Southwest moving to assigned seats

[dioxide45]

I tell the flight attendants that firefighters would be the ideal people to be in exit row seats because I know Rick to be very observant and he has fast reflexes. He sees things happening that others don't see. Three accidents since his retirement that he has witnessed and parked the car on the side of the road before I even knew what was going on. One on Maui, when a woman hit a pole in Wailea that fell into the street, another on the interstate, when a truck lost its load and pummeled a car, and another that was on a busy corner about half a mile from our house. He is quick to react.

I really think there should be some kind of certification. Perhaps an online course and quiz in order to be able to sit in an exit row. I see many people in exit rows that really have no business being in an exit row.

 

[rickandcindy23]

I really think there should be some kind of certification. Perhaps an online course and quiz in order to be able to sit in an exit row. I see many people in exit rows that really have no business being in an exit row.

My sister-in-law was a flight attendant for United for years and Pan Am before United. She said people would just ignore her, when she was asking the questions required for a flight attendant to ask of a person sitting in the exit row. They would not even answer her much of the time. She would ask again and stay in their space until they finally paid attention. Earbuds in ears, looking out the window, reading a book, such rude behavior. She retired in 2004, so this is not recent behavior.

 

[WaikikiFirst]

some kind of certification

Maybe, but what is the list of lives being saved by people in the exit row of an airplane? Sure is rude to ignore the talk, but how many people think
"This is my chance to save lives, just like I heard on the news that those other people did."

 

[WaikikiFirst]

should be some kind of certification. Perhaps an online course and quiz

Honestly, you're describing an Airline Employee, not a paying customer

 

[dioxide45]

Honestly, you're describing an Airline Employee, not a paying customer

If they were all trained airplane employees in those seats, great. Perhaps people sitting in an exit row with some type of training should get a discount. While the chance of an emergency is rare, there are a lot of people who simply freeze up when disaster strikes. Are those the people we want sitting there?

 

[emeryjre]

This is how people react to an emergency evacuation on an airplane
A plane is designed to be evacuated in the event of emergency very quickly
It relies on people moving as quickly as possible to an exit

In Russia a while back, the people in the back of the plane died because passengers stopped to grab their bags
I like being in an exit row because I do not want to get stuck behind some overprivileged airhead individual who decides to stop for their bag

American Airlines passengers stop to grab carry-ons during evacuation, despite orders to 'leave everything'

Video shows the moments those onboard an American Airlines flight from San Francisco to Miami were evacuated after smoke was detected in the cabin.

www.foxbusiness.com

 

[Luanne]

My sister-in-law was a flight attendant for United for years and Pan Am before United. She said people would just ignore her, when she was asking the questions required for a flight attendant to ask of a person sitting in the exit row. They would not even answer her much of the time. She would ask again and stay in their space until they finally paid attention. Earbuds in ears, looking out the window, reading a book, such rude behavior. She retired in 2004, so this is not recent behavior.

We sit in the exit row quite a bit. In every instance we have been asked by the flight attendant for an affirmative response.

 

[PigsDad]

I don't understand how they're going to do that. Are they going to reconfigure the planes to remove seats in order to allow extra legroom? Or just charge extra for the emergency exit row? I don't get it.

This is my greatest fear with this announcement. Most other airlines reconfigured their seating when they started offering extra leg room. They often didn't remove any rows of seating; instead they just reduced the seat pitch for all of the standard seating to make room for a couple extra inches for "extra legroom" rows.

Right now, Southwest has one of the best standard seat pitch of a minimum of 31", and many are 32". I'll bet anything the fund managers that are driving these changes at Southwest will force them to reduce the standard seat pitch to around 29", which is in line w/ much of the major airline's standard coach seating. If they do that, it will remove the main thing that makes Southwest my favorite airline, and I'm sure I'll be flying them less and less due to this.

Kurt

 

[pedro47]

Family boarding is after the A group not before. The only people that board before the A group are pre-board passenge

Family boarding is after the A group not before. The only people that board before the A group are pre-board passengers

Not true in FLL this passed April 2024.
wheel chair passengers boarded first

Next families with small children
Then the A Group, we were numbers 3 & 4.

What was odd after the plane landed in Virginia only two (2) passengers that were in wheel chairs still needed wheel chairs assistance.

 

[rickandcindy23]

This is my greatest fear with this announcement. Most other airlines reconfigured their seating when they started offering extra leg room. They often didn't remove any rows of seating; instead they just reduced the seat pitch for all of the standard seating to make room for a couple extra inches for "extra legroom" rows.

Right now, Southwest has one of the best standard seat pitch of a minimum of 31", and many are 32". I'll bet anything the fund managers that are driving these changes at Southwest will force them to reduce the standard seat pitch to around 29", which is in line w/ much of the major airline's standard coach seating. If they do that, it will remove the main thing that makes Southwest my favorite airline, and I'm sure I'll be flying them less and less due to this.

