Post your Southwest Airline boarding pass results!

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

we love south west

[recyclelady]

I am the OP of this thread. Hard to believe it has been going this long.

 

We flew to Rome earlier this month. Coming back our direct flight from Rome to Chicago was cancelled! We had to rebook thru Altalia and wound up taking three separate flights to get home.

 

As the hours and hours dragged on I said more than once, "Why can't Southwest start flying in Europe??" :D

[Gloria Mundi]

As the hours and hours dragged on I said more than once, "Why can't Southwest start flying in Europe??" :D

 

I sure wish they did. My experience: Wednesday, 8/17 I flew from LAS to MCI with a stop in PHX, leaving just before noon. Didn't pay for EB, checked in on-line about 20 minutes after the 24-hour window opened and got A-60. Plane was pretty much full. I got my preferred window seat, about halfway back.

 

I still marvel at how quickly Southwest can board a plane with this system. They start so late I'm always certain we'll leave late, and instead I've had better on-time results with them than any other airline.

[SANJOSEGAL]

Here is a little story I saw on CBS Sunday Morning on why Southwest is so efficient.

 

 

Ants provided some guidance for Doug Lawson, a systems analyst at Southwest Airlines.

 

"Because we know that ants have accomplished these amazing things right based on very simple rules, we know that if we want to see something complicated happen - like completely filling the interior of an aircraft with people - we know that simple ant-type behavior is adequate to represent what's occurring," Lawson said.

 

"So Southwest Airlines said, 'Help us figure out the most efficient way to help us get our passengers on a plane,' and you said, 'I know - I'll use ants'?" asked Salie.

 

"Yeah, right. Because they do complicated things with very simple rules," Lawson said.

 

Lawson used mathematically-modeled ants to determine the most efficient way of boarding a plane, which turns out to be open seating.

 

"So Southwest's way of boarding without seat numbers is actually more efficient than when I board another airline and know exactly what my seat is?" asked Salie.

 

"Right. When we simulated what the different airlines are doing, it turns out that with assigned seats, there's a one-third chance that you're going to ask two people to get up, whereas open seating - since the middle seat is the undesirable one - generally that's the one that's last to be filled, [so] only one person is likely to get up, the person sitting near the aisle," said Lawson. "I may have to ask somebody to get up and get out of the way to let me get to a seat, and that's about it. So it's really simple.

 

"So the ants are sort of an analogy - simple rules produce complicated transactions and events and major structures. and we can do the same thing in a little simulated world and represent very complicated processes," said Lawson.

 

"Now, did these ants have carry-on baggage? Were these ants cranky?" asked Salie.

 

"Yeah, we left out bad behavior," Lawson replied.

 

For human behavior, it turns out ants have a lot to teach us about activities that don't require a lot of brain power, like what happens at the check-in counter.

 

"Basically if you have enough employees or machines - or ants in a colony - they can all have very specific tasks," said Lawson. "And that's how ant society is. And that's how they evolved jobs over millions of years. It's come to be that we need a nursing ant; we need a soldier ant."

 

Or a Southwest employee directing passengers to the next open check-in machine.

 

Lawson believes airline operations are just the beginning of what mathematically modeled ants have to offer ...

 

"Anything that provides a service can be converted into an ant, and so then they'll adapt, too," Lawson said. "So a service device could be an ant also, and it could change its behavior - what service is it offering? Where should it be? It could wander around the lobby trying to figure out where it ought to stand, and what kind of service it should offer.

 

"So when you think about it that way, anything - an ATM, a parking space, an aircraft - convert them into an ant and let them behave, too, under the influence of the customer who wants them, and they'll change their behavior too."

 

"Arguably, humans are too smart for the functioning of the whole society - it pays to be individually stupid," Moffett laughed. "This is the wisdom of the crowds idea brought to ants. Basically, all those little ants with their mostly ignorant choices, out of all that emerges a smart society."

[redrhino]

Remember, the A1 through A15 boarding passes are reserved for those folks paying for bussiness select seats, and often, they aren't filled.

 

Also, if someone is getting on your plan from a connecting flight, they can get boarding pass number assigned before the 24 hour window.

 

For example, if I am flying from Tampa to Las Vegas, but I have to switch planes in Austin, I can get my boarding passes for Austin at the same time I can get my BP for my departure from Tampa. Which will be ~3 hours or so before those starting the trip in Austin.

 

The new system is MUCH better than the old one, but the whole Early Bird thing kind of sticks in my craw!!

[kingsnake57]

Here is a little story I saw on CBS Sunday Morning on why Southwest is so efficient.

 

 

Ants provided some guidance for Doug Lawson, a systems analyst at Southwest Airlines.

 

"Because we know that ants have accomplished these amazing things right based on very simple rules, we know that if we want to see something complicated happen - like completely filling the interior of an aircraft with people - we know that simple ant-type behavior is adequate to represent what's occurring," Lawson said.

