My companion got hosed on boarding

[Rocketman75]

My wife generally gets a same boarding group as we do, but out last trip she did not and generally the companion is allowed to board with you and they were adamant that she board with her group, long story short we were separated on a 3 hour flight, and she was relegated to sitting between to very rude, obnoxious gentlemen.

[DancingDavidE · Accepted solution]

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@Rocketman75 wrote:

My wife generally gets a same boarding group as we do, but out last trip she did not and generally the companion is allowed to board with you and they were adamant that she board with her group, long story short we were separated on a 3 hour flight, and she was relegated to sitting between to very rude, obnoxious gentlemen.

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That should be true with a few exceptions:

• If you buy Business Select then the companion doesn't get an automatic BS seat since there are only 15 positions there, they must be bought individually. If that's the case you'd need to buy "upgraded boarding" at the gate for your companion.
• If you changed the flights within the T-36 window when A-list and EBCI positions were already assigned, then you both would be getting whatever was left. 
• Similar option if you had to be rebooked due to cancelation, the positions are already assigned and the new passengers coming onto the existing flight have to fit in where the positions are available.
• Adding the companion within a day of travel also would have a similar effect where you might get an A-list position for instance assigned at T-36 but the companion would be added as one of the last to check-in, or if you assumed the companion would be automatically checked in then it could literally be one of the last positions assigned if she checked in at the ticket counter. 

There isn't any policy to allow  the companion to board at the same time, there might be some gate agents that allow it but it's not the rule. Also if the positions are close then they might allow it but not if the spread was 30+ positions.

I hope this helps!

[TheMiddleSeat]

This is a great writeup about the various factors that can affect companion boarding positions. As stated, there is no policy that allows you to say "I'm with them"and board together, you have to board at your assigned boarding position. I would bet in this case there was a flight change or companion added within 36 hours of departure.

--TheMiddleSeat

[Rocketman75]

No,  this trip was booked back in Sept.  in fact she had purchased the anytime fares because that was the only available fares left. 

[TheMiddleSeat]

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@Rocketman75 wrote:

No,  this trip was booked back in Sept.  in fact she had purchased the anytime fares because that was the only available fares left. 

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This raises all sorts of new questions. You imply wife purchased her own ticket, that indicates she was not added as a companion. This also implies her ticket was not purchased with yours as you say it was the only available fare. If both these are true there's no way for Southwest to give you consecutive boarding. You'll need to provide more specific details about your bookings, but at this point I don't see how you were eligible for it. Wife would either need to be added as a companion via a companion pass or one of you are A-List and tickets were purchased on the same reservation. Did either of these occur? 

--TheMiddleSeat

[Rocketman75]

No,  my wife simply books the travel ..

[TheMiddleSeat]

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@Rocketman75 wrote:

No,  my wife simply books the travel ..

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Based on that it appears there's no reason you would get sequential boarding.

--TheMiddleSeat

[parpitt1]

Everything I read in this thread leads me to believe terminology being used by the OP and others is being perceived with different meanings.

I do not see anywhere where the OP actaully says he or is wife hold a "Companion Pass" I just see the word companion used repeatedly.

I do see the the OP mentions purchase of Anytime "Fares"(Plural) in September by his wife. This to me has the meaning that there were 2 air fares purchased. Should they be sequential on checkin? Probably if they were on the same reservation, but we do not even know that.

Then another poster uses the term "Companion" to denote the support person that accompanies him when he preboards.

There's alot cross usage of the word "Companion" in this thread, resulting in more confusion than clarity. just my 2 cents

Safe travels 

[floridaguy]

Having a position in line and "sitting together" is two different principles.  

In most cases, those that board together can sit together, but no guarantee.  Southwest has open seating so either 1.)  get over it, or 2.)  fly an airline that has assigned seating.

In reading posts recently, it seems that everyone wants Southwest pricing, but wants to behave as if its Delta.  Not gonna happen.

[Rocketman75]

Lol....  your right,   this is why I will no longer be spending the $$$ on the co branded card and focus the spend on my Delta card. Regardless, companion is suppose to board with me....  if this has been recently changed make me aware and I would have set alarm to wake my self to check her in ro ensure she is squared away. That is my beef. 

Regardless,