Not Clear on New SW Policy

[inkkognito]

I've read their website and all the news stories I can find, and there are lots of conflicts. When they go to A1, A2, A3, etc., do you board exactly at the place in line that your number indicates or just anywhere within your group of 5? For example, does 1 go first, 2 second, etc. or if A5 gets up to the gate first, do they board before 1? SW's website seems to indicate numerical order, but it's not clear so the interpretation could go either way.

Tomorrow I will experience the new pre-boarding policy for the first time, although not the numbers thing. What a luxury not to have to watch mom, dad, stepmom, three grandmas, four grandpas, long lost uncles Timmy and Tommy, third cousin fourth removed Betsy and her five sisters, and the fairy godmother all board before the As with just one infant.

 

[Bibbidy Bobbidy Boo]

If you go to the SW site, and click on the "Boarding School", there is a little video tutorial that shows exactly what to do. It appeared to me that they board the "mini-groups" in order, meaning that A1-5 board first, then A6-10, etc. But if A5 is first in line within the A1-5 group , then A5 is the first on the plane (behind any A preboarders). At least that's what I inferred from the video. Maybe others saw it differently? I'm really looking forward to this new procedure in Nov. when we go, also!

 

[goofy4tink]

I'm also assuming that the mini-groups will board together. A1-5 will go up and get on, in whatever order they got to the gate. Then A6-10, and do on, until the A's are done, then those with kids under 4 get to board. Those with medical issues will still get to preboard before the A's.

 

[disneynutz]

Why not just stand in line in order of the number printed on your boarding pass? It doesn't read 1-5, it reads 1,2,3,4,5.

 

[disneyfaninaz]

I believe the new process is suppossed to eliminate the need to camp out in line an hour before boarding. Since they are calling groups, there will be no need to stand in line.

 

[inkkognito]

If they want to eliminate the camping out, they need to do it by numbers. Otherwise, someone with A5 who is very, very specific on the seats that they like will camp out anyway so they can beat A1-4. And I'm not exaggerating...there are people who want an exit row or who want to ensure bring within the first three rows or whatever who will indeed do that! I've flown SW enough to know the hardcore attitudes firsthand.

 

[rigs32]

Is someone going to be SO specific that they can't board the plane behind FOUR other people? I mean, there are dozens of similar seats. If you cannot handle being behind FOUR other people, I don't think you should fly Southwest.

 

[inkkognito]

Believe me, they WILL be that specific...and I base that on being a regular commuter on SW for a year and observing the behavior of the peculiar species known as SoWestus Regularis Obsessicus firsthand on a very, very frequent basis.

 

[Lewisc]

Posters on flyertalk indicated that passengers generally lined up by number but I'm not sure if that's required. Excepting one or two exit row seats there isn't a big difference within a group of 5.

Some of it is "self-policing". A couple has boarding pass 5 and 6. There is a good chance that couple will wind up being the last passenger in 1-5 and the first passenger in 6-10. I can't see how passengers 7 and 8 can complain if passenger 6 wants to go to the front of that sub section.

The SW website refers to "a reserved spot" I don't know if it will be enforced but it looks like passengers are expected to line up in order.

 

[pines506]

It's been a really long time since I've flown SW. We usually fly United or drive, but with the incredibly cheap airfare ($46 one way) we are thinking of booking flights for our December trip. Everything I read above was Greek to me ! Do I not need to worry about it, if I don't care where we sit? Or do I need to worry that we won't even be able to sit together?
TIA

 

[disneynutz]

We flew from SAT to MCO last month. SAT was the test airport for the new SWA system. We had A1 & A2. The gate agent explained that he was going to call us up in groups A1-5, then A6-10 etc. He said to not line up until we were called and to get in line order based upon the number on our boarding pass. Do you think that people could follow directions? We had a couple camp out at A11-15 and when he called A1-5 we almost got run over by a couple running to be the first in line. The new system is a improvement but there will always be idiots.

 

[mareed]

Some of it is "self-policing". A couple has boarding pass 5 and 6. There is a good chance that couple will wind up being the last passenger in 1-5 and the first passenger in 6-10. I can't see how passengers 7 and 8 can complain if passenger 6 wants to go to the front of that sub section.

And with a family of 4 (or more), it's extremely likely that the family will be in different groups of 5. I wonder how much of a delay there will be between groups of 5 boarding. And I wonder what they do if a 5 year old child in a family is the one that gets #6 and rest of the family is 3,4,5. Can't imagine that they'd force the rest of the family to board and leave the 5 year old on their own! Guess a parent would just stay behind and board with the later group. I assume this would be OK.

