sit together. I would hope that this would alleviate the worries of that ever happening.

[luvDaMouse]

I too fly Southwest and I think (Imho)this is a dumb idea. I was reading about it and it says that you can pay individually so whats to stop people from having one person in the party pay the 10 fee gets on first and then kinda saves seats for the rest of the party??? if people see bags on a seat they will move on to find another seat. I will book my seat assignments 24 hours in advance and take my chances and see how it goes.

[Marceline]

Is it 10 bucks per seat each way or per reservation each way?:confused:

[TheRustyScupper]

Is it 10 bucks per seat each way or per reservation each way?:confused:

Each way, per person.

[gueli]

Go Jetblue.
still no baggage fees (yet...)
Assigned seats...
:number1:


Hey just a question- anyone ever see the tv reality show airline ?

[badkitty]

So much better than the "old days" when first come, first serve meant arriving insanely early to the airport and standing in line for hours... I will pay the $10.

[fanofdisney]

Thank you so much for posting this. I booked our trip on Tuesday for our January trip (the first day our dates were available) and was never asked at the end of booking if I wanted to add this on. If there was info available on the homepage I never noticed it. I was wondering the same as luvDaMouse, what is to stop a person from purchasing this option for a couple of people in their party to save seats for the others? I think they will have some adjustments to make. Thanks again!

[Fangorn]

what is to stop a person from purchasing this option for a couple of people in their party to save seats for the others?

The answer is nothing. And I think that's kinda the point.

I don't believe this option is primarily about money anyway. I think it has much more to do with addressing concerns from a segment of SWA's customer (and potential customer) base that feel if they don't get on the plane first (or pretty close to it) their 4 year old will end up sitting between two total strangers 10 rows away from either parent. This option gives those customers the assurance they want that they will get on the plane toward the front of the pack. They're still not going to be first. Business Select and A-List members will still be assigned ahead of the Early Bird folks. But it's something, and it will take some of the worry away.

Remember, SWA experimented with assigned seating a year or so ago, mostly due to customer requests. Apparently they have decided NOT to implement such a system. I suspect they found that assigning seats slows down the process of boarding the aircraft, and that's counter to SW's business model. This option sort of addresses the issue.

BTW, it's this same quick boarding process that is responsible for SW not charging for baggage. More checked bags means fewer bags brought on board, which means less time people spend trying to stuff all their earthly possessions into the overhead bins and less time gate-checking the bags of the last 20 people to board.

I've been an A-List member coming up on 2 years now, and believe me, knowing that I'm going to be automatically checked in regardless of where I am or what I'm doing is a great perk. The fact that I can now buy that same sense of ease for my wife (not an A-List member) on certain flights is a good thing. In fact, I just added it to my wife's return flight from WDW later this month. That way I don't have to worry about checking her in while we're enjoying ourselves at Epcot the day before.

One interesting thing about this option is the fact that it's non-refundable if you cancel a flight (there are some provisions if you change your flight). You don't get flight credit for the $10. You also cannot use flight credits to pay for the option - credit cards only.

Steve

[wildernesslady]

Would a person know if they are A-list status? Just curious. What happens if you are one of the first to buy the early bird special, but you are later in checkin in. Does is pre-assign numbers ahead of time? I hope I'm making myself clear.

[thumperbug]

This is new to me....I booked my feb 2010 tickets on 9/1 as soon as they became available....all the internet specials/wanna fly away were gone so my option was biz class or anytime. I went for the anytime which was only $20 cheaper then biz class. I should have just taken biz class then I would have that A1-15 boarding and a cocktail. :)

Regardless, I still think SW is the best way to go. I was checking out another "cheap" airline and they wanted $200 more for the same flight time, day...plus I'd have to pay for car service there since the airport they fly out of is an hour away.

[fanofdisney]

"I went for the anytime which was only $20 cheaper then biz class. I should have just taken biz class then I would have that A1-15 boarding and a cocktail. :)"

Wow, I've never seen biz class for only $20 more! I wish I would have checked that when I purchased. I automatically look at wanna get away fares. Shucks:( I would have purchased those.