 

"So Southwest Airlines said, 'Help us figure out the most efficient way to help us get our passengers on a plane,' and you said, 'I know - I'll use ants'?" asked Salie.

 

"Yeah, right. Because they do complicated things with very simple rules," Lawson said.

 

Lawson used mathematically-modeled ants to determine the most efficient way of boarding a plane, which turns out to be open seating.

 

"So Southwest's way of boarding without seat numbers is actually more efficient than when I board another airline and know exactly what my seat is?" asked Salie.

 

"Right. When we simulated what the different airlines are doing, it turns out that with assigned seats, there's a one-third chance that you're going to ask two people to get up, whereas open seating - since the middle seat is the undesirable one - generally that's the one that's last to be filled, [so] only one person is likely to get up, the person sitting near the aisle," said Lawson. "I may have to ask somebody to get up and get out of the way to let me get to a seat, and that's about it. So it's really simple.

 

"So the ants are sort of an analogy - simple rules produce complicated transactions and events and major structures. and we can do the same thing in a little simulated world and represent very complicated processes," said Lawson.

 

"Now, did these ants have carry-on baggage? Were these ants cranky?" asked Salie.

 

"Yeah, we left out bad behavior," Lawson replied.

 

For human behavior, it turns out ants have a lot to teach us about activities that don't require a lot of brain power, like what happens at the check-in counter.

 

"Basically if you have enough employees or machines - or ants in a colony - they can all have very specific tasks," said Lawson. "And that's how ant society is. And that's how they evolved jobs over millions of years. It's come to be that we need a nursing ant; we need a soldier ant."

 

Or a Southwest employee directing passengers to the next open check-in machine.

 

Lawson believes airline operations are just the beginning of what mathematically modeled ants have to offer ...

 

"Anything that provides a service can be converted into an ant, and so then they'll adapt, too," Lawson said. "So a service device could be an ant also, and it could change its behavior - what service is it offering? Where should it be? It could wander around the lobby trying to figure out where it ought to stand, and what kind of service it should offer.

 

"So when you think about it that way, anything - an ATM, a parking space, an aircraft - convert them into an ant and let them behave, too, under the influence of the customer who wants them, and they'll change their behavior too."

 

"Arguably, humans are too smart for the functioning of the whole society - it pays to be individually stupid," Moffett laughed. "This is the wisdom of the crowds idea brought to ants. Basically, all those little ants with their mostly ignorant choices, out of all that emerges a smart society."

 

Cool!

[Bowie MeMe]

I paid the extra $10 for a flight I have in November and another in December. When do I learn my boarding #? It's not on my ticket. Do I get it when I check in????

 

You will get your EB number assigned 36 hours before the flight. This is automatic and the Early Bird numbers can not be assigned at the counter. When you check in your number will be there.

 

This past weekend we flew to Nashville on Friday (before Irene) and had A34/35 early bird while our cousin who just checked in 2 hours before flight had B 43. Fearing that airlines would cancel flights due to the storm we changed our return flight to Monday instead of Sunday -- EB went with us as it was more than 36 hours ahead. Husband got A46. When we checked in on Monday there was a problem with my reservations -- they had me flying from BWI to Nashville instead of Nashville to BWI. A supervisor was able after 20 minutes to get me on this plane that was super full due to storm cancellations. I was not able to get my EB number but when I went to the loading gate counter the lady nicely marked my ticket for boarding with family/needing extra time. I was very satisfyed.

 

The week before I flew to Guyaquil Ecuador on an airline that uses assigned seats boarding. My seat was assigned last January! When I arrived at my assigned seat there was a lady and her two children in my row and she acknowledged that she was not assigned that seat but loudly proclaimed that I would need to move because she needed 3 seats together --I wouldn't make her seperate from her kids. She refused to move and I had no place to sit or stand for almost 1/2 an hour. I was embarrassed and humiliated as people made judgements on how I was being unreasonable to insist on my seat (I really need to be in an aisle seat if at all possible especially for long flights as I have vein problems and must be able to stretch or stand up) and the mother was crying and getting very loud. Finally the boarding agent made the mother go to her assigned seat where she fussed until two other people offered to change seats with her and I had to stand in the aisle while all the changes were made. This and other problems made the flight an hour late in leaving.

