Were the comments of the passengers who actually went through the boarding process positive or negative?

I really wish that you could seat people with childern up front so there not crying and kicking your seat. Like the first five rows up front for them. there first on and f irst off. That will give people a little chance to rest. I think everyone will thank you! I also think all air lines should do so. I'm also help in raising my grand childern. So I know what it's like. Thanks , billie

Gary,

It is funny that this is the main topic on the Southwest blog, meanwhile I have found out today that I can no longer book any flight with open seating using my Rapid Rewards. Now only a certain amount of seats may be used for these rewards?

Both myself and my father fly regularly for our small corporations and have frequented Southwest because of the coporate culture and standards of excellence Southwest's irreverance have fostered.

Upon learning of this new restriction my father today called me and asked, "Well isn't this one more thing that makes Southwest just like all of the other airlines? Why should I continue to differentiate?"

In my MBA program Southwest was frequently modeled for what made it different and created strategic advantages that other airlines could never precisely copy. This created a situation of prosperity unparrelleled in an industry that as whole does nothing but lose money. So why is Southwest suddenly becoming so much more like those airlines that have historically been huge destroyers of share holder value?

Did the accountants come in and say it was okay the suffer the overall picture and profitability, the very image and uniqueness of the company to show enhanced profitability on certain flights?

What would Herb say?

Well who cares what Herb would say I guess. What I say, is that my loyalty has been lost and myself and others will be comparing all airlines much more than just going to the SWA website and booking a flight.

What a shame to tarnish what has been a shining star in an otherwise terrible industry.

Brian McKay

Gary,
One of the things that sets SWA apart from many companies is that in cases such as these, where emotions run high on both sides of an issue that greatly impacts its customers, yours is one of the few that cares enough to involve its Customers in the decision-making process. For that, we appreciate your approach and enjoy being asked!

Now, if I can only figure out how to coordinate my trips with Tricia... ha ha

Kim :-)

Your open seating is on of the things that distinguishes you. Don't change it.
Other airlines are scrambling to distinguish themselves; you don't need to become like them.

I fly SWA regularly. I also fly on another airline because it has great service, too. I wouldn't want that airline to change.

The companies are different and should stay that way.

This December I'm flying to Tampa from Chicago and paying $268.00 on United instaed of $177.00 on SW even though the flights are at similar times. Why? I don't have computer and printer access at my Vacation home in Fla and I don't want to get stuck in a middle seat on the way home.A ton of people don't fly SW because of the open seating. I fly from Chicago to Tampa six times a year. At the most I fly SW once because I can't stand the ABC system. Why doesn't SW have a seperate pay tier for people who want a guaranteed seat? Maybe a $20.00 surcharge per flight. Limit the guaranteed seats to ten or twenty per flight. People who pay extra can board before the A line. This way more people will fly SW but the people who like open seating will still be able to get to the airport 5 hours early and jockey for position to their hearts content.

Good Afternoon Mr. Kelly,

First of all, I love SWA!!

I feel your company is very customer service orientated and I love the open seating! It is nice to know that you can sit where ever you want and not worry about where your assigned seat is and how many people you have to climb over to get to your assigned seat.

In addition, I love the fact that I can print my boarding pass off before I even arrive at the airport (which reduces the amount of time I have to be in an airport!!!)

Thanks a lot for setting high standards; itÃ

I would like to respond to the message about rapid rewards. I fly with many different airlines and am a member of many frequent flier programs. Even though southwest has seat restrictions with rapid rewards, they did do away with all black out dates. Also, whenever I book flights with my frequent flier tickets the seats have almost always been available for booking. On other airlines the seats are hardly ever available and they also have blackout dates to go along with the seat restrictions. Brian, I think you and I both know that southwest still has the best frequent flier program when you compare it to other airlines. I don't think it makes good business sense for any airline to allow unlimited seating for passengers using frequent flier tickets. Revenue is hard to come by in today's market and they have to limit seating to stay competitive with other airlines. Rapid rewards is still #1 in my book.

