Bits and Pieces
<a href="http://tinyurl.com/a7t9p">
http://tinyurl.com/a7t9p</a>
New Jean Scott Frugal Fridays Column
I am an avid reader of Jean's Frugal Fridays column, but reading
about Southwest Airlines prompts this question.
Southwest allows passengers to check in and receive their
boarding pass at 12:01 a.m. the day of their flight. Why can't they
take it one step further, like Alaska Airlines does, and allow
people to check in 24 HOURS prior to their flight?
Also, a few months ago, there was some press coverage about
Southwest going back to allowing passengers reserved seating,
instead of the first-come-first-serve (A-B-C) cattle call they have
now. I hope this bears out. If their study bears it out, reserved
seating will take affect before the year is out.
--- In vpFREE@yahoogroups.com, "vpFREE" <vpFREE@C...>
wrote:
···
Bits and Pieces
<a href="http://tinyurl.com/a7t9p">
http://tinyurl.com/a7t9p</a>
I think the chance is less than a dealt sequential royal that Southwest would go to reserved seating. Their seating process speeds up boarding of the plane tremendously. Have you noticed that Southwest can turn a plane around in less than an hour? With assigned seating, this would never happen. In San Diego, they used to board the Sacramento flights through the rear and front door, and the passengers loaded up the full plane in no more than 20-minutes flat. Quick turnaround times are a main reason why Southwest remains profitable and other airlines are struggling with bankruptcy.
Faster turnaround means more available flight time for the plane and therefore more potential revenue. You've seen the line at the airline counters with assigned seating - every person in line wants a different seat and the desk agent has to worry about moving people around and printing out new boarding passes, in addition to all the "real" pre-flight things that have to be done. At a Southwest gate counter you'll see a long line, but it's mostly people making sure they're checked-in and that everything is ok, even though they have a boarding pass in hand and are two hours early for their flight. Why people think they need to check in outside of security and at the gate amazes me.
You can also read some other opinions here:
http://flyertalk.com/forum/showpost.php?p=3943272&postcount=3
DB in SD
Bob wrote:
···
I am an avid reader of Jean's Frugal Fridays column, but reading
about Southwest Airlines prompts this question.Southwest allows passengers to check in and receive their
boarding pass at 12:01 a.m. the day of their flight. Why can't they
take it one step further, like Alaska Airlines does, and allow
people to check in 24 HOURS prior to their flight?Also, a few months ago, there was some press coverage about
Southwest going back to allowing passengers reserved seating,
instead of the first-come-first-serve (A-B-C) cattle call they have
now. I hope this bears out. If their study bears it out, reserved
seating will take affect before the year is out.--- In vpFREE@yahoogroups.com, "vpFREE" <vpFREE@C...>
wrote:
> Bits and Pieces
>
> http://tinyurl.com/a7t9p
>
> <a href="http://tinyurl.com/a7t9p">
> http://tinyurl.com/a7t9p</a>
The newspaper article, which was written 2-3 months ago,
quoted Southwest representatives themselves, that they were
doing a study aimed at possibly returning to reserved seating.
The article quoted Southwest that their current seating structure
(A-B-C) is unpopular with its passengers. Another problem cited
in the article were passengers boarding the plane, walking to the
back of the plane, then turning around trying to improve their seat
by moving forward at the same time others are trying to move
back.
--- In vpFREE@yahoogroups.com, Devin Braun <dbraun4@y...>
wrote:
I think the chance is less than a dealt sequential royal that
Southwest
would go to reserved seating. Their seating process speeds
up boarding
of the plane tremendously. Have you noticed that Southwest
can turn a
plane around in less than an hour? With assigned seating,
this would
never happen. In San Diego, they used to board the
Sacramento flights
through the rear and front door, and the passengers loaded up
the full
plane in no more than 20-minutes flat. Quick turnaround times
are a
main reason why Southwest remains profitable and other
airlines are
struggling with bankruptcy.
Faster turnaround means more available flight time for the
plane and
therefore more potential revenue. You've seen the line at the
airline
counters with assigned seating - every person in line wants a
different
seat and the desk agent has to worry about moving people
around and
printing out new boarding passes, in addition to all the "real"
pre-flight things that have to be done. At a Southwest gate
counter
you'll see a long line, but it's mostly people making sure they're
checked-in and that everything is ok, even though they have a
boarding
pass in hand and are two hours early for their flight. Why
people think
they need to check in outside of security and at the gate
amazes me.
