$10, paid only by credit card and not with TTF...disappointing.

I really think this is a bad idea. I hope it does not take SWA very long to realize that and go back to the airline they used to be.

This is just an option for the Customer who wants to be in the A group and did not make the cut. It is perfect for the family who want to be an A, or a large party who want to board together. I prefer my B because it is more important to me to make my own seatmate decision. Having a great seat is less important than a great seatmate. Those C just mean a center seat no matter how you cut it. See you on board, hey save me a seat!

Everytime I spend a lot of money buying Southwest Airlines tickets in advance, Southwest Airlines figures a new way to push me to back of the plane unless I pay some extra fee. My favorite airline is disappointing me.

I know your airline has to make money, but these extra fees make your airline just like the rest.
Every passenger used to be equal on Southwest, now you have created a 3 class system.
Business Select-First Class
Early Bird-Business Class
Regular Tickets-Coach(Steerage)

Soon Southwest Airlines will be like Saturn. From a company with great customer loyalty to a company just like the rest.

Anonymous, A-Listers will still board ahead of those with the EarlyBird option.

How does this work with Southwest Vacations? I dont see a early bird option for a already purchased vacation package. How do you buy your way out of C boarding and the middle seat on a 4 hour plane ride to Las Vegas? Nothing like having to pay a extra $40(2 passengers RT) on a already paid for vacation.

This is disappointing news, not happy to hear about this. I liked how it pretty much was an open system, and if you weren't lazy you could board first. Now you can buy your way to the front. A small incremental step towards SWA being just like all the rest unfortunately.

I think this is a terrible idea. Basically what you're telling us is if we don't pay the extra $10 we'll probably get stuck in the C boarding group.
The system works fine the way it is, I prefer everyone being able to check in at the same time without any fees.

Sorry Southwest, but this is a bad idea. I love flying SWA because everybody gets the same chance to get a good seat. Not anymore, apparently. Now, if I don't pay $10 each way, I might get B or C boarding groups even if I check in 24 hours before? I gave up on Northwest/Delta because they charge you for everything. Looks like Southwest is becoming just another airline.

What happened to the reasons that Southwest was founded? Fair treatment of all passengers. No hidden/nickel-and-dime fees? Great service?

With the fees that Southwest keeps adding, maybe it's time to re-look at the legacy carriers. At least there I am assigned a seat. Sure I pay $15 for my bag to be checked... but if I have to pay $10 for a preferred place in line, what's the difference?

Very, very, very disappointed in Southwest.

I really like this idea. I'd rather have the choice of being checked-in automatically 24 hours in advance as opposed to having to sit by the computer and do it myself. And if I don't want to pay $10 for this service, I don't have to. That's the big difference between Southwest and everyone else.......they are giving me options. The other airlines are continually taking away things that used to be free and charging me fees for it. That's a big difference......at least to me anyway! And, just check around on the plane.......everyone you are sitting around didn't pay the same price for their ticket; it's been that way forever. So, why shouldn't I get a few extra perks for paying more? It's my choice!

Whether you like the boarding procedure or not, Southwest is the only airline that I have found that consistently boards the plane faster and pushes back quicker than any of the other airlines with assigned seating. And, with every flight being different, at least I have the option of being strategic and choosing my seat at the last minute. And, I don't mind a middle seat as long as I can pick which two people I want to sit between. :-)

Great job, Southwest. And, thanks for carrying my two checked bags for free too!

How will the Early Bird boarding passes be assigned? Is it done chronologically so that the person who booked furthest in advance gets the lowest boarding pass number?

Call it "B List". :)

OK, make it "A-minus" List. :) :)

Now we know how much A-List status is worth: $10 per flight. More motivation to reach the 32-flight threshold.

nsx at flyertalk.com's Southwest forum

Not a fan of this at all. I hoped against hope that this would never happen, but my SW has finally fallen to the "fee to breathe" business model so prevalent among competitors. When do the baggage fees start?

What happens when one person in the family of six purchases Early Bird, gets on the plane with the A group, and then starts saving seats for the rest of their party who will be boarding with the C group?

Bad plan, folks.

This is awful. It is a slippery slope of new fees. Southwest is seriously making me consider flying AirTran more.

For those saying it's an "option"....is it?? What if almost everyone on the flight does it but I don't for my family of 4? Are you going to sit next to my 5 yr old during the flight since I "opted" not to pay the extra fee and couldn't get seats together? Bad idea SW!!

I last flew WN in 2003 because I detested the boarding and seating policy. At 6'5" I'm miserable for even an hour in a regular-row seat. Truly, I can barely fit. At least with the legacy carriers I can almost always get an exit row seat. Most airlines take one look at me and make it happen. In my past experiences with WN, even with early check-in and standing in line, the "premium" munchkin flyers always ran for the exit row seats that their short stubby legs don't need (and I doubt most of them could ever dream of lifting the door in an emergency). I decided to give WN another chance for an upcoming flight to SF, traveling on an award ticket from an A-list colleague. Now it appears I can't purchase the EB option and because of all of those who can I'm probably going to be stuck for five hours in the middle seat of a regular row. I suspect after this flight it will be at least six more years before I decide to give Southwest another try. Way to go guys.

I can't say I'm too excited. I can see a few people using this to guarantee overhead bin space, which wouldn't be quite such an issue if SW was better at checking the size and number of bags people are bringing on board (I've seen people on my most recent flight with 3 and 4 bags, all of which they were putting in the overhead bin). I usaully check in right around the 24 hour mark and I'll be unhappy if I get a 'C' at that point. The first time SW makes me check my one, legal size carry on (that's all I bring) is the last time I fly SW.

I'm really glad to see that the majority of people here are upset about this... I wish southwest would've realized how little it takes for a public image to be hurt. If they think people will really see this as them caring for the customer, that's a bunch of rubbish. We all know it's just another attempt to get fee revenue.

Brian - perhaps you should tell your IT folks so they can correctly program your website. It will not let me purchase EB on a plaine ole RR award.

I've been a WN fan for many years, as a semi-frequent flyer and I feel like this is the final nail in the coffin. VX flies all the routes that I frequently take on WN, and all I have to do is not check bags and I'm at the same price.

A-list got me upset because I was only semi-frequent and I would often get to 70% for A-list, but never make it. Now, EarlyBird makes it even less likely that I'll get my coveted exit row seat, especially for long flights like BWI-LAS.

I feel like if I'm paying for the privilege, I should be prioritized ahead of A-listers. I'd pay $20 for that, to **guarantee** I get the seat I want. Legacy airlines charge $20 for those seats. $10 for barely a chance at it seems like a waste. But if you don't pay it, say goodbye to bin space and aisle/window seats. One fair way to do this would be to change A-list to be in the same lottery as EarlyBird people... but then they'd cry too.

