Southwest Airlines Introduces EarlyBird Check-In

Southwest announced its newest product this week, EarlyBird Check-in, which gives Customers the option to score an early boarding position by adding an additional $10 to the price of a one-way fare.

The low-cost service automatically reserves a boarding position for Customers prior to general check-in, allowing EarlyBird Customers to begin boarding the plane after Southwest’s Business Select and Rapid Rewards A-List Customers. EarlyBird Check-in is available for purchase beginning, Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2009, for travel beginning Thursday, Sept. 3, 2009.

For additional information on EarlyBird Check-in, visit http://www.southwest.com/flight/early-bird-retrieve-reservation.html or the Company Blog at www.nutsaboutsouthwest.com. 

“With EarlyBird Check-in, you no longer need to watch the clock or set your alarm to be one of the first Customers to check in for a Southwest flight. EarlyBird Customers can relax, and let us do the work for them,” said Kevin Krone, Southwest’s Vice President of Marketing, Sales and Distribution.

An early boarding position provides Customers with the opportunity for a better seat selection and earlier access to overhead bin space, giving Customers the option to enhance their travel experience while creating incremental revenue opportunities for Southwest. Early boarding privileges are already included in the purchase of a Business Select fare and are a benefit of being on the Rapid Rewards A-List. All Customers are required to print their boarding pass prior to their scheduled departure.

Customers can purchase EarlyBird Check-in through a link in the Travel Tools section of southwest.com. They also can select EarlyBird Check-in from their southwest.com confirmation page online and from their confirmation e-mail. EarlyBird Check-in can be purchased up to 25 hours prior to the scheduled departure time of the Customer’s flight.

After 38 years of service, Southwest Airlines, the nation’s leading low-fare carrier, continues to stand above other airlines—offering a reliable product with exemplary Customer Service. Southwest Airlines is the most productive airline in the sky and offers Customers a comfortable traveling experience with all premium leather seats and plenty of legroom. Southwest recently updated its gate areas and improved its boarding procedure to make flying Southwest Airlines even more convenient. Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV), the nation’s largest carrier in terms of domestic passengers enplaned, currently serves 67 cities (adding Milwaukee later this year) in 33 states. Based in Dallas, Southwest currently operates more than 3,300 flights a day and has more than 34,000 Employees systemwide.

Source: TravMedia.com

Comments

[Wally]

I just purchased the “so called” Early-Bird-Checkin for a recent flight. I kicked back like they said and didn’t worry about checking in. OOPS! My bad. There was a screw up in their system and it didn’t check me in and I got stuck in the last boarding group. Have no worry, just call customer service right? NOT! Customer service was rude and told me it didn’t work because they made a change in their system and it was a mistake but they will give me my 10 bucks back. What the?! Isn’t this about boarding early for business, not the 10 bucks and a middle seat??? Seriously folks, check yourselves in and don’t get caught in this 50/50 gamble on a middle seat, it doesn’t always work!

[Ellen Barone]

Hi Wally,

Sorry to hear about your bad experience. I just flew Southwest using the early bird option myself. And, yes, I found it a bit confusing at first because I thought I had to actually go online 36 hours in advance to check-in. But, not so, just as they told you - had things gone right. It's automatic.

On my outgoing flight I went on 24-hours prior to departure and checked-in as usual, printed my boarding pass, etc. as if I didn't have early bird access. Didn't know how it would work. But when I arrived, I was in a top A group position. Returning, I forgot to log-in to check in. So, when I arrived at the airport, I didn't have a printed boarding pass or check in confirmation. But, no worries. Thanks to my early-bird purchase, I was still in the A group and able to snag that coveted emergency exit aisle seat after all.

What do you think you'll do in the future? Gamble or not?

Thanks for posting your comment!

Happy trails,

Ellen

[Fluggesellschaften Check-in]

I liked to get an early boarding position for an additional price of $10 only, Southwest has correctly named it as EarlyBird Check-in.

[Fluggesellschaften Check-in]

You are right, Southwest has correctly named it as EarlyBird Check-in. I also liked to get an early boarding position and a for an additional price of $10 only see http://www.checkmein.eu/ for more such details.