Well in their defense, I did walk up and ask (I had already listed) about the JS at 13mins prior to the departure.

There were three agents there talking with no other customers, but they said sorry, flight closed 15 mins prior.
Probably true in this case since the flight not completely full. In the past I've walked up with 5 mins to go, but with peeps still in the Jetway, the agents usually will clear you.
I did not protest because 15mins is apparently their cutoff, but I just went over my the window and checked my rather bleak options for the rest of the day on my phone. One of the agents then left and went down the jetway to close the door. To my surprise, about 3 mins later she reappeared and said the crew saw me in the window and "authorized" her to put me on.
I was shocked, elated, and eternally grateful! We still got the door closed with 5 mins to go before departure time.

And BTW, I used to JS on Airtran occasionally and most of their agents would go the extra mile to get you on. One time I walked up to the gate as the door was closing, the agent had me write my name and employee# on a napkin as we walked to the door of the jet and said he was going to go back and add me after the door closed. Granted that was an "easier" time for everyone to JS, darn computers!

 

I have never seen an airline go out of its way for JS'ers like WN has. I can only hope that my airline is doing half the job you are.

 

I agree. I’ve never had a poor experience, from the gate agents to the flight crews. After SWA changed over to the computerized JS reservation system there were some issues getting pulled up on CASS. In every case where this happened to me a gate agent took 30+ minutes to get it straightened out and had to get someone else to work the gate. Never would have gotten such service from another Air Line.��

 

This.

And them telling the OP, that the flight closed 15 prior is total BS. They can leave 5 early if missing pax/bags, 10 early if all pax/bags are accounted for- straight from the ground ops manual.

Props to the crew for coming thru.

 

I second this. I've shown up 13 early before with everyone boarded and they still got me on. Sounds like a sour puss gate agent to me.

 

THAT is exactly why I wanted to work at swa.
As a commuter, it's great to hear stories like that.
Old school