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Southwest Airlines now available on Google Flights

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Re: Southwest Airlines now available on Google Flights

#111

Post by secabeen »

robotcapital wrote: post #78
hnburnsy wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Families with young children board together 1/3 of the way through the boarding process on Southwest. They will be seated together.

Though that does presume being ready to board at precisely that moment while traveling with small children. In my experience I can expect that to happen about half the time.

If you are clearly a family, and miss family boarding, I believe they'll let you board whenever you're ready. As long as you get on sometime in the "B" group, you should find an empty row or two at the back of the plane.

Re: Southwest Airlines now available on Google Flights

#112

Post by paulddraper »

CSSer wrote: post #27

This is going to sound like an ad, but I exclusively fly SW domestically. As noted, they used to look like a worse value but only because of the way competition handled fees. Couple this with the standard rewards program and I think SW is a steal. Did you know that SW is also the only domestic airline to have never filed bankruptcy? I’m glad to see the rest of the world being forced to compete more honestly. I’m sad…

Southwest has ZERO flight change fee.

That in itself is why I prefer it.

Tentative plans? Don't worry, book anyway. Plans change? Don't worry, just rebook. Life is good here.

(Unless I am flying with my family. Then I have to fight for seats during an already stressful time.)

Re: Southwest Airlines now available on Google Flights

#114

Post by Lendal »

secabeen wrote: post #110
ryandrake wrote: post #109

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How do they enforce that people who checked in earlier get to board earlier? Almost every other airline has "groups" where in theory, Group 1 boards while everyone else waits, then Group 1&2 are invited, and so on. But in reality, everyone just dogpiles the gate when Group 1 starts, regardless of their group, and nobody actually checks the group number or enforces anything.

They create a single-file queue, with what is supposed to be a strict linear sorting. Instead of a group, you get a boarding number from A1 through C60. There's some flexibility in this, generally most people don't mind #44 going before #40, but you won't be able to line up or board after person #11 if your boarding card says #56. The gate agent will make you go to your correct place in line. Since it's a single-aisl…

Yes, and they also have these pylons next to the gate, with numbers on them that are for forming the line. During boarding, everyone stands next to the pylon with their number on it and thus the line is formed. Southwest gates are unusual in this way. No other airline has these pylons at their gates.

I remember one gate agent who was unusually vocal about everyone obeying the rules. It was pretty funny actually.

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