 

[Sleepy]

I would think it would be much like other airlines that board by zones. If you are with a group of people but your ticket is in a later zone, have someone board later with you or board later by yourself. For us this past summer on a different airline, my ticket was a later zone from my son. He waited and boarded with me. I know the same will happen next summer with SWA. There will be 7 of us in the group. If the kids end up in different groups, some of us will just stay behind with them.

 

[DISNEY FIX]

And with a family of 4 (or more), it's extremely likely that the family will be in different groups of 5. I wonder how much of a delay there will be between groups of 5 boarding. And I wonder what they do if a 5 year old child in a family is the one that gets #6 and rest of the family is 3,4,5. Can't imagine that they'd force the rest of the family to board and leave the 5 year old on their own! Guess a parent would just stay behind and board with the later group. I assume this would be OK.

Good question! Can someone chime in with some facts?

 

[laurabelle]

In June, my youngest dd got a "B" boarding pass when the rest of us got "A"s and SW told me she should board with us in "A". It happened to us one other time a couple of years ago, and we were told to do the same, so I doubt this will change.

So have they started this at MCO yet?

 

[goofy4tink]

Since this plan hasn't been in effect all that long, we really can't say for sure how it would work. But, I would imagine that if Mom, Dad, Tommy, Sally, Janie had A 3-5, A 6, they would be allowed to board together. This might be a good reason to put mom on the reservation first, with dad last. That's how they check you in, by where you are on the reservation. So, if you get held up, and can't get them all together, then at least there will be an adult bringing up the rear.

 

[seashoreCM]

I would not be surprise if some gate agents enforce strict numerical order and some go by fivesomes.

The subgroups of five spreads out the chaos making it easier for people in the proper order to move through. Instead of having people not only camped out but also huddled in the spot now known as A1-A5. In the parks I have not yet seen people waiting for their come back time and huddled so deep just in front of the first fastpass agent that others with matured fast passes could not get through.

There is nothing wrong with being in the wrong line behind where you are entitled to be. There will always be A boarders who got there a little late and they won't be forced to the far end of the C line. Should the A2 parent have to go back (unlikely) to accompany the A12 or even B63 child, no big loss.

No need for one parent to check in last and bring up the rear (see preceding sentence). Except to volunteer for bumps in which case they can accept any number from one up to the family size without leaving unaccompanied children.

I suppose that the new system would result in far fewer people (namely those with double digit numbers) coming ultra-early to try for an exit row seat, but what socioeconomic value that has I don't know.

Disney hints: http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[inkkognito]

In the parks I have not yet seen people waiting for their come back time and huddled so deep just in front of the first fastpass agent that others with matured fast passes could not get through.

Sure wish I could say the same! We run into FastPass "gate lice" on nearly every visit (and being local, that adds up to a lot). It's the most annoying aspect of FP.

I asked the GA on my flight yesterday, and he said that people are supposed to line up in numerical order so it will be interesting to see if that happens. The new boarding process (families after A) worked like a charm, although some of the families were NOT happy about having to sit farther back. It was amazing to board and see all the seats open in the front of the plane, not that it mattered to me a lot personally because I took the exit row. But after seeing literally a third of the plane preboard in Orlando in the past, it was a wonderful change of pace. And no, the world did not end...no children were forced to sit away from their parents.

 

[goofy4tink]

Gate lice....I love it!!! My new favorite phrase.
But, I still think that if there are 6-7 in a group, an adult should be in front, and an adult bringing up the rear. I know that if I were traveling with my family of 6, I wouldn't want to take the chance that my child, number 6 per the boarding pass number, is going to be boarding alone. Nope, not going to happen. So, I will put myself at the end of the group with dad up front. People tend to behave in a certain, predictable way, and I know that means trying to move up as far as they possibly can get away with, in line. So, my family stays together.

 

[paults]

If they want to eliminate the camping out, they need to do it by numbers. Otherwise, someone with A5 who is very, very specific on the seats that they like will camp out anyway so they can beat A1-4. And I'm not exaggerating...there are people who want an exit row or who want to ensure bring within the first three rows or whatever who will indeed do that! I've flown SW enough to know the hardcore attitudes firsthand.

anyone that can't find a good seat by boarding A 1-5 has a real serious problem