I am a travel agent and have the uneviable job of dealing with many airlines on a daily basis. I can't tell you how wonderful it is to deal with Southwest in comparison to all the other carriers. In a world of hearing "no" and "I can't help you" from everyone else, it is great that there is at least one airline who is not only on my side but the passenger's side too.
I have also flown many carriers and am constantly amazed at how slow the boarding process is with assigned seats. No matter how they board--from the rear, from the front, in numbered groups--no boarding is as efficient as Southwest's open seating. It really is no hassle to check in online and get your boarding group, even on vacation, as practically every hotel has internet access now. So please Southwest, don't change. As we say here in the office--if Southwest ran the world, it would be a better place!

Kenney,

I'm sorry you feel flying shouldn't be fun. I respectfully disagree. It has been fun since I was a child, and I never want that to change. Granted, our wonderful friends *cough* at the TSA have been trying their best to do just that, but they have not yet succeeded in my case.

Kenney , I promise , because you think work should not be fun. I wil never work for you or you company!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gary: Bad move on the RR change. It's OK to just say, "well, this one did not make it" and revert to the best system. Don't be like the other airlines. They're loserss !! Thanks. jim

Kim,

SW can adopt the system I propose in my previous post(Oct. 15) and both problems are taken care of. People who want to assure themselves a certain seat will be able to, and the integrity of the airline and it boarding is maintained. Bonus, SW collects extra revenue. I have no problem with any of SW's modus operandi except open seating and thats what seems to get loyalists claws up more than anything else.

Please do not feel the pressure to change your ways and become like all of the other airlines. Obviously what you do works, because you are consistantly the least expensive airfare whenever I check flights. You have the most liberal policy on flight changes, etc., and the most helpful customer service reps. It stated in an earlier post that Regular SWA flyers who did not want assigned seating were the largest group. I think that says it all. Yes, the first time I flew SW, it was a bit odd that I did not have an assigned seat, but once I got over that novelty, I grew to LUV SW for everything else it offers. Obviously since regular flyers want to keep the open seating, others must get over that initial need to have an assigned seat as well. Maybe I'm just too easy going, but as long as there is a seat on the plane for me, it really doesn't matter if I'm in A or C. Maybe part of the reason SW is so on time, is since people feel the need to get a good place in line, they arrive at the airport earlier. No waiting for those last minute people who take for granted they have a seat. If it works, there's no need to fix it.

Hi Gary,

I recently enjoyed a presentation you gave to students at St. Edward's University and something has been on my mind ever since about the prospect of assigned seating.

I believe one of the benefits SWA has experienced with its Customers is their expectations of seating prior to arrival at the airport. When Customers know their seat assignment prior to arrival their expectations of the flight are pre-set. On the other hand, with SWA's open seating, Customers arrive at the airport without clear expectations for their seating. In my opinion, this unknown is actually positive for both the Customers and SWA. The Customers benefit from their expectation, or hope, of finding the seat they desire once they're walking aboard the plane. They may not find their perfect seat and even if they don't, they accept it as part of the open seating game.

In this way, SWA benefits because fliers like to have that hope and partial control over their own destinies. If SWA were to assign seats at the point of booking, expectations of Customers would be pre-set and some may choose to research other airlines for a better seat. I believe the hope and unbounded expectations held by Customers is part of the magic which makes them loyal to SWA; it's not about the actual process, but the art in which SWA manages expectations and partners with Customers as opposed to dictate to them.

Let Customers decide their options instead of giving them finite choicesÃ

Y'all keep talking about lost bags. I've had a few (3, 4?) times where Southwest lost some of my bags, and they always showed up within a few hours. The only hassle was waiting in line with the kids, who desperately wanted to get to their cousins' house or home (depending on which way we were headed). Usually we have a different experience - by the time we get out with the boys (currently 8, 4, & 2 yrs. old) and our carryons, bathroom breaks/diaper changes, and get down to baggage claim the bags have been taken off the conveyor and are sitting at the baggage office waiting for us because we took so long!

