Anonymous (or should I address you as SW employee)
Thanks for your follow up to my previous post but you failed to comment on the realized fee that isn’t just a $10 fee (which was a major point of your first post - all of us complaining over $10) it’s a $40 fee for a couple or more if you are traveling with a family and money spent with no guarantee of an upside from the passengers point of view, not even getting seats together - remember the passenger? Why you’re in business?
And you completely missed on your complaint comment. If you read my comments (previous post) on the Business Select option being added I specifically stated that I hadn’t complained and haven’t to this day complained about an A-43 (or even an early B once in a while) boarding card at 23h59m prior to departure. I will admit I did question what the impact would be but figured if SW could sell a ticket for $256 on the same flight where I’m paying $99 because someone wants to be first on to get an exit row seat and a “free” drink then good for them. That is working just fine and you cut off the bottom of the above paragraph where I went on to say “with a little effort on my part…my trip and life was good”.
You also chastise me for figuring out the system - thanks for the compliment but it’s not rocket surgery - I think everyone here knows/knew the system.
And I’m just not sure how this additional fee and the uncertainty it creates for the passenger is “…going to make the company even better for the future!!”
Even the 7 year flight attendant was fearful of the backlash and acknowledges it’s a marketing idea to increase revenue. First I think if you really read the comments overall it’s not a fear of change issue and secondly how early are your flights that someone has to set the alarm - if you’re taking an early flight you’re probably up at that time every morning anyway - put in a little effort take some responsibility.
Many posts have stated raise the fares some if you have to, $5 a ticket and we wouldn’t be here…and you might do better then hoping 50 % of passengers opt for the EBCI.
Bottom line:
SW has been known for not being the extra fee airline, not being the nickel and dime airline but for being the simple user friendly airline, the free checked bag with a snack airline and that’s what we want back; simple, clear, we all know the rules, the total fare, and have some say in the outcome - that’s all.
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Anonymous
I think if you read the comments to this specific topic the fee is not getting you a better boarding card and the point most of us are trying to make is there wasn't anything wrong with boarding the way it was.
I gave SW the chance to see how the Business Select system worked (no complaining) - it has pushed my boarding further back into the A group, not a big deal, but this doesn't seem to be having the same minimal impact and there is an increased cost if I choose it.
Also if you are traveling with someone it's not an extra $10 it's an extra $40 and just keep adding if you have a family...
As far as all the other airlines extra fees you mention you don't have to check your bag at the curb, you don't have to check a bag at all, you don't have to buy anything to eat or drink, you get an assigned seat, you get a printed at your convenience (not 23 hrs 59 mins prior to departure) boarding pass and not on all but many flights the base fares aren't all that different from SW. And lets see what happens when their pre-purchase fuel supply is used up. At the end of the day sometimes it's not even the money I pick SW because I liked the boarding process - with a little effort on my part - checking in 23 hrs and 59 mins prior to departure my trip and life was good.
You are correct people will always complain and the ones you tell us about have nothing to do with this fee so those people will be those people and continue to complain - but this fee and change to a good system is unnecessary and doesn't appear to be improving the process - if it is really only about money just raise all the fares some and leave the boarding process alone.
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Wasn't Business Select enough?
I'm a pretty frequent flyer and as it is 23 hrs and 59 mins before departure and you get a A 36 - what's it going to be like now.
If I add the $20.00 I'll just have to compare that fare to other airlines and many of your flights aren't that much cheaper but I've remained loyal for what...and what about the future flights I have already booked this should have been announced long before it was implemented.
This is a bad idea! Please stop it or at the very least limit it!
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