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Re: A-List Prefered Boarding

DancingDavidE
Aviator A

@Chris8550 wrote:

Over the last number of years as an A-List Preferred,  my boarding position has alway been anywhere from A-16 to (worst case) A-25.   Since Dec,  I have cancelled several flights,  after checking in,  due to my boarding position.   Most recently,  I was assigned C-07!  REALLY!  I have also cancelled for A-59,  and A-37..   Cancelled and booked Alaska Airlines,  which I have never flown before this change as I was a loyal SWA fan.     Due to the new policy (and every A-List Preferred member knows SWA made a change...we talk) I have become an Alaska Airlines Mileage Member and already have 4 flights under my belt that would have been SWA.     Really need to rethink how you treat your most frequent flyers....we earn our Companion Passes by flying not just signing up for a credit card!  


Do what you have to do, but its obviously not the intention for you to be getting C positions on flights as an ALP customer. Did you verify that your Rapid Rewards account was correctly entered when you booked the tickets?

 

We did hear on this community about a glitch some time ago about a programming mixup that resulted in ALP not being checked in but as far as we heard it was fixed. 

 

You can always board at A61 as well, although if A-59 and A-37 were so bad that you completely canceled the flight I think it is up to you to track down why the ALP isn't getting registered on your flights...such as Rapid Rewards not entered correctly (your responsibility), booking less than 36 hours prior to the flight (your responsibility), or an ongoing glitch in the programming (SWA's responsibility).

 

 

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

Re: A-List Prefered Boarding

dfwskier
Aviator A

@DancingDavidE wrote:

@Chris8550 wrote:

Over the last number of years as an A-List Preferred,  my boarding position has alway been anywhere from A-16 to (worst case) A-25.   Since Dec,  I have cancelled several flights,  after checking in,  due to my boarding position.   Most recently,  I was assigned C-07!  REALLY!  I have also cancelled for A-59,  and A-37..   Cancelled and booked Alaska Airlines,  which I have never flown before this change as I was a loyal SWA fan.     Due to the new policy (and every A-List Preferred member knows SWA made a change...we talk) I have become an Alaska Airlines Mileage Member and already have 4 flights under my belt that would have been SWA.     Really need to rethink how you treat your most frequent flyers....we earn our Companion Passes by flying not just signing up for a credit card!  


Do what you have to do, but its obviously not the intention for you to be getting C positions on flights as an ALP customer. Did you verify that your Rapid Rewards account was correctly entered when you booked the tickets?

 

We did hear on this community about a glitch some time ago about a programming mixup that resulted in ALP not being checked in but as far as we heard it was fixed. 

 

You can always board at A61 as well, although if A-59 and A-37 were so bad that you completely canceled the flight I think it is up to you to track down why the ALP isn't getting registered on your flights...such as Rapid Rewards not entered correctly (your responsibility), booking less than 36 hours prior to the flight (your responsibility), or an ongoing glitch in the programming (SWA's responsibility).

 

 


Well, I've flown my regular 35 or so flights a year every year since the advent of the new boarding position system (as opposed to the plastic cards that were used),  and I haven't seen any material degradation in boarding positions. A 37 invariably lets anyone get a pretty good window or aisle in the front 1/3 of the aircraft.

 

Only once in all my years flying Southwest did I end up with a C boarding spot. Never did figure out why it happened. I boarded as A61 instead and still ended up with an aisle in a row in front of the exit row.

 

I've tried to find the details of Alaska's companion pass program, but can't seem to find anything. Am I missing something?

Re: A-List Prefered Boarding

Chris8550
Explorer C

Boarding between A16 to A20 allows you to get the exit row seats more often than not.   As someone who travels I am sure you appreaciate being able to stretch out a little.   If you flew only occassionally,  then not a big deal.     The Companion pass comment does not make sense and while a nice perk,  does it really matter when you are earning over 250,000 points a year anyway?  And since SWA is now giving the Companion Pass away with the credit card deal,  it becomes less of a perk for ALP.      

Re: A-List Prefered Boarding

chgoflyer
Aviator A

@Chris8550 wrote:

Boarding between A16 to A20 allows you to get the exit row seats more often than not.   As someone who travels I am sure you appreaciate being able to stretch out a little.   If you flew only occassionally,  then not a big deal.     The Companion pass comment does not make sense and while a nice perk,  does it really matter when you are earning over 250,000 points a year anyway?  And since SWA is now giving the Companion Pass away with the credit card deal,  it becomes less of a perk for ALP.      


 

So anything higher than A20 would be unacceptable to you?

 

If boarding with a low position is your most significant criteria, Southwest offers multiple ways to do so. Buy Business Select fares, or purchase Upgraded Boarding at the gate.

 

Alaska has no Companion Pass status.

 

Companion Pass is not a perk of A-List Preferred.

 

 

 

 

Re: A-List Prefered Boarding

SWDigits
Aviator A

@dfwskier wrote:

I've tried to find the details of Alaska's companion pass program, but can't seem to find anything. Am I missing something?


I didn't see a reply to this in the thread so apologies if I missed it.

 

It's nothing like the Southwest Companion Pass.  Alaska has a "Companion Fare" but it's tied to their credit card and you get one certificate a year with a cost of at least $121 to redeem.


Customer | Home airport DCA

Re: A-List Prefered Boarding

Chris8550
Explorer C

Yes, DancingDavid,   I know my RR Number better than my own phone number as I fly weekly.   I have also checked with several Gate Agents and they confirmed that this is still a major problem as they hear about it often.      As a big fan of SWA in the past,  and weekly traveler (exclusively SWA up until last month)  I really hate to see my favorite team fail this hard and have to go elsewhere.   

