South West Airlines

I just booked a South West Airlines flight and noticed I did not get any
seat numbers info. Someone told me South West Airlines has open seating -
you sit anywhere you want. Is this true?

Also, a friend flew on South West once and said that some of the seats
face each other. Instead of looking at the back of someone's head you are
looking at that persons face. True?

Thanks!

I haven't seen facing seats for a while.

They assign folks into groups of 30 and the groups load together. It
tends to speed up the loading and they want to save time.

Von Fourche wrote:

> I just booked a South West Airlines flight and noticed I did not get any
> seat numbers info. Someone told me South West Airlines has open seating -
> you sit anywhere you want. Is this true?
>
> Also, a friend flew on South West once and said that some of the seats
> face each other. Instead of looking at the back of someone's head you are
> looking at that persons face. True?
>
> Thanks!
>
>

In article <_17Ue.8032$Wd7.7925@newsread1.news.pas.earthlink. net>,
"Von Fourche" <monaco6178@m> wrote:

> I just booked a South West Airlines flight and noticed I did not get any
> seat numbers info. Someone told me South West Airlines has open seating -
> you sit anywhere you want. Is this true?

Yes. Just read the details on the Southwest Airlines web site.

> Also, a friend flew on South West once and said that some of the seats
> face each other. Instead of looking at the back of someone's head you are
> looking at that persons face. True?

Not sure, but I would be surprised if you couldn't find that info on the
airline's web site or simply by asking the same agent with whom you
booked your tickets.

"Shawn Hirn" <srhi@> wrote in message
news:srhi-664872.06382710092005@news.giganews.com...
> In article <_17Ue.8032$Wd7.7925@newsread1.news.pas.earthlink. net>,
> "Von Fourche" <monaco6178@m> wrote:

>> Also, a friend flew on South West once and said that some of the
>> seats
>> face each other. Instead of looking at the back of someone's head you
>> are
>> looking at that persons face. True?
>
> Not sure, but I would be surprised if you couldn't find that info on the
> airline's web site or simply by asking the same agent with whom you
> booked your tickets.

I haven't seen those seats in about a year now. I think they were all
eliminated.

I flew on Southwest one time about two years ago from Austin to Houston
Hobby airport. We drove to the airport in a severe thunderstorm, so of
course the traffic was moving quite slowly. I was not too worried,
because I thought the flights would all be delayed due to the weather.
Since my flight was booked one-way and paid for by someone else I got
the full security screening and much to my surprise I was advised that
the flight would leave on time. I rushed to the gate and was told to
hurry as they were about to close the door. I ran down the jetway and
onto the plane managing to grab one of the rear facing seats in the
front row. We took off and the FA's were able to serve us drinks when
the Capt. announced that everyone should stay seated due to rough air
ahead. The FA's were able to collect all of the drinks, but when she
went to grab my cup and can of beer we hit a pocket of air which sent
her flying into the jump seat without my drink. Since I was facing to
the rear I was able to keep my arms extended away from my body and with
allot of effort I was able to drink the whole thing. In the seat next to
me was an 8
year old girl on her way back home from Disneyland with her father.
Well she must have thought she was still on one of the roller coasters
as the 737-200 rock and rolled through the sky. We had a blast both of
us laughing and screaming watching the faces of the people behind us.
Most did not look to happy as the water from the forward lav started to
come out from under the door and down the aisle of the plane, As we got
off the plane in Houston I asked the FA's if that was the worst
turbulent flight they had ever been on and they all said it was in the
top 3.

Brian wrote:
> On Sat, 10 Sep 2005 20:19:15 -0700, zingzang <noname@noplace.com>
> wrote:
>
>
> >There are indeed 3 groups, priority A, B and C.

Actually, there are 4 groups. A,B,C and "preboard". Ya
have to qualify for preboarding, but here in mouse land
there seem to be alot of folks that qualify.

> >
> >Anyone who has bought their ticket online gets "checked in" early, and
> >is in group A. Or B. Or maybe C, depending on when they bought their
> >ticket.
> >
> >You just show up early at the airport, and you are behind everyone who
> >bought their ticket online. It seems that's most folks.
> >
> >So, if you haven't bought your ticket electronically, you're hosed, no
> >matter how early you get to the airport.
>
> That's just wrong and misleading. It doesn't matter where you bought a
> ticket as long as it's an e-ticket. And it doesn't matter when you
> bought it. What matters is how long after 12:01 AM that you checked in
> in some way.

Yup.

>
> If you bought your ticket on the internet (or in any manner) and show
> up at the airport shortly before your flight without checking in
> online, that's when you've got problems.

Even if it's not shortly before, you run the "risk" of getting
a C. I bought a ticket about 2 hours prior to departure (well
my travel agent did, on line/e-ticket, I was at the airport) and
I checked in immeditately. I got the C card. I was flying solo
so it was only so much of a deal, I managed to get an aisle seat
anyway.

I strongly suspect that WN could improve their image greatly
if they had some form of assigned seating. It is the #1
complaint I hear about them. Personally, I could do without
the juvinile humor too, but that's just a matter of taste.
But I suspect they won't ever change the former because it
creates the impression that somehow the customer is saving
money by standing in line so much.

