southwest airlines question

Why can't more people be happy go lucky like the doctor?

He's getting some steady action. Ellen and him are hitting it off big time. He's turned into DrSunshine.

I'm very happy with Southwest.

There are two issues debated here:

1. Lining up in order of boarding pass number.

2. Saving seats.

As for #1, obviously this is policy (because they tell us to line up according to number) but NOT ENFORCED at the gate. My husband once asked, BEFORE time to line up, may I line up behind my wife, gate agent said no. So he lined up according to his boarding pass number, farther back than mine. But people in front of me and people in back of me are lining up behind their spouses/fellow travelers even though they have boarding pass numbers far apart. Have not seen any stopped.

As for #2, saving seats (or not saving seats)there may be policy, but if so, it is not stated anywhere on SWA web site; no signs; and the flight attendants give different answers to the question.

No problem, I now either buy EB for both of us or use the 24 hour check in for both of us, and take what comes.

They have lots of policies and procedures, but nothing that I can find on saving seats.

flying today, checked in online yesterday and got B20 and B21.

Poor old DonDiego is usually happy.

Certainly the order in which he boards an aircraft is not going to be of significant concern to him. Hey, . . . he might even get to sit next to someone better than his original traveling companion.
[n.b. This possibility simply does not apply if he is traveling with his beloved spouse.]

He is especially happy when he successfully protects his garden from a marauding tomato-munching panda. See below.

There is no policy that prohibits you from asking me to sit elsewhere. There is also no policy prohibiting me saying, "I'm sorry, but this is the only good seat left and I'm sitting here".

If you were holding a middle seat, I would never do this however.

There fore if you want save a seat, sit in aisle or window and keep the middle open. Everyone wins

I had issues with this when we flew to/from New Orleans. We had paid for earlybird check in only to find people savings seats on all legs of the trip there and back. I don't have a problem with a spouse saving a seat for their significant other, but I do have a problem with a person saving a whole row of seats in front of them, which happened on our flight back.

Finally on the last leg, a short hop from AZ to SD, we boarded and a businessman had an aisle seat and papers in the window seat. I told him we wanted the window/middle seat and he said it was saved. I then said that they're not allowed to save seats, after some grumbling he removed the papers, but it made for an uncomfortable flight back. I later found out he was trying to save the seat for his business buddy who was way back in C group.

My gripe is that I paid for early check in so I should be able to sit where I want and per the attendant we are welcome to any open seat.

I emailed Southwest and they informed me they have no policy in regards to saving seats, as long as it does not disrupt the boarding process, so in a sense they do allow it. They did refund my early bird fees, which were $50 for the 2 of us.

Thanks, Erin.