WN's attempt at an additional $10 of revenue from me per flight has most likely reduced WN's revenue by several thousand dollars because I doubt I'd fly WN by choice now. It seems like WN has forgotten about those who aren't business travelers but still pay fares that allow the average flight to make a profit. It takes 7 passengers on average to break even, and now you're down to 6.

Sean,
Marketing has never released the analytics for how A-List assigns seats, so that really is speculation. As we said above, Early Bird assigns on the basis of when the EarlyBird was purchased. If there are ten EarlyBird Customers, the one buying it first will get the lowest boarding pass number.
Brian

It's not a fee for something you've already had. Still no charge for checking in 24 hours early, or at the airport (for those of you who procrastinate and then expect a B pass). No charge for two check bags, no charge for cola's, juice or coffee, no charge for the great snacks, no charge for an aisle seat (and yes the B group still has a selection of aisle seats), no charge for window seats and many other items that other airlines do charge a fee.

Not sure what "other" fees you guys are referring to that make you think SWA is like the others. SW is brining in new services that weren't around before and that's what you are being charged for, unlike the other airlines that are now charging you for things you used to get free.

Also people, really, it's a short part of your day (or night) in most cases that you spend on the plane. Why act like you are going to be spending days in that seat? Worse things in life to worry about then a seat on a 3 hour flight.

This is one of the best ideas that Southwest has come up with! It's not always possible to be by a computer exactly 24 hours before. Southwest is still great when it comes to not charging fees, as other airlines do, such as checking 2 bags or changing a reservation.

Thank you Southwest not charging for bags or to change a ticket!

Ladies and Gentlemen,

This is not a fee, this a service that is available to use if you to choose. It will not effect A-listers or Business select passengers. This service also does not always guarantee an A boarding pass. Thank you for your comments, pro or con, we like to hear from you!!

I hope that this does not get to the point where one person buys the early board and then tries to 'hold' seats for family members. I had this happen on a flight where an A board saved the remaining emergency row seats and when my husband and I tried to sit down, she went ballistic. The flight attendant did not enforce the rules as we understood it, which if you cannot 'hold' seats for later boarding passengers.

If you are going to do this with Early Bird boarding, make sure the flight attendants don't let passingers 'reserve' seats for their friends when their friends do not buy the Early Bird boarding. If I pay for Early Bird, I expect to be able to sit where I want to, not be told the seat is 'held.'

This could really lead to bad conflicts among passengers!

How does one purchase the early bird after paying for their Southwest Vacation? The Southwest Vacation people do not have any idea on how to do this yet. Did you let them know?
If you are going to roll out a new fee, it should be only applicable to new flights when you release your new schedule for bookings. For the rest of us who paid for our tickets in advance, it like being shaken down for a extra $10 each way. Even the other airlines make fees only applicable for bookings after their fee announcement. It like being assigned a aisle seat on another airline and paying for your ticket, then being told a few days before you leave you'll have to pay $10 if you still want the same seat.

anonymous 13:21
(gee that looks like scripture, instead of a time stamp) I checked with our Marketing folks and it should have worked unless you are already and A-Lister or attempting to purchase less than 25 hours before flight time.

anonymous 15:25 (I'd LUV to be at an Anonymous family reunion!) I have asked the same Marketing folks about the Southwest Vacations issue.

Brian

@Anonymous 14:43 - I fly SFO-SAN as my most frequent route, taking usually 12-14 trips per year. VX and WN are usually price matched on this route and VX's promo coupons through their marketing partners are tipping the balance these days. This is a comment that is unique to my current situation and it may not apply to those who travel coast-to-coast, the BWI-LAS example was simply an example. And yes, I can deal with having a non-exit-row seat for 1.5 hours (length of flight from SFO-SAN), but that's besides the point.

What I'm really trying to say is that WN risks alienating their in-between customers like me, who fly frequently enough but not enough to reap the benefits of A-list, and I don't fly on my company's dime so Business Select is not an option. Those customers like me, who have flown WN for their consistently low fares now have other options through VX and the like and it is still those paying customers that contribute to the overall revenue of WN.

Also, if you pay for Early Bird, at what time point do you need to check in before your flight? If you don't check in at the airport or online an hour or two before your flight, do you lose your reserved seat?

Again, I'll comment I'm not impressed. Boarding and finding space for my bag would go a lot more smoothly if the SW gate agents would enforce the rules, especially carry on number and size. Legacy carriers and assigned seats seem a lot more reasonable now.

Sandy - SW has no policy in place prohibiting saving seats, so there is nothing for a flight attendant to enforce. . Passengers may sit in any available seat.

If a passenger becomes unruly during boarding then that opens another can of worms. There are polite ways to handle a disagreement and we would hope that the traveling public is aware of that if they can't behave for boarding then maybe the bigger question will be can they behave during the flight.

To all - feel free to sit in any open seat and a purse, computer, coat, lunch, etc. does not make a seat unavailable. ;)

If you read the FAQ, people are told they can buy 1 EB ticket for 1 passenger in your entire group. So basically, they are almost encouraging people to "save" seats. I feel badly for the flight attendants!
We fly SWA at least 4-5 R/T flights a yr. We have 4 in the next 5 months alone. I'm not bothered by not getting an exit seat, I am getting stressed that I will not get seats for my family together! I have always made it a point to check in as early as possible, usually 24 hours prior, in order to make this happen. So now I have to pay extra each trip to TRY and insure that we won't have a hassle finding seats or holding up the plane b/c others don't want to give up their seats so I or my husband can sit with our young children? (Which I have seen much too often lately on SW as it is) I'm going to have to look into JetBlue or other airlines now where I know are seats are together.
Very disappointed! Very bad business towards families!

Very bad idea. Just makes everything more complicated, not better.

It will just slow down the boarding process, create fights over "saved" seats. I sure as hell am going to sit where I want if I have paid extra to get on to get a good seat...etc.

SW is the only beneficiary as tons of flight will be booked with this option and they will keep the cash if you change or cancel your flight.

So in the end it is damn the customer so we can charge customers not to fly. That is the "ULTIMATE" new fee!

If they cared about customer experience they would give you more information about whether your purchase would give you a reasonable chance at a better seat.

In fact as I think about this, perhaps it could be prosecuted as a "illegal lottery" under some state laws as you are paying money now for an unknown outcome based on chance!

First, I am very happy to see that the majority of people are against this idea, a sentiment which is being reflected across airline blogs and message boards. This is a bad idea. In recent years Southwest just seems determined to destroy their own business model. First it was flying into destinations they had stayed away from for years that can only be trouble (BOS, LGA, DEN), now its fees on the “no-fee airline”. Fees and ancillary revenue have become the standard for legacy carriers but I had sincerely hoped and rooted for Southwest to outsmart the other guys and find another way, as they have for so long. This new fee shows that Southwest is not the Southwest I thought it was.

