Southwest Airlines is known for the games people play to secure the best seats, because the airline doesn’t assign seats – it’s first-board, first-served. They do assign your boarding order, but passengers save seats for each other, and there’s no rule against it.
We regret any disappointment during the boarding process today. As you may know, all Southwest flights are open seating, and we don't have a specific policy for or against saving seats. We apologize for any frustration, and hope for smoother sailing in the future. -Hannah
— Southwest Airlines (@SouthwestAir) March 28, 2022
Woman saving an entire row of plane seats behind her with donut bags.
byu/Hog_Fan inmildlyinfuriating
And once people grab a seat, they’ll scheme to keep anyone else from sitting next to them so they get the empty seat. Strategies include crumpling up tissues and place it on the seat next to them, spreading out onto that seat, or just being intentionally creepy.
@mikewdavis How to keep seats open next to you on a flight 😂
But there’s another angle some people are trying, that I hadn’t even seen before. Southwest Airlines passengers aren’t just saving seats for other passengers, they’re saving overhead bin space, too by laying their bags horizontally in the bins to take up more space and then turning the bags on their sides to free up space once their travel companions board.
Pre-board overhead bin savers. MSY-ATL probably 20 pre-boards most had their roller bags sideways. As always went to move them properly and toss my bag up there. Then I heard it….
They were sideways saving space for the rest of our family. Guess the joke I made with the lead flight attendant what I boarded saying damn I didn’t know C group got on first today before A1-30, not only made her laugh but worked to my advantage. I then hear, there is no saving bin space!
This is a little bit surprising because on other airlines you see passengers being required to gate check bags on nearly every flight – even when the airline has installed larger overhead bins to accommodate one bag per passenger (if loaded into the bin correctly).
On Southwest Airlines, though, this doesn’t happen as often because passengers can check two bags free so they don’t try to carry on all of their belongings. It shouldn’t be necessary to save overhead bin space.
However if you want bin space directly above your seat, I suppose there’s a chance that might not happen if you’re a late boarding. Still, this seems like a lot of effort to go through for very little game, and a lot of selfish strategizing with little purpose.
If I encounter someone on any airline with their bag stored to take up more room and need space in that bin I have no problem moving it so it is stored the “proper” way. If someone says something to me I will respond or, if necessary, call the FA. Rarely fly SW since hate the cattle car aspect but if someone is doing that on AA I move it so I have room. Also, if now on it’s side (like a book) which is now requested on larger overhead bins I do that as well. No reason to take up more space than necessary and zero sympathy for someone that thinks they can “save” space. IMHO this is worse than the seat savers since at least a seat is for one person but overheads are shared space and no one is ever guaranteed a spot above their seat. Was just on a DL flight Monday where late arrivals in first had to store their bags around row 15 due to lack of space for example.
I’m with @AC. I’ll move someone’s bag to make room, doubly so on an airline like Southwest that invites people to do what they want.
Yet another reason to avoid SWA. I don’t understand the attraction people have toward it. It isn’t that much cheaper and there are always passengers that act like they are on an executive charter jet. Ther free bags aren’t worth it.
Anyone intentionally going into a dive-bar or greasy-spoon shouldn’t be surprised by the quality of the patrons.
I fly a lot for work, almost every week. I used to fly AA so much that I reached EP status. But this year I switched to SWA for most flights. Especially more now since I’m A-List. I like the options of being able to choose who I sit next to, I can be picky if I want. I have actually moved seats when I didn’t want to sit by the person who chose to sit next to me. Also, if I finished work early and wanted to catch an earlier flight I can still get a good seat since all A-Listers can board right after the A group is called regardless of their position. On AA is usually the leftover middle seats in the back. I miss the free alcohol on AA but I don’t really take advantage of that anyways. And the seats on SWA don’t feel cramped at all regardless of where I sit, I’m 6’1 with long legs.
A-Lister multiple years as well. The proposed move to assigned seating would be good. But I don’t think they need it. I think making the “preboards” either must sit at back of the plane -OR- make them sit on the plane until all non-preboard folks exit would solve allot of problems. Also, I have learned to travel very light and I prefer the very front seats. But I have been told on at least 6 flights that my roller bag would not fit* in the overhead. So as a good traveler I move the bag only to have a late B or C group throw their roller bag up in the spot where my bag should have been.
*It does tickle me when the FA tells me my bag that does not fit after I have actually fit it into the bin
Where’s my comment posted last night about midnight re gate changes at LUV ? This was my first time to ever post!
@Ron
I fly them enough to make A-List last year. But the only reason is, they are a direct flight from where I live to my home office. American also has a direct flight, but I’ll crawl through a field of broken glass and swim a lake of alcohol before I ever sit on another one of their jets. I would rather fly United or Delta, but both of them require a layover.
I fly on four Southwest planes a week, and I haven’t ever seen this problem happen with baggage. Who pays View from the Wing to compile the few stories and then act like they are a system wide problem? That is a bunch of nonsense.
