Southwest Airlines 101

Southwest Airlines 101

Sunday, May 28, 2006 8:10 PM (permalink)

I fly Southwest a lot. I love Southwest not because they are cheap, but because they are operationally superior to other airlines (which, in turn, makes them cheap). Sure, they can't always guarantee on-time departures (only Al Roker can help you there), but any variable that can be controlled, they control.

Take, for instance, the "cattle-call" boarding process. For the uninitiated, basically when you get your boarding pass you are assigned a letter - "A," B" or "C." at the gate, you line up in one of the three corresponding lines, and then each line boards in alphabetical order (all the "A's" first, and so on). There are no assigned seats. The earlier you get your boarding pass, the more likely you are to get an "A." If you show up and buy your ticket 10 minutes before wheels up, you are likely to get a "C."

If the flight is not full, there will likely not be a "C" line (and I have been on flights that didn't have a "B" line, either.) For most flights, however, Southwest flies pretty full, so the lines (up to 45 passengers in each) are likely to be long. Waiting at the tail-end of one of these lines to board can certainly cause you to be a little cranky about the cattle-call, I grant you. The process, however, is sheer genius. The better your place in line, the more likely you are to get a good (or even tolerable) seat. Because of that, everyone gets in line (i.e., ready to board immediately) well in advance. On other airlines, I might be tempted to hang out in the gate area until the last minute, catching up on calls or stretching out with my laptop, possibly delaying things when everyone straggles on at the last minute and starts hunting for baggage space. Not so on Southwest--I am IN LINE, baby, because I am not sitting in the middle. That plane fills up quickly, people are in their seats in about 10 minutes, and when the pilot is ready to go you go.

The consequences of getting a "C" boarding pass are, at least for me, dire indeed. Not only might you be stuck with a middle seat, you will also likely not have any space in the overhead compartments for your carryon bag. If you are just making a day trip with your laptop (and are on a short flight), no big deal. But if you are going Philly to Phoenix to San Jose, it is a big deal. I pack everything in one bag without fail, and I never check this bag--this not only lightens my load but ensures I will be wearing clean underwear every day should my luggage get shot to Muncie in the baggage garble-a-tor at PHL. If you want space for your bag, and you want an aisle seat, you just can't afford to get a "C" in this exam.

Luckily, there are a few very simple tips to hack Southwest and be assured that your boarding experience is as tranquil as your flight will (hopefully) be.

• Get an "A" pass. This is pretty easy. With Southwest, you can print your boarding pass on-line as early as 12:01 AM the day of your flight. If you print your boarding pass at home, you are essentially guaranteed an "A." I browse to the site before I go to bed, enter my confirmation number, and leave it on my screen 'til I wake up. First thing in the morning I walk into my office, press enter and enjoy my "A."
• If you got an "A," don't bother getting in that line. Have a seat, rest those dogs. If you get up just as the "A" line is just about finished boarding (don't wait too long...) you will still get an aisle seat (or a window, if you swing that way) and have plenty of space for your baggage. So why fight over the difference between 11C and 9C? You will find that there are a lot of families boarding in this early batch, and they tend to sit together in middle and window seats, leaving plenty of cushy aisle seats towards the front of the plane no matter where you are in that "A" line.
• If you got a "B" (because you ignored step one), then get to the front of that line and wait. You will have to pay your lazy/unprepared/stupid tax here. You don't want to be at the end of the "B" line.
• If catastrophe strikes and you end up with a "C" pass, relax again--no sense getting in that line. Honestly, you will get a crap seat anyway and you probably won't have room for a big honkin' carryon wherever you are in that line. So don't bother waiting in that "C" line--just steel yourself to the inevitable and prepare to gate check your bag and enjoy your middle seat.

Hopefully, you will only need steps 1 and 2. Bring a snack, enjoy your lovely aisle seat, and thanks for flying Southwest.