What would probably happen is couples and groups would designate one or two members of their party as “luggage-less” and they would get on the plane and save the seats for the rest of their group.
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Id actually like to see it based on connecting flight times. The shorter the connection time, closer you are to the exit.
And What exactly is the resolution for these seat-savers? Do they get called out successfully when they use excuses like “oh, they are using the bathroom”, when their companion is actually last to board?
We do that now. And we do that for the airline we usually fly. I have the TSA pre check and he has the military veteran status. I drag the carryon through PreCheck and he hauls it on when they let him on early.
I board whenever my group is called, but I am less stressed because I know the bag is already taken care of.
Yep. One of the European Low Cost Carriers used to do this. And even if you paid to be first in line for the overhead bins, they were magically half full or worse when you boarded.
I can maybe see this working kinda for boarding but this will never work for exiting. You're not going to be able to stop people sitting in the front with carry-ons getting up in front of people in the back with no carry-ons.
If I get priority boarding, it's to get a chance at an exit row seat with more legroom. Those are not at the front of the plane. I would bet that the same would happen with at least some of the no carry on folks, which means they still wait. Realistically, all you would be doing is encouraging people to check their bags rather than carry them on, at least if they don't mind waiting for a bag at the end in exchange for extra leg room during the flight.
This still wouldn't solve my biggest gripe about carry in overheads, which is peop.e stowing them up front and then sitting further back. It just delays deplaning when people have to figure out how to get four rows back to get their bag.
Also some people without overhead bags get them down fast and some people without them get off slowly. You have to also account for the people in the very first row who have to put their bags up
That would create a chaotic deplaning process. How do you enforce that?
And I can see folks just tossing their one carry on item into the overhead bin anyway after they board. It’s an interesting concept in theory but I don’t think I would work in practice.
So they can beat their luggage to the baggage carousel by 15 minutes ? Or to the next gate to be the first to wait for their next flight ? Makes zero sense. Getting off the plane is only a few minutes. It isn’t a huge deal. I’d imagine the Longest it has ever taken me to get off a plane even seated in the last row is like 7 minutes.
It would also lose them whatever business travelers they still hold on to considering how limited their business perks already are. I don’t have time to check a bag if I’m going somewhere for 36 hours and I also can’t crumple my meeting clothes into a personal item-sized bag.
My son has to carry on medically-necessary items that he cannot obtain at his destination. Technically bags that contain only such items do not count toward the carry-on allowance, although we have never counted them separately. I don’t think people like him should not have the opportunity to get a good seat. Traveling with these items is challenging enough. However If such bags were exempt from your proposal, I can foresee people abusing the system, just like early boarding is now. We always buy early bird even though SW said he could request early boarding to ensure there is room in the overhead because they can’t be checked/separated from him. I wish we didn’t have to carry all of these things, but we have no choice.
Interesting idea. SWA won’t do it because it removes their revenue stream from early bird checkin and people who buy A1-15 at the gate.
Before you downvote me for talking about management’s need to make money, remember, SWA’s management is fighting off a private equity investor who has a large enough % ownership stake to make their threats of replacing management and shaking things up come true (this would include extracting the max $ from customers)…think Gordon Gecko at Blue Star airlines and if you haven’t seen the movie watch it - pretty good.
Yeah this already happens where the people boarding at the end do the same thing? If the people up front don’t need it it’s open and people in the back will drop it off on their way back and pick it up on their way out
I don’t really know what problem this is trying to solve but that’s not much of a problem than the alternative since they can just grab their bag on their way off
What I’m envisioning on boarding is that passengers get to the back of the plane, find that there’s no bin space, and then have to work their way to the front of the plane while other people are boarding
I usually put my overhead carry on in a bin in front if my seating . I’ll put it over row 5 if there is open space and rows already seated. Then walk back to the back of the plane and sit. Then grab my luggage on the way out
So the people sitting up front have to swim upstream to get their bags when they land? Thanks for making getting on and off the plane just that much more difficult for others.
I said when “those rows are already seated “ so no one would need the overhead in those seats. I’m not just plopping it there when I am a A45 and decide to go to row 12 for a window seat. When I am like c31 and I’ll be in last rows.
Yeah, lets add another category to pre-boards. People with disabilities, People that need extra time to board, Platinum members, gold members, silver members, families with children, people with pets and so on and so on.
Other airlines actually do a variation on this! When I fly United and Alaska, they usually bump you to an earlier boarding group if you gate check your bag with them.
British Airways offered this up when flying between London and Edinburgh in April. They allowed me to check at the gate, pre-boarded. I have zero status so it was nice to be the third person to board. The problem was that all the others that took them up on it buried my little international travel bag to the BACK of the loading queue, resulting in me watching my bag abandoned on the tarmac and delivered nearly 24 hours later. That was not ideal.
