Post all SW questions concerns, etc. here...

[Cmbar]

Yes, when you have one confirmation # it checks you all in at the same time...so you should end up with consecutive #'s or very close to it.
EBCI is a very personal preference. Since they don't limit the number of them they sell, I don't care to purchase them because you can pay all that $ and still end up with a crappy boarding # in the B's and have to wait and board after family boarding. To me if you paid for EBCI, you should AUTOMATICALLY get to board BEFORE family boarding no matter what your assignment is but that's not the case. So it's not something I'd be willing to pay for. But that's just me.

Oh How I agree with that. Seems to me it should be pretty simple for the dang system to know when the EBCI boarding passes were ended. If it was B12 then Family boarding gets to start after B12. It also would help if the AGENTS at the GATE would not let grandma and aunts and uncles board with the family boarders. Last month we had 25 (I counted) people to 3 kids under four. Most of those people were adults so it was not a family with siblings issue. IT was an obvious abuse that the agent let go. We got on the plane with B3,4 and 5 and couldn't find seats together. I didn't happent to pay for EBCI that time, but I would have been livid if I had paid $30 bucks for that.

To the OP on this, don't stress too much. It really isn't worth it and I say if you can go with an airline for the same amount of money and get assigned seats go for it. Especially if it stresses you. If not maybe evaluate the difference between SWA and the other airlines (including baggage fees) and then pay the EBCI and know you still got a better deal. We always fly SWA because they are the only one who flies direct to MCO from BWI (air tran too) but I have cancelled and changed my flights so many times on SWA that that convenience outweighs the stress of the boarding issue. Everyone is different though. ENJOY your TRIP!!

 

[Saralew]

Does SW have family boarding (we have a 2 and 5 yr old)? How does it work?

 

[Cmbar]

Does SW have family boarding (we have a 2 and 5 yr old)? How does it work?

Yes they do. Between boarding passes A and B they will let families board with a child under 4. You would qualify. Now if you want to board in the A boarding passes there is no reason for you not to do this if you check in at 24 hours or if you pay the extra for Early Bird Check IN (EBCI). But as mentioned sometimes you will get a B pass in EBCI or when you Check in 24 hours ahead of time. In this case you could board before all B passes.HTH

 

[CarolynK]

...Last month we had 25 (I counted) people to 3 kids under four. Most of those people were adults so it was not a family with siblings issue. IT was an obvious abuse that the agent let go. We got on the plane with B3,4 and 5 and couldn't find seats together. I didn't happent to pay for EBCI that time, but I would have been livid if I had paid $30 bucks for that...

Wow, my family of 4 once had the last of the B's and still got seats together...what airport was this? Did you complain to anyone?

 

[Cmbar]

Wow, my family of 4 once had the last of the B's and still got seats together...what airport was this? Did you complain to anyone?

This was out of Baltimore direct to MCO. I have to say that this happens to us only on the MCO trips. The embarrassing thing was that my sister from northern Va was with us and the family obviously abusing this was her neighbor Their family was going down for a reunion with a lot of family members so that is also how I know they were having more than immediate family. We went all the way to the back of the plane and found two seats together but it was ridiculous. The lady behind me in B was pretty ticked too and we were speaking loudly about it, but I didn't complain in deference to my sister's neighbor. It wasn't worth ruining that relationship. Thank goodness they weren't on the return flight with us!

 

[CarolynK]

This was out of Baltimore direct to MCO. I have to say that this happens to us only on the MCO trips. The embarrassing thing was that my sister from northern Va was with us and the family obviously abusing this was her neighbor Their family was going down for a reunion with a lot of family members so that is also how I know they were having more than immediate family. We went all the way to the back of the plane and found two seats together but it was ridiculous. The lady behind me in B was pretty ticked too and we were speaking loudly about it, but I didn't complain in deference to my sister's neighbor. It wasn't worth ruining that relationship. Thank goodness they weren't on the return flight with us!

Oh, yeah, in that case I wouldn't have said anything either! Awkward. Ultimately, it's the fault of the gate agents allowing it to happen!

 

[monorailrabbit]

So I usually fly southwest (out of Omaha) and flights this year seem insane! I checked last year and we went for under $400. This year (Sept) it is almost $700! Does anyone have any tips on what I should look for/when to book to get that price down? Thanks in advance!