As a 6’6’’ college student who travels every other month or so out of PHL I appreciated being able to log on 24 hours in advance to ensure that I can have as low of a boarding number as possible and most importantly, leg room. If I wasn’t able to get a low number it was not a big deal as I hadn’t lost anything. This fee doesn’t guarantee me anything and if I can’t get the extra leg room, the 10 bucks will have been a waste.

This is a slippery slope to more fees and complicates a boarding process that Southwest prides itself on keeping “simple”. We now have Business Select, Rapids Rewards A-List, EarlyBird (Pay-first, board first?), General Boarding, and Family Boarding. Simple enough right? Should we expect an announcement about assigned seating next month because with this much complexity that is where we are headed.

Southwest is simply getting away from the position it has carved out for itself with its recent moves. I understand the economic downturn has hit the airlines as hard as any industry but now is the time to reinforce why people have flown with Southwest in good times and bad not make them question it. Companies survive economic downturns by being smart and reinforcing their values. With this Southwest has resorted to the cheap nickel-diming of the rest of the airline industry and has turned their back on some of their most core values.

Where is the LUV?

Maybe this could come FREE with a companion pass membership as well!

Did the boss know about this half-baked plan? It looks like marketing might have misjudged the response. It also seems like there is no clear idea how exactly work this $10 (one way) lottery ticket, especially for the already purchased tickets, vacations, and gift cards. Sad, simple Southwest times appear to be over.

Are you getting this Brian, Your customers are NOT feeling the LUV. No matter how you justify this it is a fee. As long as you don't check bags on the other carriers, at least you can pick your seat, with this I will have to pay 20.00 round trip in order not to be in the B or C group. Bad idea Southwest. People are going to start calling you Southworst again!!!!

Here's what I'll gladly give $10 for : Stop the business traveler from thinking it's their right to put their roller bag, laptop, and coat in one overhead bin, so they can stretch their 30" inseam legs. Your 2nd bag goes under your seat. And here's $10 if you can keep the guy behind me (not the toddler, the other guy) from slamming his tray table up and down. Don't have to be an engineer to see which seat it's attached to - mine. I'll drop another $10 for keeping the woman quiet who's trying so hard to impress the guy she met at the bar by laughing so loudly at all of his dumb remarks. Christmas presents missing from my bag last year on AA. Canceled/changed flight times without notifying me on my San Juan trip on DL. Has Southwest spoiled my flying experience by offering me an upgrade? Nope. The lack of common sense and civility has. My last $10 goes to the quiet, polite person who smiles and makes eye contact instead of "saving" a seat for their imaginary friend.

Well, LUV just lost a lot of my shorthaul business.

I'm typically about 4 segments a 12 month period short of A-list. I also tend to buy biz select fares for longer flights and refundables for shorter flights (I often book inside the "wanna get away" window).

I'm not doing middles on those shorthauls, which is essentially where this ends up. Crank the fare up $20.

This is particularly nasty because, as has been documented elsewhere, LUV does not instruct their inflight staff to stop people from saving seats. Ergo, one member of a family is going to spend the $10 and save the whole row. And the F/As are not going to stop the practice. And the ops agents are not exactly diligent enforcing boarding order as it is.

Huge thumbs down.

OH I cannot WAIT for one of my 3 children to snuggle up next to one of your $10 paying customers! And I hope they (kids) are in an espcially fowl mood! NOT b/c I want some poor innocent passenger to suffer - simply so they realize they wasted their 10 bucks to LEAP FROG me ... no, no ..... you are nothin' but be a sitting duck! BTW I always play by the rules and check-in on-line to (try) obtain A status vs abusing family boarding.

Like the great majority listed above, I think this is a bad initiative. It unequalizes and complicates a pretty straight forward check in policy. Hopefully your past tradition of listening to your customers still exists and the plan will be reversed in the near term.

Business Select- regular customers flying frequently paying the premium price - I understand your reward and regard for them.

But now all you've done is add a fee to regular fliers. I have to comply and pay or accept middle or back of the plane seats. If 50 people on a flight pay, you mean there will be a 10 person "A" group? Good luck with the passenger reaction with that one.

Your good prices and schedules and reasonable boarding policies have made me always include Southwest as an option; and usually the reservation. Now whenever I look at your fares I have to add $20 per round trip ensure I get a reasonable seat choice. That's enough to offset your advantages, which I think is not the way you want to go in this environment.

And by the way - what about connecting flights. Is the fee applicable on each segment??? I'm in the front OAK-LAS and in the back LAS- to where ever? Did the cost just go to $40 round trip??

This one needs more time on your drawing board.

Thanks for the listen.

Definitely not a fan of this new "fee." Kept waiting to see when Southwest was going to cave and start adding nuisance charges. If they are going to stack the deck against budget travelers - first business class, now people that pay the fee - they might as well go to assigned seating. Very disappointing.

Just switch to freakin' assigned seats already... was never in favor of it before, but with this Early Bird lottery thrown into the mix, assigned seats would be better, easier and certainly less confuising.

Apparently you no longer want to have a unique niche and want to be like all the other guys, so why not go all the way?

I goofed when I mentioned earlier that Early Bird is available for Southwest Vacations tickets. While Early Bird is available for Rapid Rewards Awards tickets, it is not available for Vacations. I am sorry about the mixup
Brian

When are EarlyBird Check-in Customers' boarding pass positions reserved?
EarlyBird Check-in Customers will be checked in automatically and receive a reserved boarding position 36 hours prior to their flight's scheduled departure time.

SO HOW DOES SWA DETERMINE THE EARLY BIRD BORADING POSITION? IS IT BASED ON TIME OF TICKETING, PRICE OF FARE PURCHASED, OR TIME OF EARLY BIRD CHECKIN PURCHASE ETC?

DMJ.

If you load first and try to save seats, you can save those seats until somebody wants them. Seat saving is fine until a Customer boards and wants the unseated seats. This is not new and it is no different then when a A Customer holds for a C friend. The B Customer that wants that saved seat can claim it if they so desire. Come on people now smile on your brother everybody get together let us love one another right now. Southwest Airlines carries over 100 million Customers a year, this FEEture will either work or won't. Remember new Coke? If the demand is not there they will not keep it around. Some people especially seniors who do not fly often enough to be in the A group who have to show proof of age to check in will gladly pay the 10.00 to have a shot at boarding earlier than others.

Come on SWA!! I do not like this program at all. Why don't you raise ticket prices for all fares by $10? I know this concept looked good on a whiteboard, but hello - we 'YOUR CUSTOMERS' do not like this. If you want to change that badly go to assigned seats or better yet if you really want this 'early bird', then limit the number of seats per plane for it!! Keep this up and you will force us to fly another carrier.

