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Re: Preboard bureaucratic fiasco

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

@jkeith00 wrote:

Oh goodie… another “top contributor” to ignore the actual complaint and tell me how wrong my contextual information is. 🙄


Facts matter. 

Since your story doesn't match up with facts the value of your complaint diminishes. @chgoflyer provided very good information. What else are you looking for? Sorry you're not getting the love and sympathy you were hoping for.

 

--TheMiddleSeat

Re: Preboard bureaucratic fiasco

chgoflyer
Aviator A
Solution

@jkeith00 wrote:

Oh goodie… another “top contributor” to ignore the actual complaint and tell me how wrong my contextual information is. 🙄


 

I'm really not trying to be argumentative here. But since this is not a customer service channel (it's a peer-to-peer forum) all we can do is provide info based on our knowledge of how things work at Southwest. You'll need to contact Southwest directly if you're looking for an explanation of how the system failed you, a refund of your EBCI fee and/or compensation, or, as I suggested, potential help before your return flight. Otherwise, you're going to get unvarnished opinions from strangers. That's how the internet works. 😉

 

I will point out a few personal observations:

 

-- The rep who gave you preboarding, it can be assumed, thought they were being helpful. They apparently had no idea that your desired seat was in the exit row (and this was not expressed to them).

 

-- Anyone who has traveled on Southwest enough to earn A-List should be aware that preboarders aren't allowed to sit in the exit row, as this is part of the pre-flight gate PA announcements. If you honestly weren't aware of this (perhaps you've received A-List as some sort of promotion and aren't overly familiar with Southwest) I can see how learning this on the plane in the manner you did would be upsetting.

 

-- Even with your BP marked for preboarding (or being given a preboard slip) you still could have chosen to board either at the end of the A group or at your originally assigned position.

 

-- The flight attendants on board the plane have no idea why a particular person has pre-boarded. They do know, however, that per FAA rule preboards cannot sit in an exit row. They are required to enforce this rule.

 

-- I suspect they were unable to verify your "reason" for preboarding since the person who gave that to you was not at the gate area, but back at the baggage check desk. (Although I'm not sure if it would have made any difference at that point, since you had technically preboarded.)

 

In the end, it absolutely does sound like you were caught up in a series of errors that led to a less than wonderful flying experience. It's unfortunate. But sadly things like this do happen.

 

At this point, you have a few options available to you, all of which have been stated earlier.

 

Good luck!

 

Re: Preboard bureaucratic fiasco

jkeith00
Explorer C

First part of this, quite useful.  Thank you.  I was under the impression that SWA forums were monitored by actual customer experience employees.  Think Amazon forums. 

Now that I realize this is simply the club house, I bid you farewell.  


Except for you, gas king.  You should stick to giving people pats on the ass about drink coupons. You are an unhelpful troll whose contribution here epitomizes the forum fledgling experience… people come in with an experience to share, spend the majority of the engagement being told you’re wrong about what happened to you and what it says on your receipt, account, and boarding pass, and then leave because there was no value added by the community.  

Re: Preboard bureaucratic fiasco

SWFlyer007
Aviator C

Just TMI on this issue because someone failed to be observant enough to know they can board before B1 and still get a decent seat, IF, they were an Alister.  I'm saddened by the fact that anyone might have to endure any treatment that they feel is unavoidable, and I hope SWA might learn from this since there are actual employees that monitor this forum.  Where I take issue is with someone who got on the plane early, and even being asked to move, still could have sat in a decent row of seats away from a mother and their infant child, yet have the gull to make even direct any dialog of criticism towards a child for their unintentional reaction to being fed.   

Re: Preboard bureaucratic fiasco

gsking
Aviator C

@jkeith00 wrote:

Except for you, gas king.  You should stick to giving people pats on the ass about drink coupons. You are an unhelpful troll whose contribution here epitomizes the forum fledgling experience… people come in with an experience to share, spend the majority of the engagement being told you’re wrong about what happened to you and what it says on your receipt, account, and boarding pass, and then leave because there was no value added by the community.  


Thanks for the critique.  Yeah, I have little tolerance for people who have long rants that are short on facts.   It's obvious that your stated situation could never have happened exactly like you claim.   How far off from reality it is, only you know.

 

Maybe you got just a few details wrong in your fervor to complain.   But that tells me you prefer vitriol over veracity.   This then informs me what kind of person you are, and how you likely exacerbated the situation. 

 

I guess your kind is common enough here.   Yeah, you're right... you don't tend to get the sympathy you come seeking. 

Re: Preboard bureaucratic fiasco

NicoleAshley
Employee
Employee

Hi everyone. We truly want all Members to feel comfortable sharing thoughts and experiences here, and we ask that you follow the Golden Rule and treat other Community Members the way you would like to be treated. I want to take a moment and encourage everyone to refresh themselves on our Community User Guidelines. Please keep your tone positive and your comments constructive. Thank you!

 

Nicole
Community Manager

Re: Preboard bureaucratic fiasco

mke9499
Explorer C

Did you achieve your current A-List status thru the targeted promo that offered temporary status till 06.30.2021, by registering with their provided link?  If so, the offer’s T&C clearly state that registration and confirmation of status must be completed prior to flight booking, in order for A-List benefits to apply to the flight(s).  It also states that any changes to the reservation(s) could affect your A-List status for the flight(s).

 

Those are the standard T&C for this type of offer.  The original round of targeted invites was the end of March, with a subsequent batch sent out within the last few weeks or so.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Re: Preboard bureaucratic fiasco

floridaguy
Aviator C

There is a lot of hostility on this board aimed at people who preboard.

 

I really don't understand this - just because they do back flips and acrobatics all the way to the gate and then "self identify" as a person with a disability, suddenly everyone is angry with them?

 

Doesn't add up to me.

 

 

...over the ocean blue...

Re: Preboard bureaucratic fiasco

Jima
Explorer B

Charge a pre-boarding fee of $10 for the privilege of getting on before the Business Select customers. 

Re: Preboard bureaucratic fiasco

floridaguy
Aviator C

Might I suggest that you review FEDERAL LAW before posting such comments as recommendations to Southwest?