 

[bjscheel]

So I usually fly southwest (out of Omaha) and flights this year seem insane! I checked last year and we went for under $400. This year (Sept) it is almost $700! Does anyone have any tips on what I should look for/when to book to get that price down? Thanks in advance!

Do you mean $700 per person? I just looked up SW Omaha to MCO and the prices right now are about $100 each way most days (some weekend days are higher), or just over $200 round trip per person. When did you last check?

 

[nictodisney]

We are going to Disney from St Louis June 2-8. Tickets are still crazy high. Should I be worried 80 days out or will prices go down closer to the travel dates. Now tickets are around $400 per person! Last time it was $220.
Thanks

 

[BeccaG]

We are going to Disney from St Louis June 2-8. Tickets are still crazy high. Should I be worried 80 days out or will prices go down closer to the travel dates. Now tickets are around $400 per person! Last time it was $220.
Thanks

As a general rule in the airline biz 7 weeks to 12 weeks out from your travel dates provide the best prices. I am not the southwest experts these fine folks are so they would know better.

 

[BeccaG]

Cancellation question - if I cancel a flight and have a credit, does it have to be used for me or can it be used for anyone for whom I purchase a ticket for?

TIA

 

[pigletto]

Cancellation question - if I cancel a flight and have a credit, does it have to be used for me or can it be used for anyone for whom I purchase a ticket for?

TIA

I just cancelled a flight. The credit has to be used by the person who's name it was booked for. So I had to use my credit to book a new flight for me and pay the difference, then dd's for her and pay the difference etc.

I wish they hadn't changed this policy because I had a credit from a fare drop for dd's friend that we toke with us and since she isn't travelling with us again I can't use it.
It's still nice to not be out the money completely though.

 

[BeccaG]

I just cancelled a flight. The credit has to be used by the person who's name it was booked for. So I had to use my credit to book a new flight for me and pay the difference, then dd's for her and pay the difference etc.

I wish they hadn't changed this policy because I had a credit from a fare drop for dd's friend that we toke with us and since she isn't travelling with us again I can't use it.
It's still nice to not be out the money completely though.

Thanks!

Now I'm bummed because the flight I was watching has disappeared from the booking schedule... I wonder if that means it was sold out or canceled.

 

[Rest&Relax]

DH & I booked flights couple months ago when prices dropped to leave on Friday in a couple of weeks. DH now has a meeting at work that he can't miss on Monday, so he won't be able to fly out until Monday evening now. Is there a way to change just his flight and not mine even though we have the same confirmation number? When I tried doing it online it wants to change both of ours. Any suggestions?

 

[Grumpy Grandma]

DH & I booked flights couple months ago when prices dropped to leave on Friday in a couple of weeks. DH now has a meeting at work that he can't miss on Monday, so he won't be able to fly out until Monday evening now. Is there a way to change just his flight and not mine even though we have the same confirmation number? When I tried doing it online it wants to change both of ours. Any suggestions?

No suggestion .... I've had this happen to me before .... so now I always book DH and I separately. Maybe give SW a call and see if a service rep can help you???

 

[disneymagicgirl]

I booked my family with my SW points. If I cancel will the points go back into my RR acct or into their individual acts?
I plan to rebook for a later time that day that requires more points than they have in their individual accts, but when I go to make the change it doesn't try to pull the points difference from my acct even though that is where the pts for the original bookings came from.

 

[jenseib]

I booked my family with my SW points. If I cancel will the points go back into my RR acct or into their individual acts?
I plan to rebook for a later time that day that requires more points than they have in their individual accts, but when I go to make the change it doesn't try to pull the points difference from my acct even though that is where the pts for the original bookings came from.

yours

 

[suffieldhockeymom]

DH & I booked flights couple months ago when prices dropped to leave on Friday in a couple of weeks. DH now has a meeting at work that he can't miss on Monday, so he won't be able to fly out until Monday evening now. Is there a way to change just his flight and not mine even though we have the same confirmation number? When I tried doing it online it wants to change both of ours. Any suggestions?

Call them and have them move him to a different reservation

 

[lildeb724]

My flight leaves this Saturday at 12:55. I purchased early check in Do I still need to print my boarding passes at home to get my assigned letter and number?

 

[jenseib]

My flight leaves this Saturday at 12:55. I purchased early check in Do I still need to print my boarding passes at home to get my assigned letter and number?

You can or you can wait and do it at the airport. If I have access to computer and printer, I do it ahead of time though.