Review: Southwest Airlines 737-700 (Burbank – Las Vegas)

I do give Southwest Airlines credit for being consistent and reliable. My early morning jaunt from Burbank to Las Vegas on a 737-700 was predictably smooth, albeit somewhat depressing.

Southwest Airlines 737-700 Review

Had JSX had an earlier flight, I would have taken it in…the $200 one-way price tag (booked eight days in advance) was just a few bucks less than JSX was 90 minutes later.

As I have for the last 20+ years when I’ve flown Southwest, I dutifully checked in right at the 24-hour check-in window in order to get an “A” boarding group  (I could not justify paying extra for A 1-15 priority boarding). I landed with A45…good enough.

When I fly out of Burbank on a day trip, I park at the Metrolink (commuter rail) station and walk over to the airport (just across Empire Avenue). July turned out to be extremely mild in Southern California and it was a cool and cloudy morning.

Construction is underway on a new airport terminal at Burbank adn while the current Terminals A and B are functional, they are well past their prime with limited concessions, even more limited power ports, and no lounges.

I showed up at the boarding gate just as boarding was commencing and had to try to approximate where to insert myself. (Southwest sections off each boarding group with signs designating groups of 10 passengers; for example, A 1-10, 11-20, 21-30, etc). I got in line and noticed I was just after A46 but A43 and 44 were behind me…great.

Burbank has no jet bridges. Instead, you walk out to the apron and then climb a ramp to the plane. Southwest boards from both the front and the back and I boarded from the rear of the aircraft, hoping to score an open middle seat.

Southwest 2816
Burbank (BUR) – Las Vegas (LAS)
Monday, July 28
Depart: 7:10 AM
Arrive: 8:30 AM
Duration: 1hr, 20min
Distance: 223 miles
Aircraft: Boeing 737-700
Seat: 20F (single-cabin)

As it turned out, the flight was less than half full and not only did the middle seat next to me stay open, but so did the aisle seat. The Southwest 737-700 has 143 seats:

• Row pitch: 31 inches
• Seat width: 17 inches
• Seats recline: 2 inches

There were no power outlets or USB ports.

Flight attendants immediately announced that Wi-Fi internet was not working, though streaming entertainment would be available.

We took off and were soon above the marine layer for the short journey to Nevada.

Even though the plane was only about 1/3 full, the flight attendants announced there wasn’t time for a beverage service (there was…) and that they would offer water only.

But they pre-poured the water and had very few takers, so they ended u dumping most of it. How lazy and stupid at the same time…

I got up to use the lavatory…Southwest has a single lavatory in the rear and one in the front of the aircraft.

We passed over a solar farm and many new housing tracts (where is the water?!) as we neared Vegas.

We landed 20 minues aerly but had to wait 20 minues for a gate…

CONCLUSION

Nothing special about this flight…but nothing hroribe either. Would I have appreciated functional Wi-Fi and a full beverage service? Sure. But this was a 45-minute flight and I was very thankful to have a row to myself. But as always, I’ll take Southwest if necessary…but only if necessary.