This just doesn't feel right and is not in line with the SWA that I've come to love. This is departing from the mission. This does NOT give me freedom, but instead is based on chance. I feel more like the $10 is a wager on a lower number. No guarantee and nonrefundable. Depending on when I book and pay for EB, a computer assigns me my boarding number. Will RR numbers "secretly" get better numbers on the sly?

With the other airlines almost matching SWA from Nashville, I'll be flying them and paying them more to have a seat assignment. I've paid the fees on reservations in the system currently, but will evaluate it in the future.

For years, I've said "SW is my favorite airline." I'm not ready to give that up, but I'm disappointed.

Note to Anonymous - I'll be sure to bring a roll of duct tape with me just in case I sit next to one of your kids in a foul mood. Have fun un-taping their mouth after the flight. += )

OH I cannot WAIT for one of my 3 children to snuggle up next to one of your $10 paying customers! And I hope they (kids) are in an espcially fowl mood! NOT b/c I want some poor innocent passenger to suffer - simply so they realize they wasted their 10 bucks to LEAP FROG me ... no, no ..... you are nothin' but be a sitting duck! BTW I always play by the rules and check-in on-line to (try) obtain A status vs abusing family boarding.

Anonymous — Thu, 09/03/2009 - 00:46

So SW found a way to charge fees anyway. Doesn't smell any worse than all the other airlines. Clever. They create a chaotic, stressful boarding system, then for $10 you can buy your way out of it. Out of chaos comes order, oops I mean comes $$$.

I have to agree with all the posts above that are against this early bird addition. I hope you are reading these comments. The reasons I fly Southwest seem to be slowly changing. I shouldn't have to pay $10 to try to get a better seat. What fee will be next? Hope you are listening to your customers...and I mean the families and non-frequent fliers, not the business class that flies everyday. This is why Southwest has been doing so well amongst other airlines, because families liked their way of operation.

Your starting to destroy the things that brought us to you in the first place. Low fares and everyone is the same. Now once again those with money can buy their way to the front. If you need to raise ticket prices raise them for everyone.

WOW!! Hard to believe their are so many complaints about this. If you want to pay it pay it, if you don't then don't!! For those of you saying you will no longer fly southwest, go ahead and pay another $300-$400 for a ticket on another carrier and then pay $50 to check your 2 bags, and another $15 to get a isle seat, oh yeah and enjoy your 4 hour layover in Atlanta I hear it is a great city!!
You are on the plane such a short time does it really matter where you sit?? If it does, pay 3x's the price fly on of the LEGACY carriers and keep your fingers crossed that they do not go out of business (like Aloha, Midwest, ATA ect) before your trip rolls around!!
And to the guy that said only seven travelers to a flight means Southwest breaks even, you are way off!! Just fueling a Jet of that size for an hour flight is thousands of dollars, then there is the cost to pay all of the ground crew that load your free bags, the counter folks that check in your free bags, the Pilot and flight attns, the $40 millon airplane, upkeep for the plane, the It folks that keep the system up and running so you can book and check in on line, I could go on and on!!! I have heard it is more like breaking even when he plane is 75 0/0 full that would be 102 people to break even!! I bet off season not many planes have 102 folks o them!!
I will be more than happy to pay the $20- rather than another several hundred on the other about to go bankrupt carriers!! Thanks Southwest for keeping it cheap!!!

It's not the fee that's bothersome, it's that if everyone purchases the option, then how to the boarding positions get assigned? If I bought the early-bird option 4 months before my flight, do I get a lower boarding position than someone who buys it 4 weeks or 4 days before the flight?

The flight attendants will have to stop people from saving seats, too. If one person in a group of six pays the fee and tries to save 5 seats, I can see a lot of people getting very upset.

To those who believe that Southwest should just raise fares by $5, rather than offering automatic check-in for $10, let's look at this from the standpoint of customer value.

A $5 price increase costs everyone the same amount of money and does not change the perceived value of the product. Sales will decrease a little bit according to the rule of supply and demand.

Some customers find online check-in easy and convenient. Perhaps they work at a computer or have a mobile device, so that they are rarely away from the computer at the 24-hour mark. Some customers don't really care what seat they get, especially for short flights. The $10 optional fee (yes, I'm not afraid to use the F-word here) allows customers in these categories to keep paying the same price, whereas the $5 price increase would cost them $5.

Some customers are picky about the seat they get and competitive about getting a low boarding pass number. These people will be happy to pay the $10 fee, because it delivers more than $10 of value to them.

The customers who value the feature pay for it without burdening the customers who don't. That's efficient pricing, delivering more value per dollar on average to customers with diverse preferences. Southwest began as "one size fits all", but it need not remain that way.

The preceding logic applies somewhat to baggage fees, but the analogy is not precise. Checked baggage is more a necessity than a preference. Everyone I know already prefers to avoid checking bags if at all possible. It takes extra time and effort to check the bag and to retrieve it. Therefore a baggage fee would merely add a financial penalty to the time penalty. No customer value is created by baggage fees.

nsx at flyertalk.com's Southwest forum

I applaud this idea and I think the real advantage is that it eliminates the hang-out-in-front-of-a-computer requirement for those of us who want to get a lower boarding pass number. I've had plenty of times when I couldn't be near a computer 24 hours before my flight; this allows me to pay $10 to eliminate that problem.

Very much worth it!

I say "Nay, nay" to this one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I fly almost every week on Southwest. I don't feel the need to pay the $25 for Business Class to get in line for spaces 1-15. I am however able to log in for my boarding pass within a half hour of the 24hr login and 99 out of 100 get #s 16-18 (which still usually puts me 3rd-5th person boarding). Now anyone paying $10 gets in front of me?! Your response was that I will still likely be in the A boarding group but might get pushed back to 25-30? That's an iINSULT to those you just a year ago recognized with the frequent flyer treatment described above (sounds like taking away something you just gave me last year).
Your plan was working fine (aside from the mistake of letting families with small children board after the A's. You had that right the first time. I know it was changed to humor business folks who wanted the first 10 rows but letting infants on first allowed the rest of us to (forgive me) avoid them. Now we get our choice seats (thank-you) but there is a good chance a screaming infant is next to us (I seem to attract them). So why the change? Just a way to make $10 (times a handful per flight? Seems a paltry amount when you risk ticking off so many of us "regulars." I can't justify another $300 a year to my company for something I've had all year (and earned with my loyalty).
NOT HAPPY!
Jeff

So what is the priority of the Early Birds? Does the first to buy an Early Bird get the first Early Bird assignment (of the pool buying it more than 36 hrs before flight) ??

love this idea. Adds a small fee, but if it keeps them from raising ticket prices, I'm all for it. Now I don't have to mess up my schedule 24hrs before a flight, hoping to get on a hotel's computer to get a good seat.

