Southwest Airlines Community

.... AND, YES, a family of 5 with 2 adults in what appeared to be their 40s, and 3 children, aged approx. 10, 12, 14 years old ALL pre-boarded ahead of our A 1 & 2 position last Sunday on the 3:55pm PVR - SNA flight #764. The 'father' then HELD 2 more seats in the 1st row for 2 more family members to board later on. I asked to sit in the seats (left side, front row) and he said he was holding them for his family who were boarding from the back of the plane. In Puerto Vallarta on this particular flight, they were boarding from front and back, on the tarmac.  ... View more

Lesson learned! ... View more

I appreciate your response. Duly noted.    However, SW DOES / HAS boarded "emotional support" pets in 3 of my recent flights from Puerto Vallarta to SNA (Orange Co.) - Feb. March and April 2022 flights.   Each time, the dog handler and dog, wearing an "emotional support" vest were pre-boarded ahead of BS.    Unless I'm hallucinating, they were dogs, and not dogs that fit under seats in a small crate. They were 45 lb dogs, out of crate. Well behaved, but indeed 4 legged friends.  ... View more

I am a frequent SW customer - I do the SNA - PVR route a dozen times a year, as well as SNA - SFO multiple times. When I'm with my husband, I've booked business select, so that we can hopefully get the extra legroom seats - of which there are only 6. The 4x I booked 'business select' - 4x we boarded after 6-12 people who 'pre-boarded' - most recently on my flight from Puerto Vallarta there were 12 people who FAKED their medical conditions - EVERY ONE OF THEM was a fake. They pre-boarded. My husband and I were boarding position A 1 & 2. We got on plane and 1 pre-boarder was holding the 2 other seats (to which I replied you can't do that, and moved on irate) and the other set of front row seats were taken by 3 ladies who faked a breathing apparatus. I had seen them in Puerto Vallarta prancing around in our town, and they FAKED having a breathing machine to pre-board the flight. I brought this to the attention of Puerto Vallarta SW staff, but they shrugged their shoulders and said there was nothing they could do. I was simply about to explode that I paid 3x as much for my 'business select' seats, and we ended up sitting in a normal seat 3 rows back. I realized for the 3rd and final time that 'business select' is a crock of SH** and since they allow scamming pre-boarders, those with "emotional support" dogs, and families with kids (clearly older kids) on BEFORE 'business select' ..... not worth it. I highly suggest to anyone traveling on SW airlines (any flight, any route, any day) it is NOT WORTH THE COST to purchase 'business select' seats. It means literally NOTHING other than you board the plane a bit earlier than the rest of the passengers, but you WILL NOT get better seats. Those 6 seats on each SW plane are always taken by pre-boarder scammers. They work the system, show up at the counter and claim they need to pre-board due to some medical condition, which is all BS. Do not pay for 'business select' - like flushing the funds right down the drain. **A perfect example of SW pre-board - in August 2021 I had 5 'business select' tickets for myself and family. We were boarding position A 1-5. We were in front of the line, on a sold out flight. Out of nowhere came Mike Tyson (boxer) and his entourage. SW staff pre-boarded them on the San Jose, California to Santa Ana, California flight ahead of everyone else. Now - if SW was an airline with first, business, and coach classes - I'd understand allowing a celebrity to board first, simply to negate too much excitement. But, you need to know that SW does not have boarding classes, or reserved seats. They have boarding 'positions' which you receive based on when you bought / checked in. The business select entitles you to a position of A 1-15 - basically, they tell you you will be 1 of the first 15 to board - therefore, you'll likely find an overhead bin easier, sit up closer to the front - or wherever you want. But, NOPE. SW allows the 'pre-boarders' BEFORE 'business select' - and trust in me, there are those who work that system, and FAKE their medical conditions, bring fake breathing apparatus, and walk up in crutches. FAKE FAKE FAKE. There is nothing that SW staff can do to 'question' anyone who appears to have a medical condition. They give them a pre-board pass, and they board first. Those 6 seats in total that have extra legroom will always go to a pre-boarder, and rarely will a 'business select' paying passenger receive a boarding position within the first 15 to board. WASTE OF MONEY. Don't get Business Select. IT IS A CON, along with those fake pre-boarders.  ... View more