You can also read some other opinions here:
http://flyertalk.com/forum/showpost.php?p=3943272&postcount=
3
DB in SD
Bob wrote:
> I am an avid reader of Jean's Frugal Fridays column, but
reading
> about Southwest Airlines prompts this question.
>
> Southwest allows passengers to check in and receive their
> boarding pass at 12:01 a.m. the day of their flight. Why can't
they
> take it one step further, like Alaska Airlines does, and allow
> people to check in 24 HOURS prior to their flight?
>
> Also, a few months ago, there was some press coverage
about
> Southwest going back to allowing passengers reserved
seating,
> instead of the first-come-first-serve (A-B-C) cattle call they
have
> now. I hope this bears out. If their study bears it out,
reserved
···
> seating will take affect before the year is out.
>
> --- In vpFREE@yahoogroups.com, "vpFREE" <vpFREE@C...>
> wrote:
> > Bits and Pieces
> >
> > http://tinyurl.com/a7t9p
> >
> > <a href="http://tinyurl.com/a7t9p">
> > http://tinyurl.com/a7t9p</a>
>
Their seating process speeds up boarding of the plane
tremendously. Have you noticed that Southwest can turn a
plane around in less than an hour? With assigned seating, this
would never happen.
ML and I were scheduled for a 10:53 am departure Thursday from New
Orleans on Delta. The plan we boarded arrived at the gate about
10:05 am. Its passengers soon disembarked; our group boarded; we
pushed back from the gate exactly on time. Delta has assigned
seating, and the turn around time was 48 minutes.
Pete
From: "paisonvp" <paison@iclub.org>
ML and I were scheduled for a 10:53 am departure Thursday from New
Orleans on Delta. The plan we boarded arrived at the gate about
10:05 am. Its passengers soon disembarked; our group boarded; we
pushed back from the gate exactly on time. Delta has assigned
seating, and the turn around time was 48 minutes.Pete
···
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Okay, okay, but did Delta give you any peanuts??!!
SK
I live in Pittsburgh and Southwest is starting to fly out of
Pittsburgh now, last week on the TV news they were following the
Southwest workers around with a camera while they were being shown the
airport and one of the airline workers said he was transferring from
Las Vegas to Pittsburgh, now ,I really like Pittsburgh, but I just
can't figure out why someone would do that, it don't make any sense to
me. The winters around here are like the arctic tundra and there aren't
any casinos!!!
Hi
You must be a young person. I REMEMBER WHEN.... we got way colder
winters and the snow stayed for a month or two. When was the last
time anyone got a sled for Christmas?
About Southwest; I like them in town because US Airways will go down
to match the price. (I'm gussing, I haven't checked this week)
Therefore, I can book US and get assigned seating and fly as usual;
nonstop with my seats waiting for me. It's just a shame that US
Airways had to skin us alive for all those past years. Gee, I can't
believe all over the news; 'what will Pgh do if US Airways leaves
town?' The news has different tune now. There will be jobs lost and
gained. Just like in the steel industry. Our area will adjust just as
always and maybe for better.
Your right about South employees wanting to move into Pgh from
Vegas. Why? They might have family here. It may be a move up if South
gets a stronghold here. And...I'll bet they can fly to Vegas once in
a while way cheaper than we can. If it would be me I would stay in
sin city. Of course I wouldn't have a job at airline. I wouldn't have
time to go to work.
Have a good one....Jeep
--- In vpFREE@yahoogroups.com, "westwind281wagb" <jacks1eyed@n...>
wrote:
I live in Pittsburgh and Southwest is starting to fly out of
Pittsburgh now, last week on the TV news they were following the
Southwest workers around with a camera while they were being shown
the
airport and one of the airline workers said he was transferring
from
Las Vegas to Pittsburgh, now ,I really like Pittsburgh, but I just
can't figure out why someone would do that, it don't make any sense
to
me. The winters around here are like the arctic tundra and there
aren't
···
any casinos!!!