happy2bretired
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When I fly I wear a travel vest with everything important in various pockets. I remove the vest when going thru security. On the plane everything that I must have is safely on me.
Proliferation of “assistance needed” passengers: safety issue?
- Thread starter Philliefan33
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When I fly I wear a travel vest with everything important in various pockets. I remove the vest when going thru security. On the plane everything that I must have is safely on me.
travelover
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Doesn't the parachute make it hard to sit comfortably in those tiny seats?
Hermit
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+1
This thread makes me look forward to getting a pickup and camper even more!
When I used to fly, I always avoided SW because it gave me an irresistible urge to "moo".
Hmm.
Seems that if your goal was to avoid breathing nasty cigar tube air, you would want to be first off?
I'm guessing the air doesn't get any less nasty during the flight.
Hermit said: When I used to fly, I always avoided SW because it gave me an irresistible urge to "moo".
This comment made me cringe. I haven't flown SW in a long time, but I'm on a SW flight next week. It was half the cost of Delta, so I'm getting a good deal. Right?
I noticed they don't offer seats with extra room. I'm 6'1", and my legs fit very tightly in standard coach seating these days. I typically splurge, and get the seats with more room now. I was hoping SW decided to give everyone in coach reasonable leg room, but I suspect we are all going to be crushed.
I like to pretend that I'm Qui Chang (spelling) from the Kung Foo TV show, and sit calmly and still through the flight 3.5 hour flight. I'm just going with that.
JP
This comment made me cringe. I haven't flown SW in a long time, but I'm on a SW flight next week. It was half the cost of Delta, so I'm getting a good deal. Right?
I noticed they don't offer seats with extra room. I'm 6'1", and my legs fit very tightly in standard coach seating these days. I typically splurge, and get the seats with more room now. I was hoping SW decided to give everyone in coach reasonable leg room, but I suspect we are all going to be crushed.
I like to pretend that I'm Qui Chang (spelling) from the Kung Foo TV show, and sit calmly and still through the flight 3.5 hour flight. I'm just going with that.
JP
Nowadays Southwest has the sanest boarding process out there. If you are flying United or Delta, people crowd around the lines trying to be the first person when Group 2 is called so they can get on before all the other Group 2s and get some overhead space. With Southwest, most people tend to stay seated and out of the way because they board by number and if yours is A23, you just stand halfway between the signs that say 20 and 25, then the whole line moves forward in numerical order. Also, there is no charge for checking a bag, so theoretically there are fewer carry-ons.
It's funny how things have switched so that now, unless you're a super elite flyer, the legacy carriers are way more like a cattle drive than Southwest.
aja8888
Moderator Emeritus
Yeah, after reading this thread, I realized I have not flown in 18 months and my Gold status on United and American is gone. Good bye and good riddance!
I don't even want to count the number of stateside and international flights I have taken since 1975 or so. Obviously too many and have over a million mile system travel at two (or three?) airlines.
I'm with Hermit and I am looking at Class B RV (used, of course).
But, I have paid my dues as you all are doing so now. I'll have to say one thing though, air travel was "pretty good" up until the late 1990's, then it got increasingly worse after the 9/11 incident.
athena53
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Totally agree- Southwest seems to be the only US-based airline where they're happy you're on the plane. To the others, we're self-loading cargo.
And, to borrow another phrase I learned on the flyertalk boards, the people in Group 4 who hover right by the gate as soon as Priority Boarding starts are known as "gate lice".
aja8888
Moderator Emeritus
Group 2 boarding was nice on United until they gave everybody with a United credit card the Group 2 access. Nuts!
Last year, before AA renumbered their groups, DH was looking at his boarding pass and he commented that Group 2 isn't bad. I had to inform him that he was on the airline that can't count and he was actually going to be in the 7th group to board after first class, executive platinum, ruby somethings, credit card holders, etc, etc.
Ha!
Oh wait, you were serious?
There is nothing good about air travel these days - other than (usually) arriving relatively quickly.
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MRG
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I'm one that jumps up right away. I get very uncomfortable sitting while there's a line of people above me! It's enough to set off a full on panic attack(agoraphobia).
I've learned to request aisle seating. When I can't get that and have an attack, I'll be face in my hands rocking back and forth in meditation. It's not fun.
I've learned to request aisle seating. When I can't get that and have an attack, I'll be face in my hands rocking back and forth in meditation. It's not fun.
We have flown southwest several times in the last year. They were not in our market before. It is a bit different to pay a bit more to board earlier, with no assigned seats. Or to board later with the possibility that we may not find two seats together. We have done it both ways, and I must say the SW gate experience is calm and organized compared to others.
When we fly Delta, we will be ready to carry on our bags. Too cheap to pay to check them. Most flights, you can go to the gate and ask if they will be looking to gate check the bags. Most times they will check them to the final destination. No charge.
If we have close connections, we don't let the bags out of our sight. But if we are coming home, no big deal if the bag wonders home a couple days later.
When we fly Delta, we will be ready to carry on our bags. Too cheap to pay to check them. Most flights, you can go to the gate and ask if they will be looking to gate check the bags. Most times they will check them to the final destination. No charge.
If we have close connections, we don't let the bags out of our sight. But if we are coming home, no big deal if the bag wonders home a couple days later.
happy2bretired
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travelover
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No kidding? I carry mine in a backpack. If that sucker is going down, a Swiss army knife isn't going to do you any good.
USGrant1962
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The main thing on Southwest is to "blow that dough" and spend $15 each way for "early bird check in". You will be guaranteed to be boarded in the first third or so of the line and get OK seats with no worries about overheads.
SW has no first class or economy plus type seats, they are all the same except for where they are located. But I think their pitch (distance between seats) is a little higher than cattle-car-coach on DL/AA/UA.
travelover
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I just check in on line 24 hours before the flight and I'm usually in the A boarding group or at worst half way through the B list. It is not too unusual to snag an exit row seat as people tend to want forward seats. Paying would certainly guarantee a better boarding position.
I flew Southwest today. Interestingly, when they offered to preboard “anyone needing extra assistance,” several able bodied road warriors stepped up to the jetway. They were not asked why they needed assistance but were just let on early. Meanwhile I had a B2 boarding position and had to go almost all the way back to be able to stow my carry-on bag overhead. By the way I paid for Earlybird checkin.
brucethebroker
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You are going to climb over people in an emergency? Hope I'm not sitting between you and the emergency exit if an emergency occurs...[/QUOTE said:
brucethebroker
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Make that "decorum".......(oooops).
audreyh1
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So no charge for checked baggage, yet still overhead bins packed - almost full less than half-way to boarding!
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USGrant1962
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The few times I've tried that it was like sniping on EBay. When not logged in exactly 24 hours in advance I was way in the back of B. Of course now I'm retired so perhaps that could work better.
grasshopper
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Our last flight on SW this fall we bought early bird because we were still hiking in the woods 24 hours before our flight and we knew we wouldn't have cell reception. Turns out because of the California wildfires our flight was delayed. Well we lucked into a earlier flight, we boarded with the first group, and had our early bird refunded when we got home without even making a call.
Bryan Barnfellow
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Here in Europe it is still not that unusual for our mostly European cabin mates to clap upon a successful landing. It's good to be reminded about not becoming too complacent!
I'm referring to economy class, of course. Those further up the comfort scale believe that they are entitled to a safe landing, so take it for granted.
-BB
