Some regular Southwest Airlines passengers love the company’s unique boarding process.
Many appreciate that this is a democratic process that rewards frequent travelers while allowing people who need to board early to pay for the privilege.
The airline does not assign seats. Instead, it issues a group and boarding number to each passenger 24 hours before the flight. Some passengers, including premium members of the Rapid Rewards loyalty program, are automatically checked in before manual check-in begins.
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Additionally, on most flights the airline sells Early Bird Check-in, which allows customers to pay for early check-in.
Southwest Airlines (LUV) – Get a free report Passengers can also pay to move up to the top check-in positions. This is effective if the airline did not sell 15 Business Select seats, which have preemptive rights in those positions.
If you do not have status or pay for any type of early check-in or designated seating location, you must manually check-in 24 hours before your flight. No matter how you check in, when you check in (whether automatic or manual), Southwest will give you a boarding group letter (A, B, or C) and a number (1-60).
Southwest boards its planes first with group A, starting with number 1. Once you board the plane, the airline offers open seating.
That’s where the controversy begins.
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Image source: Patricio T. Fallón / AFP
Southwest has a seating problem
When you board a Southwest plane you can, in theory, take any free seat. The problem is that many people who board try to keep the middle seats empty or even save entire rows.
In many cases, efforts to protect the middle seat are subtle. People can place a bag or other items on the seat to make it appear occupied or to encourage passengers to continue looking.
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Normally, if someone asks for the seat, the passenger will move their things and allow the other person to sit. In other cases, people who have an early boarding position will reserve seats not just for a single travel companion, but sometimes for many of them.
Surprisingly, airline policies do not prohibit this latest effort.
The airline shared its policy in a recent X (formerly Twitter) post:
We apologize for any disappointment during today’s boarding process. All Southwest flights have open seating and we do not have a specific policy for or against saving seats. Still, we apologize for any frustration and hope for smoother sailing in the future. -Jhericca
– Southwest Airlines (@SouthwestAir) September 21, 2023
Southwest also does not apply its own rules uniformly. In some cases, airline stewards prevent people from reserving more than one or two seats, while in others they allow passengers to take any free seat.
“There is no rule about saving seats. Southwest doesn’t say it’s okay, but it doesn’t say it’s not okay. One person with a group “A” boarding pass and Noah’s Ark filled with two of each type of passenger with “C boarding pass may end up with aisle seating or seating together at the front of the plane,” View From the Wing’s Gary Leff aware.
Southwest Airlines has other seat problems
Southwest Airlines also allows passengers who need assistance boarding to request boarding before other passengers. Boarding passengers often legitimately need assistance, as many of them are in wheelchairs or use walkers.
Some people, however, take advantage of this policy, which has led to the creation of the term “Miracle of the Southwest.” This is when someone needs help boarding but has no problem getting off on their own.
Passengers in advance of boarding can occupy any seat on the plane except the exit rows. It is a phenomenon that is commonly posted about on social media.
Pre-boarding scam on @SouthwestAir 20 passengers board in wheelchairs and probably only 3 need one to disembark.
– Paul (@trendready) June 24, 2023
Southwest, and any airline, generally won’t challenge anyone who requests preboarding.
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