I have been a long-term customer of SWA and have acclimated to the concept of "open seating" and first come first serve (whether it was the old plastic numbered boarding cards or the newer on-line boarding passes). The idea of numbering the boarding passes within the A, B & C boarding groups for queuing has been a marked improvement but this new concept of paying a premium for preferential boarding passes may end up relegating SWA to the demise of the other airlines that don't know how to make a profit and are pathetic on services.
I, for one, will not pay a premium to SWA for the "privilege" of an earlier boarding pass and will start searching other airlines for same city-pair flights as SWA has lost one of the benefits previously afforded to keep all customers equal (i.e. equal opportunity for an early boarding pass).
Whoever developed this harebrained scheme likely worked for Coca Cola when they decided to dump Coke for the "new and improved Coke" which turned out to be a dismal failure and the recognition that "Classic Coke" was actually smarter all along.
SWA, please reconsider this insidious plan.
Ed
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