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Exit row hoarders

bulkheadbill
Explorer C

What does SWA plan to do to stop altercations due to inconsiderate priority boarding passengers (Group A, lower numbers)  "holding" multiple exit row seats for passengers who are not entitled to priority boarding. F/As will not interfere because SWA does not allow or disallow such seat hoarding and/or placement/removal of objects used to "hold" or block  the seats  which anyone may occupy upon boarding pursuant to SWA's group/number priority seating policy.

SWA  can be held liable  if someone  is injured in a fight with another passenger caused by SWA's implementation of what has become a "lawless" open seating policy.

11 REPLIES 11

Re: Exit row hoarders

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

No one is entitled to anything. Sit in any open seat. 

 

--TheMiddleSeat

Re: Exit row hoarders

DancingDavidE
Aviator A

@bulkheadbill wrote:

What does SWA plan to do to stop altercations due to inconsiderate priority boarding passengers (Group A, lower numbers)  "holding" multiple exit row seats for passengers who are not entitled to priority boarding. F/As will not interfere because SWA does not allow or disallow such seat hoarding and/or placement/removal of objects used to "hold" or block  the seats  which anyone may occupy upon boarding pursuant to SWA's group/number priority seating policy.

SWA  can be held liable  if someone  is injured in a fight with another passenger caused by SWA's implementation of what has become a "lawless" open seating policy.


I've seen zero altercations.

 

I've also sat myself in the exit row 20 times this year, usually the aisle. On 19 of those the middle seat next to me went empty or filled up at the end of boarding.

 

So the exit row outrage doesn't resonate with me, the general flying public with over 1000 data points this year is that people don't want leg room over having a window or aisle, or sitting closer to the front.

 

And I agree with @TheMiddleSeat - someone saving a whole row or more than one whole row and I do want to sit there? Then I would. But I usually don't care that much, and certainly wouldn't have an altercation over seat selection.

 

If someone boards early and wants to save a middle seat for their spouse, companion, whatever - fine with me!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Home airport MDW, frequent visitor to MCO to see the mouse.

Re: Exit row hoarders

bulkheadbill
Explorer C

I fly about 3 or 4 times a month on different days of the week. I  witnessed two heated verbal altercations last month. (I was not involved in either of them.) They arose from one person holding/blocking more than two exit row seats and preventing others from sitting wherever they wanted to. Priority Boarding does not  mean priority "hoarding" multiple seats. Besides inviting disruptive behavior, exit row seat hoarding can potentially delay flights in the event a "reserved" exit row seat becomes occupied by someone legally prohibited from sitting there because of the inability/unwillingless to assist  during an evacuation. These problems can be avoided if SWA implements and enforces a policy of strictly limiting the number of exit row seats that Group A passengers can "reserve" for others. In any event, SWA should invite passengers to propose a solution to a problem it created.

Re: Exit row hoarders

parpitt1
Frequent Flyer A

 "These problems can be avoided if SWA implements and enforces a policy of strictly limiting the number of exit row seats that Group A passengers can "reserve" for others."

The existing SWA policy is open seating, there are NO reserved seats or reserving seat for others under this existing policy.

Unsure how there is a solution to a problem that does not really exist from the airline's prospective?

Are many passengers rude and do many passengers act entitled? Yes indeed, but that is different from Airline policy. 

Safe Travels

Re: Exit row hoarders

floridaguy
Aviator C

I have been told by gate agents, check in agents and also FAs that seats cannot be saved due to the open seating policy.  Southwest doesn't have a policy about saving seats because it is an open seating policy.

 

For the record, there is no policy regulating the planting of a tomato in the seat either.

 

If the seat is unoccupied, you sit in it.  If there is an altercation, then let the person beside you summons the FA and pitch a fit.  In the meantime, you sit there calm and collected.

 

For me, I usually preboard but I do understand your concerns.

Re: Exit row hoarders

Jean_Jasinski
Adventurer C

Saving seats is not allowed.  That's why they say that if you are traveling with a party with different boarding positions, you are welcome to join the party who boards later.  If I want an exit row seat and board in time to get one, but a passenger tells me I cannot sit there because they are saving the seat, I will say something.  If they want their later priority passenger to sit with them in an exit row, they can buy upgraded boarding!  Or maybe I shoudl sit behind them and bang the seat about 50 times during the flight 🙂

 

Re: Exit row hoarders

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

@Jean_Jasinski wrote:

Saving seats is not allowed. 


Not true, there is no policy allowing or disallowing saving seats.

 

--TheMiddleSeat

Re: Exit row hoarders

floridaguy
Aviator C

DISAGREE - I CALLED SOUTHWEST AND ASKED

 

Southwest advised me that with open seating, saving seats does not exist.  The concept is fantasy and does not work with the airline.

 

Any open seat is yours, period.  What I said once on a flight who told me that the seat was saved was:

 

"That's a great concept for a book, but it won't work on Southwest."

 

If the seat is open, you sit there - period.  I agree that they need to buy upgraded flights.  There is no way that anyone is going to make you move.  

 

Your point is correct.

Re: Exit row hoarders

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

@floridaguy you're agreeing with me, while screaming you disagree. I know it's complicated.

 

Southwest will not tell you that you cannot save seats AND Southwest will not tell you that you cannot sit in an empty seat despite it being saved.. 

 

AKA, Southwest does not have a policy against saving seats nor a policy for saving seats.

 

The blanket statement that seat saving is allowed is incorrect AND the blanket statement that seat saving is not allowed is incorrect. 

 

AKA, do what you want, Southwest isn't going to stop you. 

 

--TheMiddleSeat