On Tuesday a Southwest Airlines passenger was queuing to board. He and his wife had two of the very best boarding positions – A2 and A3. The person with A4 became hostile. He stood in front of them, and right behind A1:
- Southwest’s boarding system is very social
- People look at their boarding number and for the most part compare with others, lining up nicely. Signage helps them figure out the general area they’re supposed to be in, but within that structure people figure out who goes where.
- Yet this person did not – he refused to interact with A2 and A3. And this became violent.
[T]hey called for A1-30 to board, and he pushed me and hit me with his bag trying to block me from moving in front of him. I called for the agent to help, and the agent called a manager over to file a complaint. They took both of our names down and said they would check the security cameras to determine what happened. At that point, the other passenger seemed to realize there were consequences to pushing another person in public and started acting like it was no big deal and a joke. The manager just kept saying they would check the cameras.
A4 is pretty much as good as A3. You’re going to get more or less your preferred seat. Even A1 doesn’t have perfect choice, because there may be ‘through passengers’ from the previous flight still on the aircraft. But there’s no reason to push ahead of A2 and A3 in order to board second instead of fourth.
Southwest Airlines says they still want to retain the “organized calm” (one way to put it) of their current boarding process – even as they most to assigned seats next year. That’s a move that will end the scammers and ultimate passenger game theory.
- No more wheelchair scammers. While some people may request wheelchairs who don’t need them in order to get through security more quickly, you don’t see as many on other airlines because it’s only Southwest where the boarding priority gets you a better seat. Southwest Airlines pays for wheelchair service.
A friend shares a not-uncommon sight from Puerto Rico:
55 "handicapped" during pre-boarding, including 25 wheel chairs
On his return flight, 15 used wheelchairs to board, only 1 to deboard pic.twitter.com/gHgIsnzsq7
— Bachman (@ElonBachman) February 19, 2023
- No more seat saving, putting crumpled up tissues on the seat next to you to keep it open. The seat next to you is either assigned to someone or it isn’t.
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
- No more scoping out passengers to find a cute one to sit next to you. No more creeping on young women, this reduces sexual harassment on board. (And no more pretending to be a creep so people don’t sit with you.)
@mikewdavis How to keep seats open next to you on a flight 😂
Assigned seating eliminates the elements of Southwest Airlines boarding that grates, the antisocial and inappropriate behaviors. But here’s why it’s good for Southwest’s bottom-line.
Right now passengers take all of these extreme measures to pick the best seats. They’re getting something that they value for free. Some seats are better than others, but currently all seats cost the same. People do spend extra for ‘Early Bird’ check-in but once that’s paid some passengers still do better than others.
The obligatory @SouthwestAir shot… pic.twitter.com/hKG6y591yA
— gary leff (@garyleff) April 22, 2022
Done right, Southwest Airlines captures this extra value rather than passengers getting it for free.
Can it get anymore laughable? We pay for the 1 -A15, Never have had a problem with anyone else. If an A4 wanted to move up to A2 or A3, go for it as long as they don’t try to save seats for the peasants!
Usually fly UA, but have a SW flight in November. Looking forward to getting an assigned seat and avoid having to queue up like school children at the lunch time.
I hear you @Matthew. Flying Delta this week. Can’t wait to shove through the gate lice instead. Much better.
@ Gary — A4 is not the same as A2. Solution is easy — fly another airline.
The plurality of my boarding placements with Southwest have been between A50 and A60. I like it because then I don’t have to deal with people and just board at the end of A.
Assigned seating. Period.
For those who are interested, we, I mean Delta has premium seating.
I was A 2 and two people were ahead of me .., who cares? If someone has to be dishonest to that level they need psychiatric care ..
People get stressed out all the time over things that don’t matter. Me, if A4 wants to charge ahead, I let him- who cares? We get the same seats in the end anyway. And I’m a better person.
George? Are you stupid? So lets say my wife and I are a2,a3 and we let a4 go first and he sits in a two seat exit row, it matters. It matters to some of us. I’m thinking you’ve never flown southwest because you seem clueless about that aspect. Boarding position is for your seat, not just a line number. You be a pushover. I will not be.
You don’t get the same seats, george, because there’s no assigned seating. Have you even flown southwest?? Line number matters, especially if you want an exit row seat. If he takes an exit row and saves a seat, you’re out of luck. It matters to those of us who pay extra for a better boarding position!!
Wow, it’s surprising how intense boarding can get! It’s good to hear that Southwest is moving towards assigned seating to reduce these conflicts. Hopefully, this will bring more peace and order to the boarding process. Thanks for sharing the update, Gary!
I am so happy they moved to assigned seatings. Have been accumulating SW flight credits with my Amex Plat / Business Plat and I refused to fly with their general boarding. Pick your own seats and the queuing they have makes sense in Japan or other civilized countries. In the USA, you need firm rules. One only needs to look at the monstrosity that is Spirit or Frontier to know that Americans are animals.
@DC You’ve given me an idea. When WN goes to assigned seats, still use the A1 through C?? system. You have seat 14A and you are assigned B19, not because of check in time, but in the same way you’d be, say, group 4 on AA/DL/UA. Maybe it’d exterminate the lice. You’ve already got the system, and rather than having group 4 board in any order, they’ve been arranged to improve boarding. They give 14A spot B19 and 15F an earlier spot.
My only complaint is that I need to remember to login exactly 24 H before my flight with South West. Even then we, my wife and I, end up holding high B seats or even C seats. Getting B seats ironically happens even for the second leg of the trip where I am checking in more than 24 H prior to that flight’s departure time! There are better ways to spend my time. I’m all for assigned seats. We have stopped flying SW from Tampa to San Francisco ever since United Airlines had that option.
