SW no seat assignments

[Aliceacc]

To be honest, it's the one thing that keeps me from booking Southwest.

I know it's a great deal for some people. But for my family, it's worth the extra money to know that we're all seated together.

 

[PlutoPony]

I agree with using the EBCI, except that it is now $12.50 per person.

EBCI is still showing as $10 on their website

 

[goofy4tink]

Totally agree! Invest the $10/ticket for Early Board Check-in. That will guarantee you all to be in Group A. Each ticket will be assigned a number. At the gate there will be lines A, B, C. You will line up in group A in numerical order. You will be able to sit together, keeping in mind most SW flights are configured 3/2 (3 seats one side, two seats across the aisle )

Additionally, maybe someone can answer what is the age of children for "pre boarding with small children."

A few inaccuracies here....First, there is only one way to guarantee that you will end up in the A group..buy a business class ticket (much higher than get-away fares) or wait until you get to the gate and pay addtl for one of the A1-15 spots...same as the business class gets. Otherwise, you can very well end up in the B group even when using EBCI.
And the vast majority of SW planes are 3/3 seats. The smaller planes are 3/2 but I have yet to fly on one of those.
And there really isn't 'preboarding' for young children. Those with children 4 and under are allowed to board in between the A and B groups. It is supposed to be one child, one adult but SW will often allow the family to board in this group together...as long as it isn't a large group and it is only immediate family..no aunts/uncles/grandparents.
Those that board before the A group?? Medical preboards, unaccompanied minors. Then come those that paid full fare...fully refundable fares. They usually end up in the A1-15 slots.

To be honest, it's the one thing that keeps me from booking Southwest.

I know it's a great deal for some people. But for my family, it's worth the extra money to know that we're all seated together.

Be careful....any airline can change your seating. The only thing they 'promise' is to get you from point A to point B on a particular day!! I have had my seating changed many times on flights due to either changed or cancelled flights.

 

[Aliceacc]

Be careful....any airline can change your seating. The only thing they 'promise' is to get you from point A to point B on a particular day!! I have had my seating changed many times on flights due to either changed or cancelled flights.

I realize that.

But if there's something within my power I can do to get our seats together, it's worth it to my peace of mind to do it.

If things shift out of my hands, I'll deal with it.

 

[jayhawk74]

EBCI is still showing as $10 on their website

Gary Kelly, the CEO of SWA, in Dec told the employees that starting in March it will be $12.50 for EBCI

The smaller planes are 3/2 but I have yet to fly on one of those.

All SWA planes are 3/3 except the exit row which is 3/2

 

[goofy4tink]

I realize that.

But if there's something within my power I can do to get our seats together, it's worth it to my peace of mind to do it.

If things shift out of my hands, I'll deal with it.

Oh, I completely understand. I just like people to realize that there is no 100% surety.
As far as getting seats together on SW?? I have boarded with the A group. I have sat and watched as other passengers get on and find seats. I have never seen those in the B group not be able to find some seats together. Now, of course, they aren't going to be able to find 7 seats all together, but they will find groups of seats together, so everyone got to sit with someone in their party!!
As long as you know that you may very well have to go to the back of the plane to find seats together and that you may have to sit just two and two, then you'll be fine.
It was only when they got to the C group that people had to start finding seats that didn't allow them to sit together. There are a ton of middle seats left at that point. And there can be some doubles together but seldom will you find an empty row!!

 

[msjprincess]

I almost always fly on SWA with DH and my 3 kids. I never pay for EBCI, I always check in at exactly 24 hours. We always end up sitting together. We head towards the back of the plane and there are still plenty of empty rows. As long as there is more than one adult there shouldn't be an issue of a child sitting alone.

 

[stargazertechie]

DH and I frequently offer to give up our seats in a row and sit separately filling in empty spots so families can sit together.

I'm stuck with him the rest of my life. I'm more than happy to let some poor stranger deal with him for 2.5 hours

 

[ICan'tWait]

DH and I frequently offer to give up our seats in a row and sit separately filling in empty spots so families can sit together.

I'm stuck with him the rest of my life. I'm more than happy to let some poor stranger deal with him for 2.5 hours

Just have to say thanks for the laugh.

DH and I were just talking the other day and he actually prefers to fly Southwest. He felt we were more likely to get seats together paying for early boarding than if we fly and pick our seats. We've not had any problems getting seats together on Southwest whereas a seat assigned airline has separated and moved us all over the plane the last 2 years.

 

[rlduvall]

DH and I frequently offer to give up our seats in a row and sit separately filling in empty spots so families can sit together.

I'm stuck with him the rest of my life. I'm more than happy to let some poor stranger deal with him for 2.5 hours

I'm with ya sister! And the same goes for my 13 year old DS. Actually, my DS and I go to WDW often without DH and I purposely avoided SW until my DS was old enough to sit by himself because my Type A personality would have been too stressed about the what-if. ECBI didn't exist yet.