@H2O … +1 . Please share the airport codes for your office airport and your residence airport ? I’d be interested out of mere curiosity ?
Yeah,no way is that BS happening in my presence.
Like when some idiot who for some reason wants to sit in the middle or back of the plane, but as he walks past the first few rows, he sticks his bag in their overhead. I have pulled bags, walked them back, and placed them in said d*ckhole’s lap.
What are we , whims? Just assert yourself. Be courteous but assertive.
@Alert
RDU-BNA
Currently I can fly Delta as they’ve reinstated service, for the time being. They suspended the direct route last year then reinstated it although it’s not consistent. Depending on the day they have 1-2 flights a day vs. Southwest 3-4. American has 2 a day also. The best part about Southwest is they have flights throughout the day. So if I finish early with the corporate overlords I can get out early.
This low class tactic of saving storage space is 100% on the SW flight attendants. Many of them stand there like zombies, during the boarding.
Do your job!!!! Ok, we get it, FA’s don’t have to help store baggage. But they DO have to help to enforce the rules. It is on the FA’s, to monitor the boarding process and to monitor the overhead process.
But most Southwest FA’s refuse to do that.
SW is a garbage product. They attract a low class, cheap customer and who wants to deal with them.
Southwest was my go to for years with both my wife and I having earned the companion pass. Instances like this are the main reason I’ve stopped flying Southwest.
You’re right. The Southwest business model is definitely obsolete and I’m thinking about starting a new airline.
I intend to call it “Entitlement Air” and I am guessing that there will be a large and growing customer base to tap and to which I intend to offer the following perks:
Regardless of age or lack of infirmity, we will pick you up in a wheelchair from your handicap parking spot and wheel you directly aboard. If you actually choose to move under your own power, we will issue a boarding pass with a group number that you are free to ignore because after all… you’re Entitled.
Each passenger will have a first class seat and a replica of a seat in front of them to kick as they please. Like to recline? No worries, yours is going back 90 degrees and rapidly.
There will not be any seatbelt signs installed to ignore or to prevent you from moving at any time or in any conditions to your own personal toilet space. You may occupy it with no time limits and no worries about other passengers patiently waiting with their legs crossed for your ten minutes in the blue room to finally be exhausted. Not that you would worry anyway, right?
Luggage space overhead–endless and any sized bags and in any number you can physically get past the entry door are guaranteed to fit.
On arrival at the gate, we will again provide wheelchair and golf cart service to your connecting gate or to your ground transport of choice; or if you prefer, you may still race all the way forward from 35A with all your carry-ons to see if you can be the first one off the jet. Like I said… you’re Entitled!
I’m sure as with any startup, I probably haven’t thought of everything yet.
Yet another reason to avoid SWA, amazing they instruct their flight attendants to do nothing. Why not just save the bins for the last 10 rows for someone else? Apparently there isn’t a policy against it. Yikes.
@Randy Leon Meyers so you want disabled persons to sit in the back of the plane even if that disability means they have severe mobility issues? That probably won’t delay departure by more than 5 or 10 minutes. Or you want them to wait to exit the plane until all the narcissists deplane. Is that because if you preboard you are so incredibly unimportant that it is fine if you miss your connection because you don’t really have any value to your life?
Karma, wait for it.
Mr. Buck Fiden,
I like your style. Only wish I had the strength!
My wife and I have never experienced seating or carry-on problems with SWA flying ATL-HOU. Leave it to the news organizations to fan the flames of a small issue.
All I can say is if I ever saw these shenanigans taking place when i boarded, one of us wouldn’t be flying that day
I was A-list plus or whatever the highest level was, but due to the lack of rules & civility by other passengers I switched to Delta and won’t ever go back.
I’ll fly into LAX instead of Orange county and suffer traffic just to avoid Southwest
My last flight with Southwest a guy who was B50 tried to board at B33. The agent sent him to the end of the line, it was beautiful.
It’s a sad day when you pay for a seat on a aircraft & have to endure so much nonsense. Very unprofessional. I blame the airline for not. They set the tone. They’re the reason for the ignorance that you see on the airlines. It’s bad business. Next they’ll have no boarding categories. Just assign seats & you’ll get rid of most of the ignorance. Smh…
It would be nice if someone sat at the seat with donuts and thanked whoever left the donuts for them.
If the person saving seats protested he could state: You thought you were saving seats. What you were doing was giving me donuts.
Unfortunately it would have to be someone more agressive than me.
Terrible run company and Terrible Leadership. Bob Jordan and Gary Kelly along with their assorted Corporate Stooges destroyed Herb Kelleher the founder of Southwest creation.
Mr. Leff
First let me say: I did not give permission for my photograph being used in this false article. Nor did the person who posted it the first time. In July of 2019.
I am a retired FA from SWA(the one in the last photograph).
So if you would care to hear the actual facts about this picture. You have my information.
For those that have negative comments about SWA. This photograph as absolutely NOTHING to do with saving overhead bin space!
So Gary Leff get your facts straight before slamming SWA and attaching my picture to it!
