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$200 in hidden fees and my family still can’t sit together

sm19058
Explorer A

I paid $160 for my family of four to have early bird and we were assigned boarding groups C 29 through C 32 because according to the agent, we purchased early bird later than others.  Apparently the system knew I was 149th in line when early bird boarding was offered and still took my $160. I’m traveling tomorrow with two minor children that are 12 years old and 14 years old that are going to have to navigate the back of the plane by themselves with a carry-on bag and hope for the best with a middle seat rows apart.  At check-in we were offered A1-A15 for an extra $40; I purchased the seat and then business class was full so my family still can’t sit together.  So for $200 in extra hidden family fees my family still can’t sit together on Southwest Airlines and the thing that frustrates me the most is the system knew we were going to be this far back when it offered “earlybird” for C29  thru C33 as a $160 scam.

36 REPLIES 36

Re: $200 in hidden fees and my family still can’t sit together

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

You bought upgraded boarding and couldn't sit together? That combined with calling it business class and I'll call BS on this post. Nice try 

 

--TheMiddleSeat

Re: $200 in hidden fees and my family still can’t sit together

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

If this is actually a real post or for others who may have similar concerns you're welcome to submit your comments directly to Southwest, use the contact us link at the bottom of this page and send a message. 

 

--TheMiddleSeat

Re: $200 in hidden fees and my family still can’t sit together

sm19058
Explorer A

Thanks, this is where they told me to post it but I may have picked the wrong spot.

Re: $200 in hidden fees and my family still can’t sit together

sm19058
Explorer A

We’ll see, the flight is tomorrow and we’re in the last boarding group with “early bird”.

 

 

Re: $200 in hidden fees and my family still can’t sit together

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

Still skeptical about this entire post, but I'll play along. How long ago did you purchase EarlyBird? Is EarlyBird shown on the boarding pass?

 

--TheMiddleSeat

Re: $200 in hidden fees and my family still can’t sit together

sm19058
Explorer A

Bought tickets in September and didn’t buy earlybird until late February.  Flight home is tomorrow.

 

it is what it is apparently, but they would not refund the early bird fees since the system still did its job giving us the last boarding group based on purchase order.

 

it would be helpful if they told you how many earlybird purchasers and A listers have already purchased before offering it to you.  If it told me I would likely be in the C boarding group I would not have bought early bird.  It’s just compounded with minor children too old for family boarding.

Re: $200 in hidden fees and my family still can’t sit together

dfwskier
Aviator A

Sorry to hear of your issue.

 

You think the system "knew" you were going to be high Cs?  Of course not. It's a dumb computer program that offers early bird to EVERYBODY.

 

The agent was correct. EB spots are handed out in the order purchased. Early purchasers get better spots than late purchasers. That's just the way it is.

.

Re: $200 in hidden fees and my family still can’t sit together

sm19058
Explorer A

yup, that’s what the agent said.  The EB program did its job and that’s why they wouldn’t refund the extra fees.

 

I just did not expect to be in the last C boarding group with an extra $80 charge.

Re: $200 in hidden fees and my family still can’t sit together

DancingDavidE
Aviator A

@sm19058 wrote:

I paid $160 for my family of four to have early bird and we were assigned boarding groups C 29 through C 32 because according to the agent, we purchased early bird later than others.  Apparently the system knew I was 149th in line when early bird boarding was offered and still took my $160. I’m traveling tomorrow with two minor children that are 12 years old and 14 years old that are going to have to navigate the back of the plane by themselves with a carry-on bag and hope for the best with a middle seat rows apart.  At check-in we were offered A1-A15 for an extra $40; I purchased the seat and then business class was full so my family still can’t sit together.  So for $200 in extra hidden family fees my family still can’t sit together on Southwest Airlines and the thing that frustrates me the most is the system knew we were going to be this far back when it offered “earlybird” for C29  thru C33 as a $160 scam.


If you are saying that there should be a limit to the EBCI sales then I would agree with you.

 

I'm also curious if the sale actually went through, as if you might have purchased EBCI too late in the process to use it. Check your boarding pass and see if it shows "Early Bird" or "EBCI" on it. 

 

C29 is pretty dismal for EBCI, this flight must be packed full of A-list people or something...busy spring break route or something is a little odd since about the worst we have heard on here is around C1...or the EBCI was never applied and you didn't check in thinking you had it, and now you are last to board.

 

Hopefully you are flying a Max or -800 and there are 175 seats on those planes so even at C30 you'll be at position 150 out of 175.

 

However on a 737-700 you'll actually be the last four people on the plane so that doesn't sound like EBCI was actually paid for at all, I find it highly unlikely that every single other person bought EBCI.

 

So I think the most likely scenario here is that it never went through unless you are on a Max or -800 then maybe.

 

However if you did buy one of the upgraded boarding positions then you would not have much trouble to get onboard and hold the two seats next to you for your kids. Your spouse will have to fend for themselves, it will be much more difficult to hold a seat outside of your three-seat row.

 

Let us know what your boarding pass says about EBCI or Early Bird on it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Home airport MDW, frequent visitor to MCO to see the mouse.