Taylor Swift is in the midst of her Eras Tour, which began on March 17, 2023 and ends on August 17, 2024. The Grammy-award winning singer will perform 131 concerts across five continents, making the Eras Tour Taylor Swift’s most expansive. And while she may travel in style these days (she has an estimated worth of $740 million), that wasn’t always the case. She reminisced about her old Southwest Airlines days recently. RELATED: How to Vacation Like Taylor Swift This Summer
Taylor Swift received an honorary degree from NYU in May, 2022 and she delivered the commencement address to the Class of 2022 at Yankees Stadium. My nephew was one of the graduates, so I read the transcript of her speech, which you can watch below:
One thing that stood out to me was when she spoke about people thinking she had such a glamorous life (in her earlier years) when in reality, it wasn’t as she ended up homeschooling and spending a lot of time on the road.
In her words: “I never got to have a normal college experience per se. I went to public high school until 10th grade and then finished my education doing homeschool work on the floors of airport terminals. Then I went out on the road for a radio tour, which sounds incredibly glamorous, but in reality, it consisted of a rental car, motels and my mom and I pretending to have loud mother/daughter fights with each other during boarding so no one would want the empty seat between us on Southwest.”
Ha! Now that’s funny and effective … and if you want to see an even funnier way, check out this hilarious video of another way to keep that seat next to you empty on Southwest or on a bus or train! But there’s another way that works even better. First of all, Southwest Airlines (SWA) is one of the few airlines that doesn’t assign seats, which is why this tip works. The reason Southwest doesn’t assign seats is because it speeds up the boarding process as it eliminates passengers trying to figure out where their seat is located. As easy as it sounds, it’s difficult for many first-time flyers and sometimes even seasoned fliers. Believe it or not, I’ve sat in the wrong seat (row) multiple times so I understand SWA’s rationale.
Tips for flying Southwest Airlines:
1. Check-In ASAP
Check-in as soon as you’re allowed, which is 24 hours before your flight. I mean, set your alarm for 24 hours and five minutes before and then check-in when the clock strikes 24 hours prior. Boarding assignments are first come, first serve. You can also pay extra for a Business Select fare to guarantee Group A1-A15 (meaning they will be one of the first 15 people to board and they usually choose the first few rows or the exit row).
2. Be on Time
Show up to the gate on time so you don’t miss your spot in line.
3. Split Up
If there are two of you in your party or four adults and you know the flight isn’t sold out (ask the gate agent), then pick a row at the back of the plane and have one person sit in the window and the other in the aisle, leaving the middle seat open. Southwest only flies 737 aircraft, which all have six seats across (three on each side of the aisle). Here are Seatguru’s pick for the best seats.
4. Taylor’s Tip or Tissues or ?
If the plane isn’t full, then you can try Taylor’s tip of fighting with your partner so no one wants to sit in between you. But you can also put a box of Kleenex on the middle seat with some crumpled up tissues next to the box. That might be more effective but with COVID still fresh on people’s minds, it also might get you kicked off the plane!
What’s your best tip for keeping the middle seat open on a Southwest flight?
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As long as I don’t have a tight connection, I usually head for the back of the plane. Closer to the restrooms. And if the flight isn’t 100% full, my row usually won’t be full. LOL, and nobody is asking me to switch sets. News flash for those of you using these tactics, if the plane is full, someone WILL be seated next to you.
Stupid
Right.
Like millionairess Taylor Swift flies anywhere in coach …
Yes, SWA flight attendants will not get involved over “seat saving” disagreements. On a recent flight two members of an eight-person family group purchased “Early Bird” tickets, and then tried to “save” six additional seats for their “family” members who had not purchased Early Bird and were boarding with the B or C groups. I had purchased “Early Bird” on my ticket and sat in one of the “saved” seats (as many of you have suggested). The “seat savers” physically threatened me, and verbally abused me while boarding was in progress. When ultimately the attendants had enough of the situation, they called security from somewhere in the airport, who confronted ME instead of the people who were “saving seats” they had not paid for! The abuse continued for the entire flight and all the way to the baggage claim at the destination where one of the “seat savers” tried to start a fist fight with me. Ultimately two female members of the “family group” actually did get into a brawl with each other, forcing the local police to handcuff them both. Can’t SWA be just a touch proactive and indicate on the website, or even at the gate that “seat saving” is actually a form of theft? These individuals are stealing something they did not pay for.
