Flying out of Buffalo on Southwest

WDW2015 · Mar 3, 2015

We're flying out of Buffalo on Southwest (in just under three weeks). Any experiences with this? Great price, but worried about the scramble for seats, and seems like Southwest has a higher than average rate of delayed flights. Not worried about seat size, in flight entertainment, or food. Any insight, tips/tricks, or otherwise is sincerely appreciated.

robnoxious · Mar 3, 2015

We have flown Southwest once before. It was good, nothing special but good. I didn't care for the boarding by group thing and went online to checkin at exactly 24 hours prior to the flight and got boarding group B. All 4 of us sat together on both flights, there and back. Since then we have paid slightly more and flown with Jetblue so we can do advanced seat selection and not have to worry about that. I'm sure you will find its not a big problem and will enjoy your flight…we did.

canadiandisneynut · Mar 3, 2015

We always do this. Don't worry about the scramble. You literally just line up with the number and letter you were assigned. People are generally respectful. We have never been delayed getting to MCO. Check in at exactly 24 hours to ensure you can board earlier and possibly get seats together. If you are travelling with small children take advantage of the pre boarding that they offer. Last year when we travelled we checked in late because of schedule and boarded about 3/4 of the way in and were still able to sit together. We travel as a family of 3 and have often been offered a row by a single traveller. FAs will also ensure that at least one parent is able to sit with your child. Remember its a super quick flight.

Trinity88 · Mar 3, 2015

We did it a year ago and it was fine. We checked in right at 24 hours and got A boarding, so we were able to sit together. But I would have been ok if we'd had to split into 2 groups as well.

Hockeyfan17 · Mar 3, 2015

We have been flying Southwest for the last few years to both Orlando and Tampa. We enjoy Southwest, and enjoy travelling out of Buffalo. During March Break we always pay for the advanced check-in, and we do so on our return when we go to WDW (that way we don't have to be online at 24 hrs prior if we are in a park). We like the service and the free bags saves money as well.

migel · Mar 3, 2015

Although I've had the odd flight delay with Southwest, nothing that would deter me from booking with them. We occasionally fly Allegiant from Niagara Falls to Sanford, and I find with them its 50/50 whether they'll be delayed. If we don't opt to pay for seating, I've always managed to snag good boarding positions by checking in as close to 24 hrs before as I can arrange.

WDW2015 · Mar 3, 2015

Thank you for the great feedback! Definitely feeling better about it. We have two children, but don't mind taking one each. We will definitely be online 24 hours in advance.

SaraMc · Mar 4, 2015

We have always flown jet blue because we didn't want to deal with the craziness of Southwest seating system. This past January trip Jet blues times that the direct flights were leaving buffalo didn't work with us, so we went Southwest. Times were great and the prices were actually less..
We were on the computer right at 24 hours and got B for the flight down, Disney did the return flight home for us and we got "C". The process is so well organized and as a family of 4 we were still able to get seats together when we entered at C.

KNovacovschi · Mar 4, 2015

You could also purchase early bird check in. They automatically check you in 36 hrs before flight. The only downside with that is they check you in in the order that it was purchased, but at least you don't have to worry about the check in for your departure flight while in the parks.

Disneylover99 · Mar 4, 2015

KNovacovschi said:
You could also purchase early bird check in. They automatically check you in 36 hrs before flight. The only downside with that is they check you in in the order that it was purchased, but at least you don't have to worry about the check in for your departure flight while in the parks.

I agree. Even when you factor in the extra money for EBCI, you still can't beat those prices. Plus two checked bags per person and the ability to change your flight for free? SW is a no brainer! :thumbsup2

scrappinginontario · Mar 4, 2015

We have flown with SW for over 40 flights and I only remember being delayed a couple of times. We were scheduled to fly out of San Francisco a couple of hours after the crash in July of 2013. They rescheduled us within 2 hours. Another time due to 4+ hour wait at all the Buffalo bridges we missed our flight by more than a couple of hours. They rerouted us without cost and we arrived in California almost at the same time we were originally scheduled to.

I am VERY happy with SW service and now fly almost exclusively with them.

As others have said, the one thing to do is to be online ready to check-in at exactly the 24 hour mark. I fill in all my information on the check-in page them open the clock at the bottom right of my screen so that the moment the second hand hits the 12 I can check-in and this works well.

Queen of Oakville · Mar 4, 2015

I haven't read all the replies.

In all the SW flights ever taken (probably more than 20) ... I have NEVER been delayed. EVER. {okay, this is where murphy's law kicks in and I should get nervous about my flight tomorrow morning!}.

I have however, had delays or issues on just about every Air Canada flight EVER taken.

It's a no brainer for me.

It's open seating which is different. You get a boarding number and board in order of your boarding number and the you pick where you sit. No frills, no movies, but they have great staff and they give you soft drinks and snacks (even Air Canada doesn't do snacks anymore).

You get 2 checked bags free too.

We love Southwest.

Disneylover99 · Mar 4, 2015

We've been delayed with SW a few times.....mostly due to bad weather. Once we were delayed because there was no flight crew and another time we had a five hour delay because of mechanical problems. SW issued $100 credits to each passenger for this. :thumbsup2

C&B Young · Mar 4, 2015

We had a Southwest flight to MCO cancelled at the beginning of February, our first bad experience with them but it was a doozy. Apparently they forgot to list BUF on their list of airport affected by the storm, and gave no warning of potential flight issues until we received an email cancelling our flight. They ended up cancelling all flights out of BUF that day and we were stuck flying out a day later. Meanwhile Jet Blue and United continued to operate their own flights. I'll be reluctant to fly with them again in the winter.

