For those who fly Southwest extensively, the Midnight Patrol was less about the 1933 Laurel and Hardy movie, but more about making sure you got the A group boarding pass for your upcoming flight. For some reason, Southwest insisted you stay awake till 12.01 and only then would it release the seats. I even tried cheating - once in California I tried getting my pass at 9.02 PST, and the system sternly reminded me it was not 12.01 local time yet.
They changed the rules last week. Now you can get your pass 24 hours in advance. Just as the Midnight Patrol gets ready to stay awake for the baseball playoffs, Sunday night ESPN and Monday Night ABC football....
