All Early bird does is checks you in 36 hours before the flight, 12 hours before the rest of the passengers who did not buy earlybird. If your flight is rebooked for that day then there is no reason to have earlybird. When checking in on SWA you are automatically assigned the next boarding position, so in your case the C position you received was the next available position. All though you are being inconvenienced, I'm sure southwest can't take a boarding position from someone who paid for that specific flight. In my experience, I have seen SW allow passengers who purchased early bird and there flight was canceled to board between A and B as a courtesy. If your flight is canceled I believe your earlybird is automatically refunded. Your husband should of boarded between A and B as an a list preferred member.
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