Southwest changes boarding procedure

The question is........."why would you fly on Southwest ?"

 

They have been testing this out of SNA for a few months from what I have read on Airliners.net.

I am always A boarding as I always check in 24-hours ahead. I like this idea. The airports are going to have designated check in spot for groups of numbers. a1-5 a5-10 a11-15 etc...

 

+1 Probably the worst airline out there.

 

It's funny how people would rather stand in a line for two hours to be 3% more comfortable during a 45 minute flight, isn't it?

I'm all for sitting in a nice comfortable chair in the bar while waiting for a short hop.....

 

I print on the cell phone. Quick and easy, takes 2 minutes max and just print out the bp once you get to the airport.

I fly SWA all the time and have no issue with them. As well, when I board/deplane I am never in a rush. I always go to row 17 and grab a window (thrid level of service starts at 17 and is the quickest)

Just got my 3rd free round trip for this year on SWA. Using a free pass this weekend to PDX and will be using my next month to Hawaii on ATA

 

Every airline I've been on since I can remember has done this... or at least using the letter portion. "Now seating Group B." Southwest did not do this until now?

 

I heard a different ruling. I heard that families with children won't be able to preboard. I'm not sure of this, but that is what I have heard.

As for flying SWA and then being the worst out there. I fly from Phoenix to San Diego and Sacramento (in all combinations of travel) routinely. I hardly ever pay for a one-way ticket for over $95. My cheapest ones have been in the $30-40 range. You can't beat that price for such a short flight. My family accumulated 4 round trip flights to anywhere in the US. We ended up going to Tennessee, roundtrip, for free. It would have cost us over $1000 for all of us to fly that distance. Was it not the most comfortable flight? Yes. But it was worth every dollar of the $1000 we saved.

FWIW, I have flown United to the east coast and had a plane the same size as an SWA aircraft. Rediculously small for that distance. So I'd rather fly SWA if I'm guaranteed a tiny plane.

 

Because they provide a consistent reliable product. As someone who is vaguely in the airline business (hauling Army dudes in a C-130) I appreciate seeing a well organized operation and how one minor complication can cause a delay that will ripple through a transportation system. When you are on a good crew and the ground people have their stuff together it's amazing how quickly things can move. When I fly Southwest I see that in action and although it's not a particularly glamorous way to fly I would much rather get someplace on time than spend more money so I can spend extra hours and headache on some other airline. Unfortunately the USAF doesn't fly us on Southwest and most airlines seem to be full of amatuer hour clownshoe action and deserve to be in bankruptcy.

 

It was the premiere choice of airline in college.

 

True.

Pre-boards will be only disabled and elderly.

Familes will board between A and B from what I have read. Here

 

They are simply stealing this method from Ryan Air, the budget airlines of Europe. Trust me Ryan Air makes Southwest look like Emirates Air.

 

But you still have to explain to people how you fell off of a step stool

 

+1, They have a tv show on A&E called Airline, that shows all the customers getting pissed off, and Southwest trying to fix it.

Edit: Its not Airplane its Airline.

 

Ummm, did you grab that seat next to the exit window with no seat in front?

In case of emergency, the only thing I hate more than having to crawl over a gimpy man blocking the exit, would be jumping over those speed bumps...um children.

 

Preboards cannot have exit rows...I seem to remember that.

RMX

 

What? Have you ever flied Northwest?

 

I fly ~50k miles/ year and I refuse to fly Southwest. They're better than US Air, but I'll USAir any day because I can get a reserved seat.

 

When it comes to flying I'd rather get there comfortably than on time.........if I had to make a choice.

When you can usually have both however, I'll pay up for it. Having flown 6 hours on a jumpseat in the back of a Herc myself, it makes you appreciate the comforts of Uniteds Red Carpet lounges (the ORD lounge is nice as is the GRU one) or Air Canada's MLL........being allowed to board first and get off first.........and the comfy seat you get in first or bizz.

I could drive a Kia also........but I don't. United has been very good to me. I would not fight for a seat between a guy with a cold and a trailer trash mother with a baby on Southwest.