Southwest frequent fliers fuming at computer glitch

Early boarding not granted to loyal customers

Southwest Airlines’ elite frequent fliers are fuming because a computer glitch is taking away a treasured perk: early boarding.

Boarding position is everything on Southwest Airlines, the nation’s largest domestic carrier by passengers, because the carrier doesn’t assign seats. Passengers are assigned a boarding position in one of three groups (A, B and C) based on check-in time, and they choose any open seat when they board.

The earlier you board, the less likely you end up in a middle seat and get shut out of overhead bin space.

Southwest’s elite frequent fliers — those who fly at least 50 one-way flights a year for the top “A List Preferred” status or 25 one-way flights for “A List” status, or spend top dollar on tickets or their Southwest Visa cards — are among the first to board.

They are automatically checked in for their flights ahead of other passengers and the most frequent fliers are all but guaranteed an A boarding pass.

Last weekend, many fliers started seeing higher numbers on their boarding passes — some were even, gasp, in the C group — and they weren’t happy. Frequent fliers took to Twitter, FlyerTalk and Southwest’s online message boards to gripe.

Southwest acknowledges there is a problem. Spokeswoman Michelle Agnew said in a statement that priority checkin and boarding positions for top-tier members of Southwest’s Rapid Rewards frequent-flier program are affected.

“This has resulted in boarding positions that are less typical than what our A-List and A-List Preferred Rapid Rewards customers have come to expect,” she said.

Travelers who buy EarlyBird Check In, Southwest’s automatic early check-in option for $15 each way, have not been affected.

Southwest said its technology teams are “working feverishly to resolve the issue.” It did not provide a timetable for the fix.

The airline didn’t mention it in the statement, but its responses on Twitter and some travelers’ comments on Twitter and other forums indicate the airline has been manually updating reservations for travelers who notice the problem before they get to the airport. Gate agents are helping where they can, and the airline also notes that A List and A List Preferred travelers who don’t get in the A group are free to board, as always, after the A group and before the B group.

Southwest travelers are upset that the problem hasn’t been quickly resolved. The airline had a massive computer meltdown last summer that still lingers in some travelers’ minds.

One traveler on the FlyerTalk frequent-flier forum said, “As I noted to customer service yesterday, in any crisis, especially one impacting your most loyal and valuable customers, a swift and overwhelming response is best. Not feeling that sort of Luv at the moment.”

LUV is Southwest’s stock symbol and its corporate shorthand.

Other travelers are upset that Southwest didn’t notify A List members via e-mail so they could check in online like other passengers, hopefully improving their boarding position.