I didn’t plan to be a guinea pig for Southwest’s first day of assigned seating, but after American’s storm cancellations and operational meltdown I rebooked—and got a front-row seat to the new boarding reality. Seats may now be assigned, but the gate process still forces early queuing while carry-on bin space turns the aisle into a traffic jam, with passengers backtracking to stow bags and flight attendants trying to manage the pile-ups
With the winter storm, I first went through three American Airlines itineraries but they couldn’t get me to D.C., so I bought a new Southwest Airlines ticket to Baltimore.
I experienced what could generously be called confusion, mostly on the part of flight attendants oddly enough. They were directing people and slowing down the boarding aisle as people found overhead bin space near their seats – rather than picking seats, in part, based on where there was bin space available.
Like other airlines, Southwest has been adding oversized bins to planes. They didn’t need to before, since people got free checked bags and didn’t bring to much on board. Now, though, everyone carries on as much as they can because it saves money.
So people would stop at their seat, see no bin space available, and have to head back in the aircraft to stow bags – only to return down the aisle to their seats. This was far more chaotic than other other airlines.
Was it a sign that the Southwest Airlines web page for its new boarding process was returning an error?
Here’s how it works:
- Groups 1-2 are the most expensive fare class passengers, passengers paying for extra legroom seats, and A-List Preferred (top tier elites)
- Groups 3-4 include the next fare tier, Choice Preferred and A-List elite passengers (who didn’t get an extra legroom seat) Group 5 is Southwest credit card customers
- Groups 6-8 are standard fare passengers without status, followed by Basic Economy passengers who board last.
That’s the gist of how boarding works on most U.S. airlines now, but Southwest has adopted a bit of a hybrid between standard boarding and their old style of boarding.
- In the old days of before January 27, passengers got a boarding number based on their status, fare, or the time they checked in for the flight. They’d line up in that boarding order, and had an incentive to board as early as possible to have access to the best seats. Often that meant all “A” passengers (1-60) would line up in advance, then all B’s and all C’s.
- Before the changes that followed 9/11, Southwest didn’t actually have boarding passes to print boarding order on, so they handed out plastic numbered boarding cards.
What happened today, and in some sense this is like United whose boarding is similarly bad, is that Southwest agents called up all group 1 and 2 passengers to line up before they began boarding.
Then, once boarding time commenced, they did pre-boarding for passengers needing special assistance and military. And only then they began boarding group 1. So everyone was standing in a queue for awhile. Once group 1 was done boarding and they’d moved onto 2, they told group 3 to line up in group 1’s place (the stanchion sign, though, still said Group 1).
One benefit of assigned seats is supposed to be that you don’t need to line up before boarding begins in order to get the best seat. But you’re still lining up before boarding begins. And since Southwest now charges for checked bags, you have to board early to be able to bring carry-on bags on board.
In other words, passengers don’t save time. And Southwest is making more than one group line up at once. So even if you’re not in group 1, you need to queue even before boarding starts. That’s convenient for the airline – they want to board quickly, and make up for the extra time it now takes them to gate check bags, and to board with more carry-on bags. But that comes at the inconvenience of passengers.
It’s common to say, now that Southwest charges for assigned seating and checked bags, that they’re just like every other airline. The once most consistently profitable airline in the history of the industry has copied financial laggards like American Airlines and JetBlue. But the truth is that Southwest is worse than the rest of the industry.
They no longer offer perks and flexibiltiy, like travel credits that don’t expire. But they also do not have AC power at their seats, seat back entertainment screens, first class, lounges (yet), meals on board, or frequent flyer partners you can spend miles with to get to Europe or travel in business class. And they have the worst-performing wifi among U.S. airlines that offer it. They are just like but less than. Unfortunately, they have over 40% of the departing seats from my home airport (Austin) and the new airport lease sets them up for even more growth when the new concourse is built.