Personally I fly SWA and and I am legally handicapped. The SWA team has always been very gracious and accommodating.
Benn traveling with Southwest for 15 years now. My wife and I would automatically move to the back and leave the middle seat open, If the flight wasn’t full we would have the whole aisle, but if it was we just moved. However now with our 16 month old and on her 22nd flight, Seems a lot of people don’t want to sit next to a toddler. So we always end up with the row all by ourselves. Then they find out my toddler barely cries through the flight and always comment on how well she did. I’m like “Yeap, she’s used to traveling by now”.
On a particular Southwest flight quite a few years ago, I was in the A boarding group and I always prefer to sit in the back of the plane in a window seat. A guy came and sat in the aisle seat which left the middle seat between us open.
He crossed his legs, turned his body towards the aisle while swinging the top leg up and down into the aisle and proceeded to talk loudly towards people across the aisle in a falsetto high voice. He used his hands in the air as he talked. I thought he knew the people across the aisle but I noticed the way they politely answered him in short answers and it seemed like they tried to not look at him much which made me wonder. He kept up the leg swinging and the high falsetto voice.
Once the plane doors were shut and the flight attendants started their safety talk, I said to the guy, “Oh nice, it seems the middle seat here will be vacant.”
He uncrossed his legs and shifted to sit facing forwards, looked at me and said in a completely normal deeper voice, “It works every time.”
I asked him if he knew the people across the aisle and he said no. While I laughed, I raised my fist towards him and we did a ‘knuckle bump’ and he smiled at me.
It was a great flight.
Susan CEC obviously has not familiarized herself with the contract of carriage
@JAMIE…IF WE ARE LOW CLASS AND YOU DON’T FLY SOUTHWEST WHY ARE YOU ON OUR
BLOG???
What a bunch of selfish people.
I flew the Phoenix to LAX,last minute but had not flown since 2016ish, so I’m unfamiliar with flights baggage etc. The male flight attendant requested I stow my small duffle in the overhead where it was gone through and things (headphones and keys over to a different compartment. I’m tired of the passive AGGRESSIVE “It’s him, Bob ” when asked what they meant because my name is Robert, I get the “indisntbsay anything ” lying. A judge I knew lied hoursbagonatbabhotelnwhonfollowed me in Mesa AZ. Am I the dumbest person in America; or, is the internet the only thing in people’s mind. Shocked to see if and a person is true to hidden haters, suicide enducers, self loathing jealous impolite idiots, so i stick to my headphones andvyes, Taylor’s music makes me smile,
only thing lately. Ifvshes single I’d marry her, and treat her like gold, to help her shine and just make her happy….all i could do. In a few words, mean people wtf is this coming to? Esch person gets seperate internet, that others don’t see. Then twit it and Factbook it. Ibhate phones and social media…biggest suicide self-harm cause to date. Should be delay govt regulated. Good to be home on 4th and crocker though. Lonely, confused andnandmpatientnthoigh due to stalker..IM BACK so morning yelling can STOP..GET A LIFE U DONT KNOW M 6feet 7 inches 215 lbs lovebdrugsbcuz ofnibidiots not sober
and thats why i came home. Thats all i have to say about that. Yes im functionalnsmart and Amanda survivor sets up people then cries college on lincoln drive. Loyola film. Dated her 58 days in 07 and she was hiredvtonruin my life. I still do the right thing, she wouldn’t though.
.(.next chapter)Taylor Swiftism….yes I’m straight but licker likenlesbian 10*31*07 first date sober me her thigh scar isn’t track marks…rigggght. halo on her.thanks m a better man not paranoid likevu.
As a SW flier who uses s wheelchair I find Ed’s stereotyped remark offensive. Most of us using wheelchairs would prefer not to use them.