Sw or Jetblue please help me decide

[Momtoemma]

so we are a family of 6 (2 seniors, one with mobility issues, 1 teen no young children) flying home fro our Magic cruise to Buffalo (then onto Toronto) on March 26

JB - we can do onboard checkin which would be great and then we would do the disney transfers back to port
cost extra for doing this will be 6x $35= 210
plus airfare is $300 more

SW- flight is $300 less, we would rent a minivan back to airport- cost about $120
obviously not nearly s conveneint

flight times are close (SW leaves at 12:20, JB at 1:10)

no question the conveience is worth the difference in transportation costs in terms of getting to airport from port, plus my mom who uses a walker and my 83 year old ddad would be better off- however there are 4 able bodied persons who can help them /take their luggage and but for the walker they are absolutely fine and handle their own luggage/carryons
BUT would you pay the extra $300 in flight costs

have been checking every day for more than a month and JB keeps going up (shld have booked when the cost was the same but I didn't)
Please give me your views (and both flights are non stop too)

 

[Mindyjoy]

What is the flight time? I love Jet Blue because of the in-flight TV, so any flight over 2 hours I always choose Jet Blue.

 

[donaldbuzz&minnie]

Maybe I'm not understanding your question, but I'm confused as to why you think you can't fly SW and use Disney transportation. It's my understanding that you can buy transfers from the ship to the airport (and/or from the airport to the ship) independently of any airline you fly on. I'd call the Disney Cruise Line to check on this.

Maybe you would have to physically take your luggage to the SW check-in counter, but couldn't the able-bodied ones among you just do that, while the older members of your party sit? (Just have enough "checkers" come to to the counter to account for the 2 bags per person limit. Then check all the luggage in under the younger members' names.)

If you fly SW, though, just remember to check everyone in on-line 24 hours before the flight so that you can get decent seats. Since you probably don't want to do that from the ship, just give a responsible friend in Toronto that job. Then when you get to the airport, one person can go to the on-line kiosk (in back of the elevators near the SW counters) and print out all the boarding passes. The luggage-checking members of your party will then just go to the counter and choose the option to check bags only.

We love SW and do variations of this kind of thing all the time. Off-hand, I don't know of any reason why your older relatives can't fly SW comfortably with this system. (And make sure to ask about boarding them as pre-boarders so they can get comfortably on the plane as soon as possible.)

Actually, the place I'd be most concerned about them would be the lines to get through the TSA screenings. Make sure you allow plenty of time, since those lines can be really, really long! Can you consider a later flight? I definitely wouldn't cut any flight at the Orlando airport too close!

Hope this helps!

 

[Meghatron]

Southwest has an abysmal track record for people with special needs. Even with some able-bodied adults to help, you run the risk of them having to stand in the boarding herd. I've seen more than one SW gate agent refuse pre-boarding to people who clearly needed it. Go with Jet Blue!

 

[BuzzLightyearInTampa]

Southwest has an abysmal track record for people with special needs. Even with some able-bodied adults to help, you run the risk of them having to stand in the boarding herd. I've seen more than one SW gate agent refuse pre-boarding to people who clearly needed it. Go with Jet Blue!

Agree 100%. I would never fly that cattle car SW, while JB is my favorte airline. I want to know where I am sitting beforehand, period. And JB's attendants are always super nice. Unfortunately, most of my flying is limited to Delta, due to limitations of routes.

 

[materise]

Love JB, but last time we went with SW and rented a limo and did not worry about transport buses..it worked out so much better!

 

[svjenkins]

We love SW. It is always our first choice. Also, I agree with the earlier poster: why can you not do Disney transfers and SW?

 

[ClubDis]

My vote is for JetBlue too.

 

[the great cornholeo]

JB is the best.....very comfortable seating and the TV's make the time go by fast.

 

[mortman05]

We only fly JetBlue!
We have two sons who are in wheelchairs and JetBlue does the best at accomodating us. They are great in Orlando and upstate NY.
We have never flown SW as it is not available to us, but to me it is a simple decision.
See if you can get the bulkheads for your parents, which makes it a lot easier for them. They can pre-board and your family can handle the carry-ons.
We will be using JetBlue, Disney transportation and Wonder in December for the 5 of us.

Good luck!

 

[WiscBill]

OK, I fly both, usually based on my destination.

JetBlue has a more traditional airline experience. You get assigned seats, but you do board in zones by rows. You can purchase a seat with more legroom for $10. There is pre-boarding and if you pay the $10 and select the exit row you can board first with the pre-boards. The tv is fun (bring your own headsets) and the flight may have food available for purchase. First checked bag is free for each passenger.