Delta as well as others have assign seating. The deal breaker most of the time is the two check-ins at 50 lbs a bag plus carry on. If Delta, American would fare the same competitiveness than Southwest would have a problem.getting customers. However when the company is paying then it’s all but Southwest and getting airlines (Spirit).
When I started flying Southwest over twenty years ago people were respectful and courteous but you can see the perceived entitlement that has taken place in America in that time so assigned seating is the only way to control obnoxious types.
Southwest is the clickbait gift that keeps on giving. Some enterprising blogger should create a Boarding Area blog dedicated entirely to WN. The formula would be simple:
1. Formula secret: Weekly “articles” about the latest a) seat saving scam, b) wheelchair abuse to gain boarding position, or 3) argument over politics. (or all three in one article for the trifecta).
2. Formula secret: Inspire the same types of comments:
a) “I fly Southwest and love it. Nobody did anything bad on my flight to Vegas so I’ll babble on about the details because they disprove everything bad about Southwest.”
b) “I hate Southwest and they’ll never get a dime of my business.” (I’m sure this gets WN management quaking in their Gucci loafers.)
c) “Delta is a premium airline.”
d) “Bonvoyed again.” “This is why we can’t have nice things” “G’Day” (repeat comment no matter what the article says)
3) Formula secret: Pump Southwest credit cards relentlessly. Writing about the greatness of the bonus and companion pass is especially effective when accompanied by articles about how awful flying Southwest can get.
If only there was a Boarding area blog that did this. Oh wait…
“even as they most to assigned seats next year” – what the hell is that?
I HAVE FLOWN ON SOUTHWEST FOR DECADES, THE BOARDING SYSTEM DOES WORK. THE COMPLAINT IS NOT THE SYSTEM, IT’S THE PEOPLE WHO ARE CONSTANTLY TRYING TO ABUSE THE SYSTEM.
BECAUSE OF THE SELFISH PEOPLE WHO ABUSE THE WHEELCHAIRS, THE PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT HONEST WITH THEIR SEATING NUMBER AND THE PEOPLE WHO ARE SELFISHLY SAVING SEATS, WE NOW HAVE A TOTAL CHANGE IN THE SYSTEM THAT WORKS.
MAKES NO SENSE TO ME…!
I AM SORRY THAT BECAUSE OF THE SELFISH PEOPLY WE HAVE TO CHANGE THE SAME METHOD THAT THE OTHER CARRIERS USE AND THAT THESE SAME PEOPLE WILL TRY TO ABUSE.
I FLY SOUTHWEST FOR ALL OF MY DOMESTIC FLIGHTS AND I USE THE NO DOMESTIC CARRIERS FOR THE REST OF MY FLIGHTS. THE LEVEL OF SERVICE ON BOTH IS SO FAR SUPERIOR TO ANY OF THE DOMESTIC CARRIERS. I ONLY HOPE THAT SOUTHWEST CONTINUE TO STRESS LEVEL OF SERVICE AND THE FANTASTIC ATTITUDES OF THE ENTIRE STAFF.
SOUTHWEST HAS BEEN AND WILL ALWAYS BE MY FAVORITE AIRLINE.
I have flown SW for decades both for business and pleasure. Usually, there has been no real issue in boarding…..but then again, there are those exceptions to the rule and I guess I have seen it all through the years. Now I am 73. My wife and I fly SW pretty much monthly and we have the companion pass, which we always have. To save myself hassle, I just pay for the A list boarding 24 hours before the flight (hoping it will be available). But, the truth is, SW is correct in switching to assigned seating. It is better for families and friends to sit together, better to stop the “handicapped” scam that so many use and better for law enforcement to identify people on board when they need to do so. So, I am all for this change.
While the move will prevent wheelchair abuse and “saving seats” the boarding process in general is a stampede of the bulls. Some of this could be avoided with announcements from the gate agents and enforcing the boarding procedure.
I fly SW for 3 reasons 1. Two free checked bags. 2. Very good service onboard and 3. More legroom.
If someone wants to be a total ass and “save seats” in an area I wish to sit in, I sit anyway. I put on my headphones, take out a book and ignore the hell out of them.
Can’t wait. The cheap bastards will soon have to pay for a better seat. Hallelujah.
This is probably the dumbest comment I have ever read – Jonny Chi says:
August 2, 2024 at 9:26 am
Can’t wait. The cheap bastards will soon have to pay for a better seat. Hallelujah.
There is an Ahole in every crowd but overall SW’s boarding beats other airlines – except for the wheelchair situation. You should have to present a handicap card – like is hung on the rearview mirrors of cars and 1 person boards with you, no more. If you are in a wheelchair when you board, you should have to wait and get off last, not walk off. But the assigned boarding position is great.
@ David R. Miller — I’m pretty sure you have made dozens of more stupid comments.
My biggest issue with Southwest’s boarding is the pillars that indicate where you’re supposed to stand in line. They’re separated by groups of five, but they’re only five feet apart and that is not enough room for five people to fit. I often find people are not willing to move to allow you your proper place in line and I have to stand off to the side and hope the person who’s supposed to be behind me doesn’t try to cut in front. I understand some Southwest boarding areas don’t have enough space to accommodate a single file of 30 people, but I have seen some that could have spread out further and wonder why they all had to stick to the five foot standard.
There is a typo in the article. “…even as they most to assigned seats next year.” should probably be “…even as they move to assigned seats next year.”
Assigned seats are a GREAT idea. If you cannot handle the absolute hell of flying, get a job with no travel. Travelling sucks. Everyone knows. Put your big boy/girl pants on and get a job working from home. I did. No more problems.