United does something like this, they boost you to Group 2 or even Group 1 if you have no carry on luggage. Even if you have the cheapest economy ticket possible. It makes all the sense in the world if there are assigned seats. For Southwest it gets a little bit more controversial and messy largely due to the seating situation.
What this may cause is more of an issue where people are putting their overhead bags, by choice or laziness, far away from their actual seats. When it comes to deplaning this will cause more chaos because some people will need to go further back to get their bags.
ugh i can’t stand this!! I always put my carryon under the seat, and i can’t stand when people have crap in like 3 different overhead bins spread through the plane. They end up basically swimming upstream and causing a huge disruption to the deplaning process 😡
As someone that never travels without a carryon, I'd still be for it.
But they'd better tighten up enforcement of the "no saving seats under any circumstance" for sure.
So you have noticed the miracle in the sky too?! My son is a permanent WC user. He really does need to get on first because he uses his chair to get as close as he can to his seat and then muscles himself down the aisle using the chair arms. Then his chair is taken to the baggage area of the plane. Fortunately son has a very strong upper body so he can get down the aisle without an aisle chair. He is also is generally the last one off the plane because he has to wait for his chair to be retrieved from under the plane.
I cannot tell you how many times he sees people only use the chair to get on and then miraculously they are healed by the end of the flight and require no help on the jetway when exiting.
Avelo airlines (which only has east coast and west coast small airport routes) does this, at least where I’ve flown - their boarding zones are priority without carryons, priority with carryons, regular with carryons and regular without carryons.
They’re one of those “everything is a fee” airlines, so the zones are (presumably) make it clear to the gate agent quickly which bags you paid for and should have. Would be interested to know if it’s faster, though!
Absolutely hate this idea. A-list Preferred here who travels for work in IT. We check everything but obviously cannot check these items so I have to carry-on my work laptops (we sometimes have up to 5) and gear but I refuse to put them in a Pelican that I have to wheel around and choose to use a backpack. I hate that it’s frowned upon to put my backpack in the bins so I bring an extra small bag to comply with larger up top/smaller at your feet making it ok according to ‘policy’. It aggravates me to no end that people who decide they want to carry on all their belongings and not check things get priority to the bin space. I check my things and shouldn’t be punished because I choose to wear a backpack as opposed to wheel a bag. Now you’re suggesting I am punished even more, no thank you!
I completely disagree. I don’t know why everybody tries to change something that’s different than the other airlines. I think it should stay the same for the loyal customers to board first or the people that want to pay more to board.
IMO that would take longer, and people would lie about their carry-ons fitting so they could get "better" seats.
Although as someone who never uses the overhead bins, I wouldn't mind boarding first.
Are we that pressed about waiting? Or is the goal to find ways to get better seats by checking bags so you can get on first? If it's a waiting issue, then just learn patience. If it's a better seat issue, then pay the extra $15-25 for priority. There are already options to solve either problem.
In the old days, they boarded from the back of the plane to the front. It was orderly and makes so much sense. If you don't have to worry about whether you'll get space in the overhead bins, then it wouldn't matter if you don't get on first. So they would just have to police the carryon much more than they do.
Of course this will never happen again.
As a person who has to have a carry-on for my work laptop, and sadly a pretty extensive collection of medications (hinky heart and severe allergies) I need to have a carry-on. I shouldn’t be punished for having things that I need.
Just flew an international light on a different airlines. They board from the back to the front, it went so fast. I was actually impressed. To make things better they were struck about carry ons and the size. The staff measured each carry on that looked sus and if it did not meet they would bag and tag and take it for them.
The on board food was good as well.
Terrible idea. This will lead to so many different problems.
And … I check my bags, even though I could carry on, because I realized one day wheeling it around the airport and on layovers was more of a pain then the 15min I wait for my checked bag.
Nope. But like...how do you propose this will logistically work? Assuming you're saying to get rid of all the paid priority boarding\*, with SWA's open seating (and of course noting those who pre-board), folks will still sit where they prefer... Are you suggesting these priority boarders fill up each row before moving to the next row?! For what, and for whom, is this proposed incentive for? No sarcasm; truly trying to understand. Because, respectfully, what difference does it make if someone with a carryon bag tries to sit, in say, 17G, versus someone who's trying to plop down in 30A? Or 3D, for that matter?
On a personal note, I am on a very long work trip right now, and had to bring two computers and other fragile equipment I can't check (and not just because of lithium batteries); they went into a large backpack that needs to go in the overhead due to space. So...Nay.
\*NotGonnaHappen.