The funniest was when we lost one suitcase and a booster seat. My oldest was so concerned about the booster (maybe he thought we would leave him at the airport if we didn't have the booster seat for the rental car), and when we got to the counter and made the report they produced a loaner - same model as our seat! We had to show our son where it said "Southwest" on the bottom to convince him that it wasn't our seat. And of course the suitcase and booster showed up in a couple of hours and everyone lived happily ever after.

So, yeah, SW does lose bags just like every airline does from time to time, but (at least for us) they've always shown up a few hours later and the staff in the baggage office has always been as nice as everyone else.

Seth

Hi Dan,
Well I'm not an "executive," in spite of what Kim tells people, but I have been handling a lot of the Customer comments on this issue. First off, I don't think anything is completely "off the table" at this point. However, I can tell you that your proposal does raise a couple of concerns. As Kim has written earlier, we like to keep things simple, and having two methods of boarding/seating would add a layer of complexity to the boarding process. (Certainly, it would be much more complex than either having all open seating or all assigned seating.) Essentially, we would have to wait to board the open seaters until the assigned seating section had boarded. Sometimes this might happen quickly, other times it might not. Those assigned seats would have to be available to all Customers, once those holding assigned seats have boarded. The difference with the A group under the current system is that if you mix the groups on board prior to that point, you could have a potential conflict. Currently, if some in the A group are slow to board, they just board with whatever group is currently boarding and take an open seat.Â

Brian,

I appreciate your response. My proposal calls for the people who pay the surcharge to board with the pre-boarders(children, elderly etc.) not to have an assigned seat. If they are not there to pre-board tough luck they lose whatever money they paid for the surcharge. This way if I pay the surcharge I don't have to worry what time I checked in, I don't have to stand in line and I'll still get a desirable seat. I think most people who don't like open seating aren't worried about a specific seat they just don't like having to worry about when they check in and having to stand in line for an hour before the flight.

I am a college student and have flown southwest for the past couple of years. As a rapid rewards member, I have earned and used a total of two RR awards (going on number 3). I want to say thank you for the awesome rewards program and for the awesome DING! fares; they are worth the wait! As for the open seating policy... If assigned seating on SWA does become a reality, will customers (often those who have flown southwest and are aware of how DING! works) who do wait to take advantage of DING! specials have a disadvantage when it comes to selecting seats on the aircraft vs. new or unfamilair customers using southwest.com booking months in advance and having first choice of seats? Also, when traveling with a friend and having B, or even C seating, we were never forced to sit away from eachother on a flight. Although I am for the open seating policy, either policy would not change the way I fly - on the wings of Southwest.

I really hope the open seating policy never changes, as my most favorite spot on the plane is the seats in the emergency exit row :) not only is the paw room nice, but also I don't mind being a helper if the sad fate does happen that requires use of the emergency wing exits (and I have the perfect thing for that, a highly reflective search critter vest! ^.^)

please keep open seating! emergency exit seats are perfect, I only got on one flight that they were all full, usually they are empty due to peoples superstitions of what they mean when the attendant comes around asking if you will perform emergency help in case of a plane accident.

Dorothy --
I'd LUV to have your two free tickets if you don't want 'em! I've used earned free tickets to fly all across this country, sometimes "enduring" four flights per day to get to the remote corners of our great nation. Aisle, middle, window, in the lav or standing in the aisle holding the overhead strap (no, wait, that's the subway in NYC...nevermind) all works for me. Having just ENDURED a round trip to Atlanta on aanother aairline, I can assure you that I'd rather fly ANYWHERE on Southwest than put up with the surly attitudes, filthy planes and almost hostile ambivalence from thaat compaany!
Kim
P. S. Don't believe him -- Brian is a very important executive and has a vital job. He is the one who is in charge of keeping fresh and fully charged batteries in the cattle prod that Colleen uses during Employee motivation meetings. :-)

With such reasoned and well written pleas for maintaining open seating like Lee's above and the person who thinks they are a dog I'm going to have to admit defeat. I think they might want to keep open seating because they wouldn't be able to find an assigned seat.

