<p>SW had a roof blow of one of its planes at 31,000 ft a few months ago.</p>
<p>I always pay the extra fee because it guarantees that I’ll have a seat upfront where the ride is less bumpy. That, along with lots of space in the overhead bin, is well worth a few extra dollars.</p>
<p>Occasionally there is a glitch with online checkin and it won’t allow you to do so online before getting to the airport… or you are traveling, and checking in 24 hours ahead of time is a hassle. In that case, the $10 is worth it. One time we didn’t pay it, and D15 (traveling alone, for some reason the online system would not allow her to check in) ended up without a boarding pass/seat assignment for her second leg of her trip. It was very nervewracking, but the airline ended up getting someone to give up a seat for her on the 2nd leg. We have always purchased it since then, and do enjoy being near the top of the “A” boarding group, sitting near the front of the plane, having plenty of room for our carry ons, etc.</p>
<p>@parent1986, that’s true, but SW has NEVER had a fatality. What other airline can say that? </p>
<p>Frankly, I find the early check-in irritating. You used to be able to check in exactly 24 hours ahead of time and get into the A section, now you’ll only get a good number in the B section. SW used to be all about equality - no “classes”, etc., and I worry that this is changing things. How long until you pay to be in the B section, or for a bulkhead row or anything else? Now that they’ve bought AirTran they will be really huge and can probably get away with anything.</p>
<p>I love SW for many reasons, especially since they don’t overbook and don’t have “classes”, but this early check in fee makes me worried.</p>
<p>I’ve done the early check-in a few times, mainly when I’m traveling alone and want to ensure a good window seat in front of the wing, and don’t want to worry about the exact 24 hours ahead. It’s true that for some flights, much of the A group gets filled before the 24 hours. I flew to and from Ft. Myers last winter, and the assisted seating group probably filled about 16 seats even before the priority A group! And since we fly out of Midway, we lose additional places to those who are connecting or continuing, and got their assignments more than 24 hours ahead of central time. DH won’t do the early check-in, and we’ve ended up in the B group once or twice. But still found adequate seats.</p>
<p>I still think it’s better than the old A-B-C groups with no numbers, where you had to line up the second you got to the gate and then just sit on the floor for an hour. I hated that system, and I guess if it helps keep costs down, I’d rather occasionally choose to pay the extra $10 rather than always pay $10 more for my ticket.</p>
<p>Just so I don’t get a barking dog next to me…</p>
<p>Thank you so much everyone-- I love the way you can get a dozen well-informed opinions on this forum-- about anything!!!</p>
<p>^^So true. Including Hurricane Irene! I’d rather spot-check here on the hurricane than sit through torturous broadcasts. Does that make me a CC addict?</p>
<p>I have never bought the early-check in option, and have only a handful of times been in the B boarding group. But even in the B boarding group, I’ve still managed to get a window seat. The few times I got a B boarding group were exactly the situations that MOWC described in #14. </p>
<p>And yes, I now have the Southwest Airlines app on my iPhone so I can check in anywhere I’m at. Sometimes what I’ll do is set the alarm on my phone to remind me to check in… that way I don’t have to worry about forgetting to check in.</p>
<p>H and I are lifelong United fliers, but we have lately flown D from here (SoCal) to her college across the country on SW, and I have regularly paid the $10 for EB. She has been lucky to get exit rows on a number of flights and, since those flights tend to be long, it’s at least a small help (and no one has to get to a computer right when check in opens, which can be early in the morning west coast time when she’s headed east). For an hour long flight, though, I might save the $10.</p>
<p>And on Irene – I also came to CC to check how conditions were, assuming I’d get timely news quicker …</p>
<p>We have some swanky FF status on US Air…and some “orphan miles” on american…not enought for even a one way. We don’t use AA anymore…so I guess that’s it. We are both SW FF miles holders but truthfully, their new FF program has us a bit confused! Still…we prefer them.</p>
<p>I really like the new SW Rapid Rewards Program. I’ve been a RR member forever (I have it on all the other airlines, too, but have never earned enough usable miles to go where I wanted to when I needed to–I was twice able to “purchase” a 1st class upgrade on the old TWA). I travel about 10-12 per year on SW, and I have both personal and business SW credit cards. We put EVERYTHING (even a car!) we can on the cc to earn mileage. With their old system and only the personal cc, we averaged 3-4 free flights per year (took vacations with the kids to LA & twice to Vegas). The new system works more like mileage, although they call them points. There are also no blackouts. It used to be that I couldn’t use SW free tickets to bring S2 home for Thanksgiving or anywhere near a major holiday, but now you can. It costs more of your points, but if you book early, you can do it. </p>
<p>SW is not always cheaper than other airlines, but now I book at the first thought of a trip because I know there are no change fees and I will not lose the money, even if I decide not to to travel at all. Also, even though fares may not be cheaper, there are no baggage fees. They are pretty strict about weight and size though, but everyone is. </p>
<p>Although this summer a friend and I traveled with 2 huge suitcases and 4 paper boxes full of paper. We checked four and paid for the extra two items. I know the suitcases were both over 50 lb, but they didn’t even bother to weigh them. </p>
<p>In 15 years of flying, SW has also never lost one of my bags or damaged them. That cannot be said of the other airlines, which I don’t fly very often. In July S2 flew to visit his GF. His flight was a 7 a.m. and he arrived at the airport at 6 a.m. and there was a HUGE security line. He made it through security at 6:50 and when he got to his gate found that they were holding the door open for him because they knew he had checked in and that the security was slow-going. Of course, the early boarding was wasted on that trip!</p>
<p>We haven’t been flying SW until recently, when the 2 checked bags for free became irresistible with kids choosing college on the opposite coast. When we flew out for DS’s graduation last spring, we ended up traveling back with some of his miscellaneous stuff, including a vintage saxophone in a soft-sided case! I cringed–I knew how much we had paid for it. Checked it, against my better judgement (it’s a tenor sax, WAY bigger than carry on size). Came out the other side without a scuff, scratch, or dent! Amazing.</p>
<p>dizzycat, my S carries his tenor on board SW. Fortunately, it has a hard case, just in case, but I told him anyone who looked at it who wasn’t a musician, would probably think it was an alto anyway and not say anything. He’s never had problem.</p>