Southwest Airlines Community

@ybean wrote: we are deviating from the main point, but I am willing to play...   the bandwidth is a perishable item and the alcohol is not. If someone doesn't drink the alcohol, it is still there tomorrow to be resold tomorrow. The bandwidth, like hotel rooms and like airline seats, if not filled to capacity cannot get put on the shelf and resold tomorrow. Thus, goes back to my original point - give it away once a year, at very little cost actually, as a joint venture between provider and airline to market the trial. Use the existing drink coupons as the ticket. Marketing 101.   And by the way, the video clip provided spoke only to people's willingness to pay, not to the actual cost, but I appreciated and enjoyed it anyhow. Thank you for providing. Unfortunately, I don't think you understand how satellite connectivity works.   Southwest pays for what it uses. More people downloading more data = more costs.   And that cost is more than the $8 customer's pay.   This article is a bit old, but the prices really haven't dropped much since.   http://tmfassociates.com/blog/2013/11/10/the-cost-of-inflight-connectivity/   The point I had hoped the video I posted earlier would make was more about how different carriers position and price their internet services. JetBlue gives it out for free as a market differentiator. The legacies partner with Gogo to provide a service for their business customers at near a break-even point. Southwest went with Row44 (for now) to offer a service that their customers were demanding, but that's more focused on being an in-cabin entertainment system (based on "bring your own device") than providing usable internet connectivity. Because the cost to provide that internet connectivity is high, and the income generated by it lower than the cost, they're not going to be giving it out free if they can avoid it. 😉 ... View more

If your flight attendants accept your expired coupons you've been lucky. They are not supposed to. 😉 ... View more

Southwest prices their fares per leg. The price is exactly the same, one-way or round-trip. ... View more

Eloquently stated.   However, since Southwest benefits when customers don't use their travel funds, and since this new -- often requested -- feature would require significant IT investment, the odds of it happening are very, very low. ... View more

What you're describing is not technically standby.   Standby travel is arriving at the airport earlier than your departure and getting on an earlier flight when space is available. Southwest doesn't do standby in the traditional sense -- other carriers will charge a small fee ($50-$75) for the service, or even give it free to their elites, credit card holders, or in certain circumstances. On Southwest, to change to an earlier flight on a WGA fare, you must pay the fare difference, which is often very expensive. (Southwest did however just begin offering free standby as a perk for their A-Listers.)   What you describe is an unofficial policy, held by most (if not all) carriers, called the flat tire rule. Arriving at the airport within 2 hours after your scheduled departure, due to a delay out of your control, and you will be reaccommodated on the next available flight. On Southwest, you are put on the standby list for that flight if it's "full," or given confirmed seats if it's not, at the discretion of the agent. ... View more

EarlyBird Check-In positions are assigned based on the date of EBCI purchase. The earlier, the better.   EBCI positions will always come after Business Select (A1-15), then A-Listers (A16+).   Southwest places no limit on the number of EBCIs it will sell per flight, meaning that people get B and sometimes even C positions even after paying the extra fee.   EBCI isn't refundable, unless Southwest cancels the flight. But it is transferrable. As long as you use the "change flight" function, not cancel and rebook. As long as the confirmation number stays the same, the EBCI should transfer to the new reservation.   The date of that transfer becomes the effective "purchase date" for determining your EBCI position on the new flight.   Many, many, many people buy EBCI. In 2015, Southwest earned over $240 million on EBCI fees alone. ... View more

Unfortunately, Southwest has known issues with KTN's not populating from a profile to a reservation.   Your best bet is to call and have the KTN manually added for each and every itinerary. Until, hopefully, one day Southwest adresses their system issues that cause the problem.   You may be able to add the KTN yourself using this link -- although I'm not sure if that will work for a companion reservation. (If it does, please come back and let us know.)   https://www.southwest.com/flight/addSecureInfoEntry.html ... View more

It's not right. But Southwest allows it to happen.   The primary reason is this:   Southwest re-issues the positions of passengers who have been checked in, but then cancel or change their flight prior to departure. These are often A-Listers with great positions (A-16+), and those positions are then given to the next random person who checks in manually.   It's unfair to those who pay for EarlyBird Check-In, but that's how Southwest does it.   (Seat saving is also unfair, but Southwest allows that as well. But I digress...) ... View more

Unfortunately, Southwest's official policy is that the A-Lister board with the child or children at their assigned positions, or during Family Boarding if their children qualify (age 6 and under). Yes, they expect A-Listers to give up their benefit when they travel with family.    @AustinCali wrote: I've had a simular situation.  Once the child is 12, they will need to board on their own.  This is SWA's policy and the employees are not flexible.   There is no such policy involving children 12 and older stating they must board on their own. I'm not sure what exactly you're talking about.   ... View more

Those who think an A-List member is being "entitled" really don't quite understand how frequent flyer loyalty programs work, do you? 😉     ... View more

Chase Southwest cards don't actually have "joint" accounts, there is always a primary cardholder, plus any authorised user(s).   Since only the primary cardholder gets the points, consider getting each person their own card, along with their own signup bonus points. 😉     ... View more

No.   In complaince with federal law, gift card balances do not expire.   However: Once you use funds from a gift card to book a flight, those funds are now tied to use by the original named passenger(s) only, and expire one year from the date you made the reservation, should you need to cancel and reuse the funds. This applies to all fare types, even fully-refundable fares.     ... View more

These suggestions are sweet. But naive. 😉   Any "enhancements" coming to the program will likely take things away, rather than give them.   As an example, Southwest has quietly devalued Rapid Rewards points since the launch of the program in 2011. ... View more

