Southwest Family Boarding--Did Age Change?

[Judique]

Simple solution; don't fly Southwest.

Not so simple for large groups.

Not everyone has your 1K status with United (whatever that entails) and Southwest is usually the affordable alternative.

Southwest also makes itself attractive with it's 50K point offers and easily attainable companion passes. Many Disney bound people are making it even more affordable by booking on points. SW also allows one way points and one way cash so even points poor persons can participate.

For a couple of affordable hours in the air, people will squish into SW's seats and make do with lots of 'hardships' such as reclining passengers and getting to know how to shuffle around the boarding policy and when to buy EBCI, etc.

Just because they discuss all these options here does not mean they are dissatisfied with Southwest.

And Southwest has another 'gate' option that I haven't seen on this thread. Instead of EBCI you can pay $40 at the gate to get one of the 1 to 15 slots in A boarding if it is available - Business Select gets first, then tiers of RR customers go next, and on and on. This is the only business select benefit that the $40 buys however.

I rarely fly but I still maintain a RR account and I use the flights to fly family and friends when necessary. Been doing this for quite a while. No one is complaining and it is very affordable.

 

[cbellasmomma]

The prevailing thought, years ago, was to keep your kids off the plane for as long as possible, so as to get as much excess energy as possible expended!! But, now with SW's boarding policies, that's gone the way of the dodo!! Sure, those with car seats need to board early in order to get it properly strapped in. But, for SW to have family boarding, that allows for the entire family to board and grab rows of seats together, while those who have paid for EBCI have to struggle to get 3 seats together, just doesn't seem right. Perhaps it's time for SW to allow all the EBCI passengers to board, then family boarding, then the non-EBCI people can board. If a family has a car seat to install, then they can pay EBCI and board with that group. Otherwise, it's family boarding.....and then be sure that those boarding in the family boarding group meet the qualifications. I just don't think it's fair to make those who have paid an addtl fee to have to wait until those who haven't paid the fee, but have young children, get to board prior to them.
Or, SW can just stop selling EBCI after the A group is done...no EBCI slots for B or C groups.[/
I would rather have assigned seats!

 

[preemiemama]

We flew SW this week. As stated by PPs, our flights were family boarding for children 4 and under. On both of our flights, there were at least 6-7 families who boarded that way. They also had people who needed assistance able to board at the same time. If I recall correctly, it was between the A boarding groups as well- because it made me wonder why that was the case. We did not buy EBCI, and had B3-5 as our numbers. We did find 3 seats together, but were in the last 5 rows of each plane. It would not have been a tragedy if DS 15, DH, and I were seated separately, but I found it annoying that people who did not pay for ECBI seemed to be getting an advantage in seating choice.

 

[macraven]

medical assists board first.

 

[Judique]

medical assists board first.

Yes, some do.

 

[DebbieB]

That really ticks me off. Using that same logic my 16yo and I are also a family. It's been a while since I had an A boarding slot so while I'm in low B slot I get to watch all the people trying to cheat the system board before me with their way over age 4 kids. Sometimes grandma and the etc. are also in the family line....that really burns me.

I have seen them turn away grandparents in the family line more than once. It really doesn't make sense to me for them to raise the age or to allow seat saving, more people would be likely to buy EBCI if they didn't.

 

[Paigesmom2013]

It is nice to use family boarding on Southwest, but every airline I've flown has allowed families with infants and toddlers to board after first class and business. It's good for our kids to find their seats, get belted and situated to "airplane" mode. I guess the trade off is that other people don't have to struggle to keep a squirmy toddler quiet and calm for a 3 hour flight. I do everything possible so my "snowflakes" don't bother anyone.

 

[nkereina]

Hasn't Southwest, in some instances, suspended family boarding in Orlando or really limited the ages to like 2 and under? I remember reading experiences about this, because there are often so many families traveling out of Orlando. Essentially the whole plane would board at family boarding in some cases!

But to answer the OP, I've flown Southwest for work 3 times in the last 4 weeks and its been 4 and under from the announcements I've heard.

 

[Ennazus8810]

I have not flown SW since our children were born, but we will be doing it for the first time in September. I am a little nervous given that they are 5 & 6, and don't remember having ever flown before (they were both under 18 months their last flight). We typically drive to Disney. We are budget conscious, basically we can afford to pay for the early boarding but we don't want to. My husband and I have no problems being split up on the plane, as long as we can each have a kid with us. Do you think our chances of having 2 seats together (adult and child) is likely?

 

[spartankid34]

I have not flown SW since our children were born, but we will be doing it for the first time in September. I am a little nervous given that they are 5 & 6, and don't remember having ever flown before (they were both under 18 months their last flight). We typically drive to Disney. We are budget conscious, basically we can afford to pay for the early boarding but we don't want to. My husband and I have no problems being split up on the plane, as long as we can each have a kid with us. Do you think our chances of having 2 seats together (adult and child) is likely?

As long as you get on at the 24 hour mark, you should be fine finding 2 seats together on the plane. I have never had a hard time finding two seats together. I have once had B35 and found plenty of 2 seaters (just a little further back) You may be toward the back, but it should be fine. You could also purchase Early Bird Check-In if you are overly concerned about it.

 

[dancin Disney style]

I have not flown SW since our children were born, but we will be doing it for the first time in September. I am a little nervous given that they are 5 & 6, and don't remember having ever flown before (they were both under 18 months their last flight). We typically drive to Disney. We are budget conscious, basically we can afford to pay for the early boarding but we don't want to. My husband and I have no problems being split up on the plane, as long as we can each have a kid with us. Do you think our chances of having 2 seats together (adult and child) is likely?