Queen of Oakville · Mar 16, 2015

just got back and a "heads up" to anyone with nexus. There is no GLOBAL entry benefit at BUF. There is a TSA pre-check line, but it has to say TSA pre-check on your boarding pass (ours didn't). I googled MCO and global entry, and there were supposedly GLOBAL ENTRY kiosks at MCO. But we didn't find this, only the TSA pre-check line. We tried showing our nexus cards, but they wanted TSA pre-check on the boarding pass.

I was really disappointed with this as I made the effort to call SW before our trip and make sure that they had our nexus numbers. When we got home, I called SW again, and was told that all they do is put it in our profile. What we need to do is put the information in when the travel is BOOKED. Now she also told me, for the future, that if we did not see TSA pre-check on our boarding pass, if we had called them, they could have added it and would appear on a reprint of the boarding pass.

lesson learned.

scrappinginontario · Mar 16, 2015

Queen of Oakville said:
she also told me, for the future, that if we did not see TSA pre-check on our boarding pass, if we had called them, they could have added it and would appear on a reprint of the boarding pass.

lesson learned.

I'm sorry this happened to you as I know the pre-check is a big reason for getting Nexus cards. We had a similar situation to yours arrive in the 3/4 of our boarding passes said, 'TSA-PRE' on them but the 4th did not. I called SW and they were able to add it and the re-printed boarding pass had it on it but I was glad I noticed before we left for the airport.

vacation_junkie · Mar 20, 2015

Queen of Oakville said:
just got back and a "heads up" to anyone with nexus. There is no GLOBAL entry benefit at BUF. There is a TSA pre-check line, but it has to say TSA pre-check on your boarding pass (ours didn't). I googled MCO and global entry, and there were supposedly GLOBAL ENTRY kiosks at MCO. But we didn't find this, only the TSA pre-check line. We tried showing our nexus cards, but they wanted TSA pre-check on the boarding pass.

I was really disappointed with this as I made the effort to call SW before our trip and make sure that they had our nexus numbers. When we got home, I called SW again, and was told that all they do is put it in our profile. What we need to do is put the information in when the travel is BOOKED. Now she also told me, for the future, that if we did not see TSA pre-check on our boarding pass, if we had called them, they could have added it and would appear on a reprint of the boarding pass.

lesson learned.

Its the TSA Pre✓™ that you are to be looking for.

There is no such thing as a specific Global Entry line.

The pre-check is part of the Trusted Traveller program.

In order for the TSA Pre check your Trusted Traveller Number must be entered when you did your reservation.
Homeland security does the pre-check on behalf of the Airline.
That is why it needs to be entered before hand.
You can add your Nexus card to your profile and use that as a form of ID to check in at the airport but it has nothing to do with the Trusted Traveller Program.

This is the number on the back of your card. Not your Nexus card number.

vacation_junkie · Mar 20, 2015

C&B Young said:
We had a Southwest flight to MCO cancelled at the beginning of February, our first bad experience with them but it was a doozy. Apparently they forgot to list BUF on their list of airport affected by the storm, and gave no warning of potential flight issues until we received an email cancelling our flight. They ended up cancelling all flights out of BUF that day and we were stuck flying out a day later. Meanwhile Jet Blue and United continued to operate their own flights. I'll be reluctant to fly with them again in the winter.

This February was our first ever flight delay issue.
And we fly with them every winter.
Our issue was leaving Ft Lauderdale. The plane was coming in from Rhode Island. Because of the storms all flights were cancelled from R.I. They did an awesome job of finding us a new plane home. We arrived 3 hours late. But we made it!!

dancin Disney style · Mar 20, 2015

I've been flying SW for years. I got home yesterday from MCO on a SW flight. I have never once been delayed with them....a weather delay doesn't count, they can't control that. SW will always be my first choice carrier. The staff is very helpful and friendly both on the ground and in the air. The open seating is actually a faster way to board. Once you see it and use it you will see that it's very easy.

A couple of things that were mentioned above that are not quite correct....
Family boarding is for families with children under age 4 and SW can choose whether they allow the entire party to board with the child or just one adult. This takes place between the A and B groups...if they offer it. They do not guarantee that children sit with parents. If a situation arises where there are only single seats left and there is a young child they will ask for someone to voluntarily give up their seat to allow parent/child to sit together but they won't force anyone to move. If your child/children can not sit alone you should purchase the EBCI for that child/children and at least 1 adult.

Queen of Oakville · Mar 20, 2015

dancin Disney style said:
I've been flying SW for years. I got home yesterday from MCO on a SW flight. I have never once been delayed with them....a weather delay doesn't count, they can't control that. SW will always be my first choice carrier. The staff is very helpful and friendly both on the ground and in the air. The open seating is actually a faster way to board. Once you see it and use it you will see that it's very easy.

A couple of things that were mentioned above that are not quite correct....
Family boarding is for families with children under age 4 and SW can choose whether they allow the entire party to board with the child or just one adult. This takes place between the A and B groups...if they offer it. They do not guarantee that children sit with parents. If a situation arises where there are only single seats left and there is a young child they will ask for someone to voluntarily give up their seat to allow parent/child to sit together but they won't force anyone to move. If your child/children can not sit alone you should purchase the EBCI for that child/children and at least 1 adult.

We were part of a C boarding group on a recent post-cruise flight. We did not have WIFI to do pre-check in and by the time to get to the airport. It was a sold out flight, and we were at the tail end of the C group. My daughter and i boarded first and probably got the last two seats. Hubby and DS were out of luck. They asked for a volunteer to move so that a parent and child could sit together and then they sweetened the pot with the offer of free drinks - they had several volunteers. I believe they would have sweetened the pot until they got a taker or guilted someone into giving up their seat. DS was probably 6 at the time and he was in tears at the thought of sitting alone.

Flying out of Buffalo on Southwest

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