I flew Southwest six months after its fatal accident - here's why I'm now more likely to use the airline again
My flight was at 7:25 a.m. on a Monday, so when I arrived at LaGuardia Airport a little before 6, I wasn't surprised to find a nearly empty check-in counter.
I was happy to find that checking my suitcase was free.
My trip was about three-and-a-half days in total, which would have made it difficult to fit everything I needed in a carry-on bag. My suitcase is too big to qualify as a carry-on item, so Southwest's policy allowing customers to check two bags for free (so long as they're under 50 pounds and don't exceed 62 inches in any direction) saved me a total of $60 for the trip, compared to United, American, or Delta.
The security line was a little more crowded than I expected, though not unreasonably so.
I was very surprised by how many people were on my flight.
I hadn't imagined a New York-to-St. Louis flight would be near capacity early on a Monday morning, though I later learned the flight's final destination was Las Vegas, which may have explained the big crowd.
Since it doesn't let customers choose their seats when they buy their tickets, Southwest uses a different boarding system than other airlines.
After you check in, you're given a boarding group and number that determines when and where you line up to board. Unless you pay an extra fee, your boarding position is determined by the time at which you check in for your flight.
In theory, Southwest's boarding system sounds like an upgrade over those used by other airlines, but in practice, it benefits some passengers and hurts others.
I generally use a backpack or small duffel bag as my carry-on item, so I'm usually not concerned about boarding early since I don't need overhead bin space. That means I tend to avoid lining up before my group begins boarding, which often results in me being one of the last people to board my flight.
Southwest's system provides people with my boarding preferences the opportunity to board earlier than we would have otherwise. But since your boarding position determines your seating options, boarding position is more important than on other airlines. If Southwest used a more traditional boarding system, it would be chaotic.
And for those customers who like to line up early to secure overhead bin space, Southwest's boarding system might seem unfair, as it doesn't reward their willingness to trade extra time standing in line for a higher chance of being able to put their carry-on items in the overhead bin.
When I boarded my flight, I was happy to find that a number of aisle seats were still available.
While the seats on my plane, a Boeing 737-700, offered about average legroom and below-average width (according to SeatGuru), they seemed a little cleaner and made of more comfortable materials than what I've usually experienced when flying economy on other airlines.
That isn't saying much, but it's always a pleasant surprise when any part of my seat warrants an even slightly positive reaction.
I'm 5' 11'' and had enough legroom to prevent serious discomfort, with a little room to spare.
The drink selection and prices seemed reasonable.
The flight attendants gave out both pretzels and Belvita biscuits, which was helpful since I hadn't eaten breakfast yet.
The most impressive part of my flight was the entertainment options.
Southwest's entertainment options can only be accessed from a mobile device.
But a number of music and TV options don't require passengers to download an app. Instead, they're accessible from Southwest's website, which passengers can use without paying for wi-fi.
There's also free messaging available to those who have iMessage or WhatsApp.
If I had wanted additional internet access, wi-fi would have been $8.
The Southwest entertainment site's design was clean, clear, and easy to navigate.
I was very impressed by the range of movie, music, and TV options Southwest's site offered. And, for the most part, the streaming was reliable and the loading times were reasonable.
The site had over 15 channels of live TV.
The site offered a number of popular shows for on-demand streaming.
Though some required an app.
As with live TV, the on-demand shows streamed reliably, for the most part.
Though at one point, the streaming stopped working ...
... as did the in-flight wi-fi.
The site had a generous selection of movies.
Though, unlike the TV options, the movies weren't free.
The site also had a music streaming section that included radio stations and podcasts.
It seemed useful for passengers who wanted to listen to music but didn't have a robust library on their phone available for off-line use.
I had no problems streaming music or podcasts on the site.
The site also had a travel guide tailored to my destination. I didn't expect it to be terribly useful, but found it to be surprisingly focused and concise.
It gave four recommendations for restaurants, bars, hotels, and sightseeing/entertainment options.
Though I'm not sure how many people are going to book a hotel after arriving at a destination.
Still, the entries for each category provided brief but informative summaries that can help travelers generate ideas.
Overall, I came away satisfied with my flight.
Nothing on or before my flight was noticeably worse than what I've experienced with United and Delta, and in some areas, like bag check fees, cleanliness, and entertainment options, Southwest excelled. While my standards for air travel aren't terribly high, Southwest exceeded them and increased the likelihood that I will use the airline in the future.
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