What You Can Expect on a Southwest Airlines Flight

When I need to travel and I am considering an airline, I find myself using Southwest Airlines. I have been a Southwest Airlines customer for over 15 years. I have come back to the airline time and time again mainly because of their low prices, reward program and normally on-time arrivals.

No Seating Assignments
If you have never flown Southwest Airlines, this airline does not have seat assignments. This is probably the main reason why the costs are much lower on this airline. Anyone who flies this airline is considered the same as everyone else. In order to get the seat you want, you will need to check in.

Checking In
You will need to check-in using one of the following methods:
1) On-Line (24 hours prior your flight using www.southwest.com)
2) Ticket counter - if you plan to check in luggage
3) Skycap (outside of the departing terminal) - if you want to check in luggage and avoid the long lines at the ticket counter
4) Rapid Check-In kiosk (if you do not have any luggage or a transfer from another Southwest Airlines flight
5) The gate counter is the last place to check-in; but I hardly ever use it unless I am a transfer from another flight.

As I mentioned earlier, there are no assigned seats on a Southwest Airlines flight. Basically, you are provided with boarding passes from one of the check-in locations. There are three boarding groups (A, B & C). A passenger is assigned a boarding pass in the group based on when you checked in. If you are part of the first 30 to check-in (either 24 hours before your flight online, airline counter, skycap or at the gate, you are group A, followed by the next 30 (group B), and then the rest (group C). When you are waiting for the flight, group A would board first followed by B and C.

Normally I check in my luggage at the ticket counter or skycap so I can avoid carrying the bag on the plane. This probably makes more sense now due to the heightened security measures surrounding liquids. What I have noticed is that during many of the flights I take, people bring luggage onboard. It doesn't take long to fill up the overhead storage bins. Usually I don't have too much of a problem with carry on luggage, as long as I am in the A group.

Other Tips:
1) If you check in your luggage, you can't put a traditional lock on the bag. You will need to get a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) approved lock on the bag. I have been in airports were plastic or twist ties are used, but this is no guarantee that your items are safeguarded.
2) If you have a camera that uses film, please DO NOT put any film in your checked luggage. The film may be affected from the screening process.

Waiting to Board
After you get through security and make it to your assigned gate, you will need to wait until it is time to board. The gate should have indicators with the letters A, B or C. There will also be a place to pre-board for passenger with small children, or children traveling alone, others needing time to go down the jetway and those carrying a blue boarding pass. To this day, I have not discovered exactly how a person obtains one of these passes. The flight normally boards about 30 minutes prior to take-off, but most passengers are usually waiting at the gate well before that. Depending on your airport (I fly out of Baltimore Washington International), you may only need to show your boarding pass when boarding.

I do have to mention that I have taken flights where the employee who makes the announcement to board the plane sang a song or cracked a joke. This is the only airline that I have flown where you get entertainment. I also read that Southwest Airlines intentionally hires entertainers, comedians or just plain funny people. This was especially good during the time after September 11.

Flying On Southwest
The majority of the time, the flights I have taken are on time or early. Once in awhile, a flight can be delayed. Personally, I can't say that I have ever had a bad flight experience with Southwest Airlines. Sometimes, during the flight, the attendant may joke with the passengers. This usually happens when the attendants want passengers to sit down at any available seat after all the window and aisle are taken. I have heard them say, "pick a buddy" or "make a new friend".

Unfortunately, since this is the low-cost carrier, passengers do not get to see a movie. Also, the food choices are limited. If your flight is less than a few hours, then you will probably get a pack of peanuts or pretzels. For longer flights, I have received snack packs, possibly filled with Oreo Cookies, Ritz cheese with crackers, fruit gummies or Teddy Grahams. Southwest Airlines does not have any problem with passengers bringing in their own food (if you can get it through security or purchased near your gate).

Southwest Airlines offers complimentary drinks (the full list of available drinks can be found in the in-flight magazine Southwest Airlines Spirit). Passengers can purchase cocktails for $4) and wine/beer at $3). Since I am also part of the Southwest Frequent Flyer Program, I tend to accumulate drink coupons along with any free tickets earned.

For your reference, I have listed drinks taken from a prior Spirit Magazine:

Cocktails $4.00
Dewars Scotch
Jack Daniels
Wild Turkey
Crown Royal
Tanqueray Gin
Bacardi Rum
Bailey's Irish Cream
Finlandia Vodka

Wine $3.00
Sycamore Lane Chardonnay
Sutter Home White Zinfandel
Sycamore Lane Merlot

Beer $3.00
Fosters
Amstel Light
Miller Lite
Heineken

Non-Alcoholic
Coca-Cola classic
Diet Coke
Sprite
Diet Sprite
Dr. Pepper
Ginger Ale
Tonic Water
Mr. and Mrs. T Bloody Mary Mix
Orange Juice
Apple Juice
Tomato Juice
Cranberry Apple Juice Cocktail
Carbonated Water
Non-Carbonated Purified Drinking Water
Coffee
Defaf Singles
Tea
Hot Cocoa

Once you have reached your final destination, the flight attendant may break out in song. This happened on the way to Orlando, Florida, where our attendant sang the Southwest Airlines version of "Zippity Do Dah". When arriving at the gate and after the seat belt sign is turned off, I have heard the attendants say "now get out". Of course, this is all for fun and just to show that we don't all have to be serious when we are flying.

Bottom Line
Although I don't get all of the frills of assigned seating, I enjoy the casual atmosphere of Southwest Airlines along with the low cost.