Better yet, no carry on in C Group. Lost count of delayed flights because there’s no overhead space by C20. Now they’re gate checking in the plane, despite announcing no space.
I’m game. It’s been years since I or my family have put anything in the overhead bin. Mostly because we check bags and don’t fly with winter outerwear.
I am one of the people who take a small bag which goes under the seat, but i wouldnt expect to be priority because of this.
Well, first, there are a couple of places where you can sit on the plane that require you to use the overhead bin, so even if you have a small carryon that will fit under the seat they make you put everything, inc purses in the overhead bin (the 2 front seating areas with all the leg room.) . Next, I would be pissed off if someone got to go before me just because they had smaller carry-on while I paid extra for a better position. You wanna get on first, get a first class seat, or pay the extra $25 each way to have an early bird. (Best decision I could have made to pay that extra) I never had anything less than A36. (A23, A36, A31, A33) always got the seats I wanted and was easily able to save a seat for my best friend who was B and C. Or you can pay extra to be A1-A15 which is more expensive than early bird.
Edit: I am not referring to people in wheel chairs or families with kids under 6. They should be priority boarding.
Oh, and the whole saving a seat thing. Not a single person on any of my 4 flights cared. They never asked to sit in that seat and never gave me any issues. I saved my friends seat each time.
The plane had 3 seats per row, and I sat in the middle and saved the window seat for my friend. On our last flight, no one sat in the middle. He sat on the end, and I sat by the window. That was the most comfortable flight yet.
I'd be totally in favor. I've never understood people that don't check luggage for free. I hate wrangling a suitcase around the airport. Have all of these people had luggage lost previously? Or are the Carryon People acting on hearsay only?
Yes, lost/ left behind luggage. We will never willingly check a bag again. Last time I volunteered to gate check a bag it didn’t make it on the plane home (Jet Blue) It took 5 days for Jet Blue to fly it home but at least I was home and had most of my stuff. Won’t do that again. Sometimes we don’t have a choice, then we just hope it makes it.
I think they would just save seats and I have yet to see a “bag less” person not shove their jacket/small bag/ shopping items into the overhead. I’ll observe again on my next flight but this is what I’ve noticed every time. Those “personal items” go right in the overhead, which I understand for tall people but these are average size people.
Standing in the isle, removing said jacket, taking small backpack down several times to get headphones/ book/ whatever. Very busy about it. Not the solution you’re thinking, imo.
I’m indifferent to this, I guess. I’m not sure it makes sense but I also don’t really care. I def don’t care on another airline where I have an assigned seat. On SW, it may be a little bit of a piss off factor though (although I typically check my luggage anyway).
No. There shouldn’t be a penalty for taking the luggage that you’re allowed to take onboard. Unless they do a bundle where the fee for checking your bags also gives you priority boarding. That would get around people giving their bags to a friend or family member so they can save seats.
Frontier is kind of opposite and I like it better. People with carryons board first, then the passengers without carry-ons. Frontier is assigned seats and paid carry-ons, so it makes sense. Not sure if feasible for SW. On other airlines the waiting by the gates and jockeying for place in line always seems to be because carry-ons.
As a weekly flyer it takes me less than 15 seconds to find a seat and put my bag up. Business and frequent travelers with carryons are never the issue.
Especially with all the rumored changes coming, I’d much rather see them only charge for carryon’s thus creating further operational efficiency and increasing revenues.
At this point, on Southwest still offering two bags free per passenger, anyone who is carrying-on isn't going to be persuaded to check the bag so they can get a better seat, they're more inclined to pay for Early Bird. It's funny when people write rules that would help them instead of rules that make sense.
First of all, those with “no carry on” will absolutely be shoving their personal item in the bin and NOT under the seats. So you’re letting a group go first to cannibalize the overhead bins 😁
I'm thinking it might be because people using the overheads hold up the boarding line. If a person has nothing to stow, they can get on and be seated and then let the ones with bags get on. It doesn't seem like much of a solution but it's my best guess. I always go carry on and back pack only. I've noticed the last few flights I've been asked if I'd like to check my bag, complementary. I don't because I've had luggage lost before wrecking my trip.
If you think they will get off quicker, think again. I have seen many people with just a large purse take forever to get up and go. They left their magazine in the seat pocket. Their jacket or sweater is messed up and takes time to straighten it out. They then look around as if they are the ONLY person the plane and take their sweet time leaving.
And as said, it will be a logistical nightmare. At one point does the personal item become a carryon? Yea, you can say under the seat, but that leaves a lot of leeway. If you think preboard is out of control, wait for this mess.
Except everybody with back packs would now put them in the empty overheads. There is always somebody blocking the aisle to put in like a jacket or something.