I, like many others, wish southwest would go to reserved seating. Going to a computer exactly 24 hours in advance to get on-board first is absolutely annoying. Now the $10 fee to be automatically checked in is just as crazy.

Now on the other hand, I travel to Las Vegas from Baltimore between 3-5 times a year. Printing my boarding pass from home is normally no problem. However, when I have to be at a kiosk machine in Las Vegas 24 hours in advance (and this is a minimum charge of $5.00); the $10 earlybird fee appears to be a nice option. I will be automatically checked in; and can print my boarding pass when I get to the airport. No more waiting for exactly 24 hours in advance in a hotel lobby when I can still be enjoying my vacation.

I usually travel alone, however, when I do travel with others, I will pay the $10 fee for one person and save seats for the others.

A little torn on this one. I sympathize with those customers that feel like this is a hidden fee.

However, the bottom line is that we, the flying public, seem unwilling to pay the kind of fares that allow an airline to be profitable and grow. Southwest, the most efficient airline out there right now, barely eeks out a profit at the current prices that customers are willing to pay. Think about it. Investing in Southwest stock, today, returns less to the investor than a safer investment like a Certificate of Deposit.

So, since the public won't pay fares that allow for a healthy, growing business, something has to give. Southwest's hand is being forced. They need to find new sources of revenue, or they will stop growing, start shrinking, and eventually die.

Make sense? Fuel is more expensive, labor is more expensive, but the public is paying the same kind of fares they did ten years ago. And, when SWA raises fares, they start buying at other airlines.

So, in that context, is EarlyBird really a bad idea? It's less like a fee, because you get something tangible and premium for your dollar. Certainly beats being charged to call the 1-800 number, or paying for a checked bag, etc.

Baba, we have already answered your question three or four times. The latest is just abouve your first comment at 11:14

What a terrible idea, SW!!! I'm disappointed in you. This fee will only serve to send me back to the other airlines (which I had long ago abandoned in favor of YOU) that offer reserved seating.
Your fares are no longer as good as they once were...and now this?
By the way, I will also be giving you bad press if you do this.
Hasta la vista, Baby!

Like the majority on here I am disappointed by this "fee". The reason Southwest has been so successful in the past and has attracted so many loyal customers is the simplicity and equality of its service. Now Southwest has added another class of passenger and made the boarding process that much more complicated; Southwest should have stuck to the KISS priniciple (Keep It Simple, Stupid).

I realize Southwest needs to change and grow as conditions change but I think it will create more challenges, and perhaps loss of some customers, than it is worth to the bottom line. I will wait to personally reserve judgment until I see what kind of boarding position I get without paying the fee however.

There is a really easy to get Southwest to abandon this idea follow Southwest travelers: DON'T PAY THE EARLYBIRD FEE! If hardly anybody purchases this option it will likely go away quickly, especially when travelers who do pay the fee see that nobody else is buying EarlyBird and they could have gotten a good boarding position without paying the fee.

Southwest is the leader in the evolution of air travel. The point to point system which avoids stops at airline hubs, being one example of how air travel is adapting and becoming better. Open seating versus assigned seating doesn't address the core issue, the middle seat sucks. Boeing and Southwest can solve this by designing the next aircraft to be a twin aisle seating two, two, and two.

Ok..here we go!! First of all why don't we clear one thing up first. As previously stated, there is a difference between and OPTION and a FEE. With a fee you have no choice. For example...when you purchase a concert ticket, they have a processing fee. If you want the ticket you pay the fee..there is no choice. With an option, you have the choice. If you don't want to pay for the option then don't..see that's the beauty...YOU DON'T HAVE TOO!!!!!!!! Believe me the flight attendants do an incredible job of making sure everyone is sitting exactly where they want to be, especially if it involves a family with small children. They understand it's a complicated situation and they work very hard at trying to resovle it in the best possible manner for all parties involved. I appreciate SWA thinking of ways to increase revenue, without MAKING passangers pay more should they not want to...once again hence the OPTION reference. I would rather them give people an option to pay more so SWA can make more money without laying off any of their hardworking employees. That is something no other airline can say they have done so far. Others would rather add to the increasing unemployment rate, and still charge their passangers more for an inferior service. We all feel nickeled and dimed these days...that's no secret to anyone. But let me tell you SWA still has the best service out there. I recently took another airline across the country and we had to buy all of our food and drinks on the plane. If I wanted water I had to purchase it. It was over a 5 hour flight and we were only served twice. At SWA you still get snacks and drinks for free..the lowest cost for alcoholic beverages, and service at least twice on a 50 minute fight. You get alot for what you pay..even if you CHOOSE to pay the extra $10. GOOD JOB SWA...KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.!!!!

Adding my thoughts...I am not a fan of this new fee...and yes it is a fee, without a specified benefit. Yes I may board early, but earlier than how many others is undefined. My concern however, that I haven't seen posted yet, is this... I pay the $10 fee for the 3 in my family to board early. However, we end up in B boarding group, as A boarding is not a guarantee. B boarding is not the end of the world. However if I am paying an "EB" fee....will families with children still board in front of me....possibly for free....between A boarding and B boarding groups??

I recently flew cross country, one way on Delta and returned Southwest. Paid the same price each way. On Delta I paid $15.00 for baggage and had an aisle seat (no charge). They provided me with a snack and 2-3 drinks inflight. Flew Southwest back, BWI-SAN, a long flight. Was offered one cup of beverage and a snack. Now I will have to pay $10.00 to board in an early group. On a short flight, my seat position wouldn't be that important, but for over 3hours, it is. I selected Southwest on the return because of no fees. The other carriers offered better times for me at the same price, so now I have no reason not to fly them over Southwest. I will pay $5.00 more for a legacy carrer because of my luggage, but will have a seat assignment at the time I make my reservation.

I understand that the airlines are losing money . Some of this is due to the economy, high fuel prices etc. but in my case, I am flying less simply because of the hassle of air travel now and all the fees that one has to pay. I plan trips where I can drive as much as possible.

Now you are just pretending that you do not have fees even though this is a fee. You are forcing all of us to pay $10 to get in the A Group or maybe even the B Group- the more people pay the more A spots will be taken. Southwest is my favorite airline no more.

I don't like this idea either. For the most part, everyone else has expressed my thoughts about this new fee. I will still fly SouthWest, BUT I'm not happy with the extra fee that I will have to pay if I want to have a choice in seating. I recently travelled for business and was not allowed to pick my airline. I was booked with AirTran and was so disappointed with the service and the limited space in the plane. I'm only 5' tall and felt very confined. Seats were assigned, space was limited, and I could barely fit my small carry-on bag under the seat. I paid $40 to check in two bags. Can't say I like the NEW format of the Southwest web page either. All that "white" space makes me dizzy! I'm FRUSTRATED looking at the page. The format is not user friendly and the options have changed. What's going on Southwest?