[Fangorn]

Would a person know if they are A-list status? Just curious. What happens if you are one of the first to buy the early bird special, but you are later in checkin in. Does is pre-assign numbers ahead of time? I hope I'm making myself clear.

Trust me, you will know if you're on the A-List. Making 32 flights in a 12 month period is rather memorable. Plus, SW sends you confirmation of your status. And just to make sure you know, when you sign on to the website with you Rapid Rewards number (and you have to have one or you're for sure not on the A-List) it tells you that you're on the A-List and the color of the website even changes.

Just for grins, I tried to do the Early Bird thing for an existing reservation I have. After entering the confirmation number and name, it comes back with a message that I'm not eligible for the Early Bird option since I'm an A-List member. There was also a little icon (an "A" in a green circle) next to my confirmation number, indicating A-List status.

As for how exactly they will assign numbers, based on the information on the site and the existing A-List system - of which Early Bird is just a slight modification, assignments will likely go like this:

1) A1-A15 are ALWAYS reserved for Business Select. There can be from 0-15 people in this category.
2) A-List members will have their position assignments made 36 hours prior to the flight. This has been happening since 11/07 when the program started. Based on empirical evidence, but not confirmed by SW, assignments are based on when you entered the program, not when you made your reservation. The number of A-List members on any given flight will vary wildly. I've been on flights where I'm the only one, and on others where the first non-A-List passenger had A47. Typically, there are 5-10 A-List members on any given flight. Dallas, Las Vegas, Chicago-Midway, Phoenix and Baltimore flights will likely have more A-List members since those are SW hubs and have more business travelers passing through.
3) Early Bird purchasers will then have their assignments made. The web site indicates that the assignments will be made based on when the Early Bird option was purchased, not when the actual reservation was made. Early Bird assignments will be made starting at the 36 hour mark as well. Since you can purchase the Early Bird option up until 25 hours before the flight, they will obviously be making those assignments when the purchase is made.
4) Everyone else jockies for position at the 24 hour mark.

Business Select, A-List and now Early Bird are all automatically checked in. You don't have to bother with the 24 hour check-in drill. Just log on anytime later and print out your boarding pass (the number having been pre-assigned earlier). Or, you can just show up at the airport and print out a boarding pass from any kiosk.

And to answer and un-asked question: you will not know your boarding assignment number until after the 24 hour check-in window has opened and you can get go through the check-in process to print off your boarding pass(es). Only then will you learn what number you have.

Steve

[ljv1975]

For now we qualify for family boarding so if I can't get an A boarding pass by checking in 24 hours beforehand, we will just stick with family boarding.

Doing the early bird thing doesn't even guarantee you an A boarding pass, so for now I'll be saving the extra money and taking my chances.

[wildernesslady]

not [/B]know your boarding assignment number until after the 24 hour check-in window has opened and you can get go through the check-in process to print off your boarding pass(es). Only then will you learn what number you have.

Steve

I thought with the early bird you could check in at 36 hrs. and receive your number. That you did not have to wait until 24 hrs. Thanks for helping my confusion. I'm just trying to decide if this is a good plan for my family.

[Fangorn]

I thought with the early bird you could check in at 36 hrs. and receive your number. That you did not have to wait until 24 hrs.

It does sound rather confusing, but it's really not.

It's not that you can check-in at 36 hours. At that point the system AUTOMATICALLY checks you in and assigns a boarding number.

You can't see what that assignment is until the on-line check-in system opens at the 24 hour mark. At that point you can go through the check-in process (even though you're not actually checking in) and you'll learn what your boarding assignment is.

Steve

[Marilyn Michetti]

Having to ride in my ECV means that I'm boarded first, and try for the bulkhead. It's not that big of a deal - a seat is a seat.:)

[wildernesslady]

It does sound rather confusing, but it's really not.

It's not that you can check-in at 36 hours. At that point the system AUTOMATICALLY checks you in and assigns a boarding number.

You can't see what that assignment is until the on-line check-in system opens at the 24 hour mark. At that point you can go through the check-in process (even though you're not actually checking in) and you'll learn what your boarding assignment is.

Steve

Thanks for clarifying.