Saving seats on SWA

[Anonymous]

Title says it all. Might have to fly SWA (would rather not) and have never flown them before but am aware of their boarding process and if I do need to fly with them, I will pay for early boarding.

I’ve heard of people saving seats by tossing a book or backpack or whatever on a seat - does this ACTUALLY happen? And what is the official policy? What if a passenger in an early boarding group moves the backpack or whatever that is holding a seat for a passenger in a late boarding group and sits in the seat? Do confrontations happen? What do the flight attendants do?

I AM NOT PLANNING ON DOING THIS! Like I said, I will be purchasing early boarding. I’m just curious

[Anonymous]

People do it all the time and nothing is done. I will personally sit on your book and break up your saved seats because I pay to board early, get a a seat of my choice, and have space for my bag.

[Anonymous]

Southwest explicitly has no policy about saving seats. They neither condone nor prohibit it.

https://viewfromthewing.com/saving-seats-on-southwest-airlines-infuriates-flyers/

[Anonymous]

Yes people do this. if you pay for early boarding you will board early enough that you can still sit at the front of the plane. it gets annoying if you are in the first part of the B group and then have to walk further back because of saved seats. But I have pretty much accepted it.

[Anonymous]

It’s pretty rare to save more than one seat and typically the one being saved is the middle (next to the person saving it). I fly SWA all the time (am on a flight right now!) and can’t think of a time I’ve seen someone saving more than one.

[Anonymous]

I stopped paying for early boarding on southwest because they, like every airline in 2024, have hoards of not actually disabled being wheeled down in a wheelchair so they board first. I used to get a bulk head almost guaranteed with early boarding and I don’t remember the last time it was even close to available even in A1.

[Anonymous]

We’ve only done it for ourselves and child. So one of us will pay for group A then save 2 seats in our row for spouse and child.
I don’t have an objection to other people doing the same to sit with family.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We’ve only done it for ourselves and child. So one of us will pay for group A then save 2 seats in our row for spouse and child.
I don’t have an objection to other people doing the same to sit with family.

This is obnoxious IMO. Either pay for all of you or (like us) don’t pay. If your child is small then use family boarding.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s pretty rare to save more than one seat and typically the one being saved is the middle (next to the person saving it). I fly SWA all the time (am on a flight right now!) and can’t think of a time I’ve seen someone saving more than one.

+1

From a practical perspective seat saving only happens because adults are traveling together but booked separately, so one ends up with an earlier boarding. So usually it's a couple or maybe two friends and the first one on will save the middle seat. I have never seen someone try to save a window or aisle seat.

Families with young kids board early and together so you don't see situations where someone is trying to save seats for a family of 6 or something.

I've actually had better overall experiences with Southwest boarding because the first come first serve nature seems to lead to fewer arguments over seats. All of the unpleasant experiences Ive had with people of seats came with assigned seating where someone is trying to sit in a seat that wasn't assigned to them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I stopped paying for early boarding on southwest because they, like every airline in 2024, have hoards of not actually disabled being wheeled down in a wheelchair so they board first. I used to get a bulk head almost guaranteed with early boarding and I don’t remember the last time it was even close to available even in A1.

Yes. WTF is up with this. I was on a flight in the Fall where we had 18 wheel chair people. Only 2 of these people needed wheelchairs to get off the plane. I just can't with these older boomers and silent gen folks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s pretty rare to save more than one seat and typically the one being saved is the middle (next to the person saving it). I fly SWA all the time (am on a flight right now!) and can’t think of a time I’ve seen someone saving more than one.

I also fly SWA a few times a year and do not notice any excessive seat saving.

[Anonymous]

My mom has trouble with her back and walking long distances. This makes the airport difficult for her to navigate. So she can walk on and off the plane but she needs the wheelchair help to and from the gate. I think it’s perfectly fine for her to board early because is elderly and slow. Should she board with everyone else?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We’ve only done it for ourselves and child. So one of us will pay for group A then save 2 seats in our row for spouse and child.
I don’t have an objection to other people doing the same to sit with family.

I hate people like you. “Going you skirt the rules for the convenience of my family and/or myself. I am me and rules don’t apply.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We’ve only done it for ourselves and child. So one of us will pay for group A then save 2 seats in our row for spouse and child.
I don’t have an objection to other people doing the same to sit with family.

You should be paying.for 3 early boardings if that is what you want/need.

[Anonymous]

You sound like you have a lot of anxiety about this. It is really no big deal. I fly SW multiple times per year, never pay for early boarding and almost never end up in a middle seat. I do check in at 24 hrs prior to departure on the dot. I have also never noticed seat saving but maybe that’s because I’m mostly flying from DC to MKE and people are just a little more chill. It will be fine, I promise.