You can always tell a Southwest gate by The Stampede.

No more. Boarding order is still assigned when you check in, but you can check in online 24 hours prior to flight. They've essentially moved The Stampede from the gate to the internet.

I don't think Southwest does non-stop transcontinental flights anyway

At least one of the 9/11 flights was Boston to Chicago. Southwest has nonstop flights for that.

I was once waiting in line at security when a woman in front of me pitched a holy fit about taking her water bottle through. She was railing about how she had a sinus infection and needed to be constantly hydrated

Chug it or dump it, then refill it on the other side. I'm disappointed they let her through.

But sometimes I can't select a specific seat purchase (I can only choose aisle or window)--maybe that's different by airline.

It is.

If you book by phone you're more likely to be asked "window or aisle?" because they don't want to waste any more time with you than they have to - time spent with you is time not helping someone on hold - and that's easier than asking specifically what seat you want or having you describe your eHarmony compatibility with airline seats.

When companies started setting up online sales, some simply repeated online the same questions they'd ask on the phone - even if those questions were designed to sacrifice choice for expediency, which online sales don't have to do. Other companies figured out that allowing the full choice of open seats for online customers was a positive, and set it up that way.

At least one of the 9/11 flights was Boston to Chicago. Southwest has nonstop flights for that.

I think all the hijacked flights were headed to California.

Must be. I generally fly United/Continental and Jetblue and have always been able to choose my seat/row with the exception of first class and, anymore, the emergency row which they charge extra for.

Pro tip: If you're cheap and willing to risk that the rest of your plane is full of cheap people, sign up for a regular seat, and then ask to change to the emergency exit row at your physical check-in for free. I'm hoping they don't close this loophole any time soon.

Like the $5 water bottle, it's not the money so much as the principle.

re: the $5 water, I was more making a dual joke that she had one of those particularly snooty bottled waters and that airline shops are notoriously expensive. For accuracy's sake she probably could have purchased one for $3. Which is still pretty outrageous, but carry on.

I fly about 100K miles per year, mostly on United and American, and Southwest has the most organized boarding process by far. On United it's impossible to tell who is actually boarding and who is just crowding the boarding area anxiously waiting for their group to call. On Southwest, you get assigned a place in a group of 10 passengers so it's completely clear when your group is boarding. Southwest also doesn't charge for checked luggage so in theory there is less of a battle for overhead space.

Jet Blue tip: if it looks like the flight will be full when you pick seats online, don't pick a shitty seat. If the regular economy section ends up full, unseated economy passengers get seated in the extra leg room economy seats for no extra charge when they get to the airport (and since people rarely upgrade, you may get the whole aisle). Worst case, its not full and you end up in a middle seat like you would have anyway.

"Busted" is a really terrible word to use in this headline. That's a word that's normally used to describe someone who is arrested for carrying illegal drugs, or at least breaking the law. The choice of it here seems, at best, thoughtless.

I've flown without ID in the last few years. But then, I'm white.

I actually had a talk with Southwest about this a few years back, when I lost my wallet in Tucson, and had to fly across country a few days later. They told me they would be able to get me on my flight, but that I should show up a little earlier so they could sort the mess out with TSA.

Another Jet Blue tip, which applies specifically to flying into Long Beach. If you sit way in the back, you'll get off the plane quickly. Long Beach Airport has no jetway ramps; instead, they roll staircases or portable ramps up to the plane. But they'll open both the front door and the back door, which is why the back empties quickly.

I don't think Southwest does non-stop transcontinental flights anyway

What would you call Baltimore to Austin? Used to fly that one, both ways about twice a month. It's not too bad though at least going south, which is downwind.

Southwest doesn't do the "cattle call" per se. They have different lists for boarding. "A", "B","C", and then all the late folks. Makes things a lot more orderly when you only have to compete with about 20 people or so on your designated list. I was an "A" lister, since I was a frequent flier, so boarding on SWA was a snap for me. I usually got the seat I wanted, first row behind biz, on the aisle.

SWA is one of the few things I loved about living in Airport Land.

Edit: Whoops...HEY! Coke to essef.

I think all the hijacked flights were headed to California.

Also all the planes chosen for 9/11 were much larger than the 737, which is SWA's only platform.

Also all the planes chosen for 9/11 were much larger than the 737, which is SWA's only platform.

Bigger planes on longer flights = more fuel & a better weapon.

Problem was solved when cockpit doors were locked. Thanks to TSA we get to lose to Osama BinLaden every year even after he's dead to the tune of tens of billions in additional travel costs.