Saving Seats

[wc-itover]

I'd like for SWA to clarify their policy or at least make sure all employees are on the same page. I had a flight attendant named Barbara on flight #3902 from Austin to LA tell us that SWA's official policy allows for saving as many seats as you'd like. 

[lori_sb]

Thank you! I am sitting right now on a completely filled flight and the extremely rude person behind me is turning people away so she can save the ENTIRE row for her friends. And they just boarded dead last. And people are angry, yet the flight attendant standing two rows back is saying NOTHING. Sorry but this is dead wrong. What is the purpose of Southwest's seating policy if no one follows it or enforces it??

[chgoflyer]

There's nothing to enforce. They have no policy for or against seat saving. Which effectively means they allow seat saving.

😞

[DancingDavidE]

With the policy that isn't a policy in effect, I would translate "open seating" means "not assigned" which is the distinction to most other airlines.

One counterpoint to the no policy approach, I have had the flight attendants once in a while block people from saving seats in exit rows specifically, but no comment in other areas.

[chgoflyer]

In official replies to complaints about seat saving, reps specifically state that Southwest allows seat saving, as long as it "doesn't inconvenience passengers if slown down the boarding process." If someone points out that those things are actually happening, they repeat the statement about their not having a policy.

[beezus3]

On a couple of occassions, I have picked up a bag in an empty seat and moved it to the bin and sat down, or asked, "Is this your jacket?" as I pick it up and sit down. Seat saving may not be against the policy but the policy IS open seating. No person = open seat. If adults can't sit apart for a couple hours, they should buy Early Bird together. 

[lori_sb]

I think the issue here is the fact that a single person in the party purchased early bird, then saved the seats for her 3 friends who did NOT purchase early bird. It defeats the purpose of early bird seating and that is infuriating. When I travel with my family, if we decide we want to sit together, we ALL purchase early bird seating. This practice of one early bird-er saving seats for others is unfair, and the only way SW can counter-act this is by not allowing seats to be saved. I guess the majority of people just have pretty low standards. Sad.

[CaptainHook]

My wife and I were 15 and 16A on a recent flight. We paid for early bird. Nobody was ahead of us in the 1-14 group. However, when we got on the plane at least 40-50 seats including all the emergency exits were taken by those who somehow qualify for early boarding. On an earlier flight a woman had the entire exit row saved for "her family that is right behind you." They boarded almost last. One of the flight attendants heard our conversastion with her and made his way to stand by her until the rest of the family showed up which bascially meant he discouraged anyone else asking or complaining about her seat saving.

Southwest has a serious problem with their early boarding rules (everyone seems to qualify) and seat saving. Sticking their head in the sand and ignoring it is only driving people away.