With open seating, every seat was still available more or less for customers buying their tickets just a few days prior to travel. With other airlines, these passengers often pay the most but the good seats are already gone. In fact, if you had to change flights there’s still be good seats available – elite frequent flyers would at worst board after A group and before B, meaning usually it was possible to still get an aisle seat at least. Those days are gone.
A lot of your posts about different things come off as very negative. (Understandably sometimes but it seems to be a recurring theme). That being said I’d be curious to see an article about all of your absolute favorite things about different airlines with no negativity.
It’s like they never even bothered to fly another domestic airline to see what works (or more likely what continues to NOT work) and then find a better way. They could have done something better than all the others. I knew it was bad when the gate agents started making the same “we’ll check you bag free” message at the gate….and if you were C…well .. you’ll be required to check. Will they lose business as a result? Time will tell …but …I have no incentive to fly them over anyone else now.. and will use Kayak to find the best time for the best price.
Any time estimates on a) how long before they declare bankruptcy; b) merge with another airline; c) get bought by another airline (either before or after bankruptcy)? RIP Southwest, it was fun while it lasted. Another company raped, pillaged, and destroyed by Elliott Management.
Oh so surprising-the first day of a completely new way of doing things didn’t run smoothly.
They’ll figure it out, nothing to see here except a sensationalist website that often has speelling errerors. lol
Really…I have flown on Delta several times only to be in a throng of people waiting for their boarding group to be called. Southwest does not sound a whole lot different-other than the customer service agents ask the group to line up first. Delta does not because the mob of people in that group are already there.
Kinda surprised Gary didn’t opt for Delta. @Tim Dunn, isn’t AUS the new hub? Sadly, well said, @Lucky Larry.
Their advantage now makes them the same as everyone else less the alliance and oversea advantages the larger carriers have. Only reason to fly them is price and schedule and that is it.
Boarding is a total cluster for all airlines. It wasn’t always like that. Airlines used to board First, it’s elites and then start at the back of rows. First class might mill near the boarding lane but it’s not like now where those in the last group are standing in front of the lane.
Checked bag fees, a plethora of preboards, change in society norms have made it Running of the Bulls. Good gate agents can help to control the chaos but most of the time they just let it happen.
Everything takes time. They’ll iron out the kinks in due course.
The bigger issue is that Southwest is really no longer a true low cost carrier. They’re really not different from other airlines. Nor, are they dramatically cheaper anymore. When I look into reservations to Hawaii or Cleveland, the places I fly most often, the legacies are either cheaper or offer more convenient direct flights, or flights with just one stop. The United and Delta lounges are also a great selling points depending upon one’s itinerary. Southwest is going to need to do something to differentiate themselves moving forward, or else people like me will just fly the legacies where we get more for about the same price, or at least not dramatically more.
@George Romey — ‘Back in my day…’ Nostaliga is one helluva drug, huh?
I meant… nosta-LIGMA. /s
You know…if they are going to change everything that made them “Southwest” in the first place, don’t you think they’d have the common decency to change their name, too? “Southworst,” perhaps? “You-can’t-sit-there Air”? “The Airline Formerly Known As…”?
Does the family on the same itinerary with an A-List preferred get to board early with their ALP family member, or do they have to board according to their own status? I know their seats will be set already, but wondering about overhead bin space being an issue if all family members don’t get to board together.
It is amusing to watch the whiners on reddit complain about the changes.
I’m pretty neutral on the changes although prefer assigned seating.
They aren’t close to bankruptcy, set record highs in revenues and most of their financials are up. They are most likely in much better shape than an airline such as AA.
As to boarding, ideally you’d board back to front but that won’t ever happen because airlines want people to pay more to board earlier and that slowly down things when you have to wait for slow pokes to store their luggage, take off jackets and figure out how to get into their seat.
I do think their systems still have bugs to iron out with the new seating from what I’ve seen.
They have strong, dominant presence in many markets and aren’t going anywhere.
I do think their pricing has gotten too high in many areas, they need to do something about offering better snacks on longer flights, etc.