I think that if SWA is going to keep this fee that it needs to be limited to only those that can get an A boarding number/group. Once all the A positions are filled up then you should not be able to purchase the Early Bird option. It should be pretty easy with technology to tell when enough people have purchased EB check-in on a flight. Then you simply close off the option to purchase it for that flight. If a record has more people booked in it than EB positions are available a message will inform them that EB checkin is only available for X number of people and let them decide if they want to purchase it or not. Paying for EB check-in and then getting a B or C boarding pass is not fair.

DMJ.

Southwest used to be unique in the industry with fair customer friendly practices. Every quarter, we now see how Southwest is becoming more like every other airline. I know that the financial climate is tough, but if Southwest ends up just like the others at the end of this recession, they will have really lost their special niche. When Southwest decides to start charging to make reservations or change a reservation (which is bound to happen if we keep this progression), I will no longer consider them first. I'm now waiting for a new more customer friendly airline to start flying to New England.

OK Business Select is FULL FARE board in the 1st 15, cocktail and additional Rapid Reward Credit. Early Bird is all/any fares or Frequent Flyer Certificate Use with a low number automatically checked in. We have Customers already willing to pay 10.00 to get a lower number. Some folks are willing to part with the 10.00 for a lower number. This is not a fee or an added cost, it is an option for SALE. If you go to a garage sale sometimes they have an early bird special the day before, you will get 1st choice on the items on sale and usually will pay the asking price. Day two of the garage sale you will usually find the remaining items that are unsold for lower prices. Please do not confuse the Early Bird as a forced cost, it is a choice for Customers who are willing to pay a little more for something extra.

You people notice how many positive messages have names attached as opposed to those who are anonymous? In the :Your name" box, anonymous is already set.

It just seems to me that many with names instead of anonymous are with either Southwest making positive statements or some out-sourced service in India or some other country also writing predominantly positive statements with a few negative ones to try to fool those of us who think their new enhanced seating policy "stinks"

As far as not joining in and not paying--a great idea but if only a few pay, then SW will keep it.

SW is becoming just another airline and when those of us smart enough to recognize that there is some competition and tailor our travels to accommodate that, then SW will alter its ludicrous enhanced seating policies.

In many cases, the airports SW is using is inconvenient to many of us and their new changes may just be enough to push us to a more convenient air company.

I think this is a GREAT idea.

There are times where I can't be at a computer to check in exactly 24 hours before the flight and for those times I'll pay the extra $10 just to ensure I am checked in and that I don't end up with C-60.

Somehow I think Southwest is retreating from what made them not only less expensive but also almost a statement when selected. Price at this point is not what concerns me, but the process and quiet classification of the customer does. If you look into Southwest's history, they always seemed to be ahead of the crowd in meeting a challenge. Their solutions were audacious to some respects as well as innovative. Now, not so much. I was not happy with business select and this new early bird option makes me less so. Innovation seems to be dwindling into the mediocre. I would be happier if Southwest just raised their prices at this point a bit to adjust across the board and kept the model that worked so well over the years.

To Brian Lusk:

Glad to see that you too think SWA hid the one about boarding order within the EarlyBird queue.

Question number six(6) in the "EarlyBird" FAQ section clearly states that "Anytime Ticket" holders (aka: full fare passengers) will receive proity in boarding within the queue. I'm not talking about "Business Select" ticket holders, I'm talking about "Anytime Ticket" holders.

Read it for yourself !

I've had a few days to calm down about this (okay, it really didn't affect me that much, I do have more important things to think about), but I agree with Mark DC on limiting the # of EarlyBirds per flight to some statistically determined number just like they do for Business Select. That way, you KNOW what you're buying with your $10, and then let the customer know what boarding number they're buying, or at least let the customer know that the # is limited, so the value proposition is more defined and you'll have a steady response to the initiative.

I'd go for that. And I'd probably pay $10 for the privilege.

Where is the loyalty? When I called to ask about this new "convenience," I find it is hardly convenient at all. I pay my $10 each way - and my companions (so that one of isn't holding a seat for the other one) and I still have to have my fingers hovering over the key board at exactly 24 hours til my flight so I can hopefully scoop an A ticket. Call me crazy but if everyone falls for this, we all can't be A tickets! Some of us will (horrors) get B or even C tickets.

Southwest -this is the nuttiest thing you've come up with in a long time. You are not the cheapest airline to fly anymore, not everyone entertains us with jokes or songs but you still have the free bags thing going on. Decide on who you want to be and who you want your passengers to be. Make the real call. Do you go back to where you were and just charge more for your tickets or do you start assigning seats???

Pick a lane and stay in it. Give us a reason to stay with Southwest.

Long, long-time 100% loyal Southwest Airlines customers here, but this new policy will have us shopping other airlines. Tacking on a fee of $10 per person per flight for us to TRY and sit together (family of 3) - not even guaranteed because if everyone does it, we'll be god knows where in line - that's just terrible. It ticks me off so bad, I don't want to do business with this company anymore. They don't look or act like the company that secured my loyalty in the past.

I am quite concerned that so many people will sign up for EBCI that people who don't will risk the dreaded "All available online boarding passes have been issued, check in at airport" even if they check in close to T-24. If that ever happens to me, I think that would be enough for me to permanently sever my relationship with Southwest.

I feel that the idea is workable if the number of EBCI is limited and if the price point is raised a bit. Otherwise, we are being extorted for "protection money" to save us from the possibility that we might have the absolutely lowest boarding prority and risk involuntary bump.

Bryan, yes, you have as you said answered the "How is check-in position ordered" question several times. Unfortunately, you've answered it incorrectly each time. It is NOT ordered by time of purchase. From Southwest's own FAQ page: ( http://www.southwest.com/flight/early-bird-faq.html#ebQuestion6 )

"Is there an order in which EarlyBird Check-in Boarding Passes are reserved?
Yes, Customers who have purchased Anytime Fares will receive priority over other fare types during the initial boarding position assignment. "

That is, someone who purchases a WGA or DING! fare the day the schedule is extended will still be placed behind someone who purchases an Anytime fare at T-37. Maybe *within* those categories it's ordered by time (but if so, we have only word to that, as it doesn't say so on the FAQ), but to say that is ordered by time as a blanket statement is simply not true.

BTW, that FAQ has some other great tidbits:
"Will EarlyBird Check-in Customers get an "A" Boarding Pass and be among the first to board?
Probably, but not always. It depends upon how many Business Select, Rapid Rewards A-List, and EarlyBird Check-in Customers are on a given flight"

"Will the number of EarlyBird Check-in Passengers be limited on each flight?
No. All eligible Customers can purchase EarlyBird Check-in. "
In other words, you could shell out your $20 round trip for this fee, and still get a C-17 boarding pass. With no way of knowing in advance what you're paying for, and no way to get a refund if you're not satisified with it.