 

Most A-List Preferred folks I talk to travel weekly.   Name another Carrier that seems to care little about the complaints of their most frequent customers ...the A-List Preferred,   as evidenced by the numerous threads here.    SWA stumbled hard here and no recovery in sight.   Did someone come up with a cost savings idea by not prioritizing ALP travelers as in the past?   When someone comes to me with a cost saving idea, I don’t immediately jump up and say yes. I ask: what’s the effect on the customer?” – Herb Kelleher

Re: A-List Prefered Boarding

chgoflyer
Aviator A

@Chris8550 wrote:

Yes, DancingDavid,   I know my RR Number better than my own phone number as I fly weekly.   I have also checked with several Gate Agents and they confirmed that this is still a major problem as they hear about it often.      As a big fan of SWA in the past,  and weekly traveler (exclusively SWA up until last month)  I really hate to see my favorite team fail this hard and have to go elsewhere.   

 

Most A-List Preferred folks I talk to travel weekly.   Name another Carrier that seems to care little about the complaints of their most frequent customers ...the A-List Preferred,   as evidenced by the numerous threads here.    SWA stumbled hard here and no recovery in sight.   Did someone come up with a cost savings idea by not prioritizing ALP travelers as in the past?   When someone comes to me with a cost saving idea, I don’t immediately jump up and say yes. I ask: what’s the effect on the customer?” – Herb Kelleher


 

 

There have been no changes to the A-List priority boarding perk.

 

I'm not seeing other complaints about this anywhere, so to my knowledge this is not a major problem.

 

If you're genuinely concerned with getting your individual issue fixed, you should contact Customer Relations and have them check your account and verify what might be happening, and how to correct it.

 

You do realize that those cancelled flights you've moved to Alaska just generated travel funds at Southwest that you have to use before expiration, right?

 

 

 

 

Re: A-List Prefered Boarding

Chris8550
Explorer C

Please,  simply attack the messenger and not the message is how to best resolve a problem?   Why not bury any dissatisfied customer’s comments and just discount the author of the complaint?    Is that how you run your business?   For every one complaining customer there are 10 more silent.   Cannot believe I have wasted my time with what I initally thought was a vehicle to help SWA regain some of their most loyal travelers.   .  

 

Obviously you are not aware of other posts,  and are not talking with other ALP travelers.       Let’s just pretend SWA is doing a great job and there are no problems….do you feel better??   What about other ALP,   how do you feel your loyalty is being returned??

Re: A-List Prefered Boarding

chgoflyer
Aviator A

@Chris8550 wrote:

Please,  simply attack the messenger and not the message is how to best resolve a problem?   Why not bury any dissatisfied customer’s comments and just discount the author of the complaint?    Is that how you run your business?   For every one complaining customer there are 10 more silent.   Cannot believe I have wasted my time with what I initally thought was a vehicle to help SWA regain some of their most loyal travelers.   .  

 

Obviously you are not aware of other posts,  and are not talking with other ALP travelers.       Let’s just pretend SWA is doing a great job and there are no problems….do you feel better??   What about other ALP,   how do you feel your loyalty is being returned??


 

My point, which I think has been clear, is that there is no evidence of a widespread problem.

 

Many posters here are also A-Listers, and as mentioned, they've not experienced anything like you describe. Also, I'll note that back some time ago when there was a systems glitch that affected A-Listers, it became apparent quite quickly -- through places like social media, this forum, and FlyerTalk & other air-travel related websites. Your "message" (that the issue is widespread) is simply not true. 

 

This is not an attack on you, and no one is going to "bury your comments."

 

Unfortunately, it appears that you simply refuse to believe this.

 

I've also given you specific ways to address your individual issue. ("How best to resolve a problem.") Unfortunately, it appears that you simply refuse to try.

 

Lastly, please be aware that this is a customer-to-customer forum. For an official reply you'll need to contact Southwest directly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Re: A-List Prefered Boarding

DancingDavidE
Aviator A

@Chris8550 wrote:

 

Obviously you are not aware of other posts,  and are not talking with other ALP travelers.       Let’s just pretend SWA is doing a great job and there are no problems….do you feel better??   What about other ALP,   how do you feel your loyalty is being returned??


Those other messages are from a year ago, yours is the first recent posting on the subject.

 

What would be helpful though, if you would like to find out the opinion of other ALP flyers would be to start a new thread specific to the boarding position issue, that way they will see a current issue more clearly defined instead of a response to this year-old thread. That would be the best way to find out if others are having the issue.

 

The majority of people on the community are fellow passengers. I'm only here to offer suggestions which are (and maybe you've already done this but you didn't say):

 

  1. Make sure there wasn't a problem with your RR number on the ticket. I know you must fly all of the time to be ALP, but sometimes a browser remembers incorrect data or other reasons may cause you not to be credited with the status that you've earned.
  2. Even frequent flyers have forgetten that they forfeit their status if booked less than 36 hours from departure. If this doesn't apply to that time you got a C-number then cross it off. (You obviously would have booked Alaska less than 24-hours in advance, so this does happen.)
  3. Call Southwest and have them fact find. It is only in their best interest to help you resolve the issue to retain a frequent flyer customer, but it will likely require a phone call. This forum is user-to-user support, we don't have any access to your account, etc.

Not to bother you further, are you sure that you had ALP and not just A-list for 2019 which could explain positions in the high A's? If you did earn it, is it showing correctly on your boarding pass?

 

Edit: you did mention talking to other ALP in person - have them check in on this community to raise the visibility of the issue. 

 

 

 

 

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