Priority Boarding extended to all on same reservations

[mjennen]

Southwest - if you wish to reward your most loyal customers with the priority boarding perk that you just extended to all persons on the same reservation with the A List or A List Preferred member - you should have extended it to include those who persons who travel with the A List or A List Preferred member on a Companion Pass.  After all, who is more loyal than a customer who earns both A List Preferred status and a Companion Pass?

[SWDigits]

@mjennen here is the link with information on how to send feedback directly to Southwest.  Providing because the audience here in the forums is primarily other customers like us:

https://www.southwestaircommunity.com/t5/Knowledge-Base/Submitting-a-Suggestion-and-or-Complaint/ta-...

[mjennen]

My purpose of posting here is to make more customers aware that this new benefit from Southwest excludes Companion Pass holders.

[SWDigits]

Fair enough, it looks like you also found the other thread!

[TheMiddleSeat]

Since many Companion Pass holders earn CP without ever flying I would hardly consider them super loyal based solely on them having CP. Providing perks to flyers who actually fly (A-List and A-List Preferred) is the way to go.

--TheMiddleSeat

[mjennen]

It’s the combination of A List Preferred and Companion Pass I used to measure loyalty.

[dfwskier]

So the airline providing you with the unlimited opportunity to take a companion with you at no cost isn't showing you enough loyalty ?

Last time I checked, no other airline is proving such a generous benefit.

[dauxier]

TheMiddleSeat. I'm trying to figure the logic in your statement.  To qualify for A-List and A-List Preferred, one must earn tier points. Tier points can only be earned by mainly flying or getting awarded 1500 tier points for every $10,000.00 credit card use. But only up to $100,000.00. So 15,000 tier points would be the maximum one could receive in a year. Even then, for A-list. One would need to earn another 20,000 tier points by flying. And 55,000 for A-List Preferred.  Companion Pass does not require tier points. Making it much easier to earn without flying. So only A-List and A-List Preferred get to have someone board with them at the same time. Not someone who just holds a Companion Pass. So why not offer same time boarding for Companion Pass/ A-List or A-List Preferred members??? At the very least, let me pay the same amount as Early Bird Check-In to have my companion board at the same time.

[TheMiddleSeat]

@dauxier 

Now I'm confused too. I agree with everything you say up until your last two sentences. Perhaps we are saying the same thing? 

Edit:up until your last two sentences 

My stance is that only A-List and A-List Preferred members should be able to bring additional people into the Priority boarding (A group) because that should be a perk offered only to people who actually fly a lot. As you demonstrated, getting A-List requires flying. Since earning a Companion Pass is not a good indication of how much you actually fly because it can be earned without ever getting on a plane, it should not considered for Priority Boarding.

There is a separate idea that was tested of having the Companion board with the Companion Pass holder. I'm in favor of that idea too, but it's possible neither of those people are A-List and they could both have B or C boarding positions. In that case they would just board at the best of the two positions.

Are you advocating for something different? 

--TheMiddleSeat

[SM7]

One of the most BAIT & SWITCH policies by any airline! This is ridiculous. I've been an A-List member for 15 years & A-List preferred for couple years with a companion pass for my kid for the last 4 years. I read this as simple English & then the Southwest gate handlers at Phoenix Airport gate D-7 embarrassed me by first feigning ignorance about the policy & then clarifying that "the companion needs to be on the same reservation #" which they know is impossible!! Wow! Funny thing is I fly all over the US & only Southwest Gate handers at Orlando & Phoenix enforce & are happy to rub it in your face. I've flown & had my kid board along with me in so many other Airports like San Diego, Austin, Raleigh-Durham, San Jose, LAX, Ontario-LA, Orange County etc & they never make any fuss of a 8-year old boarding with me. And now Southwest rubs it in my face again! Not nice at all. "