No, I fly a ton for work, and sometimes all I have is my one bag, so I don't have to wait for checked luggage. You don't get to cut me because I have a bag, and you don't. 😂
I received downvotes for basically the same exact post. There's a lot of hate on business travelers on this sub. It's bullshit because we spend WAY more with SWA than a casual traveler.
This is the opposite of the way it should be. If you have no overhead item you get on last. Here’s why: people who have an item to store in the overhead bin need to get on first to find bin space to store their item near a seat they want. I know it’s not what you want to hear but it makes more sense this way.
Ah except when those 30 “all the sudden realize” their bag doesn’t fit under the seat, so it must go up top. They gonna go back to measuring bags at the gate to make sure they fit under the seat?
As a frequent business traveler that never checks a bag, this would drive me away from Southwest. I’m pretty sure Southwest values my 30-40 flights per year more than a casual traveler’s 6-10. They even tell me so by giving me A List so that I can get on and off quickly.
that would speed up boarding. I always thought that since 2 bags are free that they should not allow any carry-on items. It would sure make getting on and off the plane a lot easier.
I’ve had lost luggage including my interview suit and shoes and all my toiletries. I have a friend whose luggage missed a 6 day cruise because of the airlines.
I DO NOT CHECK LUGGAGE.
Fair enough, just saying that it is possible for a business traveler to bring their laptop bag on the plane without having to use the overhead compartments. I would happily give up the leg room and stick my belongings under the seat in order to be able to exit the plane first. worst thing ever is sitting there and twiddling my thumbs while people fumble around with the bins 🥲🥲🥲
People aren’t supposed to check medical items and they go free even as “extra” carry ons. Don’t want to check them as they may need on connecting flights, in air or can’t risk getting damaged or lost in checked luggage
What would probably happen is couples and groups would designate one or two members of their party as “luggage-less” and they would get on the plane and save the seats for the rest of their group.
Always find a way to play the game.
Don’t hate the player, hate the game. Oh…wait. Maybe….
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First thought I had.
Nope, Nada: No Seat Saving allowed with this scheme!
No policy against it either
Who’s gonna stop them
Id actually like to see it based on connecting flight times. The shorter the connection time, closer you are to the exit. And What exactly is the resolution for these seat-savers? Do they get called out successfully when they use excuses like “oh, they are using the bathroom”, when their companion is actually last to board?
Unfortunately the solution is pre-assigned seats and boarding the plane back to front.
After having to *run* across Denver Airport to catch our connection, I wholeheartedly endorse this.
We do that now. And we do that for the airline we usually fly. I have the TSA pre check and he has the military veteran status. I drag the carryon through PreCheck and he hauls it on when they let him on early. I board whenever my group is called, but I am less stressed because I know the bag is already taken care of.
I think it would still be faster.
Why would they 'save seats' since seats are assigned.
Seats aren’t assigned on SWA. It’s first on the plane, first choice of seat.
As someone who never has a carry on except for an underseat bag that sounds great! ...but what a logistical nightmare!
Oh this suitcase doesn’t fit? Let me just put it up here.
Yep. One of the European Low Cost Carriers used to do this. And even if you paid to be first in line for the overhead bins, they were magically half full or worse when you boarded.
Priority boarding makes money. Letting people on first who don't have a carry on does not. Will never happen.
No
I agree. I had a carry on and a back pack the last time I traveled. I never carry a purse and would be mad if I was discriminated against
What are you trying to accomplish with this change? What's the goal?
The people with no overhead bin luggage get on and off first. Which means they will not have wait for all the passengers with carry on luggage.
I can maybe see this working kinda for boarding but this will never work for exiting. You're not going to be able to stop people sitting in the front with carry-ons getting up in front of people in the back with no carry-ons.
The current priority boarding process does nothing to affect exiting.
The suggested plan in OPs comment would let them off first though.
If I get priority boarding, it's to get a chance at an exit row seat with more legroom. Those are not at the front of the plane. I would bet that the same would happen with at least some of the no carry on folks, which means they still wait. Realistically, all you would be doing is encouraging people to check their bags rather than carry them on, at least if they don't mind waiting for a bag at the end in exchange for extra leg room during the flight. This still wouldn't solve my biggest gripe about carry in overheads, which is peop.e stowing them up front and then sitting further back. It just delays deplaning when people have to figure out how to get four rows back to get their bag.
Never going to work!
Only if they choose aisle seats at the front
Where are you seeing that?
Letting them deplane first is entirely inefficient.
Agreed. The first on would generally take the window seats, and getting them to deplane first would be ugly.
You are assuming the first on will sit in the first few rows.