I also think you will be fine if you check in right at the 24hr mark.

 

[preemiemama]

I agree. You will probably be near the back of the plane but you should be fine. The 24 hour mark is important though- do it as soon as you can. That should put you in an early B boarding group which should be fine.

 

[goofy4tink]

Simple solution; don't fly Southwest.

A better option would be for Southwest to enforce their boarding policies. If they say 'family boarding for those with children 4 or younger', they need to allow only those qualifying families on at that time.
I'm flying SW tomorrow, solo. I'll be watching the boarding process with great interest. May even try to grab one of the $40 seats depending on my boarding slot! And yes, I paid for EBCI.

 

[n2mm]

A better option would be for Southwest to enforce their boarding policies. If they say 'family boarding for those with children 4 or younger', they need to allow only those qualifying families on at that time.
I'm flying SW tomorrow, solo. I'll be watching the boarding process with great interest. May even try to grab one of the $40 seats depending on my boarding slot! And yes, I paid for EBCI.

Let us know how you do. We leave out of bwi next Saturday and also bought ebci.

 

[CarolMN]

I have not flown SW since our children were born, but we will be doing it for the first time in September. I am a little nervous given that they are 5 & 6, and don't remember having ever flown before (they were both under 18 months their last flight). We typically drive to Disney. We are budget conscious, basically we can afford to pay for the early boarding but we don't want to. My husband and I have no problems being split up on the plane, as long as we can each have a kid with us. Do you think our chances of having 2 seats together (adult and child) is likely?

As long as you get on at the 24 hour mark, you should be fine finding 2 seats together on the plane. I have never had a hard time finding two seats together. I have once had B35 and found plenty of 2 seaters (just a little further back) You may be toward the back, but it should be fine. You could also purchase Early Bird Check-In if you are overly concerned about it.

I agree. You will probably be near the back of the plane but you should be fine. The 24 hour mark is important though- do it as soon as you can. That should put you in an early B boarding group which should be fine.

I agree for the trip to Orlando, but my advice is to buy EBCI for the return trip. Often for the return trip, there are many families who will board between the A & B groups and that will reduce your chances of finding seats together. That's especially true if your flight has an intermediate stop or continues on after you get off. Plus, if you gt EBCI for the return trip, you don't have to worry about where you might be exactly at the 24 hour mark as SWA will automatically check you in at the 36 hour mark. That can be a big bonus for you last day.

 

[goofy4tink]

Checked in this morning...got A52. Now, you have to keep in mind that I booked this on July 8!!! So, EBCI has put me in front of family boarding, which is good!!! But, barely.

 

[mom2AidanAndEli]

So A52 was with EBCI? I can only imagine what I'm going to have without it!! I always book it for the way home, but hate spending the extra money on the way down when I know I can check in at exactly 24 hours. But almost seems like you have to now! Ugh....

 

[Gracie09]

My sister paid for ebci for her family and they ended up with b. By the time all the medical preboards and the kids were boarded there were a few rows left in the back. She wrote to sw while on the plane and they refunded her ebci fees. She called it the miracle flight because the vast majority of the medical preboards were able to jump up in Orlando and sprint off the flight.

 

[goofy4tink]

So A52 was with EBCI? I can only imagine what I'm going to have without it!! I always book it for the way home, but hate spending the extra money on the way down when I know I can check in at exactly 24 hours. But almost seems like you have to now! Ugh....

I know....I usually don't book EBCI for my flight down...just figured I would do it to see where I ended up. Actually, getting any A slot, and booking as late as I did, is surprising to me. I fully expected to get a mid B slot, at best.

My sister paid for ebci for her family and they ended up with b. By the time all the medical preboards and the kids were boarded there were a few rows left in the back. She wrote to sw while on the plane and they refunded her ebci fees. She called it the miracle flight because the vast majority of the medical preboards were able to jump up in Orlando and sprint off the flight.

I wish those that are medical preboards were held in their seats until everyone was off the plane....only seems fair. There should be some kind of identifying something to allow FAs to know who was a medical preboard and needs that extra time. If they need extra time getting onto the plane, then they need extra time getting off. But, that will never happen.
There was the one time I was on a SW flight....had an A16 slot...lucky me. There were about 8 medical preboards. I followed immediately after them. Well.....the FA was telling one of those med preboards that they couldn't sit in the exit row...that they needed to be able to help in an emergency. That older gentleman informed the FA that he, and his wife, were more than capable of helping out in any emergency situation. She sweetly told them that in that case, they shouldn't have had to board with medical preboards, and that they had to move, immediately. The gentleman started to argue, the FA followed with a 'if you don't move sir, I will be forced to call security and have you removed from the plane'. They moved. But by the time they got up to move? They ended up about 6 rows behind the wing...when they could have taken seats in front of the exit rows if they had boarded properly!!!

 

[charmed59]

I wish those that are medical preboards were held in their seats until everyone was off the plane....only seems fair. There should be some kind of identifying something to allow FAs to know who was a medical preboard and needs that extra time. If they need extra time getting onto the plane, then they need extra time getting off. But, that will never happen.

I used medical preboard once, in a wheel chair with a broken leg. They wheeled me to the bottom of the jetway, and I got to hop into the front row. They made sure I understood when they landed they wanted me out first, so they could get the wheel chair out of the jetway and out of the way of departing passengers.

In my case, having me wait until everyone else got off would have been fine, considering I was stopping there, and didn't have a connecting flight. Also, I had to check my small bag, as there was no way I was getting anything into the overhead. So I would be waiting at baggage claim anyway. But if one did have a connecting flight, once they limp to their waiting wheel chair, it does take longer to get them to their next gate than if they could walk.