Kurt

Rick's tall and our son is also tall. Our son thinks it's agony to be in economy class, and he won't do it. Rick is okay with SW, but he was very unhappy on Frontier.

 

[emeryjre]

This is my greatest fear with this announcement. Most other airlines reconfigured their seating when they started offering extra leg room. They often didn't remove any rows of seating; instead they just reduced the seat pitch for all of the standard seating to make room for a couple extra inches for "extra legroom" rows.

Right now, Southwest has one of the best standard seat pitch of a minimum of 31", and many are 32". I'll bet anything the fund managers that are driving these changes at Southwest will force them to reduce the standard seat pitch to around 29", which is in line w/ much of the major airline's standard coach seating. If they do that, it will remove the main thing that makes Southwest my favorite airline, and I'm sure I'll be flying them less and less due to this.

Kurt

Of course they will reduce the seat pitch for the "standard" seat
Either that or reduce the number of seats on the plane
I do not think the game plan calls for cutting seating capacity on a plane

The fare structure and location will determine whether I use them or not
I can fly from San Diego to locations on routes shared by SWA
I can generally book a Delta Economy Basic for the same low fare as SWA
If SWA does not fly the route
Delta will be more expensive at all levels

 

[Ken555]

I really think there should be some kind of certification. Perhaps an online course and quiz in order to be able to sit in an exit row. I see many people in exit rows that really have no business being in an exit row.

I think all passengers should be certified… by what, is the question…

 

[dougp26364]

You'd be surprised how many large corporations are still running legacy software. Most ATMs run on Windows XP. Marriott International still uses mainframe and hires programmers that can still program in COBOL. Till a few years ago, Costco was still running their systems off mainframe and AS400 systems. We won't even start to talk about government because they are the worst. Upgrading is extremely costly, time consuming and painful to both the company and customers and it really doesn't help generate new revenue.

Running on bald tires doesn’t generate new revenue, but it’s still not a very good idea.

.

 

[jwalk03]

Not true in FLL this passed April 2024.
wheel chair passengers boarded first

Next families with small children
Then the A Group, we were numbers 3 & 4.

What was odd after the plane landed in Virginia only two (2) passengers that were in wheel chairs still needed wheel chairs assistance.

That is never the order. Unless the gate agent just screwed it up but I have never seen them do it wrong. The order is always the same and is well publicized. Family
boarding is between the A and B groups not before.

 

[pedro47]

That is never the order. Unless the gate agent just screwed it up but I have never seen them do it wrong. The order is always the same and is well publicized. Family
boarding is between the A and B groups not before.

I wish you were there and could hear the angry from the passengers in Group A.

One of the ladies in a wheel chair was a women & husband that have sailed on the Celebrity Ascent in April with us.
When the plane landed; this lady got out of her seat and did not need any assistance with her over head luggage or anything.
She just walked off the airplane like us.

 

[jwalk03]

I wish you were there and could hear the angry from the passengers in Group A.

One of the ladies in a wheel chair was a women & husband that have sailed on the Celebrity Ascent in April with us.
When the plane landed; this lady got out of her seat and did not need and assistance with her over head luggage or anything.
She just walked off the airplane like us.

Yeah I would have been mad too if they were doing it wrong and most certainly would have pointed out the error to the gate agent! (Though some of them have power tripitis and it may have been futile.)

Its funny that it was FLL specifically. I fly southwest A LOT and never have a bad experience but on our return trip from Ocean Pointe a couple of weeks ago we flew home from FLL and the ticket agent argued with me for a good 30 minutes that my inflatable paddle board (that was deflated and in a backpack that was well within the baggage size limits) had to be checked as a surfboard with a $75 fee. She finally went and got someone else who must have told her she was wrong and begrudgingly checked it as a regular bag with no fee how it should be! So apparently the SWA crew in FLL needs some re-training!!

 

[Sugarcubesea]

My sister-in-law was a flight attendant for United for years and Pan Am before United. She said people would just ignore her, when she was asking the questions required for a flight attendant to ask of a person sitting in the exit row. They would not even answer her much of the time. She would ask again and stay in their space until they finally paid attention. Earbuds in ears, looking out the window, reading a book, such rude behavior. She retired in 2004, so this is not recent behavior.

@rickandcindy23 , on my recent flight to Atlanta for a business trip, the flight attendant asked this man 5 times and he would not answer and finally she said sir, I will need to move you since you are unable to answer my questions and suddenly he had a voice and said oh yes I agree to whatever you just said and she bent down and stated everthing again and said to him do you understand and do you agree, I think that man was finally embarrassed and said yes again.

