Adam727 From United States of America, joined Aug 2003, 131 posts, RR: 0 Posted (8 years 10 months 1 week 9 hours ago) and read 1458 times:
Hi
I am flying on southwest on 7/20 and I want to know how many people will be on the plane. If it is full I was going to change it to a flt that is less crowded. I know I can call Southwest but is there a way to check online.
Sccutler From United States of America, joined Jan 2000, 5088 posts, RR: 28 Reply 1, posted (8 years 10 months 1 week 9 hours ago) and read 1440 times:
Only way to tell if a flight is *full* is to see if seats show as "available" on-line (or if you know someone with access to WN's res system).
Good to know, though, that you can get your boarding pass (Group A) immediately after midnight, morning of the flight, at Southwest.com.
...three miles from BRONS, clear for the ILS one five approach...
TxAgKuwait From United States of America, joined Aug 1999, 1803 posts, RR: 48 Reply 2, posted (8 years 10 months 1 week 8 hours ago) and read 1391 times:
The number booked is not a sure fire answer all of the time, either.
Depending upon where you are flying...there are a lot of WN passengers who decide to go someplace at the last minute.
Flew back from SAT to ELP on Wednesday evening. Flight showed plenty of availability (at least 9 seats avail) as of 2:30 pm according to my govt travel office.
I checked in 75 mins before departure and was in Group B. #82.
Flight went out completely full with a handful of stand by passengers left at the gate.
I would take Cutler's advice: print yourself out a Boarding Group A pass and go on the flight you have a reservation for.
Haveric From United States of America, joined Jan 2001, 1247 posts, RR: 5 Reply 4, posted (8 years 10 months 1 week 8 hours ago) and read 1381 times:
unfortunately, when flying WN there's little you can do to get a good seat. the best i can tell you is to get early and where good shoes -- you'll be in line for a long, long time!
Dazed767 From United States of America, joined May 1999, 5447 posts, RR: 53 Reply 5, posted (8 years 10 months 1 week 7 hours ago) and read 1324 times:
You can call Southwest, but they won't tell you the loads of the flight. Where are you flying to/from?
Goingboeing From United States of America, joined Dec 1999, 4875 posts, RR: 19 Reply 6, posted (8 years 10 months 1 week 7 hours ago) and read 1309 times:
unfortunately, when flying WN there's little you can do to get a good seat. the best i can tell you is to get early and where good shoes -- you'll be in line for a long, long time!
Odd...I've never been in line for a "long long time". In fact, I havent' been in line much at all. And I always get an A boarding card since I March up to my computer the day of the trip and print my boarding card from home. And now that they are issuing boarding cards for any connecting flights, I'll get that one too. And as strange as it may seem...someone in the C boarding group can often get an aisle or window seat.
SWAFA30 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 7, posted (8 years 10 months 1 week 6 hours ago) and read 1275 times:
And as strange as it may seem...someone in the C boarding group can often get an aisle or window seat.
Sounds about right to me...after standing in the cabin and observing the boarding process on literally thousands of WN flights I've noticed a few things.
Some deep-seated pavlovian response seems to compel people to line up for WN flights...no matter how they are booked. Granted, passengers often don't know how heavily booked a flight may be...ibut..if it's 6:15AM, your city pair is DAL-CRP, there isn't another soul in sight besides the CSA and she dozed off 20 minutes ago and a tumbleweed just blew through your departure lounge...you probably don't need to be the line-leader for the "A" boarding group...you probably are the "A" boarding group.
Once on board...remember....First Class has left people with the notion..."front of the plane...good"...."back of the plane...bad". That might be the case elsewhere but Open Seating changes the rules of the game...know what's going on in the front of most WN flights?....Fussy babies, grandma and Unaccompanied Minors with "nervous stomachs"...resist the urge to shoehorn yourself into the first few rows...unless you are one of the nearly extinct WN -200s and if you can avoid the last row...it's not so bad back there. Further, on flights pushing with 90 to 100 passengers...it is not uncommon to see one or two completely empty rows towards the back and many passengers sitting in a row all alone while everyone else is crammed in up front like sardines.
Adam727 From United States of America, joined Aug 2003, 131 posts, RR: 0 Reply 9, posted (8 years 10 months 6 days 17 hours ago) and read 1130 times:
I am on the mci to phx flight and it is the last one out I always pick this flight because there is no one on this flight, and I like that. but when I called they said it was full but the other flights had seating.
PROSA From United States of America, joined Oct 2001, 5439 posts, RR: 5 Reply 10, posted (8 years 10 months 6 days 16 hours ago) and read 1115 times:
the fact that people do stand makes flying on WN an unrelaxing, uptight and unpleasurable experience.
to have to constantly strategize about how to get a decent seat, rather than relaxing before a flight, makes WN most unenjoyable.
If for whatever reason you have to buy a ticket a day or two before departure, you'll still have a chance at a good seat if you fly WN, just get to the airport in plenty of time. On another airline, if it's a crowded flight, most likely only middle seats will be left for last-minute ticket buyers (not to mention they'll pay extortionate prices on non-LCC's).
Thinking more about it, if you do end up in a less-desirable seat, whether on WN or someone else, it's not the end of the world.
"Let me think about it" = the coward's way of saying "no"
MHTMDW From United States of America, joined Jul 2004, 139 posts, RR: 0 Reply 11, posted (8 years 10 months 6 days 14 hours ago) and read 1060 times:
I agree 100% with SWAFA30. I fly WN at least once on month and avoid the front of the plane at all costs...its where all the kids sit. I head to my usual aisle seat in row 17 (beverage service starting point) while others are looking for bin space up front. Gives to time to get settled without hold up boarding. I have come to prefer the open seating and would be disapointed if they got rid of it
Goingboeing From United States of America, joined Dec 1999, 4875 posts, RR: 19 Reply 12, posted (8 years 10 months 6 days 14 hours ago) and read 1042 times:
the fact that people do stand makes flying on WN an unrelaxing, uptight and unpleasurable experience.
to have to constantly strategize about how to get a decent seat, rather than relaxing before a flight, makes WN most unenjoyable.
If you print your boarding card the day of the flight (and midnight isn't necessary, I printed mine at 6:00 a.m. for a 9:00 a.m. flight and was in the A group - pass number 3). When you get to the airport, with an A pass, resist the temptation to line up 20 minutes before the flight...you've got a big bold A on your boarding card. Let the other fools line up. As boarding is called, let the 30 or 40 people in front of you get on. As the last few people are handing the agent their cards, stroll in behind them and board at the END of the A group...there are still PLENTY of good seats remaining. Never could understand why people in the A group got in line early. It couldn't be more relaxing...gives me a chance to finish my coffee before getting on the plane.
Atrude777 From United States of America, joined Aug 2003, 5613 posts, RR: 54 Reply 13, posted (8 years 10 months 6 days 7 hours ago) and read 930 times:
Im hearing impaired, so I ALWAYS pre-board whenever i fly Southwest, and I always get the seat I want, everytime
Alex
Good things come to those who wait, better things come to those who go AFTER it!
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