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Is That Seat Taken? Southwest Airlines' Seat-Savers Drive Some Passengers Crazy
Stu Weinshanker was boarding a Southwest Airlines flight in Las Vegas when he found something occupying his wife’s seat. Well, not technically her seat because Southwest famously doesn’t assign seats. It was the exit-row aisle seat she had her eyes on so they could sit across from one another. They had each paid the airline’s $15 early bird fee in hopes of snagging the coveted seats with extra legroom — Weinshanker is 6' 2'' — during Southwest’s first-come, first-served open… (www.usatoday.com) المزيد...Sort type: [Top] [Newest]
For one Southwest is no longer a 'cheap' airline, including the 'free' bag(as in, included in the fare). Quick fare shopping nearly always nets a better price if that is your objective. Yes they started out cheaper, but it seems there has been fare-creep. Second the routes have changed over the decades and many that were non-stop, now connect. Which generally sucks on ANY airline. Its been a while since I flew SW (aforementioned reasons) - I never witnessed 'seat saving' however it would have pissed me off to see an entire row 'saved'. Suffice to say, any system that can be fouled up by people, WILL be fouled up by people.....
I am amazed that Southwest finds this an acceptable practice... If I was at Disneyworld and got in line for a ride and much later 5 friends came thru the line to join me, I would be REMOVED from the line, possibly the park. And Southwest charges a fee for early boarding? Where's the logic in allowing this? If I buy a front row seat at a concert, I can save the seats all around me for my friends that DID NOT buy a front row seat?
I know of several 'professional seat saver' fliers who will ask the SWA gate agent how full the A/C will be, and (assuming not 100% full) will then proceed to save the seat next to them about 1/3 of the way up for their fictitious mate, who is using the lav throughout the boarding process. Then, as C group continues to the aft cabin - they're nearly guaranteed to have the middle seat open. Clever.
Southworst!
SWA is for kids and old people who rarely fly and just want cheap tickets. For the rest of us, we fly enterprise carriers like AAL, DAL, UAL, etc.
What is so good about Delta, AAL, and UAL? I have flown them all and prefer Southwest. I however concur about Alegient and Spirit.
I didn't say they were 'good', just that business travelers usually prefer enterprise carriers which honor status over SWA.
I'd humbly submit Frontier to that dubious list as well.
Reality is that when compared to several foreign carriers I've flown with (Cathay, Emirates, and a couple others), all US carriers leave much to be desired. That's a diplomatic way of saying they all pretty much suck.
Reality is that when compared to several foreign carriers I've flown with (Cathay, Emirates, and a couple others), all US carriers leave much to be desired. That's a diplomatic way of saying they all pretty much suck.