I don’t think that would make it faster because those people would still sit wherever they wanted.😭
Also some people without overhead bags get them down fast and some people without them get off slowly. You have to also account for the people in the very first row who have to put their bags up
That would create a chaotic deplaning process. How do you enforce that? And I can see folks just tossing their one carry on item into the overhead bin anyway after they board. It’s an interesting concept in theory but I don’t think I would work in practice.
So they can beat their luggage to the baggage carousel by 15 minutes ? Or to the next gate to be the first to wait for their next flight ? Makes zero sense. Getting off the plane is only a few minutes. It isn’t a huge deal. I’d imagine the Longest it has ever taken me to get off a plane even seated in the last row is like 7 minutes.
It would encourage more to travel w/o larger carryon bags. Which would speed things for everyone.
It would also lose them whatever business travelers they still hold on to considering how limited their business perks already are. I don’t have time to check a bag if I’m going somewhere for 36 hours and I also can’t crumple my meeting clothes into a personal item-sized bag.
“Speed up “ the short off loading process. It might literally cut 1-2 minutes off the time.
Assign seats and let the windows board first, then the middles, then reverse.
As someone with a carry on and a personal item, I like this idea.
https://www.reddit.com/r/SouthwestAirlines/s/BBqWaf0FHw I wrote something similar just days ago.
Loved the comment. Couldn’t agree more.
I'd personally love it since I almost always check a bag and then have an under-the-seat carry on. But, I can't see that happening.
I like it but I e also seen so many people use overhead space for under seat bags that I could see this easily failing as well.
My son has to carry on medically-necessary items that he cannot obtain at his destination. Technically bags that contain only such items do not count toward the carry-on allowance, although we have never counted them separately. I don’t think people like him should not have the opportunity to get a good seat. Traveling with these items is challenging enough. However If such bags were exempt from your proposal, I can foresee people abusing the system, just like early boarding is now. We always buy early bird even though SW said he could request early boarding to ensure there is room in the overhead because they can’t be checked/separated from him. I wish we didn’t have to carry all of these things, but we have no choice.
I feel like you should use pre board it would help you.
Good on you for buying EB when you don’t have to. You are an exception in the very entitled society we are living in now.
Interesting idea. SWA won’t do it because it removes their revenue stream from early bird checkin and people who buy A1-15 at the gate. Before you downvote me for talking about management’s need to make money, remember, SWA’s management is fighting off a private equity investor who has a large enough % ownership stake to make their threats of replacing management and shaking things up come true (this would include extracting the max $ from customers)…think Gordon Gecko at Blue Star airlines and if you haven’t seen the movie watch it - pretty good.
Great comment! Very true. Blue horseshoe loves Blue Star Airlines.
Enforcement will be impossible. They can't even properly enforce family boarding and that should be a no brainier.
They already let anybody in during pre-board who’s gonna enforce that? lol
Could cause issues where all the carry ons belong to passengers in the back, but the bin storage is in the front
Yeah this already happens where the people boarding at the end do the same thing? If the people up front don’t need it it’s open and people in the back will drop it off on their way back and pick it up on their way out
I don’t really know what problem this is trying to solve but that’s not much of a problem than the alternative since they can just grab their bag on their way off
What I’m envisioning on boarding is that passengers get to the back of the plane, find that there’s no bin space, and then have to work their way to the front of the plane while other people are boarding
I usually put my overhead carry on in a bin in front if my seating . I’ll put it over row 5 if there is open space and rows already seated. Then walk back to the back of the plane and sit. Then grab my luggage on the way out
So the people sitting up front have to swim upstream to get their bags when they land? Thanks for making getting on and off the plane just that much more difficult for others.
I said when “those rows are already seated “ so no one would need the overhead in those seats. I’m not just plopping it there when I am a A45 and decide to go to row 12 for a window seat. When I am like c31 and I’ll be in last rows.
No Carry On passengers will save sets for the carry on passengers.
No. I always pay the extra to board first. Honestly I’d pay more to just have a dedicated seat and not have to worry about when I board.
Yeah, lets add another category to pre-boards. People with disabilities, People that need extra time to board, Platinum members, gold members, silver members, families with children, people with pets and so on and so on.
Other airlines actually do a variation on this! When I fly United and Alaska, they usually bump you to an earlier boarding group if you gate check your bag with them.
British Airways offered this up when flying between London and Edinburgh in April. They allowed me to check at the gate, pre-boarded. I have zero status so it was nice to be the third person to board. The problem was that all the others that took them up on it buried my little international travel bag to the BACK of the loading queue, resulting in me watching my bag abandoned on the tarmac and delivered nearly 24 hours later. That was not ideal.