 

Give me the SWA boarding plan anytime. It is easy for me to decide if I want EB or not depending on what I will be doing 24 hours in advance of the flight. So many people have programmed computers or smart phones to call at exactly 24 hours that if you are not just exactly calling you will probably be in mid B (still some good seats) C generally means "center seat". :rolleyes:

[bobcholmes]

Just noticed this thread, and I have a kinda interesting story concerning SWA's boarding business (EB) that I will share if you will bear with me. I booked fourteen of us (all family members) Austin to Las Vegas nearly six full months in advance of the trip. Since I was spending my kinfolk's money, I paid for the early bird fares. Well, two months prior to our trip one of my daughters in law fell and broke her leg, and, coupled with her being pregnant, she and my son had to cancel, but we added a niece. For some reason, can't remember exactly, I called SW to accomplish the change, and while I was on the phone, during their process, our early bird status had disappeared from the original bookings. The extremely helpful SW rep, after a time, got the EB things back for the original twelve, and for that niece I mentioned. Well, come trip time, curiosity was killing me to see how our boarding pass thing would work being that we had made the reservations so early and so I called 24 hrs prior. Lo and behold, my wife and I got A29 and A30, all the rest of my kin got the first B's. I had figured that as early as we booked, we'd be up in the cockpit. The niece who I booked just two months before the trip (with EB also) got A17. Almost exactly the same on the return trip. How? Beats me. But I still am a "true believer" in SW and their boarding processes, and we will fly with them as long as we are able. Their system has worked extremely well for a bunch of years, and that, coupled with their on time performance and excellent customer service makes flying with them a no brainer. Can't explain the above, but I just wanted to share it with you. It was pretty funny.:)

[SANJOSEGAL]

Just noticed this thread, and I have a kinda interesting story concerning SWA's boarding business (EB) that I will share if you will bear with me. I booked fourteen of us (all family members) Austin to Las Vegas nearly six full months in advance of the trip. Since I was spending my kinfolk's money, I paid for the early bird fares. Well, two months prior to our trip one of my daughters in law fell and broke her leg, and, coupled with her being pregnant, she and my son had to cancel, but we added a niece. For some reason, can't remember exactly, I called SW to accomplish the change, and while I was on the phone, during their process, our early bird status had disappeared from the original bookings. The extremely helpful SW rep, after a time, got the EB things back for the original twelve, and for that niece I mentioned. Well, come trip time, curiosity was killing me to see how our boarding pass thing would work being that we had made the reservations so early and so I called 24 hrs prior. Lo and behold, my wife and I got A29 and A30, all the rest of my kin got the first B's. I had figured that as early as we booked, we'd be up in the cockpit. The niece who I booked just two months before the trip (with EB also) got A17. Almost exactly the same on the return trip. How? Beats me. But I still am a "true believer" in SW and their boarding processes, and we will fly with them as long as we are able. Their system has worked extremely well for a bunch of years, and that, coupled with their on time performance and excellent customer service makes flying with them a no brainer. Can't explain the above, but I just wanted to share it with you. It was pretty funny.:)

 

Thanks for sharing your stories some of us actually are interested in reading more than just your boarding number. :)

[SANJOSEGAL]

Early Bird

 

San Jose, CA - Fort Lauderdale 09/08/11 6:30 AM flight

 

A44 & A45

A48 & A49

A46 & A47

A33 - I purchased this ticket months after the others

[recyclelady]

Early Bird

 

San Jose, CA - Fort Lauderdale 09/08/11 6:30 AM flight

 

A44 & A45

A48 & A49

A46 & A47

A33 - I purchased this ticket months after the others

 

And I truly believed that the EB seating was assigned by how soon you made the reservation. I guess I believed in the tooth fairy for a long time too!

 

Wonder what computer program assigns these?

[FlaGrl4Evr]

Last month I flew SW and booked 6 days prior. I selected the EB option and received A29.

 

My fiance and I booked our flights for our upcoming Oct cruise the day they were released and also selected the EB option. It will be interesting to see where we are placed.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

never pay the $10 yet.

[FlaGrl4Evr]

never pay the $10 yet.

 

 

We didn't think that we would either but it has proved to work out very well for our indivudial situations. My Fiance is 6"4 1/2 and he really does need a seat with extra leg room, while there is no guarantee of this by boarding with EB it sure does help. At the very least, he is able to get an asile seat.

 

Another great reason for having the EB is the return flight after the cruise. No worries about checking in 24-hrs before and no worries about having to wait in line to print out a boarding pass. SW takes care of everything.

 

We usually buy EB for both of us on outgoing and return flights. For us, this is $40 well spent. We are ones that do not believe in only buying one EB and then saving the seat for the other. SW really frowns on this and IMHO I feel it is unfair. We had a group on our last flight that had one member with EB and had backpacks, purses, and a carry on strown over several seats to save for the rest of the group. This was totally unfair for the families that paid the EB for the purpose of sitting together. There will always be people that will somehow find a way to beat the system out of a few bucks. JMHO.

[goodml]

Just checked in for our flight tomorrow September 23rd, DTW to SNA. Tickets were booked March 11th and changed once about a month later. Bought early bird at time of original purchase. First time flying Southwest.

