Early Bird fee increase

When did SWA increase the fee for Early Bird from $12.50 to $15 one way?
I guess I was asleep.

I noticed it on my CC statement. I thought WTF is this $60 charge from SWA (for two)?

Went to the SWA web site, and there it is, IF you happen to click on the "Early Bird" link.
Did I just not notice this when the price went up? I supposed they didn't have to.

Yep it keeps going up. It has been several months. I think just a few years ago it was only 10 so a 50% increase oh well. I will pay it when I know I can't get to a computer, that might change seeing as the last time I didn't pay, I got B boarding at exactly 24 hours.

I think it went up sometime in March. I did the early bird at the end of February for my April and May trips and it was still $12.50.

This is helpful. I think I was hosed by a SWA screw up in February, a first.

Our trip was on February 22nd.

When checking in at the airport, the agent said there was something wrong with my reservation and she couldn't issue my boarding pass.

I thought "Uh-oh", because when I had tried to access my boarding pass at home, there was an "Oops" error message telling me I would not be able to print out my pass, but "No worries, they can print it out for you at the airport, OR, you can call 1-800-xxx xxxx." I wasn't worried, and so I did not call...BIG MISTAKE.

I had made this reservation (for 2, including EB) months ago, and I had it in hand. The agent called someone over to look at her computer, then called somebody at SWA. She was on hold forever while they looked up the problem. Finally, to make a long story short, she said that I owed them some money for this flight. What?

I had made the reservation using my SWA Visa cc, had the print out, etc. In fact, because we did make a change in the date of the trip, and I wasn't seeing Early Bird indicated on the new res, I called SWA a day or so before the trip to check that the EB did transfer over when I made change. After a moment, that person assured me yes, EB was on our reservations.

So, now, the agent at the airport is as frustrated as we were, and finally she says to me "You owe them $60." I said WHAT??? She asked again the person on the phone how would they owe $60? They couldn't tell her. Then they apparently said "No, just $30." By then I was anxious to move on and gave up, allowing the agent to charge my card for $30 and get our boarding passes.

Now, I think what happened, when I called about that Early Bird, somebody screwed something up and charged me AGAIN for EB, though not entering my cc number. I suspect by now the cost had been increased and it appeared I hadn't paid the higher price.

Lesson learned, and I am going to go back and attempt to get this rectified and get my $30 refunded, though I'm not optimistic.

Thanks for reading. And if you get one of those "Oops" suggestions to call SWA, do call!

Still worth it although this has now become a default. Need Early Bird to get A group.

What I didn't like on a trip this spring, an A group saved 2 exit row seats for his 2 friends in the C group. Flight attendant said it was OK I don't agree but never argue or you end up with a quick exit from the plane.

JJ

The seat-saving enforcement is not consistent from one flight attendant to another.

I've seen them "rule" both ways.

We just saw a SWA flight attendant forbid the saving of one non-Exit row seat.

If SWA has such a rule, Exit Row or any row, they should publish it and/or announce it prior to boarding.

I don't believe they have such a policy, in truth. Would be good to know.