Elinor

Why are the rear-facing seats horrible on take-off, as you stated on the other thread? I've never flown Southwest but might. What happens?

kam

Just a funny reverse feeling such as being propelled forward toward the back of the plane on take off. On landing you feel like you are in a recliner chair. It's really not that big a deal.

RR

What other thread? ANd what rear-facing seats? I have never flown Southwest, but if there is a chance I'd have to sit backwards, I never will! I can't sit backwards on a train without getting ill and I already have a chronic problem with air sickness. Backward seats on planes???? A disaster!!! Somebody tell me how many of those there are on Southwest planes (and are all Southwest planes 737s?)!

J Correa

On the SW planes I have flown in, there is usually 1 row of backwards facing seats. We usually try to get those when we are travelling in a group of 4 or more people. That way we can all sit together - some people in the forward facing seats and some facing them in the backward facing seats. I actually like the backward seats because it's more exciting during take off than the forward facing seats.

Relax

To RR:

Breathe in ..... Breathe out.

xx

All SW planes I've seen are 737's and you may have to sit backwards.

Rich

On the Southwest aircraft that have backwards seating, there are only a very few seats that face backwards. What they have are two rows facing each other, so one of them is facing backwards. They call it a "lounge" and it's frequently taken up by families or other groups travelling together so they can talk to each other. It's like the seating on many trains.

I think on the planes that do have "lounges," there are two or three lounges per plane which means you have a maximum of 12 or 18 seats facing backwards. If you are one of the VERY last people to board, you may get stuck in a backwards-facing seat against your will.

The good news for those who don't like them is that Southwest has stopped installing them on their new planes, and I believe that as they refurbish their older planes, they will be removing the backwards seats. So the lounges are going away.

Dan

The "backwards" seats are on Exit Rows. This is Southwest's way (clever, I think) of easily finding the exits. Too bad they are going away. I personally like them!

RR

To "Relax": Breathe in. Hold it.

When you get dizzy and start to pass out, you'll know what happens to me thanks to some vestibular and visual mal-functions.

Or perhaps more relevantly to you personally, when you've had 8 vodkas and try to ride on Space Mountain...

G

If you are in the 1st boarding group for Southwest, you should not have to sit in the backwards seats if you do not want to - this just means you might have to arrive a bit earlier in order to get in that group.
I like the "lounge" seats as well - if your flight is not completely full, those are usually the seats that other people will avoid, so you will have more leg room and room to spread out a bit.
As has been mentioned, they are getting rid of the backwards seats on their newer planes. That still leaves the exit row (just the one on the right hand side, I believe) with a bit more legroom because they have just 2 seats instead of 3 and are a bit off center from the other seats.
Anyway, RR, please don't be afraid to try Southwest because of this. There are many benefits of flying them that far outweigh the possibility of the rear-facing seats - you may just have to get to the airport a bit earlier than normal.

x

rear facing seat = harldy a new idea. Aeroflot used them, as did Finn Air in their DC-8s in the early 1970s. They would seat 3 facing 3. But you had to accept feet in your lap. So, it was used for families and good frineds travelling on long trips. If Fred is still hyping SW, ask him if he sits backward.

anniel

In UK the Royal air Force use backward facing seats in their planes. Safety experts here say backward facing seats provide more safety should there be a crash...Sometimes here there is discussion about installing them in commercial aircraft..but nothing happens.

just some info>!

x

Remember the thread about how to get the person next to you to stop telling you their "live" story? Imagine having a captive audience of 5 other people when you're sitting in the middle seat of the lounge area. I wanted to tell the chick to shut the hell up. One guy next to her did have on headphones which saved him but the other 4 of us were stuck with the blabber mouth for over an hour.

Rich

Yeah, the "lounges" on Southwest are more conducive to blabbermouths, especially since most people feel more compelled to make conversation when they are facing each other than when they are side by side as on most airplanes.

It can also be awkward because you have to pick some point in your field of vision to fixate on in order to not look like you are staring at the person across from you the whole time.

Tom

My wife and I head for these seats and sit across from one another. Then we can really stretch out our legs, side by side.

Voluptuous

I love flying Southwest, I agree with Rich (thanx) he was right on, as for Dan..exit seats?? These are the first six seats as you enter the cabin, and at the emergency exits.(I guess that's what Dan meant.) I stated on the other thread I am a full figured gal, my original flight was late arriving in St. Louis and the connecting was 12 gates away, I was #131 to board and was forced to sit in the backward seats. We sat on the tarmac 3 hours waiting to take off, when we finally did I felt as though I was going to pitch forward and end up face first in someone's lap. Plus, I did not enjoy being able to see the rear of the plane lower than I was, especially while I was busy trying to hang on! As other have stated, it's ok if you know all the others in the "lounge" but to close and familiar if you don't. (Everybody shares leg room meant for three) This flight was fun even under the circumstances as the attendants sang to us and told jokes. PS Southwest encourages you to bring your own snacks, they don't serve meals (does anyone anymore?)

Relax

To:RR
Deepest sympathy for the flight attendants on your plane.