Ever wonder why you board a flight 20-25 minutes prior to its actual departure?
It’s because the boarding process is so painstaking.
That’s especially true on an airline such as Southwest where it’s a variable free for all because there are no assigned seats. In order to keep costs down, the airline utilizes an open boarding system where you pick your seat when you actually get on the plane.
Instead, you are assigned a group, A, B or C, and a number from 1 to 60. When your group is called and your number is called, that’s when you board.
That will not change.
And Southwest will no longer sell early-bird check-in. The new policy starts on August 15, according to a report from View From the Wing.
According to the airline in an internal memo send to employees: “Many initiatives are underway across the company to modernize customer experience and win more customers, aligning with our five strategic priorities. This focus brings an opportunity to evolve our fare and ancillary products, while maintaining the value they bring our customers. Similar to our fare products and upgraded boarding, Early Bird Check-in might not be available at any given time. If the Early Bird Check-in standalone product is unavailable, customers will still have an opportunity to purchase Business Select or Upgraded Boarding, both of which are also subject to availability. Customers who purchase "Anytime" fares will still receive Early Bird Check-in as part of the benefits of that fare.”
In a nutshell, Southwest is pushing customers toward more expensive fares. It’s good for the airline to raise revenue, but the move will likely tick off many passengers. Even getting a group in the A level doesn’t guarantee you a seat unless you purchase business select, which can be significantly higher than regular seats.
Southwest had no immediate comment.
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