Southwest only began using the points-based system in 2011. 😉   Unfortunately, as you've learned, despite Southwest advertising that "points don't expire," they actually do.   You need point earning activity once every two years in order to keep your account active and points alive.   Once expired, the only way to get them back is if you can prove that you had paid travel on Southwest in the last year but didn't earn points from it.   For anyone wondering how to keep an account alive, the quickest way is also the most expensive -- buying points form Southwest. Those usually post fairly quickly -- a few days at most.   The cheapest way is to use Rapid Rewards Shopping to make a purchase. Something as small as an iTunes song can qualify. Those points however, can take 6-8 weeks to post.     ... View more

Points for travel generally show up a few days following the completion of the itinerary. If you've booked a one-way, they'll show up a few days after the flight. If you've booked a round-trip, they'll show up a few days after you complete the return flight.   Credit card points generally are posted to your Rapid Rewards account a few days after your card statement closing date. This is independent of any payments or balance carried over. ... View more

Frequent flyer miles or points go to the flyer, not the purchaser. Open Rapid Rewards accounts for your family members and they will earn points. Points can then be used to purchase tickets for anyone. ... View more

All Southwest Visa cards by Chase are linked to a specific Rapid Rewards account -- that of the primary cardholder.   There are no "joint accounts," there is a primary cardholder and an authorised user(s).   One person can hold multiple cards (business and personal, for example) and earn points from both.   If you open a Southwest Visa card account and don't already have a Rapid Rewards account, they will create one for you.   Contact Chase if you have any questions about where the points from a specific Southwest card are going. 😉 ... View more

@major wrote: I think you have to log in to your account, and be in the account details screen in order to see the promotions.  If SWA is going to take the approach you mention then i would hope they would give you some type of notice when you log in that you should check for promotions.   Most promotions are targeted.   Targeted means that they are sent to specific customers, based on some formula known only to Southwest.   Logging in and checking the Promotions tab will only show you those promotions that have been assigned to your account. ... View more

@major wrote: I never have this problem. I always book using my RR account number and it shows up in my app and online in account details.   I think you're confused.   Travel funds, from canceled or re-fared flights, do not show up in the app or online.   The website has a page where you can enter a confirmation number to check and see if any travel funds are associated with it, but you must know the confirmation number in order to check.   Perhaps you're thinking of Rapid Rewards points?   Southwest, unlike some other carriers, does not have an "travel bank" function. Customers must manually track their own travel funds and associated confirmation numbers and -- most importantly -- expiration dates.   Since Southwest benefits from the non-use of travel funds, don't expect this feature to be added anytime soon.         ... View more

@major wrote: Hi Lindsey, Was that a targeted offer?  I was A-List Prefered last year and on my way to the same this year.  I would very much appreciate this offer.  Thanks! Unfortunately, yes -- the offer(s) were targeted. ... View more

@major wrote: You can give them to me:)))) I will put them to good use for a vacation with the kids! That person left the US in March. ... View more

@jagilliam wrote: So you're telling me four drinks are cheaper than that bandwidth cost for a flight?  I highly doubt that.  Significantly.   Satellite bandwidth is an emerging technology, and is very expensive. Soda and alcohol are relatively cheap.   http://fortune.com/2015/07/01/flight-wi-fi-travel/     ... View more

Right now all planes in the fleet have wifi, except the older 300s and a few newer (used) 700s recently added. Southwest states that, hopefully, by the end of 2017 (after all the 300s are retired), the fleet will be 100% wifi enabled.   In my experience, while the wifi works great for the in-cabin entertainment system (with live TV), it unfortunately doesn't work so well as a paid ($8) connection to the internet. ... View more

Assuming you bought a Wanna Get Away, a non-refundable, non-transferrable ticket: No.   This is the same on all carriers. At least on Southwest, when you cancel, you get travel funds good for the same passenger for one year from the date of purchase, without a change fee.   ... View more

The recent influx of many new members here is great -- but has also lead to a great deal of misinformation being posted.   @mattcollins35 wrote: Buy the early check in package. They will check you in automatically right after their premium members. You are guaranteed a A boarding position. You will get seats together. C group usually only single seats left. EarlyBird Check-In does not guarantee an A boarding position. Many people get B, and sometimes even C positions, even after paying the extra fee. Multiple passengers on a single itinerary are not guaranteed consecutive boarding numbers, much less seats together. While EBCI increases your odds of this, there is no guarantee. ... View more

Often requested. Always acknowledged. No policy change ever implemented.   For giggles, make a note of this date. 😉 ... View more

That only applies to a refundable fare (Business Select, Anytime, Senior). If you've booked Wanna Get Away, just change as usual.   If you've booked a refundable fare, cancel. Then rebook. Refundable fares seldom change in price. ... View more

The notification about not receiving a boarding pass should have directed you to print out a "security document" instead, which would have allowed you to pass security, and indicated to you that you should go to the gate to get your boarding pass. Did it not?   ... View more

Southwest, sadly, doesn't take these comments seriously. They'll say they do, that they "take them to heart," but that's just copied-and-pasted marketing spiel. People have been complaining about this for years now, and compromises have been suggested. But nothing is going to change, because their boarding systems "works for them."   I fear the current "not a policy" policy will lead to an in-cabin altercation, much like the ones recently in the news. Except this will be passenger vs passenger, allowing Southwest to deny culpability.   Without a common-sense policy in place, eventually, they'll be forced to move to assigned seating (like all other carriers) as the solution to this and the other issues (preboarding abuse, etc.) their system creates. 😞   ... View more

Great suggestion, but falling on deaf ears. Compromises such as this have been suggested, repeatedly, for years. Southwest will simply state that they have no intention of implementing a seat saving policy anytime soon. ... View more