At this point, the only way airlines can get things back under control is by charging for carry-ons at a steep premium compared to checked bags.
The only question is which airline has the intestinal fortitude to do it first.
The US customer built this airline – and now they have what they paid for – cheap tickets
I remember when AA tried More Room Throughout Coach – failed miserably when SW gave away seats for 49$
@rich — Real people are upset with this; are you trying to claim Reddit is just bots so any criticism isn’t real? Besides, half of Gary’s posts are just content-farming from Reddit, dawg.
Airlines need a selling point. For Southwest, it was low fares, no checked luggage fees, flexible fare if plans change. Much of that is gone.
For Alaska Airlines, it’s Atmos is slightly better.
For United, it’s the vast route network, especially international.
For Delta, it’s supposed to be a tad premium. It also has a lock on the South.
For Frontier, it’s the shockingly low fares (before the fees kick in).
Southwest needs to have a strong point or it will be in deeper trouble. I think the free checked luggage angle is the cheapest and quickest to implement. Putting screens in the seats is expensive and takes time. If it wants the money, maybe $10/bag. That will look like a bargain.
So all the complaints about the “catttle call” and how that will be so nice to be rid of that. Nothings changfed… Just a different way to do the same thing.
@1990 you were not flying in the 1990s. Yes, people actually waited for their rows to be called before they stood up and walked over to board. Airlines have a hand in creating this mess but people’s lower standard of behavior has made it worse. Back in the 1990s you might see one wheelchair and most of the time it was clear that person was unable to walk down or up the jet bridge. No 15 wheelchairs down and 3 coming back up on the arrival.
@George Romey — Do I need to regale you of getting stuck in St. Louis thanks to TWA? Shall I revive the glory-days of Denver’s Stapleton? Oh, the Flying Saucer at JFK T3… WorldPort! Ah, yes, a 2-5-2 configured MD-11, or 2-3 MD-90, with the cigarette butt holders still in place, and the ear-phoned that’d give your inner-ear a scar if you ripped ’em out accidentally. Naw, I much prefer 2026.
I will now treat this like the other airlines where I have boarding in group 4 or 5, but wait until group 7 or 8 to reduce my time on the plane. I only have a backpack so I don’t have to have overhead space if not available. I didn’t really like boarding in A but for the reason to get a better seat, not being on that early.
How does this train wreck of an airline even survive 2 years from now?
Looked at their fares this weekend 19000 points one way in southwest cattle
Sfo to las for their cheapest saver fare no seat assignment allowed plus the cost of luggage
Booked first class on another carrier for 9000 points same route
Why would anyone in their right mind book southwest. If I want to get raped and overpay I could fly the pathetically over rated and mediocre sub par delta
As for Gary’s criticism 100% on point no arguments it’s not negativity it’s simply the truth
Nobody wants to see an airline fail but Southwest clearly looks like it’s headed over a cliff
It’s just a matter of when.Or the flying public is foolish enough to keep flying them despite
massive price increases and an inferior uncomfortable product
Previously their value proposition slightly friendlier team members could make up for their
Other negatives but now?
Since the southwest changes I’ve noticed a massive increase in passengers flying my preferred carriers and despite being a 100k flyer or mid tier on others an upgrade is near extinct typically
I wish Southwest well for one selfish reason that they keep folks off the carriers I wish to fly.
Southwest sad if not pathetic what it’s become
I stopped flying SWA when I moved to NYC. I now only fly DL, UA and B6. I have status on the first 2 and can’t imagine going back to SWA. They will lose their current afficionado’s and not pilfer many fliers from the other choices.
Bad move.
WN will get this figured out and has far more staying power than AA does.
WN’s on-time and cancellation rates were as good as or better than industry average yesterday. They can get people where they need to be which is more than AA can say right now
they have effectively fired some of their least desirable passengers and are becoming a more viable option for some people including many business people and connecting passengers that would never fly WN with open seating