As for those claiming "this is an option, not a fee", no, it's not. In order to have the same experience that I have come to enjoy on Southwest - being able to obtain a BP in the A15-A30 range 9 times out of 10, I now have to pay a $10 fee. If I don't pay that fee, I will be relegated to a lesser position. Depending on how many are willing to pay that fee, it may be a MUCH lesser position. Instituting a "service" that directly detracts from the experience of those who "choose" not to utilize the "service", is a fee.

Mrritty
I assume I am the "Bryan" to whom you are referring (I spell it with an I) , and I realize that I had incomplete information (the Q&A answer was added after my initial responses). I appologized for the error. See Friday 9/4 at 14:18

Brian

I'm A-listed, so a lot of downside of this new program won't affect me directly, but by charging people an additional $10, Southwest is essentially highlighting three "rules" that it doesn't currently enforce:
1. on-board lugguge limits--many, many people bring on more than a carry-on and a personal item
2. cutting in line when boarding--since I'm A-listed, I see people all the time board after the Business Select who have A passes in the 40-50s or even B-C passes. Rarely, will the gate attendant deny them boarding.
3. saving seats--just this weekend on a oversold flight from SFO to Vegas, I saw a woman save two rows of seats for her family.

Before this new program, the only people paying to board before others were the Business Select people, and I think they do now receive what they are paying for. But when others start paying for the EarlyBird boarding, the fact that Southwest does not enforce these rules is going to cause conflict between passingers.

I would like this option when I am traveling with other people and can't be at a computer at T-24, and $10 seems fair. That said, you have a great "no fees" brand image (even if that isn't strictly speaking true), and this optional fee breaks that image. If I were you I'd drop it. Gut feel always wins out over rational logic, especially in marketing. Sorry.

Anon of 9/8 @ 10:12,

Check out some of the recent threads on flyertalk.com for some actual real non-guessing experiences:

"Normal" online-checkins
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/southwest-rapid-rewards/759743-post-your-...
"Heading to LAS at T-24 -- A47 and A50"
"MDW-OAK-RNO 9/5/09, leave at 10:00AM. Checked in at T-23:56 and got B13 & B14 for the first leg, A45/46 for second leg."
"For 9/09/09 flight: BWI - TPA (866) A-40 and A-43 @ T-24h and T-24h+10s"
"Checking in my wife on companion pass tickets, HOU - OAK - 3 hours late B-17, OAK - HOU - 2 hours late B-1"

Early Bird check-ins:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/southwest-rapid-rewards/991379-post-your-...
"9/4/09, Flight 258, SLC-PHX-SNA, EB A-53"
"09/08/09, 3345 sna-oak, eb b02, 624 oak-slc, eb a28"
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/southwest-rapid-rewards/991886-earlybird-...
"I purchased a ticket for travel and paid for early bird check-in on 9/2 in the evening. For some reason when the check-in occurred, I received B-17"

I grant you that I have selectively pulled out the worst of the bunch. But the fact that *any* of these have happened, just days after EBCI was announced, speaks volumes to how terribly bad an idea this thing is.

I bet "jkociemb" and his wife can find a window and a middle seat together near the back of any Southwest flight without paying for EBCI. At worst they might have to ask politely if anyone at a window would mind switching to an aisle "for my wife who really needs a window seat." Most people are happy to help accommodate you UNLESS YOU SHOUT AT THEM!!!!! :). It works on blogs, too.

I am delighted to see the number of negative responses. I just found out about this new "option" when checking in 24 hours before my flight yesterday. Needless to say I was not happy to receive a low B number at as close to T-24 as possible. I agree with others that all the kinks have not been worked out and I paid $10 to $20 dollars extra and still received a B or C I would be very cranky. I always check SWA first when traveling and have dealt with having to camp out in line for an hour and now do my utmost best to be at a computer or mobile device to check in for a reasonable chance at a good seat. Now I will be checking many airlines before committing to SWA. What was broke SWA?

This is hands down the most disappointing news to come out of SW. I absolutely love flying with SW. Any time I fly I always check SW to see if they fly to the area I'm heading. Part of what I like about SW is that if I do my part in paying attention to check in times I can at least make sure I'm in A group. This new option is terrible. Paying the money doesn't even guarantee getting into A group. I have no control at this point. Just give them my $10 and hope to stay towards the head of the pack. The only way to make sure I don't get stuck in C group is to pay the much higher fares and if I'm going to have to pay those prices I might as well look at other airlines that have comparable prices but will let me choose my seat.

I don't like the idea of paying $10.00 extra but I am even more bothered by the fact that if I choose to pay the money I still don't really know where I'll board.

I really like SW and have very happily flown SW for years, but I can't see myself committing to flying without having any real control over where I sit.

I hope SW realizes how much this new policy goes against everything that makes SW great.

Man, you people are hysterical! Automatically assuming the worst before the product has even been rolled out. Reminds me of when SWA went to A-B-C boarding, and then the numbers in between, and the internet check-in, and the move to Family Boarding, and, and, and....

And guess what? Everything turned out just fine.

I have been an employee for quite some time, so I've seen it all. Will people find a way around the rules? Will they discover a loophole? Of course they will, it happens every day, in *every* industry. It's human nature. But it's not every human.

By the way, I've checked in nearly 100 people today on 4 different flights, and 2 people--count 'em, that's TWO--had Early Bird. So why the drama on these posts?

I do think that eventually, if EBCI gets more popular, that we should limit the number allowed on each flight. Until then, simmer down!

EDWARD

ONCE MORE PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THE EARLY BIRD CHECK-IN I AM SURE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WITH EARLY BIRD WILL INCREASE. AGAIN I LOVE SWA AS I FLY IT EXCLUSIVELY BUT NOT SURE IF THIS WAS A GOOD IDEA. TIME WILL TELL. I WILL BE HAPPY IF I AM WRONG.

Until this month, we have loved Southwest and always used them if at all possible. Because of early bird check-in, we have decided to no longer fly with Southwest. We always check in at exactly 24 hours and know we will be pretty high up in the A group. With Early Bird check in, you no longer can have any idea where you stand. Southwest does not limit it, so theoretically every person on the plane can pay the $10 fee, making it a total surprise where you will wind up. I would think that a large number of people who are not traveling alone would fork over the extra fee to try to sit together. We have no intention of forking over the extra fee only to find out we are in the B or C group. We will not take the chance. With early bird check in we can no longer insure that our family will find seats together even by paying the fee; therefore we will no longer fly with Southwest Airlines. It's a shame because we really liked Southweest.

Posted this on another thread, but as a long time SW flier, if I get herded back to the C group as a result of this program... I will switch to AirTran effective immediately. If I want to pay for a seat, then I might as well get the exact one I want. It's that simple.