 

Got A17 and A18

[spammie]

We just returned this past Sunday from our cruise. We flew from Philly to Ft. Lauderdale and I paid extra for the EB. I purchased our departing flight for September 10, 2011 from Philly to FLL on April 13, 2011. Our boarding numbers were A20 and A21. This flight wasn't full and we were able to sit in the first row with lots of leg room. I purchased our return flight for September 18, 2011 on May 23, 2011. Our boarding numbers were A18 and A19 and this flight was full. We did notice that people who boarded early were saving seats. I really don't think this is fair for the people who pay the extra for the EB. We will continue to pay the extra since for us it is worth the convenience.

[SANJOSEGAL]

Just returned a couple of days ago I used EB for both our flights. I would always use EB check in just to be sure I get to chose a good seat. This was our first time flying SW from the CA to Florida not too happy that there is no movie like on American Airlines. The shorter of our two flights had Wifi for $5 I bought that and it was so slow opening any of the web pages I wanted. I got so frustrated I finally gave up then about 45 minutes before we landed I decided to try it again and it was working much faster. I highly recommend you download a few movies on your iPad or laptop before you leave home for long flights on SW.

[mikewrit]

Ever since DW had to start using a wheeled walker (rollator) we board right after the unaccompanied tots and people in wheelchairs. While DH has twinges of guilt, he also wonders how many fellow passengers "who need assistance" are running a con, and he has spotted at least two likely suspects in the past four SW flights.

[Globaliser]

While DH has twinges of guilt, he also wonders how many fellow passengers "who need assistance" are running a con, and he has spotted at least two likely suspects in the past four SW flights.

Someone I know at a major airline says that she's convinced that the airline works miracle cures on a daily basis - judging by the number of passengers who require wheelchair assistance to board the aircraft, but get up and virtually sprint off the aircraft of their own accord after arrival.

[Keith1010]

Ever since DW had to start using a wheeled walker (rollator) we board right after the unaccompanied tots and people in wheelchairs. While DH has twinges of guilt, he also wonders how many fellow passengers "who need assistance" are running a con, and he has spotted at least two likely suspects in the past four SW flights.

 

In the scheme of things the number of people who do this is a relatively small number because even if everyone who is in a wheel chair really did not require it we are only talking about a few people per flight and I don't think from looking at many in wheelchairs that is the case.

 

Now, in the USA there are many who try to take advantage of handicapped spaces but that is a different story.

 

Keith

[goodml]

Just checked in for our flight tomorrow September 23rd, DTW to SNA. Tickets were booked March 11th and changed once about a month later. Bought early bird at time of original purchase. First time flying Southwest.

 

Got A17 and A18

 

Just as a follow up we boarded directly after the folks who needed assistance and one frequent flyer. We ended up in the emergency row seats and had two very nice flights.

[FlaGrl4Evr]

Just returned from our cruise. Flew SW and used the Early Bird boarding option. For outgoing, Indy to Tampa, we received A41 and A42. For our return flt home, Tampa to Indy we received A34 and A35. I just love this option when cruising, we don't have to stress or use our cruise time to do check-in 24 hrs prior. Well worth the $10 per person.

 

Also wanted to add that we purshased our tickets back in April when the Oct dates were released.

[mitsugirly]

I thought it would be interesting to start a thread that tells:

1. Did you purchase the early bird boarding?

2. What were your boarding pass numbers?

 

We have a flight to Las Vegas tomorrow (totally unrelated to cruising!) I did not pay the early bird fee for boarding.

 

We got A35 and A36. I'm pleased.

 

We aren't going to have computer access at the 24 hour mark for the return flight, so I'm going to have our daughter check us in. I hope she has good luck for us!

 

We never get the early bird passes and since they have the 24 hour check in online prior to boarding, we have always ended up with an A category (usually in the 30's) and have been pleased with seating (we are not picky where we sit, just as long as it's together). Now on the way back from a cruise, of course we are unable to do the early bird check in, so a few times we have received a low B category (0-10), but still had seats together.

 

This year, we cruised with our 3 year old...and found out that they will board families with young children before any of the B category no matter what your number is. :D

[Clay Clayton]

Purchased tickets in May 2011 and changed them in August 2011(cheaper fare)

 

Outbound RDU-MCO Oct 21, 2011 checked in online exactly 24 hours prior: A57 & A58

 

Return MCO-RDU Oct 29, 2011 EB A55 & A56 (Friends who checked in online from the ship about 24 hours prior, got B 30 and B31)

[gumballz]

This is a first for us. Booked our flights in July (leaving tomorrow, 1/7). Paid for Early Bird for both of us. When we printed our boarding passes, my daughter got A38 & I got A53.

 

When we've done this in the past, we have always gotten numbers together. Thought this was strange, but whatever. We'll be on the flight so that's what matters. :)