Southwest Airlines is starting to charge some customers to be able to board aircraft sooner.
The Dallas-based discount carrier said Wednesday that for an extra $10 each way Southwest passengers can automatically reserve a boarding position prior to general check-in. That would allow those customers to begin boarding the plane after certain elite fliers, who don’t have to pay add-on fees for early boarding privileges.
Unlike other carriers, Southwest does not offer assigned seating.
The new offering, which can be purchased up to 25 hours prior to the scheduled departure time of the customer’s flight, was available for purchase starting Wednesday for travel beginning Thursday.
Source: Long Island Business News
By: davecurnock - 3rd September 2009 at 11:42
Early boarding as an ‘extra charge’ is purely a revenue-earning gimmick that is almost un-workable in the low-cost carrier market with its reduced turn-round times.
In the case of a genuine need for assisted boarding, then this should be declared at the time of ticket purchase and re-iterated at check-in (where this actually exists!). Otherwise, you need to be in the Usain Bolt class of athlete to win your desired seat.
By: OneLeft - 3rd September 2009 at 09:20
I remember a friend paid £48 for Speedy Boarding on Easyjet (£8 each for her and two kids for a round trip). Unfortunately they opened general boarding when she was only a few footsteps down the jetty so half a 319 of people sprinted past her!
1L.
By: Vicbitter - 3rd September 2009 at 07:14
Some of the airlines in the UK have been up to that caper for a while now.
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September 3, 2009 at 4:36 am