If they want to play hijinks with fares, start charging for baggage or carry-ons, but don't ruin the one practice that makes SW unique.

Response to :
How does this work with Southwest Vacations? I dont see a early bird option for a already purchased vacation package. How do you buy your way out of C boarding and the middle seat on a 4 hour plane ride to Las Vegas? Nothing like having to pay a extra $40(2 passengers RT) on a already paid for vacation.

Anonymous — Wed, 09/02/2009 - 08:35
and anyone else with the SWA Vacations issue.

If you were already holding SWAV tickets when this option became available, you are getting screwed. SWAV flights aren't eligible. I am hold SWAV tickets for Sept26 and would have booked directly if I had know this was going to be an option, now it is out of my control.

Shame on Southwest for not having some interim policy for these ticket holders. I guess they are arrogant enough to figure they don't "need" any one passengers business, so they can just screw you and not worry about it.

I called (214) 792-4223 and got $100 voucher out of them but all I really wanted was the option to buy Early Bird like everyone else (like I said, would I have known abou this option I would have booked directly through SW and not complained)

I suggest every single person in this predicament call (214) 792-4223 and demand something in return for getting screwed and being taken advantage of. Maybe enough phone calls will make them rethink this stupid policy.

Start assigning seats like a civilized airline!! This is likely my last flight with Southwest as I have had several bad experiences with their idiotic boarding system.

SWA Seating With Anxiety

THE COMMENTS BELOW WERE POSTED BY A SWA EMPLOYEE (WHO ADMITS THAT, BUT GOES BY "anonymous"). IF THIS PERSON WORKED FOR MY COMPANY, THEY WOULD RECEIVE A PERFORMANCE REVIEW FOR REFERRING TO CUSTOMERS AS "hysterical" AND TELLING THEM TO "simmer down". SWA - I HOPE YOU'RE READING THESE BLOG POSTING AND NOTING WHEN YOUR EMPLOYEES ARE INSULTING YOUR CUSTOMERS! YOUR MODERATOR SHOULD BE CATCHING THESE COMMENTS AND EDITING OR REFUSING SUCH POSTS. CUSTOMERS HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO EXPRESS THEIR OPINIONS AND DON'T DESERVE TO BE TOLD TO "simmer down". REMEMBER, "anonymous", THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO PAY YOUR SALARY.

"Man, you people are hysterical! Automatically assuming the worst before the product has even been rolled out. Reminds me of when SWA went to A-B-C boarding, and then the numbers in between, and the internet check-in, and the move to Family Boarding, and, and, and....

And guess what? Everything turned out just fine.

By the way, I've checked in nearly 100 people today on 4 different flights, and 2 people--count 'em, that's TWO--had Early Bird. So why the drama on these posts?

I do think that eventually, if EBCI gets more popular, that we should limit the number allowed on each flight. Until then, simmer down!"

This is a bad idea. When a WN gate agent told a nun to get out of the A line with her B plastic pass (yep, a while ago), I said that an airline this fair was the one I wanted to fly. Then Business Select and A-list started chipping away, and now a $10 fee to board in the A group no matter when you check in. I'll fly twice more to get my second free flight voucher this year, but after that, it's whatever airline that will get me there -- even if it's NOT WN. Sorry, guys, but I'm free to move about the airlines.

Southwest, do you feel like you need a shower after this? Do you feel dirty? Do you have no shame? Is this just a conniving way of being able to still advertise "no baggage fees" but still make free money? Isn't that what it is? There is nothing tangible the consumer gets, other than to satisfy their overwhelming sense of being able to get on board the aircraft before everyone else.

There is nothing more I despise than companies nickel and diming the customer to make more money. And because I have principles, and will not stoop to paying extra $$ to "buy" my seat, you have created an inequity in which people can buy privileges over others. Pretty pathetic in my eyes.

Simply stated, I will not fly Southwest again. One customer means nothing to you, but at least I'm not mindlessly feeding into more corporate greed.

Soooo, I paid the 10 bucks and was B40. Seriously. B40?? Cap the number of seats for which you charge the "convenience fee" or admit that it is really just a fee to print out a boarding pass. I also heard someone in A say that they didn't pay, was online 24 hours ahead (as I would have been)... is that possible?? and if so, how? How can you charge for something that you can't deliver? As I said in an earlier post, just take my 10$ at the door of the plane. I'll pay it, but don't lie to me to get it.

I just purchased the early bird check in, since I am flying from Florida to California and I need my exit row seat. After reading the comments about people who paid for early bird check-in and got stuck behind people who did not, I am wondering if I am going to get a notice about some class action suit against Southwest in a year? That is what it sounds like to me.
If I get stuck behind someone who did not pay, you can bet your bum you will be hearing from me.

Southwest is a great option if you are flexible and want low prices. If you must have x, or y, or z, if you can't sit in *any* seat in a plane when the fare is hundreds less than other carriers, if you are not willing to occasionally wait the 15 or 20 minutes for checked luggage to arrive, etc - then you need to pay for your priorities and get on with it! My only peeve is that airlines (incl SW) do not plop everyone's carry on into the size gauge and make all the behemeth suitcases automatically be checked. SW has earned my loyalty for the bulk of my travel. When I have to have assigned seating, I go elsewhere.

I personally like the new program as we cruise a lot and it's very inconvenient to take time out of your vacation to stress over checking in at the 24 mark to get a good seat home.
$10 apeice is well worth it to us and in the scheme of things, still beats the additional $15 per bag and much more expensive seats initially. Just my humble opinion:)

I really like having the EBCI option since we can't (yet) select a specific seat. I've used EBCI twice so far (A16 & A25) and have it on two future flights. But about the time some moron has their crap piled in a seat and tells me "he's saving it", the FA had better be prepared to do something. They cannot institute these priviledge fees then let preboarders or large families / groups abuse the system. Come on SWA...seat saving policy needed!

To Kathy, no your boarding pass won't indicate EBCI and you are likely to get EBCI reminders even after purchasing it. But just try to add EBCI again and you'll get a screen that says you already have it.

I have used EBCI twice and both times got a boarding pass number that was higher than a co-worker who did not "opt" for the extra EBCI fee. I checked in at the airport and was assigned (A-55) while my co-worker who did not pay for EBCI checked in online at T-24 and he was assigned (A-36). Is the computer system not working properly or is EBCI a rip-off?

I like the concept, but the bugs need to be worked out with the computer assigning seats in accordance with the way the program is being marketed. Also, the gate agent must be required to enforce the boarding pass numbering system. If I am going to pay the extra fee for a better number, SWA agents should assure me (by enforcing the rules) that I am getting what I am paying for. Otherwise, SWA is engaging in an illegal deceptive trade practice.

Hopefully the SWA employees monitoring this site will deliver this message load and clear to their supervisors, policymakers and gate agents.