Clark W. Griswold, Jr. wrote:
> "oconnell@slr.orl.lmco.com" <oconnell@slr.orl.lmco.com> wrote:
>
> > I strongly suspect that WN could improve their image greatly
> >if they had some form of assigned seating. It is the #1
> >complaint I hear about them. Personally, I could do without
> >the juvinile humor too, but that's just a matter of taste.
> >But I suspect they won't ever change the former because it
> >creates the impression that somehow the customer is saving
> >money by standing in line so much.
>
> No - I think it was in Herb's book "Peanuts" where he said the initial reason
> reason for unassigned seating was the cost of implementing a seat reservation
> system and then to get people to the gate and ready to board. SWA had to upgrade
> the reservation system for security reasons, but they still do everything they
> can to keep their aircraft flying and minimize ground time. By not assigning
> seats, they instill a sense of urgency in their passengers, which helps them get
> the planes back in the air without delay.

SWA has had to upgrade just to compete. Their lines are already
some
of the longest, throughout the system, and they want to reduce the
amount
of personell just as much as anyone. That said though, "instilling a
sense of urgency" I suspect will remain the #1 reason for open seating.
It gets folks all lined up well before they need to be, and gives some
an incentive for arriving at the airport early. The few flights I've
been on with them always has die hards, mostly in the A line, sitting
in line an hour or more before departure. But I don't notice much
improvement in boarding speed. What I notice is that they don't have
many connecting passengers so they rarely are holding the door open
for those last few arriving passengers from connecting flights. I was
on a "completely full" flight in which every single passenger was in
the
boarding area prior to the door opening. You'll never get that on
Delta.

In article <1126527926.848337.41790@f14g2000cwb.. com>,
<"oconnell@slr.orl.lmco.com"> wrote:

> I strongly suspect that WN could improve their image greatly
> if they had some form of assigned seating. It is the #1
> complaint I hear about them.

Of course, why do people typically go to Southwest? For a consistently
low fare. One of the *biggest* ways of keeping fares low is by not
leaving a $55 Million airplane sitting on the ground, not making money,
any longer than necessary. Assigned seating removes that "sense of
urgency" about getting boarded that others have mentioned.

Southwest can turn a plane in 20 minutes that would take other carriers
45. That extra 20 minutes, perhaps 6 or 7 times a day, is enough time
to fly an extra segment, and get another 137 passengers' worth of
revenue out of the same airplane. That's a HUGE cost advantage, and is
one of the many reasons they can offer consistently lower prices than
their competitors.

beavis wrote:
> In article <1126527926.848337.41790@f14g2000cwb.. com>,
> <"oconnell@slr.orl.lmco.com"> wrote:
>
> > I strongly suspect that WN could improve their image greatly
> > if they had some form of assigned seating. It is the #1
> > complaint I hear about them.
>
> Of course, why do people typically go to Southwest? For a consistently
> low fare.

Under certain conditions. Predominately last minute kinda
fare thing.

> One of the *biggest* ways of keeping fares low is by not
> leaving a $55 Million airplane sitting on the ground, not making money,
> any longer than necessary. Assigned seating removes that "sense of
> urgency" about getting boarded that others have mentioned.

Not really. It gets the first guy on, but the guy with the C
card already knows he's tail end charlie. However, since their
model is mostly point to point, they don't have much issues
with connecting flights.

>
> Southwest can turn a plane in 20 minutes that would take other carriers
> 45. That extra 20 minutes, perhaps 6 or 7 times a day, is enough time
> to fly an extra segment, and get another 137 passengers' worth of
> revenue out of the same airplane. That's a HUGE cost advantage, and is
> one of the many reasons they can offer consistently lower prices than
> their competitors.

But they can't. Their competitors under cut them all the time.
However, they don't intend to compete directly on price. They
have a different model that works quite well. They do alot of
point to point and avoid airports that interfere with their
schedules. They also avoid connections which cuts down on
connection based delays. They aren't even #1 on arrival
or on baggage delays. But above all, they create the
impression in their customers that makes them FEEL like
they are getting a good deal. It involves festival seating,
and minimalism on about every level. They want people
thinking they are the "greyhound of the skies".

In article <1126659999.159459.58960@z14g2000cwz.. com>,
<"oconnell@slr.orl.lmco.com"> wrote:


€
€ >
€ > Southwest can turn a plane in 20 minutes that would take other carriers
€ > 45. That extra 20 minutes, perhaps 6 or 7 times a day, is enough time
€ > to fly an extra segment, and get another 137 passengers' worth of
€ > revenue out of the same airplane. That's a HUGE cost advantage, and is
€ > one of the many reasons they can offer consistently lower prices than
€ > their competitors.
€
€ But they can't. Their competitors under cut them all the time.
€ However, they don't intend to compete directly on price. They
€ have a different model that works quite well. They do alot of
€ point to point and avoid airports that interfere with their
€ schedules. They also avoid connections which cuts down on
€ connection based delays. They aren't even #1 on arrival
€ or on baggage delays. But above all, they create the
€ impression in their customers that makes them FEEL like
€ they are getting a good deal. It involves festival seating,
€ and minimalism on about every level. They want people
€ thinking they are the "greyhound of the skies".
€

Well put. I think of them as a bus service that happens to use vehicles
with wings instead of tires.

And that isn't necessarily a bad thing. A bus is an easy way to get
where you need to go. It isn't fancy, it isn't necessarily super cheap,
but they go from point to point and they go often. For short hops, I
don't care about "the experience." I just want to get where I need to
go, and I really like that if I miss this bus, there's another one an
hour or two behind it (except for the last one of the day, of course
:-). If you accept Southwest for what it is, it's a good way to get
around.