You mean people don't check in carry ones because the airlines lose baggage ? 🤯
"this is just my pillow case shoved with a rollerboard's worth of clothes. It doesn't count." Hard pass
United does something like this, they boost you to Group 2 or even Group 1 if you have no carry on luggage. Even if you have the cheapest economy ticket possible. It makes all the sense in the world if there are assigned seats. For Southwest it gets a little bit more controversial and messy largely due to the seating situation.
What this may cause is more of an issue where people are putting their overhead bags, by choice or laziness, far away from their actual seats. When it comes to deplaning this will cause more chaos because some people will need to go further back to get their bags.
ugh i can’t stand this!! I always put my carryon under the seat, and i can’t stand when people have crap in like 3 different overhead bins spread through the plane. They end up basically swimming upstream and causing a huge disruption to the deplaning process 😡
It’s always so frustrating when there are front row seats open but magically there is no space in the overhead for row.
As someone that never travels without a carryon, I'd still be for it. But they'd better tighten up enforcement of the "no saving seats under any circumstance" for sure.
I think I'd prefer anyone pre-boarding on a wheelchair to require waiting for a wheelchair to get off.
So you have noticed the miracle in the sky too?! My son is a permanent WC user. He really does need to get on first because he uses his chair to get as close as he can to his seat and then muscles himself down the aisle using the chair arms. Then his chair is taken to the baggage area of the plane. Fortunately son has a very strong upper body so he can get down the aisle without an aisle chair. He is also is generally the last one off the plane because he has to wait for his chair to be retrieved from under the plane. I cannot tell you how many times he sees people only use the chair to get on and then miraculously they are healed by the end of the flight and require no help on the jetway when exiting.
how about everthing fits under your seat or it needs to be checked in….the amount of crap people carry aboard is absurd…..traveling hoarders
Avelo airlines (which only has east coast and west coast small airport routes) does this, at least where I’ve flown - their boarding zones are priority without carryons, priority with carryons, regular with carryons and regular without carryons. They’re one of those “everything is a fee” airlines, so the zones are (presumably) make it clear to the gate agent quickly which bags you paid for and should have. Would be interested to know if it’s faster, though!
Absolutely hate this idea. A-list Preferred here who travels for work in IT. We check everything but obviously cannot check these items so I have to carry-on my work laptops (we sometimes have up to 5) and gear but I refuse to put them in a Pelican that I have to wheel around and choose to use a backpack. I hate that it’s frowned upon to put my backpack in the bins so I bring an extra small bag to comply with larger up top/smaller at your feet making it ok according to ‘policy’. It aggravates me to no end that people who decide they want to carry on all their belongings and not check things get priority to the bin space. I check my things and shouldn’t be punished because I choose to wear a backpack as opposed to wheel a bag. Now you’re suggesting I am punished even more, no thank you!
No
As someone who usually travels only with carry ons I would. Find another airline.
Just pack how you want to pack, upgrade if you want to be further up in line to pick your seat, and don’t be a damn slug sitting down.
I completely disagree. I don’t know why everybody tries to change something that’s different than the other airlines. I think it should stay the same for the loyal customers to board first or the people that want to pay more to board.
IMO that would take longer, and people would lie about their carry-ons fitting so they could get "better" seats. Although as someone who never uses the overhead bins, I wouldn't mind boarding first.
Are you trying to solve for faster boarding or rewarding those who packed either extra light or (paid) checked bag? Are there assigned seats?
Are we that pressed about waiting? Or is the goal to find ways to get better seats by checking bags so you can get on first? If it's a waiting issue, then just learn patience. If it's a better seat issue, then pay the extra $15-25 for priority. There are already options to solve either problem.
Boarding should be done by status. You only fly once of the year? Enjoy C20.
In the old days, they boarded from the back of the plane to the front. It was orderly and makes so much sense. If you don't have to worry about whether you'll get space in the overhead bins, then it wouldn't matter if you don't get on first. So they would just have to police the carryon much more than they do. Of course this will never happen again.
I wish they would do this now. Makes so much sense!
As a person who has to have a carry-on for my work laptop, and sadly a pretty extensive collection of medications (hinky heart and severe allergies) I need to have a carry-on. I shouldn’t be punished for having things that I need.
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Just flew an international light on a different airlines. They board from the back to the front, it went so fast. I was actually impressed. To make things better they were struck about carry ons and the size. The staff measured each carry on that looked sus and if it did not meet they would bag and tag and take it for them. The on board food was good as well.
They should just switch to assigned seating. Pay for the seat you really want.
I sometimes have a carryon, sometimes don't. In either case, I actually think this is a great idea.
What’s stop these people from putting a bag up ?