These jerks on these flights should be banned...ugh

 

[emeryjre]

Boarding agents are human
ADA people with legitimate needs are being overrun by seat gamers at SWA
In lieu of being subject to a complaint/twitter attack by a legitimate ADA customer
The boarding agents are just letting the gamers in without a challenge
It is hard to sort legitimate from the gamers when you have 200 people standing around
Everybody has a camera
Everybody loves to post an agent arguing with a customer
No matter who is at fault

I will fly Delta basic economy these days if I am feel like saving money in lieu of SWA if both fly the same route
I have a Delta Credit Card and silver status
So I have a free checked bag and The algo's generally put me in open preferred seating over standbys
Usually an exit row

 

[rickandcindy23]

Our son had a recent experience with Delta in First Class and will never fly Delta again. The flight out of DEN to MSP was delayed on the tarmac. The kids were bored to death, the flight arrived barely in time for them to catch their connection from MSP to Myrtle Beach. The gate was two gates away. They had five minutes to get there, the doors were closed, and the plane was backing away from the gate (five minutes early). At least 20 other people were left at the gate.

The gate agent booked them in economy to Raleigh, the flight again was delayed and they missed the connection to Myrtle Beach from Raleigh. Everyone gone from Raleigh terminal. No one could help them get a hotel or anything, so they had to scramble (plus their luggage was nowhere to be found).

No hotels because of the PGA tournament in Raleigh. A rental car company rented them a car for one day for like $400, and they drove to Myrtle Beach and arrived at 2 AM after one exhausting travel day. The rental car company had no car seats for the twins who are 2.5 years old. Their own car seats were God knows where. The 7-year-old is supposed to sit in a booster seat by law. The twins had a good time unbuckling and buckling their seat belts. It was a disaster of a trip.

Our son is usually not a flexible person, pretty grouchy guy, but he was just glad the ordeal was over and was grateful to get to the Sheraton.

 

[WaikikiFirst]

Our son had a recent experience with Delta in First Class and will never fly Delta again

been there. done that. It is almost like they want you to miss your connection.

 

[Luanne]

Not true in FLL this passed April 2024.
wheel chair passengers boarded first

Next families with small children
Then the A Group, we were numbers 3 & 4.

What was odd after the plane landed in Virginia only two (2) passengers that were in wheel chairs still needed wheel chairs assistance.

This is from July 3, 2024. It shows preboards, A group, family boarding, then B and C. Can you provide something that shows the change you are talking about that happened April 2024?

Southwest Airlines Boarding Process & Groups [Complete Guide]

In our guide to the Southwest boarding process, we'll show you exactly how to board and share some tricks to get a higher boarding position.

upgradedpoints.com

 

[jwalk03]

This is from July 3, 2024. It shows preboards, A group, family boarding, then B and C. Can you provide something that shows the change you are talking about that happened April 2024?

Southwest Airlines Boarding Process & Groups [Complete Guide]

In our guide to the Southwest boarding process, we'll show you exactly how to board and share some tricks to get a higher boarding position.

upgradedpoints.com

It definitely hasn’t changed. I just flew a couple weeks ago with SWA and family boarding was between the A and the B.

 

[emeryjre]

Our son had a recent experience with Delta in First Class and will never fly Delta again. The flight out of DEN to MSP was delayed on the tarmac. The kids were bored to death, the flight arrived barely in time for them to catch their connection from MSP to Myrtle Beach. The gate was two gates away. They had five minutes to get there, the doors were closed, and the plane was backing away from the gate (five minutes early). At least 20 other people were left at the gate.

The gate agent booked them in economy to Raleigh, the flight again was delayed and they missed the connection to Myrtle Beach from Raleigh. Everyone gone from Raleigh terminal. No one could help them get a hotel or anything, so they had to scramble (plus their luggage was nowhere to be found).

No hotels because of the PGA tournament in Raleigh. A rental car company rented them a car for one day for like $400, and they drove to Myrtle Beach and arrived at 2 AM after one exhausting travel day. The rental car company had no car seats for the twins who are 2.5 years old. Their own car seats were God knows where. The 7-year-old is supposed to sit in a booster seat by law. The twins had a good time unbuckling and buckling their seat belts. It was a disaster of a trip.

Our son is usually not a flexible person, pretty grouchy guy, but he was just glad the ordeal was over and was grateful to get to the Sheraton.

I have had terrible situations occur on every airline I have flown
Delta is not perfect
American is not perfect
United is not perfect
SWA is not perfect
Frontier is not perfect
Allegiant is not perfect
I have been stranded in Nashville for 2 days
I have been stranded in Cabo San Lucas for 3 days
I have been stranded in Fort Lauderdale for 1 day
This is just in the last 2 years
I have had Delta wait for me and my travel companions
I have had Delta take off without me as we are running from gate to gate
I have had American load us all up, get in line for takeoff, Pilot tells us we have a 15 min hold, shuts down the engines, restarts one, can not restart the other
back to the gate, 2 days before I can get another flight
Ya get on a plane, ya take your chances of a delay
Thank god for the skill of pilots on US carriers, we have not had any deadly crashes

 

[silentg]

I didn’t notice anything different when I booked travel for the fall, just the early bird is a much higher fee.

 

[Luanne]

It definitely hasn’t changed. I just flew a couple weeks ago with SWA and family boarding was between the A and the B.

Pedro is the one who insisted it had changed based on his experience. He provided a date of that change, just wondering where he got the info.