SW Airline hopes to smooth check-in

sacbee.com ^ | Tuesday, June 4, 2002 | By Clint Swett -- Bee Staff Writer

[let freedom sing]

Southwest's travelers won't have to wait for boarding passes. Travelers on Southwest Airlines weary of standing in long lines to get their boarding passes will see relief soon.

Late this month, Southwest, the dominant carrier at Sacramento International Airport with 70 flights a day, will begin distributing boarding passes at curbside check-in and at the ticket counter as well as at the boarding gate.

[let freedom sing]

Smooth, hmmm... the line starts at the curb.

[Clara Lou]

Southwest Airlines is one of a kind. They deserve their success.

[onedoug]

"If it ain't broke' don't fix it."

[Eric in the Ozarks]

I fly into Sacremento quite a bit. I HATE standing in line (which seems to be Southwest's SOP). Glad they're changing this.

[TADSLOS]

I fly Southwest alot. I don't see a problem with the way it is now.

[let freedom sing]

Glad they're changing this

I'm not sure if I am-- Newman said details about how many A, B and C passes are given to each check-in site is still being worked out.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Getting in line two or three times to get a seat is asinine. I'd rather change planes in Denver.

[monkeyshine]

This is a good idea to improve SW's service without adding layers of expense.

[shadeaud]

Flying SouthWest means that I have a better chance of arriving at my destination, arriving on time or pretty close to it and a flight crew that actualy gives a hoot.

[The KG9 Kid]

The only bad thing I have to say about SouthWest Airlines is that they don't fly into San Francisco. To use them, I have to fly to Oakland, which is a pain, so I don't.

SouthWest is the best short-hop air carrier in the Western US, but I am usually forced to fly United Shuttle in trips back and forth from LAX to SFO. I loathe United Shuttle thanks to their deliberate overbookings, cancellations, pilot strikes, and terminal lobbies full of angry passengers that often look like a refugee camp.

I love SouthWest's "Let's get this show on the road" attitude, not to mention the short-shorts that their young stewardesses wear.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Actually, I like Oakland better than SF. I've tried to fly into SF but heavy fog screwed up landings, so we were waved over to Oakland. And, Oakland is cheaper (for me).

[FryingPan101]

We are Southwest Airlines' Rapid Rewards frequent flyers and have not been disappointed yet.

[mac_truck]

..the Southwest spokeswoman, said the procedure also paves the way for more automated check-ins via kiosk.

Alaska Airlines uses kiosks. Once you learn to use them they can be big time savers.

[Orion]

I loathe United Shuttle thanks to their... pilot strikes, and terminal lobbies full of angry passengers that often look like a refugee camp.

Ahem...the last pilot strike at the 'Friendly Skies' was in May of 1985. Are you holding a 17 year grudge? The angry passengers probably have more to do with the FAA than UAL.

[The KG9 Kid]

I guess that you don't remember the pilot sick-outs, threatened strikes, contract negotiation impasses, and resulting cancellations from two years ago when I was constantly flying to and from LAX to SFO on United Shuttle?

United Airlines sucks.

[Orion]

I guess that you don't remember the pilot sick-outs, threatened strikes, contract negotiation impasses, and resulting cancellations from two years ago when I was constantly flying to and from LAX to SFO on United Shuttle?

Actually, there were no 'sick-outs.' I am VERY familiar with the United Summer of Love (2000). I agree that the management of United allowed the best airline in the world to become so pathetic. Some of this was the result of the United pilot contract talks. Many of the flights were cancelled because the pilots refused overtime, given that their contract was past due and they were working for 20% less than industry standard. Why would they?

My point was there was no strike at UAL since 1985. Threatened strikes, refusal of OT, and other legal activities are not strikes.

[The KG9 Kid]

I guess technically, you have me cornered. They didn't officially 'go on strike'. From my point of view, I didn't care who was at fault or whether they deserved this or that.

I must apologize for being selfish, but I must admit that the last thing on my mind was what could be done to rectify the situation. All I cared about was getting on the flight they promised me.

As for your earlier remark about me holding a grudge, I admit that I do. United Airlines poisoned their reputation with me for probably just about forever. It's not United Airlines' fault that our dingbat personnel bimbo just couldn't understand what the engineer team meant when they screamed at her 'NO MORE UNITED AIRLINES! DO YOU UNDERSTAND THE WORDS COMING OUT OF MY MOUTH? DO NOT BOOK ME ON UNITED AGAIN OR I SWEAR I WILL HAVE YOU FIRED! DO YOU EVEN WATCH THE NEWS?', but the six or seven times that I slept in a stand-by gate (one time overnight for ten hours after the gate-lady gave away my seat even though I was in line and didn't understand her thick Latin American/Caribbean accent) pretty much destroyed United Airlines for me.

Know what they gave me for my trouble? Nothing. Told me 'Sorry, we're doing all we can do' and pointed at the Standby area and said that I had to be present to even have a chance at a seat.

I'll fly Hizbollah Airways before I fly United again. The day they eat a bankruptcy sandwich and have to sell out to AeroMexico is the day I jump for joy.

Thanks for letting me rant. You got me on my United fit again.

[Fred Mertz]

My kid brother drives for UAL. He's a jerk.

[let freedom sing]

Alaska Airlines uses kiosks. Once you learn to use them they can be big time savers.

Isn't that still a lot like hurry up and wait?