Susan,
Congratulations on your new job and welcome to the BEST airline in the world! I am sure that you will LUV working at Southwest and that the new attitudes you find will be a breath of fresh air.

Oh, and thanks for the suggestion: "...scoping out the cute people to sit near." In 30+ years of flying SWA, that idea had never dawned on me...

Yeah, right!
LOL
Kim :-)

I am becoming a SWA regular - 4 flights in last month and do not mind the open seating ( prefer assigned). What I would like to know is what are the guidelines for pre-boarding?? Young children I understand, but what age??
Just being a senior or a disabled senior ? Is there a maximum number of people that can pre-board with someone who qualifies ? ie - someone with a cane and 5 other peolpe board with them

My flight today from Las Vegas, the pre-boarding line was linger than both B & C and slightly less than A

Let me add that all 4 flights have been pleasant.

Please stay with the Open Seating. However, the change will not cause me to change airlines as the main reason I fly SW is due to the easy flexibility changing travel times - A benefit no other airline comes close to.

I do relatively agree with one of the replies that anybody that flies often enough to qualify for a companion ticket should at least be guaranteed an A ticket if not first boarding privileges. In order to qualify, the person should be required to provide RR number when purchasing the ticket. Guaranteeing an A ticket would probably be an easy programming change.

No RR blackout dates and limited available seating vs a 2 year window to use tickets - I would prefer the 1 year approach with no blackout dates but fully understand the revenue value of having the blackout dates and limited seating. If this is needed to help keep prices reasonable then stay with the change.

The biggest complaint that I have is on the reservation web site, it seems there is a bug that causes the pre-reseervation price to not equal the real price. It appears the US taxes do not include the segment fees but all other U.S. taxes are included in the base ticket price. As you know the number of stops and all of the other fees, you could easily list the full ticket price as well as the base ticket price for each segment reserved though I understand there may be minor errors that reduce the final price if more than 4 takeoffs are in the itenerary. I am sure the customer would not be too upset if the final price is less than the posted price and SW revenue would not be affected.

Finally, I would suggest that you post both the SW receipts excluding all taxes along with the full price before booking so people truly recognize how much of their ticket goes to the government vs. SW.

I just wanted to add my 2 cents to the reserved seating question. I had never flown Southwest until I moved to Nashville in March 2005. Since then I go out of my way to fly on Southwest. I travel between Nashville and Philadelphia almost every week and I have the choice of reserved seats on USAir or "you pick 'em" on Southwest and I'll take Southwest every time. Because everyone (almost) understands the rules the whole atmosphere is more friendly and relaxed and i far more efficient. Please don't change! Don't fix what ain't broke

Diane,
You're quite correct -- there's nothing like the "thrill of the chase". In the "old days" (I've got a few years on me, too), I can recall two times when I showed up at the gate in time to get that special prize: the plastic boarding pass with the number ONE on it! The first time it happened, I felt so very conflicted. I really needed to go on that trip, but leaving meant giving up my treasure! I wanted to stay there and just savor holding it in my hand, but alas, the time came and I relinquished it to the nice Employee who had to pry it out of my unyielding grip. He was stronger than me.

Here's a suggestion: avoid the driving around to places with Internet connection and get yourself a BlackBerry. I can check in anywhere at 23:59 hours before the flight and I save all that gas!
Kim :-)
P. S. You're welcome to sit next to me anytime you'd like -- I'm nice!

