Letter: Southwest Airlines passenger disputes comments about boarding procedure

You probably only had 6 people in line when you got there but, in all probability, 30-plus people had already received their boarding passes. Southwest starts issuing boarding passes one hour prior to the scheduled departure time.

To get there early means at least 15 minutes before Southwest starts issuing boarding passes (75 minutes before departure time). As soon as a line starts to form, get in it and be in the first 30 to receive boarding passes and you'll be in the first group to board.

Why they board this way is very simple. It's the quickest way to get the plane boarded and back in the air. Why many of Southwest users like it this way is also simple: 1) Small children are preboarded and are already seated when general boarding begins and you have the opportunity to avoid those areas if you wish, 2) You have a greater opportunity to choose a window or aisle seat, and 3) You can avoid having to sit in an uncomfortable bulkhead seat.

This is not the first time Deskin has aired complaints regarding this procedure. There are at least two other airlines that fly to Reno and will accommodate your desire to have an assigned seat.

Do us Southwest fans a favor and fly one of them and stop trying to "fix something that's not broken."

Jerry Fitch

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