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Re: My companion got hosed on boarding

floridaguy
Aviator C

When my fiancé and I travel together, our boarding positions are sequential.  We have always been together on flights as when I check in, we both get checked in.

 

When I preboard, she accompanies me as a companion.

Re: My companion got hosed on boarding

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

@floridaguy so? As stated earlier there are multiple reasons for that to occur. Your post does not help the OP determine if they should be receiving sequential boarding.

 

--TheMiddleSeat

Re: My companion got hosed on boarding

floridaguy
Aviator C

You are not the moderator of this discussion.  The OP can decide for themselves from the information that is shared in this forum.

Re: My companion got hosed on boarding

jazzpilot56
Adventurer B

However, TheMiddleSeat guy is right. There are a myriad of scenarios in play given the lack of information and clarity by the poster. Companion keeps getting mentioned. By companion does the poster mean a person flying with them, or their companion traveling on a companion pass. HUGE difference. And is either of the travelers A-List or A-List Preferred, again HUGE difference if not.

 

Companion (but not on a Companion Pass):

- Non-A-List: Purchasing separate two tickets (different confirmation numbers) has no bearing on seating. Check-in time is what determines seating order. If one traveler checks in 24 hours in advance and gets, say A43, the other person doesn't automatically get A44. They need to check-in separately, and if that doesn't happen until arriving at the airport they may get C9. Now, I'm not sure how this works under one confirmation number, as I've never booked that way, someone else may be able to clarify this. Though, the poster doesn't clarify if this was one or two confirmation numbers.

- A-List (and preferred): The A-List traveler is automatically assigned a boarding position 36 hours in advance. However, the person traveling on a different confirmation number must check-in separately 24 hours in advance and will be somewhat further lower in the boarding order (because all the A-List, say 20 or 30 travelers) have already been assigned higher positions. Again, I'm not sure how this works under one confirmation number.

 

Booked on a Companion Pass:

- A-List, but Business Select ticket (I'm only specifying this as I can't see someone getting a Companion Pass without also being at least A-List): The A-List traveler is automatically assigned a boarding position 36 hours in advance, and the traveler on a Companion Pass is assigned consecutive seats.

- A-List on a Business Select ticket: The A-List traveler is automatically assigned an A1 to A15 boarding position 36 hours in advance. However, and this is important, the Companion Pass traveler must check-in separately or purchase upgraded seating. My personal opinion is that this is a glitch, as the Companion Pass traveler should automatically be assigned a boarding position 36 hours in advance to at least be reasonably close to the Business Select boarding position. If I'm traveling Business Select (which I always do if I'm buying a ticket), then I also purchase Early-Bird for my companion to eliminate this issue.

 

I hope this helps clarify things. As a side note, sure, you can fly one of the other Majors for more (perhaps much more) money than SWA and get assigned seats together at ticket purchase. That's what's great about free enterprise!

 

 

 


- Will (where there's a will there's a way)

Re: My companion got hosed on boarding

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

@jazzpilot56 wrote:

Now, I'm not sure how this works under one confirmation number, as I've never booked that way, someone else may be able to clarify this. 


Two people on the same reservation, neither A-List and not on Companion Pass, are both checked in at the same time during the check-in process. They should get sequential boarding positions or at least very close together.

 

 


@jazzpilot56 wrote:

- A-List on a Business Select ticket: The A-List traveler is automatically assigned an A1 to A15 boarding position 36 hours in advance. However, and this is important, the Companion Pass traveler must check-in separately or purchase upgraded seating. My personal opinion is that this is a glitch, as the Companion Pass traveler should automatically be assigned a boarding position 36 hours in advance to at least be reasonably close to the Business Select boarding position. If I'm traveling Business Select (which I always do if I'm buying a ticket), then I also purchase Early-Bird for my companion to eliminate this issue.

 


Agree, it seems like Southwest could address this situation better and provide some sort of automatic check-in for the companion of a BS ticketed passenger. Buying EarlyBird is a good way to handle it, but seems unfair to add additional costs in this situation where the most expensive ticket is being purchased. 

 


@jazzpilot56 wrote:

Booked on a Companion Pass:

- A-List, but Business Select ticket (I'm only specifying this as I can't see someone getting a Companion Pass without also being at least A-List): 

 


I think you would be surprised at the number of people who have Companion Pass without A-List status. It's so easy to earn CP without flying at all or perhaps just flying 2 flights like the promotion that occrued late last year. Having CP without status is pretty common.

 

@jazzpilot56 I appreciate your perspective on things, thanks for the post.

 

--TheMiddleSeat

Re: My companion got hosed on boarding

mikearmand
Explorer B

I paid for Early Bird check-in and got C47 (?).  Seems it's just not worth it.

Re: My companion got hosed on boarding

dfwskier
Aviator A

C47 is pretty bad.

 

How close to departure time did you buy it? Boarding spots are assigned in order of EB purchase, so the closer you are to the departure date, the worse the spot will be.

 

 

Re: My companion got hosed on boarding

SWFlyer007
Aviator C

Since they started the practice of making sequential boarding numbers for companions, I've flown about 30 times.  Each time my companion was the next boarding number.  ALTHOUGH, this to be true, my companion always goes ahead and checks in right at the 24-hour mark to be sure.  I don't know if it's because I'm also an ALister or not, but I love it and thank SWA for the change.  

Re: My companion got hosed on boarding

floridaguy
Aviator C

Whenever I have bought two tickets, they boarding numbers were always sequential.  I guess that when you buy them together, and you check in, both are checked in and have sequential boarding.

 

Southwest needs to get all of this ironed out.  Sounds like software engineers not doing their job.

Re: My companion got hosed on boarding

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

@SWFlyer007 wrote:

.  I don't know if it's because I'm also an ALister or not, but I love it and thank SWA for the change.  


A-List members will receive sequential boarding for all individuals on the same reservation.  All receive the A-List boarding position benefit.

 

A Companion Pass holder and their associated companion will receive sequential boarding.  If either is A-List, both receive the A-List boarding position benefit.

 

All other individuals who manually check in are all checked in together and receive sequential boarding when on the same reservation.  This applies to EarlyBird purchaser's too as EBCI cannot be purchased for just one individual on a multi passenger reservation.

 

@floridaguy not much to "iron out", it's all pretty clear and designed to enable families to board together.

 

 

--TheMiddleSeat