On Southwest Airlines new family boarding policy

[Chips Ahoy]

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Even though my families cant sit together argument may not hold any longer, it is still a very likely possibility that someone in the A group already on the plane will get hit with a car seat. That's probably a minor inconvenience, but it will happen

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Any flight where the worst thing that happens is I get hit by a car seat is a great flight. A random Southwest story: I was settled into a window seat in a front row about to fly from Virginia to Las Vegas. I snapped to attention when a couple in their 60s passed in the aisle. They smelled like they had not bathed, ever. They went all the way to the back of the plane. It was a completely full flight.

A few minutes later they were in the aisle again, being escorted off the plane by the flight attendant. There was much rejoicing.

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Also, cant you get an A board group just by checking in online the day before?

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That's the only way to get an A.

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That seems to defeat the "I got here first so I should be able to get on first" theory since you can get there right before the A group gets on and still get on in front of families.

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Imagine you are not a pre-boarder, but could really use one of the few seats that are a little better. Maybe you're as tall as an NBA player. Or you have a trick knee. An A is necessary, but not sufficient. So you get in the front of the A line 90 minutes ahead of time. Then you watch "half the plane pre-board". All the better seats are gone. Head Explodes.

Parents will still get everything they need, just not everything they are used to.