Southwest $40 same day priortiy checkin

The normal practice for Southwest is to pay $20 ahead of time for the group "A" seating....it must be done more than 24 hours from the scheduled flight time. Now they allow you to get group "A" seating within 24 hours if for $40.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/flights/2013/01/21/southwest-40-dollars-board-first/1853667/

In other words, you better be johnny-on-the-spot when you do normal checkin and do it exactly 24 hours before the scheduled departure or you will very likely end up in a middle seat.

Thanks for the link. When you say $20, are you referring to a round trip amount since I always pay $10 for each leg of the flight for Early Bird?

Unless I am misreading this, it appears to be $40 each way which makes is $80 if both ways are chosen. If everyone purchased this on a flight (which is highly unlikely) would everyone be in Group A? For example, it would blow to be number A-120.

I would rather that they charged $30 for the first checked bag.

I believe it is $20 per person per trip.

A lot of people have paid this fee, so SW has decided to see if they can stretch it.

I only fly SW on short legs (LV to SLC for example), so an inconvenient seat doesn't affect me, so I will decline paying the fee.

From This article it appears it is just for the first 15 slots; those reserved for the higher priced ticket holders. You can only purchase them at the gate, on a space available basis.

I've not flown in a couple of years but as I recall it was very rare to see more than a couple of people in that first boarding area anyway. It looks to me like a way SW can add a little income from an area that is underutilized.

As for the overall effect on other passengers, it wouldn't appear to be very much. Its a small number of people that can take advantage of it and at $40 its pretty pricey. But if you somehow forget to check in before hand and are staring at a "C" pass on a long flight it might be handy to have the option available.

If it were that important to me to get on the plane early it would be a lot cheaper to go to the Goodwill, buy a pair of crutches and tell them you need extra boarding time.

I just booked my flight for Vegas over the weekend. It was way cheaper to fly with Alaska Airlines and I got to pick my seats. I don't mind flying Southwest and having to stand in lines and hope for a good seat but not at the same or higher prices as other airlines where you don't have to. I know I'll have to check one bag at $40 bucks round trip but I'm still way ahead on the price savings.

Have to be pretty low to fake an injury like that. Abuses like that discourages society from making accommodations for those who truly deserve them.

Glad I'm taking your idea as an unfunny joke.

Orderly: a couple of years ago when you last flew the A1-15 slots were sparse, but nowadays they seem to be pretty full. They seem to be people on business, for the most part.

fredo

Orderly is correct---there will be an announcement made at the gate within 45 minutes of the flight, IF seats are available. It is for that flight only, therefore $40 per person for that leg of travel.

This doesn't have any affect on any other boarding numbers---your boarding number will not change---

Wow, is fifteen minutes really that important to everyone? I've always wanted to get off as bad as the next guy, but if we ended up in the middle or back seats, meh, it is what it is. We've lucked out with good seats, last trip somehow we got first class on return, sometimes the back but mostly middle.

J

We witnessed this on flight home from McCarran, in October. Before boarding, they announced availability of moving up to A 1-15 for $50. Yes, it was $50 not $40. We saw no takers. I supposed, like water, they are seeking the level of price folks will pay to move up in the line. Has nothing to do with the Early Bird option.