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A pass

jimmoh
Explorer C

You advertise Transfarency but play games with your boarding passes. My wife checked in EXACTLY 24 hours before her flight and did not pay extra. She did NOT get an A pass. They offered to upgrade her to an A pass at the gate for $40. She's pretty mad about this and ,because of your dishonesty, may have lost a long time loyay customer. Social networking will cost you on this.

10 REPLIES 10

Re: A pass

franktravel
Aviator B
Solution

How do I get an "A" boarding pass?

 

Available boarding positions will be distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis upon check in. The earlier you check in, beginning 24 hours before your departure, the lower your boarding group and position will be.

 

You may also purchase the Business Select® Fare to guarantee receipt of an A1 - A15 boarding pass. Alternately, if you are a Rapid Rewards A-List Preferred or A-List Member or purchase EarlyBird Check-In®, we'll automatically reserve your boarding position before general checkin begins. While this doesn't guarantee an "A" boarding position, it does ensure that you will receive the earliest position available. Don't forget that you must still retrieve a boarding pass and be present in the gate area at least ten minutes prior to departure.

 

Upgraded Boarding is an opportunity to secure an earlier boarding position in the A1 - A15 boarding group when available. Customers will have the option to purchase at the ticket counter or gate for $30 or $40 per segment depending on Customer's itinerary. Upgraded Boarding secures you a position in the A1 - A15 group, but does not offer any of the other benefits associated with a Business Select Fare. A-List and A-List Preferred Members will continue to receive Priority Boarding as a benefit, and all Customers will continue having the opportunity to purchase EarlyBird Check-In when booking their travel. However, Customers can now also improve their boarding position at the gate on the day of travel with Upgraded Boarding when available.

 

Re: A pass

t3337
Explorer C

I am am A-List member thru a promotion. I will take my 3rd round qualifying  trip flight next week to obtain A-list status thru December 2017 per the promotion. I have flown Business Select while an A-Lister and did not receive a boarding pass position of A1-A15 as mentioned in the explanation. In fact one time it was B26.

 

I am totally confused.  Do I or do I not have to call 24 hours ahead for a decent boarding pass position on Business Select fare?  

Do I or do I not have to call 24 hours ahead on a different fare such as Wanna Get Away as an A-Lister?

 

I' m not sure I am seeing the benefits of A-List. 

My next trip is booked for Business Select and I was not able to purchase Early Bird so do I still need to call ahead for a boarding pass?

Re: A pass

chgoflyer
Aviator A

There are multiple A-List challenge promotions offered. Does yours give you A-List now, and extend it if you qualify, or does it give you A-List only once you qualify?

 

If you flew Business Select and did not receive an A1-15 position there was some error (infamous Southwest "glitch") and you were due an adjustment or other compensation.

 

You cannot add EarlyBird Check-In to a BS fare, since BS guarantees an A1-15 position (prior to EBCI ones).

 

A-List positions are automatically assigned beginning 36 hours prior to departure. If an A-Lister receives a position in the B or C group (happens when a flight change is made less than 36 hours before departure) they can board after the A group.

 

Business Select fares guarantee an A1-15 boarding position. positions are assigned in order of check in, beginning 24 hours prior to departure. Whoever checks in first gets A1.

 

A-Listers who purchase BS fares are (bizarrely) not automatically checked in as they would be with any other fare.

Re: A pass

t3337
Explorer C

Still confused.

 I was awarded A-List until April 30th.  If I fly 3 round trips by April 30th my A-List status will continue until December 31st. My 3rd round trip will be this next Thursday and it's a BS.  So do I need to check in 24 hours ahead or will I automatically be checked in?   BS fare I chose did not allow purchase of Early Bird.  So if you can't purchase EB on Business Select, you have to call in 24 hours ahead?

Re: A pass

chgoflyer
Aviator A

A-Listers are checked in automatically 36 hours prior to departure, and given positions beginning at A16. UNLESS you have purchased a BS fare. BS fares are not checked in automatically, but are guaranteed an A1-15 position. Those positions are assigned in the order of check in, beginning 24 hours before departure. Don't call, just use the website or app to check in.

Re: A pass

t3337
Explorer C

Seems weird. If you are A-List AND spend the money for BS, why wouldn't Southwest give you automatic check-in?  

if you are A-List and purchase a cheaper fair, you automatically get checked in?  Just doesn't sound right. 

Business Select has perks but not all of them.  

A-list has perks but not all of them. Way too complicated to remember all the different scenarios - especially for a busy traveler!  

Can't purchase EB every time to help eliminate the hassle.  

Just bite the bullet and have to remember to check in on every flight every time 24 hours ahead of time so as to not have to remember all the different situations and rules!!

Re: A pass

chgoflyer
Aviator A

Yes, not always automatically checking in A-Listers is weird. And it doesn't sound right. But that's how Southwest does it. 😉

 

If you have A-List, you don't have to worry about checking in. You are checked in automatically, and receive a position beginning with A16.

 

Unless... if you've purchased Business Select, you have to check in manually. But, the worst position you can receive, even if you forget to check in until you get to the airport, is A15. Which is better that the best position an A-Lister can receive being automatically checked in on any other fare.

 

Early Bird is a duplicate of the services offered by A-List (auto check in) and is unnecessary with BS.

 

It seems like you're new to Southwest? They do everything very differently than the legacy carriers. Once you fly them a while you'll get the hang of it. 😉

 

 

Re: A pass

t3337
Explorer C

Not new at all. I have been a rapid rewards member since 1997. Always flying the absolute lowest fare possible and checking in 24 hours in advance or purchasing Early Bird. 

New to A-List and Business Select. 

And just to be clear..... I have flown BS on more than one ocassion thinking I would be automatically be checked in only to find out once I got my boarding pass at self-check, that I received a B pass.  So in light of this, it all seems a bit confusing as the rules do not apply all the time.  I have talked to passengers before who have experienced the same and were trying to figure the whole thing out.  To make matters more confusing - On a recent flight, three of us were on a flight that had one stop but no plane change.   We were issued two boarding passes at the beginning of the flight, for the same flight.  When the plane made the first stop we were told to get off then get back in line and reboard the same plane. All 3 of us were A-List and flying BS and received higher than A15 boarding passes on the second leg.  All three had booked ahead of time with no last minute changes.  One gentleman said this was the second time this had happened to him - with no real explanation. 

Re: A pass

chgoflyer
Aviator A

Business Select guarantees an A1-15 position. If you didn't receive that, then you should contact Customer Relations.

 

The situation you've just described sometimes occurs when Southwest makes an operational change to a direct flight that becomes a connecting one. Again, if you purchased BS and didn't receive an A1-15 position (as well as purchasing a direct flight and receiving a connecting one) then you didn't get what you purchased. Customer Relations should be able to offer you compensation in these cases.

 

Hope this helps.