Rochester, Ho!

Southwest Airlines isn't just transport. It's a way of life. WRITTEN AND ILLUSTRATED BY PETER MOORE

GOOGLE KNOWS I’M A FLIGHT RISK. So on my personalized Google News, the AI served up “The Game Theory of Choosing Seats on Southwest Airlines,” from the travel blog View from the Wing.

If you’re not a Southwestie, you’re probably thinking: Game Theory? Seat Selection?Don’t you…um…just present your boarding pass and head for Row 27, seat E?

On no, my friends! There’s so much more to it than that! Making your way to your seat on Southwest is subject of weeks of anticipation and strategizing, and I’m all caught up in it right now, as we head off to our niece’s graduation.

Rochester, Ho!

But first…

STEP ONE: Reservations? JK! On Southwest, you can reserve, cancel, decide, re-decide, commit, de-commit, without penalty—just like the main character in my second favorite* Shakespeare play.

To fly, or not to fly, that is the question.

STEP TWO: Challenge both your memory (check in exactly 24 hours before the flight, or you’ll get a lousy boarding position!) and yo…