Gary Kelly - CEO
Dear Mr. Kelly,
I read an article today in the AZ Republic and it addressed the issue of looking for different ways to creat new income streams. I had an idea about a year ago and did not know how to get it to you, so I hope this works.
You have the best rewards system bar none. But, the members of the other guys can become elite members and therefore skip the long lines at TSA and go to the front.
I think you can sell a SWA Elite Card for $100 per year and tens of thousands would buy it, including me and my wife.
Just think, I could flash a SWA card and go to the front of the line. What a deal!
A loyal member,
Emmett and Elaine Cunningham
Phoenix, AZ

All I wanted to say is that SWA rocks. I fly a lot back and forth from the west coast to the east coast, as I live 3000 miles away from my children, and I also fly for work, I HATE the other airlines and always try to be able to take a SWA flight. Your folks that work for this wonderful airline are the nicest in the industry. When I lived on the east coast and my children were younger, I will NEVER forget how awesome your people treated them when they had to fly alone, and neither will they, they too are now avid in thoughts that they dont want to fly anything else. Not only do you make it affordable, but you make it fun. Thanks for all your great work.

I would like to see Southwest evaluate the qualifications for preboarding. I have traveled Southwest into many different cities. The worst city for preboarding, is Disney, I mean Orlando. There are so many preboards, sometimes it looks as though they should preboard those who are not preboarding. During announcements, preboarding is offered for medical reasons, children 5-11 traveling by themselves and parents with children 4 and under. The parents with children 4 and under, as you all know is very common for Disney, SeaWorld, Universal Studios, Cruises and all the other tourist attractions nearby. I would imagine with the increased use of the internet for booking and boarding pass check-in, these families should still be able to obtain an A or B boarding pass. Maybe the preboard for parents should be changed to parents traveling with a child 2 years or under, traveling as either a lap child or a seat purchased for the carseat (under 2 years old). I have heard many complaints about the preboarding in the gate area about the number of people that Southwest preboards. Thanks for reading...and I love Southwest.

PS-BTW, for those who would say that I am jealous that I can't preboard, I have 3 children 8, 5 and 3. I do travel with them, and if I can get an A or B boarding pass, I have no need to preboard.

The only thing I hate about SW is the open seating - ifyou are on vacation without a laptop you are punished by getting into section C seating -ahhhhhh - even though you may have purchased your ticket months before - not good:(

Uh-Oh - From today's Baltimore Sun:

"For 30 years, the primary feedback we got from our customers is that they preferred assigned seating, but we wanted to do a lot of careful research first. What we're looking at is still comparing our options.

"You'll see some changes soon," Gary Kelly said, without elaborating.

I just returned from Dallas on a Southwest flight (well, series of them actually) and I was again reminded just how special this airline and it's people are. Having flown literally millions of miles in my lifetime, it is always refreshing to be on a Southwest flight.

I am an executive with Starwood Hotels and travel a great deal. Whenever possible, I travel on Southwest. There are several reasons why, but at the end of the "why" chain is always the fact that because your team so clearly enjoy what they do, I enjoy it as well. I also like watching people who do their jobs so consistently well - which the travel industry is so sorely lacking.

I have often been amazed at how effectively and simply you are able to execute against a very complex schedule and service process. More impressive is how no other company in your space has been able to do so.

Like many, I urge you to keep your open seating policy. As a business traveler, it is critical to me. This may seem somewhat counter intuitive, but when forced to change schedules (which is often), if I am traveling on any other airline, I am guaranteed a center seat, and a Y fare for the pleasure. With Southwest, I am assured of a fair and simple process of changing schedules, and a better than even chance of a great seat.

Changing this boarding process will change much about the way your airline works and I think you vastly underestimate the experience it generates. People actually chat in line, share stories, etc. The boarding process is clearly much faster, and because there is no first class it is a very democratic and "equalizing" process. On other airlines, you are either a "have" or a "have not", and they go out of their way to point that out to you at each possible opportunity. At Southwest, everyone is part of the process, and contributes.

I know that you will do what you must do, but please don't kill the goose that laid your golden egg. One more miserable aluminum tube filled with miserable passengers and an even more miserable crew is not what the world of travel needs. Best of luck to you and to your amazing team.