Southwest seating question

[travlnblueberries]

We tried SW once and never again. I ended up in the first row, while Dh ended up in the very last row. If the plane is going down I certainly don't want a stranger sitting next to me. Dh said never again. That was about 6 yrs or so ago. And we haven't flown with them since that flight.

[Underwatr]

You must have been among the last to board. Those of us who check in early appreciate those who don't. ;)

[travlnblueberries]

You must have been among the last to board. Those of us who check in early appreciate those who don't. ;)

 

Now we don't have to worry about checking in early, we have priority boarding:D

[Scrapnana]

It's all here:

http://www.southwest.com/html/customer-service/extra-seat/index-pol.html

 

I believe the passenger is given a card to mark the adjacent seat as taken - an apparent contradiction but then again, not really.

 

Thanks. I was wondering how that second seat could remain vacant. I also wondered if you were in the last group to board there might not be two seats together (and that would negate the purpose of buying the two seats) but Underwatr says COS are encouraged to preboard.

[donaldsc]

Thanks. I was wondering how that second seat could remain vacant. I also wondered if you were in the last group to board there might not be two seats together (and that would negate the purpose of buying the two seats) but Underwatr says COS are encouraged to preboard.

 

What is a COS? Is it yet another privileged that gets to board ahead of me?

 

One thing I like about SW is the people with young children do not get to board first but between group A and B. Now if we can do something about the allegedly handicapped people who get pushed up to the boarding area in a chair, walk around the boarding area w/o any problems, and then sit down in the chair and get pushed up the boarding ramp before group A.

 

Some of them are obviously handicapped but if they can walk around the boarding area, they can also walk up the ramp to the plane.

 

DON

[Underwatr]

COS = Customer of Size. It's Southwest's term for Passenger of Size (perhaps because it might have unfavorable implications if a COS sees a notation referring to himself as a POS). :)

 

*(Piece of S...)

 

http://www.southwest.com/html/generated/help/faqs/extra_seat_policy_faq.html

Can you ensure no one takes the seat beside me if I've secured a second seat?

 

The Customer who has secured more than one seat must be an active participant in preserving his/her additional seat. We encourage Customers of size to preboard to locate adequate seating and place the Seat Reserved Document in the adjacent seat

.

[Algebralovr]

What is a COS? Is it yet another privileged that gets to board ahead of me?

 

One thing I like about SW is the people with young children do not get to board first but between group A and B. Now if we can do something about the allegedly handicapped people who get pushed up to the boarding area in a chair, walk around the boarding area w/o any problems, and then sit down in the chair and get pushed up the boarding ramp before group A.

 

Some of them are obviously handicapped but if they can walk around the boarding area, they can also walk up the ramp to the plane.

 

DON

 

Not necessarily. My DD spent a couple of months in a wheelchair. She could walk short distances, but could walk or stand for more than a few minutes. She was encouraged to walk when she could, however, so that she would not lose muscle control and balance.

 

We pre-boarded her in June, and she was assisted onto the plane, but did sometimes take a few steps while waiting for the plane. There is no way she could have walked all the way down the ramp to the plane.

 

People who pre-boarding are not allowed to sit in the exit row, which has the most leg room. Therefore, I don't really care.

[slidergirl]

Not sure but I think normal bumping rules would go into effect - ask for volunteers, then if necessary bump as if it was any other oversold flight. This would not normally result in the larger person being the one bumped, if my interpretation of the webpage info on this is correct.Since BPs are numbered in the order that people check in, the person bumped would be the last one(s) waiting to board.

 

If you're going to get wound up about it (IMO there are so many other travel hassle that this topic doesn't bother me), you might as well also note that Southwest encourages Customers of Size to preboard to ensure that they will find an adjacent empty seat. :)

 

If I'm interpreting your post correctly: If I am the last person to board (the reason does not matter - maybe I just got off my connecting flight…) and the only seat left is really half a seat next to a COS, I have 2 choices - take the half seat or not board??? Pre-boarding does not mean that you will absolutely have that empty adjacent seat, you just start out with that advantage over the rest of the passengers. Why should not the COS be told they will have to wait for a flight that can accommodate them? They "pay" for that extra seat ONLY IN THE CASE that the seat is not needed. If the seat is needed and the COS cannot fit in a single seat, they should be the one offloaded.

[donaldsc]

Not necessarily. My DD spent a couple of months in a wheelchair. She could walk short distances, but could walk or stand for more than a few minutes. She was encouraged to walk when she could, however, so that she would not lose muscle control and balance.

 

We pre-boarded her in June, and she was assisted onto the plane, but did sometimes take a few steps while waiting for the plane. There is no way she could have walked all the way down the ramp to the plane.

 

People who pre-boarding are not allowed to sit in the exit row, which has the most leg room. Therefore, I don't really care.

 

I fully understand. However, these people were standing and walking for more than a few steps or a few minutes. They were capable of walking a reasonable distance to the rest room. They were also capable of walking to the sandwich shop to get some food where they would have needed to wait in line until they could place their order and then wait in line until their food was ready.

 

All of these distances were longer than the distance from the gate to the airplane. They could have needed an electric cart to get to the boarding area but based on my observations, they were totally capable of walking to the plane.

 

DON

[6rugrats]

Why should not the COS be told they will have to wait for a flight that can accommodate them? They "pay" for that extra seat ONLY IN THE CASE that the seat is not needed. If the seat is needed and the COS cannot fit in a single seat, they should be the one offloaded.

 

I am not sure I am totally understand this, or the thread to which you responded. If a COS purchased two seats, the second seat it their seat, and it's not available for a late arriving passengers. It's as if someone is already sitting there.

 

If the COS didn't purchase a second seat, and they can't fit into one seat, and you are trying to take that last seat, which they are essentially occupying, yes, they should be the one offloaded. Does it always happen this way when the GA wants to get the flight out? Of course not.

 

And why someone just doesn't purchase that second seat anyway, since they get a full refund, I don't understand.

Edited August 31, 2014 by 6rugrats

[Underwatr]

The COS may purchase a second seat or may discuss their seating need at the gate. Either way they will be given a card that allows them to mark the spillover seat as reserved. Southwest also encourages them to make use of pre-boarding to maximize the availability of adjacent empty seats.

 

I only know as much about the topic as I'm reading at Southwest's website, but if a person notifies the gate crew about the need for more than one seat without having purchased two seats they will accommodate the need at the gate so there is a higher risk of this causing an oversold situation. They're unclear about how this would be resolved but I think in other situations the last person to check in is normally the likely candidate to be bumped if enough volunteers can't be found.

[slidergirl]

I am not sure I am totally understand this, or the thread to which you responded. If a COS purchased two seats, the second seat it their seat, and it's not available for a late arriving passengers. It's as if someone is already sitting there.

 

If the COS didn't purchase a second seat, and they can't fit into one seat, and you are trying to take that last seat, which they are essentially occupying, yes, they should be the one offloaded. Does it always happen this way when the GA wants to get the flight out? Of course not.

 

And why someone just doesn't purchase that second seat anyway, since they get a full refund, I don't understand.

 

Sorry 6rugrats - I got screwed up here. I meant that the POS didn't buy the second seat, but approached the GA and got permission to early board to try to hold a "spillover" seat. I would be angry beyond belief if I was told I was being denied boarding because someone was too fat and cheap to buy that second seat, especially if the reason I got to that flight as late as I did was because I just got off a legally-times WN flight...