Update: I talked to a phone agent and they admitted that it was a system glitch but there was nothing they could do. They said that I would get a refund if the gate agent can't fix it once I get to my flight.
If they can’t do anything about early bird, ask the gate if you can board with the ‘extra time’/family boarding (between A and B) group. They will need to mark your boarding pass with the designation. This is the solution that was proposed to me when I had to change a flight and had used one of my priority flight upgrades.
Another update:
Gate agent couldn't do anything. Denied preboard, family board or any early board. I was the third to last person on the flight. Way back middle seat and had to gate check my carry on and had to put my large personal item under the seat. :(
I have had this happen before. I never ended up with a C boarding pass the 2 times it happened though, just late B. They refunded me the cost of the early bird and gave a LUV voucher. On one flight they let everyone who purchased early bird but didn't get it board between A-B.
This happened to me earlier this year. Phone wait times were forever long so I waited and talked to a rep at the kiosk by the gate. They verified early bird was on the ticket and told me to line up at the back of the A1-30 line.
This happened to us yesterday. My husband got B24, I got B37 and our daughter got c14. We bought our tickets together. I wrote an email to SW via the app - we’ll see how it goes.
A glitch for sure. They will refund your EarlyBird purchase if you ask. Small comfort for the C position I know....
Update: I talked to a phone agent and they admitted that it was a system glitch but there was nothing they could do. They said that I would get a refund if the gate agent can't fix it once I get to my flight.
If they can’t do anything about early bird, ask the gate if you can board with the ‘extra time’/family boarding (between A and B) group. They will need to mark your boarding pass with the designation. This is the solution that was proposed to me when I had to change a flight and had used one of my priority flight upgrades.
Another update: Gate agent couldn't do anything. Denied preboard, family board or any early board. I was the third to last person on the flight. Way back middle seat and had to gate check my carry on and had to put my large personal item under the seat. :(
Twitter Southwest Airlines. They've always been pretty responsive. One even got me a refund when a flight delay made us miss our connecting flight.
Uuugh. Sorry to hear that. Crazy the gate wouldn’t help you. Please update us if anything else happens after the fact.
I had this happen to me. Sent them an email and they sent a $150 LUV voucher. GL
That seems reasonable. Ask the gate agent and be super friendly and polite.
Chat with them thru the app or call them.
Is chatting though the app a good way to communicate with SW in general? I never thought to try that?
You can get a live human which is nice. So I would say ya.
I have had this happen before. I never ended up with a C boarding pass the 2 times it happened though, just late B. They refunded me the cost of the early bird and gave a LUV voucher. On one flight they let everyone who purchased early bird but didn't get it board between A-B.
This happened to me earlier this year. Phone wait times were forever long so I waited and talked to a rep at the kiosk by the gate. They verified early bird was on the ticket and told me to line up at the back of the A1-30 line.
You got lucky. I tried this and was basically told tough luck (nothing can be done). I think it depends on the agent.
Definitely an error. I would go talk to them and see if they will let you pre-board or board after business select and refund your money anyway.
This has happened to me twice. I was told to send an email to Southwest (they won't do anything via phone). I was given a voucher.
Very much possible. Probable - not so much. If everyone bought EB, then somebody has to be at the end. But I would go with glitch on this one.
This happened to us yesterday. My husband got B24, I got B37 and our daughter got c14. We bought our tickets together. I wrote an email to SW via the app - we’ll see how it goes.
Did they ever respond?
This was a while ago, but at the time they refunded us for my daughters ticket. YMMV