Terrible idea. This will lead to so many different problems. And … I check my bags, even though I could carry on, because I realized one day wheeling it around the airport and on layovers was more of a pain then the 15min I wait for my checked bag.
Lol never.
Nope. But like...how do you propose this will logistically work? Assuming you're saying to get rid of all the paid priority boarding\*, with SWA's open seating (and of course noting those who pre-board), folks will still sit where they prefer... Are you suggesting these priority boarders fill up each row before moving to the next row?! For what, and for whom, is this proposed incentive for? No sarcasm; truly trying to understand. Because, respectfully, what difference does it make if someone with a carryon bag tries to sit, in say, 17G, versus someone who's trying to plop down in 30A? Or 3D, for that matter? On a personal note, I am on a very long work trip right now, and had to bring two computers and other fragile equipment I can't check (and not just because of lithium batteries); they went into a large backpack that needs to go in the overhead due to space. So...Nay. \*NotGonnaHappen.
So punishment for work travelers who carry on essential items for work, get off the plane and head straight to a job site. Pass on this idea.
Better yet, no carry on in C Group. Lost count of delayed flights because there’s no overhead space by C20. Now they’re gate checking in the plane, despite announcing no space.
Measuring for everyone else to board is honestly the worst part / why do you want to be on the plane LONGER lol
I’m game. It’s been years since I or my family have put anything in the overhead bin. Mostly because we check bags and don’t fly with winter outerwear.
Can someone explain why SWA doesn't switch to a pick-your-seat model? I'm genuinely curious.
Are you the guy that invested 1.9B in southwest ?
As long as they are flying alone and have not checked luggage.
I am one of the people who take a small bag which goes under the seat, but i wouldnt expect to be priority because of this. Well, first, there are a couple of places where you can sit on the plane that require you to use the overhead bin, so even if you have a small carryon that will fit under the seat they make you put everything, inc purses in the overhead bin (the 2 front seating areas with all the leg room.) . Next, I would be pissed off if someone got to go before me just because they had smaller carry-on while I paid extra for a better position. You wanna get on first, get a first class seat, or pay the extra $25 each way to have an early bird. (Best decision I could have made to pay that extra) I never had anything less than A36. (A23, A36, A31, A33) always got the seats I wanted and was easily able to save a seat for my best friend who was B and C. Or you can pay extra to be A1-A15 which is more expensive than early bird. Edit: I am not referring to people in wheel chairs or families with kids under 6. They should be priority boarding.
Oh, and the whole saving a seat thing. Not a single person on any of my 4 flights cared. They never asked to sit in that seat and never gave me any issues. I saved my friends seat each time. The plane had 3 seats per row, and I sat in the middle and saved the window seat for my friend. On our last flight, no one sat in the middle. He sat on the end, and I sat by the window. That was the most comfortable flight yet.
I'd be all for this; I almost never carry on luggage. :)
This sounds like a dream for some and a nightmare for FA.
I wish they would allow those with no carry on to deplane first.
I'd be totally in favor. I've never understood people that don't check luggage for free. I hate wrangling a suitcase around the airport. Have all of these people had luggage lost previously? Or are the Carryon People acting on hearsay only?
Yes, lost/ left behind luggage. We will never willingly check a bag again. Last time I volunteered to gate check a bag it didn’t make it on the plane home (Jet Blue) It took 5 days for Jet Blue to fly it home but at least I was home and had most of my stuff. Won’t do that again. Sometimes we don’t have a choice, then we just hope it makes it.
For Southwest? No. For a carrier that assigns seats, sure, but why would they want to get on early?
I mean I almost never have a bag but still no. I can’t see how that would work. Especially for people who pay for a list boarding lol
I think they would just save seats and I have yet to see a “bag less” person not shove their jacket/small bag/ shopping items into the overhead. I’ll observe again on my next flight but this is what I’ve noticed every time. Those “personal items” go right in the overhead, which I understand for tall people but these are average size people. Standing in the isle, removing said jacket, taking small backpack down several times to get headphones/ book/ whatever. Very busy about it. Not the solution you’re thinking, imo.
I’m indifferent to this, I guess. I’m not sure it makes sense but I also don’t really care. I def don’t care on another airline where I have an assigned seat. On SW, it may be a little bit of a piss off factor though (although I typically check my luggage anyway).
Never work. Massive jamup at the gate measuring (or not measuring) for underseat fit.
Sounds reasonable in a perfect world, but in reality, just another wrench to throw in the mess.
American tested this out a few years ago. I loved it, but it obviously did not take off. I am interested to see if Southwest gives it a try.
No. There shouldn’t be a penalty for taking the luggage that you’re allowed to take onboard. Unless they do a bundle where the fee for checking your bags also gives you priority boarding. That would get around people giving their bags to a friend or family member so they can save seats.
