To Bob King (on Dec. 24):
You call our attempts to influence SWA "bullying"? I guess you believe consumers should shut up and take whatever a company gives them. This is how a free market works. Maybe we'll succeed, maybe we won't, but this is how we let SWA know how we feel. It's our stance, which we have the right to as much as you the almighty business traveler (which I have been, as well).
You also say "we'll be back." Other airlines may not be perfect, but this issue is important enough to me that I won't be, even after my kids are grown, until they change or modify the new rules. I plan on sending a quick note to SWA every time I fly with a different carrier, just so they can see how much $ they lose from my family of four (who travel quite a bit, I might add.)
And as for your last comment of "preferential treatment," give me a break. There are some who may expect too much, but the majority of us are looking for some common sense. If you had read all the posts above, you would have seen that. My stance is that SWA allow a parent with carseats to preboard and get them installed. This will help me avoid hitting people with them as I walk 2/3 of the way back dodging people. I don't expect my extended family to get to board with me, nor do I expect that we get to preboard once my kids are out of carseats.
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Everyone here who is as incensed as I am please be sure and mail a copy of your comments to Southwest. I haven't found a customer service email address yet, so we'll have to settle for posting here. But don't forget snail mail. If they get enough feedback, it's still possible they will make some concessions.
Southwest Airlines
P.O. Box 36647 - 1CR
Dallas, Texas 75235-1647
Don't let up!
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To Linda Gold:
The new family preboard policy is in place at every location as of Oct. 2. The new numbered boarding is what is being rolled out over the coming months. Good luck with the new preboard, though. We did it on Oct. 2 and have flown SWA for the last time until they allow those with carseats to preboard.
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I'm with the other parents above who aren't happy with the change. I just traveled on Oct. 2 and experienced it first hand with my wife, two toddlers, two carseats, stroller and a couple of bags. I understand the policy may have been abused. Fine. Don't let extended family preboard with us, I can live with that. But we paid for all our seats and would simply like a little compassion when it comes to getting them down into the plane and installed, while juggling children and strollers and bags.
I think a fair compromise would be to let parents with carseats that need installing to still preboard (just parents, no extended family). We "preboarded" between the A and B groups and it was not as rosey as your FAQs suggest. I had to try and squeeze through two-thirds of the rows to find seats together, trying hard to not smack anyone along the way (and they were all sitting on the row, of course). One person glared at me for daring to pass by with the carseats so I said "you can thank Southwest for this new policy."
If this policy doesn't change, you've lost my family and business travel (and we travel quite a bit). I hope that one of the compromises suggested might be considered, though.
Thanks for reading.
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