Is there any chance that Southwest will be going to an online listing process for offline guys?

Not sure if it's just my airline, NK, but we have to call the 800 reservations number to list. It's hit or miss but the past three times I've held for 31, 22 and 42 minutes respectively.

Southwest is great to jump on. Great, helpful and welcoming crews. 98% of your gate agents are super but over the past couple of years, most of them do request you list before showing up. It's no problem, just wondering if there were plans to automate the listing process for offline guys.

I doubt there's any great push to automate the process. We're talking about a fairly IT averse company after all. If any agent tells you that you HAVE to be listed ahead of time, they're full of $7!t and being lazy. They can do it themselves.

Either a customer service agent at the large podiums that are usually in between the gates, or a txt counter agent outside of security can list you. We have what are called "Ops agents" who work the flights and have their small podiums directly by the entrance to the jetway. Don't ask these people to do it as that's not really their job, but the other two groups of employees can.

It's a little confusing because the SWA way is different. We don't have gate agents in the traditional sense, but instead Ops agents and customer service agents.

Do what I do/did if you get any grief. Tell them that you tried to list by phone but were on hold for a while or go to another customer podium (we usually have several in the cities we serve) where the agent(s) doesn't look busy and ask them to list you.

Great info. Appreciate it! I've already been doing some of what you've suggested above. As always, I appreciate the great treatment and rides.

This is all good. My technique is to call (and be on hold) when I walk up to the podium so when they ask if I've called in a listing, I can say "trying, on hold with SWA right now in fact". They usually offer to list from that moment on.

Southwest still has paper buddy passes. You have to order and pay with SWAG points. Then it takes a month to print and be delivered to your base.

Does that answer your question?

Coincidentally, I just jumpseated with a SWA CA who said the CO is in the process of updating its reservation system. One of the expected end results would be the ability to list online, possibly via MyIDTravel. Could be baseless, but it would sure be nice.

Did he mention which decade in which this was supposed to occur? SW IT is hurtling into the '80's.......

They are supposed to be fully integrated into Amadeus at the end of next year. Expect the usual pain that comes with this. At the end, we should be able to use electronic passes and list online.
Allegedly.

I continue to have issues with gate agents. Today I was told a Jumseater cannot pre board even when approved for the flight deck, because business select passengers pay for the opportunity. Basically the gate agent told me to pre board and the ops agent flipped out. The captain stayed neutral and said he didn't know what the rule was.
It shouldn't be this complicated

A jumpseater is in fact allowed to pre-board if they are approved for the cockpit. A general rule of thumb is to take a seat aft of the exit rows (not in the exit row because no pre-board passengers are allowed to sit in the exit rows). The ops agent was wrong on this one but it is usually is easier to not point that out and go along to get along.