Southwest SFO to Denver

Despite an initial warning about an ATC hold, we departed DEN and arrived SFO on time, at around 9:10AM. We pulled into Gate 43 of T-1 and I used work stations at Gate 42 and Free SFO Wifi to catch up on work.  At around 9:55A, I started heading over to the Southwest counters to meet my son and two grand children.  Ah memories...

The old Continental counters and Presidents Club at the far end, now another SFO conference room.

With a football field length line inside, we queued ten minutes outside to check bags, then headed off to security.  I didn't even realize the I had PreCheck on my BP until the security line dragon told me.  Also said I could take the kids with me, even though they didn't have PreCheck.  Unfortunately, that was the highlight of my day with Southwest.   Don't know what it is but I loathe this airline.  Well I actually do know why.  It's like riding a bus that flies, except not as comfortable.  And at SFO, an horribly antiquated concourse. 

Plane watching, three year old style.

The Southwest cattle drive.  No assigned seats... it's essentially a free-for-all.  Boarding is done according to check-in time but you can jump the queue by paying a fee.  I checked in at precisely T-24 and got A58, A59 and A60 which meant we were the 58th, 59th and 60th pax to board.  

Finally our turn.  Wifi on board.  Another Southwest joke.  

Ugh.

With A58-A60, we were able to get three seats together mid-cabin.  Not that it really matters because, except for 10 seats (4 bulkhead and 6 exit row seats), they are all garbage seats unless you are 3 or 6 years old.  A far cry from Frontier or any other airline with extra legroom economy seats.  What kind of fool pays extra to buy a Business Select ticket to get a low A boarding pass in the hopes of running down the jet bridge fast enough to get a bulkhead aisle or window or exit economy seat?   

Southwest does hand out snacks to everyone, if you are so inclined, and complimentary non-alcoholic beverages.

Live TV is available on your personal computers, tables and smart phones.  I opted to pay $8 for Wifi which was completely useless for anything other than slow downloading of emails.  Hard to believe but even United's Wifi (where they have it) is actually faster.

We departed and arrived on time and mercifully only had to endure 2.5 hours in this tin can.  Two Y flights down and one more (the big one DEN-HNL) flight to go before returning to the pointy end, hopefully for the rest of my life.  The kids also enjoyed being on the ground.