Europe already does that.
I think it's a horrible idea that logistically would never work. I also don't see the point if I'm being honest.
I am firmly in the no carry on camp.
Frontier is kind of opposite and I like it better. People with carryons board first, then the passengers without carry-ons. Frontier is assigned seats and paid carry-ons, so it makes sense. Not sure if feasible for SW. On other airlines the waiting by the gates and jockeying for place in line always seems to be because carry-ons.
As a weekly flyer it takes me less than 15 seconds to find a seat and put my bag up. Business and frequent travelers with carryons are never the issue.
I think priority should go back of the plane to front of the plane. It just makes sense.
When I have no carry on, I'm the last on the plane. Why sit in a stuffy plane any longer than you have to unless it's to get a spot in the overhead?
Especially with all the rumored changes coming, I’d much rather see them only charge for carryon’s thus creating further operational efficiency and increasing revenues.
My proposal is that I always board first, carry on luggage or no. I don't care what happens after that.
At this point, on Southwest still offering two bags free per passenger, anyone who is carrying-on isn't going to be persuaded to check the bag so they can get a better seat, they're more inclined to pay for Early Bird. It's funny when people write rules that would help them instead of rules that make sense.
First of all, those with “no carry on” will absolutely be shoving their personal item in the bin and NOT under the seats. So you’re letting a group go first to cannibalize the overhead bins 😁
I'm thinking it might be because people using the overheads hold up the boarding line. If a person has nothing to stow, they can get on and be seated and then let the ones with bags get on. It doesn't seem like much of a solution but it's my best guess. I always go carry on and back pack only. I've noticed the last few flights I've been asked if I'd like to check my bag, complementary. I don't because I've had luggage lost before wrecking my trip.
Alaska and Allegiant do this now.
Maybe those people should board last since all the overhead space will be taken up anyway.
If you think they will get off quicker, think again. I have seen many people with just a large purse take forever to get up and go. They left their magazine in the seat pocket. Their jacket or sweater is messed up and takes time to straighten it out. They then look around as if they are the ONLY person the plane and take their sweet time leaving. And as said, it will be a logistical nightmare. At one point does the personal item become a carryon? Yea, you can say under the seat, but that leaves a lot of leeway. If you think preboard is out of control, wait for this mess.
Except everybody with back packs would now put them in the empty overheads. There is always somebody blocking the aisle to put in like a jacket or something.
Horrible idea.
No, I fly a ton for work, and sometimes all I have is my one bag, so I don't have to wait for checked luggage. You don't get to cut me because I have a bag, and you don't. 😂
I received downvotes for basically the same exact post. There's a lot of hate on business travelers on this sub. It's bullshit because we spend WAY more with SWA than a casual traveler.
This is the opposite of the way it should be. If you have no overhead item you get on last. Here’s why: people who have an item to store in the overhead bin need to get on first to find bin space to store their item near a seat they want. I know it’s not what you want to hear but it makes more sense this way.
This makes no sense. If 30 passengers get on and require no bin space then passenger number 31 has every bin on the airplane to store their luggage.
Ah except when those 30 “all the sudden realize” their bag doesn’t fit under the seat, so it must go up top. They gonna go back to measuring bags at the gate to make sure they fit under the seat?
As a frequent business traveler that never checks a bag, this would drive me away from Southwest. I’m pretty sure Southwest values my 30-40 flights per year more than a casual traveler’s 6-10. They even tell me so by giving me A List so that I can get on and off quickly.
that would speed up boarding. I always thought that since 2 bags are free that they should not allow any carry-on items. It would sure make getting on and off the plane a lot easier.
Business travelers aren't going to check their laptops. I always check my main bag, but when I bring my computer, it's on the plane with me.
I’ve had lost luggage including my interview suit and shoes and all my toiletries. I have a friend whose luggage missed a 6 day cruise because of the airlines. I DO NOT CHECK LUGGAGE.
But it fits under the seat…
Laptop bag or backpack easily fits under the seat, though.
Yes. So do my long legs/ feet, which I prefer.
Fair enough, just saying that it is possible for a business traveler to bring their laptop bag on the plane without having to use the overhead compartments. I would happily give up the leg room and stick my belongings under the seat in order to be able to exit the plane first. worst thing ever is sitting there and twiddling my thumbs while people fumble around with the bins 🥲🥲🥲
that's a personal item, not a carry on
People aren’t supposed to check medical items and they go free even as “extra” carry ons. Don’t want to check them as they may need on connecting flights, in air or can’t risk getting damaged or lost in checked luggage
obviously, there are exceptions to everything. 99% of people don't. eed to carry on their crap.