I'm an American living overseas, so I've just now had the unpleasant surprise of discovering how Southwest's new "by the number" boarding system has coupled with your online checkin to sire a monster. Check in five minutes after 24 hours in advance = number 54. Check in two minutes after the starting gun = 32. So what this means is that I have to build my life around being near a computer to log on at exactly the right tiime, or accept a life consigned to C-ville.
I don't even know about the "business class" priority stuff, and I don't really care. Southwest has always been about great value for money, so why would I choose to pay more for your services? But what I do know is that the boarding changes have turned Southwest's weakest feature (no assigned seat) from an inconvenience into a nightmare.
For decades I have been a great booster of Southwest, using it as an example of how a business should be run - airline or other. You have been my domestic airline of choice on my frequent trips back to the States. But while I still appreciate your many strengths, I think this boarding mess has pushed me over the edge and back into the pool of your competitors. Of course I won't boycott Southwest, but I will never again do what I did this Thanksgiving weekend - choose Southwest over other more convenient and even cheaper alternatives because I expected you to treat me right.
Color me very disappointed.
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