Retired SWA FA(the one in the photograph)!
I wouldn’t care one bit, your sh is moving. If you aren’t on the plane that seat is not yours. I don’t care what the eff you put down*
*I do not fly SouthWest
I fly dozens of flights a year, but it’s been several years since I’ve flown Southwest. Granted I seldom check a bag, but even if I did, I’d get a free bag anyway on most flights I take. Their corporate policy clearly rewards being a jerk. There are being-a-jerk games people play on other airlines too, but Southwest has elevated them to an art form.
I’ve mostly seen FAs save exit row seats for a passenger who wants seats for their companion. The FA stands in the row and won’t move. Frustrating!!
I would like to know the frequency of this. Wouldn’t most people be in the same boarding class as the rest of their party?
Also, I have moved bags that aren’t placed optimally. I never thought the placement was intentional and have never been told otherwise so.. that feels like a whole lot of nothing.
Sean, on SWA you pay for Early Bird Boarding to get in the A group. The seat savers pay for it for just one of their group, too cheap to pay for everybody when one person can save whole rows.
Was on a SW flight from Albuquerque to Baltimore last week. Our 2 pieces of checked in luggage were wet on arrival (all the clothes too). I guess we got a SW free drink coupon. Who says airlines don’t give freebies.
The game of saving any space(for one’s family, friends etc…) on SW is another reason that I don’t fly SW at all. The boarding process is for children not paying adults.
This is one of the many reasons I will never fly Southworst.
Southwest is a joke. They are almost always the most expensive one way or round trip. Too many people pre board and are disabled when they are healthy just like everyone else. People saving seats like there’s no tomorrow. I get it some people will fly them so they can pick their own sleep, but if you don’t have AList forget about it. To get AList you need to fly a lot… For the price, you can buy a seat on another airline.
“Hey, free donuts. Thanks, guy!”
Say this to a random guy/lady who definitely didn’t put the bag of donuts on a seat and proceed to pick up at least one if the bags and plant your backside in the seat.
What a NON-issue. If you’re in the A-group, and walk aboard to find multiple seats with items but no bodies nearby, just pick a seat & put that item in the overhead bin. If this seat-saving situation happens at all, it’s probably 0.00000001% of the time.
If you get on a plane and see that overhead space is tight, tilt other people’s suitcase appropriately. Put yours next to it. Then sit down.
Don’t be suspicious of other passengers. Just fix the situation and sit down. You don’t have to say anything to anyone. And there’s CERTAINLY no ploy by Southwest Airlines to strategically cheat people. You’re a grown-up… so pick a seat, stow your luggage & sit down. Stop the drama.
For Pete’s sake, move the bag of donuts into the next seat. Then sit down.
Southwest is A GREAT AIRLINE, and I’ve received tons of great-priced flights, not to mention free baggage. Most of the negative posters here are probably employees of a competing airline.
I really hope I run across some of these folks. If Southwest has no policy for or against saving seats I will proudly display my opinion against saving seats. I love some good confrontation.
Like another poster already stated: a bag placed wrong, I move it properly & now both of ours fit. No problem! What I’ve seen is when a bag is in properly, then someone moves it so it’s on top of another & compartment can’t close. That’s BS & I make sure the offender is called out & their bag is placed elsewhere or off-loaded! That is entitlement defined!
Just say out loud, ‘WOW, like a fancy hotel. Instead of a treat on my pillow, SW leaves bagged snacks on the seats”.
Then take the bag, sit down and eat the treat! HA
I don’t get it. I do not want to be separated from my bag! I want it close by. I don’t see the point of stashing it near the front. For God’s sake, it’s a small bag! And, really, it is nice to sit with your friend, but, I just come prepared to read a book or whatever. The flights aren’t that long.
Why must we be so nasty? I mean, I do think the guy patting the seat is funny, but seriously! Just ask for a swap, and if someone says no, don’t take it to heart. Just say, “Ok, thanks!” and move along! See how easy that is?!
Ive flown southwest nearly 100 times. Ive never experienced this or the other issues bad articles online talk about. In fact, they remain my favorite domestic airline over AA, United, and many others Ive flown.
Biggest issue is when folks put their purse or jacket in the overhead. I have challenged this on full flights, and gotten the “Evil Eye” from the owner, especially women.
I’ve flown SW plenty of times and never encountered any of these shenanigans… It’s good to remember that the rediculous stories shared are the crazy exceptions, not the norm.
If someone stands in the aisle seat blocking access to middle and window seat for their “family” boarding later, do the flight attendants not get involved and put a stop to that?
Grab the bag, eat the donuts, and smile at the entitled bag placer. Nothing they can do about it.
So we’re just removing perfectly civil comments that are critical of the author now? Because that’s what journalism is all about, great platform guys.
@Jack – what on earth are you referring to, please criticize me in the comments all the time, I love my trolls
@ Gary, thanks for the reply. I left a note yesterday looking for an explanation of the headline. What part of this is a scam by SWA? That’s a little unfair, no?