And before anyone says that the other airlines are too expensive, that is the price you pay for assigned seats.
SW has been more expensive for all of the times I've wanted to book them since our first WDW trip in Dec of 2010. Bags don't come into play for us right now because DH has free-bag status on United, Delta, and Alaska, but even without the bag issue they have tended to be higher than those others.
Annnd...I started flying SW originally because I kept getting kicked out of the seats that I'd taken time to choose. And this is pre-internet-everywhere, so it's not like I KNEW about the move ahead of time. I'd think I was getting "my" seat, then boom, no, another seat. So I started flying SW because I could literally choose my seat and then sit in it, and I liked that.
Because of our FF miles (or wishes to continue to accrue them...we don't always get to pay with miles, like our upcoming Oct trip is about half-mile, half-money) we don't often book with them anymore, and still, we don't always get assigned seats. DH travels for work at the last minute, so even when he's getting an expensive seat, it's not always assigned until he's at the airport. And on a flight last year, well 3 flights actually (using miles), I couldn't get one of those flights assigned for us. Would have been fine at the airport I bet, except the universe chose that day to make "weather" on the east coast that messed with flights in Seattle ALL day long. We got moved around and changed to different flights, and getting seats assigned was still impossible on that flight (and nearly impossible on the other). When we got them assigned, at the second airport (maybe third? can't remember which flight it was now), my son and I were not close to each other.
Since I had known this since we booked the flights, I'd been talking to him about it, helping him work it through mentally and emotionally, so when it happened he was basically OK. Strangers *noticed us*, and offered to change seats. I had talked to the FA about it when we got to the seats, and people heard that, and heard me talking to my son, and simply offered. We still didn't get next to each other, but he ended up just behind me, and now he LOVES flying like that.
So even on the legacy airlines you don't always get the seat you chose, or a seat close to your companions. For the record my son was a new 8 at that time, and he was a champ on the flight.
We are child-free and I don't need to sit with DH on a flight, but I find that all of the other passengers are so stressed out over their seating arrangements, it turns into a hassle that I'd rather not deal with.
I've never once seen stress over seating on SW *except* on this board. Real life I've never seen any issues or concern at all.
On Alaska and United, however, those boarding among the first couple groups have to fight their way through the clumps of later-boarding people who have mysteriously all gotten up to wait. It's bizarre. Something that simply doesn't happen anymore with SW since they started the boarding groups (the "cattle call" that used to be part of SW), happens with the assigned seat airlines now. Virgin America, too, is another where I've noticed the clumping.
So this is a little off-topic but has anyone used carseats (FAA approved) on Southwest and how much of a hassle was it? My husband and I will be traveling with our two 23-month-olds and in laws and just wondering if there's anything I should know about from people who've done it before. Oh, and yes, all six of us paid for EB
I didn't find it to be a hassle, but then I'm short and we've just got the one kidlet. If we had twins and therefore DH had to put a seat in, there would be a problem.
To be fair, I think everyone that flies SW is doing so to save money...
Naw, just b/c it's been cheapest for you doesn't mean it's cheapest for all. People have all sorts of reasons for choosing any given airline. Money is up there, but flight times are another (SW has really terrible flight times from SEA to MCO!), keeping "status" with a particular airline is important, etc.
Thanks, out of curiosity's just spoke directly with Southwest via a phone call. My customer service rep told me 1) family boarding is NEVER cancelled and 2) all four of us may board during family boarding at which a minimum of 70 seats will still remain if A boarding isn't maximum.
The person on the phone almost certainly isn't at BWI, and obviously doesn't know what they are talking about. One of the times we flew SW with DS as a baby they simply never had family boarding. No skin off our nose, because we realized that DS did better boarding LATER (turns out he's not the biggest fan of sitting on a stifling and noisy plane, just waiting and waiting), but I definitely noticed it. So "it's never canceled" is simply not true.
BUT I HAVE NEVER WITNESSED FAMILY BOARDING CANCELLED AT BWI! It is my home airport. As a matter of fact, I have polled my family and friends who also fly SW out of BWI and none of them have witnessed it either!!
But even among that whole group, you still are not on every SW flight that leaves BWI every day.
But I can assure you if I had a child under age four I would gamble it every time and do as I suggested above! And if someone chose to sit in that seat I would make them aware that I have no intention of switching seats, so "we" will be conversing back and forth while he/she sits in the middle of our conversation!
So, um, what happens to the child under 4? They just go off and take care of themselves? If a person sees no other open spots (and certainly there aren't many left if they are choosing to sit between you and...wait, who? Who is in the other seat in this scenario? I'm confused. Oh wait, you have boarded with the under-3 during family boarding, and you are waiting on...another adult? That other adult simply has to sit with you guys? Well, OK. I don't have that need, but I get that others do. Or is it another adult and a child? OK, so the seat is for...the child? And the other parent, since we've already established that a stranger sees so few seats left that they are going to sit in a middle seat between you and your child, will sit...where? OH, elsewhere, OK. Why? Why have the two children sit with ONE parent? Why not split up?
Mind-boggling.
And I would make sure you knew my iPad was loaded with a nice rated r movie, probably something of the zombie brain eating variety and it will be sitting on my tray table in plain view of your child. I don't like threats.
Even my brother and his wife, who are blissfully child-free and travel often for travel, and who like exactly two children in this world (my brother had NEVER liked children younger than him even when he was a child), wouldn't do something as horrid as that. The idea that you even *thought* of it makes me sad.
And if you don't like threats, why make one? Sure it's hypothetical and I don't think you're that evil to really DO it, but still, you're hypothetically threatening a hypothetical person. But you don't like threats. (not that I think you're evil at all, I don't know you one little bit. but saying "I don't think you're evil to really do it" makes no sense so the qualifier had to go there, but really, I have no idea if you're evil at all...just clarifying that)
On the occasion that I did set my bag in a seat, No one ever even attempted to ask me to move it, asked if it was mine or anything....actually for all anyone knew the owner could have been in the restroom. They would have to assume it was my bag and you know what happens when you assume?
What an odd thing to do, IMO.
Yes but if you put your youngest in the window seat and you take the isle seat...I will bet BIG $$$ NO ONE will take that middle seat between the two of you and it will still be available for your older child when they board!! Your DH may not get a seat near you but at least you will be seated with both of your kids!! I would be completely okay with that! How about you, OP?
Again, why not split 2 and 2? Why put all the childcare on ONE parent?
