Southwest Seating

[CindyZMomof3]

My son and I will be flying on Southwest next Thursday.

While we'd love a window....closer seat up front...etc...the main importance is sitting together!

What is the best way to make sure this happens? I've never flown Southwest before.

Thank you,

[Ilovestitch]

Get there early and get an A ticket.

[antmaril]

I agree - get there early - about two hours. Once I have my "A" boarding pass, I like to get in the "A" line about 20-30 minutes before the flight is ready to board. If you are at the front of the "A" line, you can pretty much pick any seat you want. There will be pre-boarding for people with young children, etc., but you will still get a good seat.

[beccasmom]

SW also offers early check-in on-line, although you can only do so beginning at midnight the day of the flight. I have no idea whether that increases your chances of getting an "A" seat, but it worked for me. On my return flight, I did not have computer access, but getting to the airport early did the trick.

I'm lucky....we live in the suburbs fairly close to the airport and getting there early is not a problem. We've been very pleased with Southwest and am glad that they are in Philly!

::yes::

[goofydad621]

The one trick about getting you rbaording passes online is that each ticket must be purchased seperately, and having it's own confirmation number, so for a family of five purchasing 5 seperate tickets down and 5 seperate tickets back. So you would have to log on them get 1 boarding pass at a time with each individual confirmation number. thats the only thing I am concerned with flying Southwest.

Dave

[maraakl]

Dave,
I did that recently for 9 people and received 9 "A" passes. I went to the front desk of my resort and did the same for the return trip.

[goofydad621]

Originally posted by maraakl
Dave,
I did that recently for 9 people and received 9 "A" passes. I went to the front desk of my resort and did the same for the return trip.

I was wondering if there was a computer I could use from the resort. What resort did you stay at?


Thanks Dave

[maraakl]

I stayed at one of the DVC resorts, I was not allowed to use the computer, I just gave them the confirmations and they did all the work. GREAT member service.

[lawgs]

which resort maraakl?

maybe this will become a member service perk for all of us DVC owners

smilawgs

[maraakl]

All the DVC resorts will do this at the front desk.

[lawgs]

maraakl

is that policy ??

do not want to get turned down when i try to get passes printed when we are in the three bedroom in december

wonder if you have to be staying to get this done,

or if they will do it for DVC members

it would save a trip to kinkos

never thought about DVC printing our passes for us

[maraakl]

Policy? I don't know. It is what I was told at the front desk when I went to get my boarding passes. To quote what I was told when I thanked the CM for doing this for me, ( an we all know that is subject to each and every CM) " We are happy to do this for our members at all the DVC resorts".
I don't trade in conjecture, I state what is told to me and I don't take it as gospel either. :)

10 in a two bedroom? Interesting. We had 9 between a two bedroom and a studio.

[lawgs]

maraakle

thanks for clearing that up

guess when we look at what we pay for "front desk" in our dues, they should do something like that, so in the end nothing is really free

[kilee]

Also, know there are still "A" passes that aren't released via the computer. They are held for passengers that still check in at the airport (I guess early enough). This is to prevent only the computer saavy from getting "A" passes I guess.

We've been A-C's and we still sat together. We are a family of 3. Sometimes it's been in the back of the plane, but it's together and that's what we really want.

[maraakl]

lawgs,
You are welcome .

[kda]

If your tickets are booked together, under one reservation #, call SWA and ask them to separate them and give you 2 reservation #'s.
Due to some rude passengers who pushed themselves on with the pre-boards, we ended up at the very end of the "A" line (started off with only 6 people ahead of us) and got great seats in the middle of the plane.

[lawgs]

kilee

that is interesting information

do you know if the "A" boarding passes are then distributed equally between all the check-in venues

eg.. internet, kiosk, curbside, counter and gate

just wondering, since if that is true then the first 11 or 12 ( or less if they also give equal opportunity to the gate ) to checkin on the internet would be the only ones to get A passes


looking at the flight maraakl was taking the other day
..... she snagged 9 A's right off the bat from the internet pool

looks like online early checkin will not always guarantee an A pass if what you say is true

[goofydad621]

Southwest told me that a certain percentage is held for the internet but she did not know what percentage that was.

Marrakl

Thanks for the info I will be making some phone calls later to see what I can figure out.

Lawgs I never thought of going to kinko's to get comp access that is well worth it if it works out thanks for that idea.

I just want to offer a thank you to everybody that visits and posts on these boards, the people that ask questions that I don't know the answers to or know were to look for the answers prompt me to think of things I have not thought of.

Ands thanks to all of you that answer the questions even if you do not see a thank you every time it is very appreciated.

[lawgs]

goofydad621

the closest 24 hour kinkos we found was on orange blossom trail, just up from sand lake road maybe about mile or so from the florida mall

others have posted about "business centers" on disney property but we have not used them yet....Swan/Dolphin and Coronado Springs come to mind right now as supposedly having these centers

you do not have to have a printer to "checkin" .....if you have computer access and no printer, you can checkin online, and get your boarding pass at the airport

the one they issue there will be a #R of the one you got ONLINE ( same # )

[goofydad621]

OK got some more info

I called POFQ got bounced to business center at GF they close at 5 pm got front desk manager they said all cashiers at front desk at WDW can get boarding passes for you.

Called POFQ front desk person said not true talked to manager and manager said that the cashiers cannot but managers can, but they leave at mid-night. I explained that I cannot get boarding passes until after mid-night of day of flight and he said to ask for a manager at check in and they will make arrangments for me to meet with a manager a few minutes before mid-night and they would stay and get my baording passes when they could log on.

And that is why I stay on site

hope this helps others and hope I get my passes before others get them all....lol

[Lewisc]

Dolphin has a business center that's open 24/7. After hours you need a credit card to use the computers. If you get there at midnight you'll join other SW travelers.

Tubbis in the Dolphin is open 24/7 if you want some coffee.

[Esmerelda]

We have gotten "A, B, and C" in the past...but always sat together...whether it was at the front or the back....didn't really matter..just so we got to where we were heading.

I don't understand all the hype about having to have an "A" pass...its never been a problem for us and we have flown SWA probably a dozen or more times. Probably half the plane preboards anyhow...so it doesn't really matter.

just relax everyone....deep breath...
Esmerelda :teeth:

[goofydad621]

Originally posted by Esmerelda

just relax everyone....deep breath...
Esmerelda :teeth:

OK so that is some advice I can use......................lol

[Jeanny]

Originally posted by Esmerelda
Probably half the plane preboards anyhow...so it doesn't really matter.

just relax everyone....deep breath...
Esmerelda :teeth:

So true!! When we were waiting in line with our A boarding passes in January... the precheck in line was about 1/2 the people there.... so how fair is it when a family of 8-10 has ONE child under 4 (or whatever the preboard age limit is)???

but it is nice to know I can go to the manager and get my boarding passes, thanks for the tip GoofyDad.

I don't really mind where we sit as long as it's not the very last row without a window... my claustophobia tends to kick in there!!