Early Bird Check-In and Got C44 - what's your highest? Zin

[DancingDavidE]

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@floridaguy wrote:

I believe that the point made by many in this forum is that the EBCI did not serve a purpose.  The fact that they come to the airport and present bags essentially checks them in anyway.  So, to provide an "early" version, with an associated fee, there is a reasonable expectation that for that fee, there is associated value.

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If there is an involuntary denied boarding one of the options is to bump the last person to check-in. EBCI would make it so that you weren't the last person to check in.

[TobyLibby]

One can check in at the airport so EB is really not needed.

[dfwskier]

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@TobyLibby wrote:

One can check in at the airport so EB is really not needed.

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True, if you don't care what kind of boarding position you get.

Unless you happen to be  A_list or have purchased Early bird, the longer you wait to check in

the worse your boarding position will be. Waiting to check in until minutes before your flight pretty well guarantees that you'll end up with a high C boarding position.

[mikearmand]

The only intent of my initial post, really, was to raise awareness that "better" can also mean C47.  (Probably not what the average consumer pictures after reading the FAQ, even if understanding nothing is guaranteed.)  And in a possible (though perhaps unlikely) scenario, you can still be the last to board.

Appreciate all the various comments and robust discussion!

[DancingDavidE]

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@TobyLibby wrote:

The only logical reason to purchase EB seating is to avoid a poor boarding position.  Besides a poor selection of remaining seats, overhead bin space is hard to find as well. 

My daughter had a similar experience.  She went the the gate agent to complain and he said "off the record" that SW continues to sell EB checkin knowing all the early boarding positions (after Business select or upgraded boarding 1-15) are already sold.  He believed at some point they should be considered sold out.  We were on the same flight.  My wife and I purchased Anytime seats and received positions A56 and B3.  We purchased these seats 4 hours after the booking window for this flight opened.  

The mad dash for checkin 24 hours before flight has now been replaced by the mad dash to book the flight the second the booking window opens!

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The trick here is that it's still valuable to be checked in automatically for some people so they wouldn't want to cut it off for those people. Especially international flights where people may not have cell service or computer access at all. 

[cheyenneallgood]

Hey there! I just wanted to jump in here and remind our users of our Community User Guidelines which states, "We want you, and all Members, to feel comfortable sharing thoughts and ideas." In addition, we ask that everyone follow the Golden Rule and treat other Community Members the way you would like to be treated, regardless of differing opinions. 

Thanks! 

Cheyenne