We know a lot of our DFB readers are big fans of Southwest Airlines.
Southwest Airlines at the Orlando Airport
The airline offers a LOT of nonstop flights to Orlando International Airport, after all, and that gets us to Disney World faster, right? You can also occasionally get some really good deals on airfare from Southwest, too. Plus who doesn’t love the whole “two free checked bags” policy that really makes Southwest stand out from the competition? However, Southwest’s boarding process has proved to be controversial — but that process could be changing SOON.
Currently, when you fly Southwest Airlines, you do NOT get an assigned seat. Instead, your ticket will have a letter and number on it, which represents your boarding group. So when it’s time to board, you’ll wait until your letter is called and then stand in line behind a sign designated for the number that’s also on your ticket. Once you get on board, you can pick any open seat you want.
On board Southwest’s Disney World 50th Anniversary Plane
Interestingly enough, some people LOVE this boarding process (because it does seem to be faster than other airlines), but others hate that they can’t get a guaranteed seat, which means they might not be able to get a seat with others they’re traveling with. This boarding process, though, could be changing.
According to CNBC, Southwest CEO Bob Jordan, recently said, “We’re looking into new initiatives, things like the way we seat and board our aircraft.”
Southwest Plane
Currently, Southwest does have its Early Bird program, which lets fliers pay a little extra to board early. That still doesn’t guarantee that you’ll get the seat you want, though. It seems that some analysts have continued to ask Southwest about premium seating or additional fees, similar to what other airlines are doing.
Although Jordan said, “Customer preferences do change over time,” he also reiterated that Southwest is not considering charging for checked bags. The company understands that’s why many people choose Southwest over other airlines.
Southwest plane
We’ll have to see if Southwest does change its boarding process and starts offering seat selection, though, and it seems like the company could be considering it. We’ll keep an eye out for more updates and let you know about them!
Stay tuned to DFB for more.
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I have flown Southwest quite a bit and I have never had an issue getting a decent seat or group of seats when I fly with my family, even in the dreaded high number B group. Yes, I Early Bird to make the process easier and the ticket is still cheaper than other compared airlines. Now I have been on other airlines, where my family seats were changed at the gate that split us up, unless I wanted to pay more to sit together again. No airline is perfect I flew Southwest a couple of Christmases ago and got stuck at Chicago for 7 additional hours for issues on their end, but they did give me a set of free flights.
I hope they DO NOT change their boarding routine! I love it. It makes things so easy for everyone. If you have a large group no matter how they board it makes it difficult to sit together even if sits are assigned. Just put in for early bird boarding or make sure you check in 24 hrs before your flight to get a good group boarding spot. As long as you are in the A group it’s a good chance you can sit with 2 other people in your group.
I like Southwest’s boarding policy. It’s fast, they still allow pre-boarding for families and if you want an early seat group you can pay a little extra. Still cheaper than the up charges on other carriers. Plus you cannot beat free checked bags. Southwest is my #1 choice because they are NOT like other carriers.