nsx

34. Why doesn't Southwest offer priority boarding to its best customers?

a. (nsx) This topic comes up regularly. Before Southwest introduced kiosks and then Internet check-in, getting a good seat required arrival at the gate approximately an hour before departure and standing in a long line for a plastic boarding card numbered 1 to 137. You might stand for 30 to 45 minutes before getting your boarding card, then you could either sit down or join a disorganized mob ready to assault the gate when the agent called for the first, second, third, and sometimes fourth boarding group (30 per group). The current process is incomparably more civilized.

In the old days, I was one of many customers who wrote to Southwest (they personally answer every letter) asking why Southwest would not let its best customers bypass the cattle call. The response was that this would be inconsistent with Southwest's egalitarian culture. I figure it might also slow the boarding process slightly, reducing efficiency. Many of us disagreed with the policy, but the new boarding system renders our complaints largely irrelevant. You get priority boarding not by being a good customer, but because you have learned how to work the system and get an A nearly every time. That gives you a huge advantage over casual travelers and those who don't care what letter they get.