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Southwest Airlines to stop overbooking flights

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XiaNaphryz

LATIN, MATRIPEDICABUS, DO YOU SPEAK IT
Next time, make sure to check in exactly 24 hours before the flight.

This doesn't necessarily guarantee getting an A depending on the flight, I've checked-in right when the website allowed me to and have a few times ended up with an early B.
 
This doesn't necessarily guarantee getting an A depending on the flight, I've checked-in right when the website allowed me to and have a few times ended up with an early B.

A tends to go to those who paid for early check in these days, so checking in 24 hours early usually nets late A or early B.
 

Kuro Madoushi

Unconfirmed Member
I travel all.the.time for work, and after the first year of trying different airlines, I determined SW is the best option for regular fliers. Been trying to fly them exclusively for about four years now.

-Two bags on the flight - no charge
-Two checked bags - no charge
-No black-out dates for points
-Guaranteed first-choice seating (A List) after, like, 8 flights
-Points accumulate quickly and can be used affordably

... plus, the greatest airline perk there is - the Companion Pass: I haven't bought a second ticket for my wife in a couple years now... if I buy a ticket (often with points), I get her ticket free.
- No getting dragged out of your paid seat and knocked bloody

I also don't know why United had an influence on this. The flight was NOT overbooked... -_-
 
Lol this is extra hilarious after hearing the CEO of United on NPR this morning give a slimy snake answer to, "Why don't you just stop overbooking?"
 
B seats aren't bad. There's still overhead space at that point, and decent seats. It's the C folks that I feel sorry for. They usually end up either next to the bathroom or a middle seat.
 
D

Deleted member 20415

Unconfirmed Member
I don't hate Southwest... but I hate the cattle call, and the standing up in line HOURS before the flight actually takes off.

I wonder if this will pan out in the long run.... wonder if you'll see airlines follow, and if it doesn't work, quietly start doing it again.

Going to be interesting to watch.
 
And no ability whatsoever to pick out a seat in advance.

I don't want to have to rush to stand in line just to guarantee a decent set of seats.
Huh? This isn't necessary. The A group simply boards first. You'd have the pick of basically whatever seat you want. Even into B group there usually are ok options. Low B and C+, you're fucked, though.
 
So people who no-show a flight don't have to pay for the seat they reserved and presumably already paid for?

Or does over booking let airlines charge twice for the same seat?
 

Sotha_Sil

Member
I would definitely get a SW card if they flew to my airport. I'm stuck with American. At least I'll be getting some free flights to S. Korea or Japan soon with them.
 
I don't hate Southwest... but I hate the cattle call, and the standing up in line HOURS before the flight actually takes off.

To be fair, I just flew United a few weeks ago, and their herding was much worse than SW. Probably because everyone wants to make sure they still have bin space. At least SW gives you an order you're supposed to line up in when your boarding group is called.
 

muu

Member
I travel all.the.time for work, and after the first year of trying different airlines, I determined SW is the best option for regular fliers. Been trying to fly them exclusively for about four years now.

-Two bags on the flight - no charge
-Two checked bags - no charge
-No black-out dates for points
-Guaranteed first-choice seating (A List) after, like, 8 flights
-Points accumulate quickly and can be used affordably

... plus, the greatest airline perk there is - the Companion Pass: I haven't bought a second ticket for my wife in a couple years now... if I buy a ticket (often with points), I get her ticket free.

Family boarding being A list equivalent is also nice. My only concern would be what we do after my daughter turns 7. That's when we'll be above current cutoff for family boarding, and I absolutely would not want to be forced into a situation where one of us isn't sitting next to her.
 
Overbooking wasn't and still isn't the problem. It's that airlines weren't willing to offer enough incentives to get people voluntarily off the plane.
 
Last time I flew Southwest it was a complete circus. In Punta Cana you don't board their planes at the terminal, they line you up according to the A, B, C deal and then you get on a bus in that order. You then exit that bus and its a free for all when getting on the actual plane. So as you can guess, people in zone C who were sitting at the front of the bus ended up being the first to exit and actually board the plane. This caused some people who actually paid for A status to get extremely upset and berate the flight attendants.

As this seems like something that's easily repeatable I asked an attendant how often that happened and she said every flight. They just know they will have angry passengers every time they depart from that airport.
 
I don't hate Southwest... but I hate the cattle call, and the standing up in line HOURS before the flight actually takes off.
And no ability whatsoever to pick out a seat in advance.

I don't want to have to rush to stand in line just to guarantee a decent set of seats.
You don't wait hours in line, and you don't have to rush to stand in line. when was the last time you flew southwest? You get assigned a specific spot in line when you check in. You can sit at the gate until that group is boarding and then just get in your spot in line.
 
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