Southwest has the better seats compared to JetBlue's standard seat in terms of legroom. You board by number and then select any open seat. You can have Southwest check you in for an extra $10 per ticket (Early Bird option). Pre-Boards need to present themselves at the check-in counter where they will be given a blue pre-boarding card. Only one additional family member gets to board with the pre-board person. I don't know why the PP says Southwest is abysmal with people who need assistance. I've always felt they were very attentive and have even seen the pilots help people in wheel chairs down the ramp and into the seats. No tv, no food available for purchase. Each person gets two checked bags free.

Personally, I would probably base this decision on which frequent flyer program I was closest in getting a free flight on. In your case, I would decide if the extra $240 (assuming you pay the $10 for the Southwest Early Bird) was worth the tv.

For what it's worth,I think the cocktails are better on JetBlue.

 

[kateden]

Southwest has an abysmal track record for people with special needs. Even with some able-bodied adults to help, you run the risk of them having to stand in the boarding herd. I've seen more than one SW gate agent refuse pre-boarding to people who clearly needed it. Go with Jet Blue!

We mainly fly on SW and have never had a problem with pre-boarding, nor have we seen anyone else with disabilities have any issues. We flew Jet Blue premium from PHX-JFK and really missed the roominess of SW. Yes, there was a tad more legroom, but felt very cramped in the seats. I amuse myself with my iPad and find I don't need the TV anyway.

I would go with the best schedule and price.


Kate

 

[farah]

Both SW and JB are our favorite airlines to travel as we have had great experience with both. We travel to Buffalo every year and cross over to Toronto to visit family and always use SW as it is much cheaper and always on time. When my kids were younger, we were able to board first (after those who needed special assistance) When we go to Florida, we always use Jetblue and the airport closest to us doesnt have SW that flies to Orlando. As with the T.V in JB, yea it nice but its t.v. Personally, I would look at the costs and see what fits best for the family! Good luck!

 

[Meghatron]

The problem with pre-boarding on SW is that it's completely at the discretion of the gate agent. You could show up in a wheelchair with a note from your doctor and be turned away depending on his or her mood. I've had a SW agent let me pre-board because I said I needed an aisle seat next to a bathroom (morning sickness), and I've been denied pre-boarding despite an obvious back injury that forced me to walk very, very slowly. The passengers behind me were NOT happy, and the seat I ended up with sent my back into spams that could have been avoided by the gate agent.

With regards to small children, SW no longer allows them to board after those who need special assistance. Families are put into boarding group B, which means every single person in group A boards before you, and since there's no delay for the people behind you, you end up holding the entire boarding process while you settle your children and strap the young ones in -- that is if you can even find decent seats together depending on how many kids you have. I do not understand why so many airlines have stopped allowing young children to pre-board. It's for the betterment of every other passenger to get the slow folks out of the way first.

 

[CADisneyMom]

Actually the way preboarding works with SW is that if you arrive with a wheelchair they will then ask you if you need the actual wheelchair to board the aircraft or if you can walk down, if you can walk down then you're given the blue preboard authorization but if you use the wheelchair that is your preboard authorization.

The only reason that they limit how many people can go with the person preboarding is because I've seen a "family" of 10 try to board with the person in the wheelchair. And the reason that they switched the family boarding to after the A group is because they did a survey of people who travel with children (this was while they were on flights) as to what they preferred and their response was "that as long as we're able to sit together then it's not a problem".

Now as for the OP, I would say whatever you feel would work best for you. SW is doing the onboard checkin for Port Canaveral, though you may want to double check with them on if it's in effect when you're traveling, so then you could do the checkin and not worry about your luggage until you get to your destination. You could also use a limo to get back to the airport since there are that many of you it would be cheaper, if not the same cost as the DCL transfers, and the limo person would take care of your luggage from the porters in the port, and you can then use the curbside checkin and not have to worry about moving your bags through the airport.

 

[firstcruise]

Jetblue is the easy choice with the inflight entertainment. Unless SW was a lot cheaper, JB gets my vote.

 

[clawmachine]

Actually the way preboarding works with SW is that if you arrive with a wheelchair they will then ask you if you need the actual wheelchair to board the aircraft or if you can walk down, if you can walk down then you're given the blue preboard authorization but if you use the wheelchair that is your preboard authorization.

The only reason that they limit how many people can go with the person preboarding is because I've seen a "family" of 10 try to board with the person in the wheelchair. And the reason that they switched the family boarding to after the A group is because they did a survey of people who travel with children (this was while they were on flights) as to what they preferred and their response was "that as long as we're able to sit together then it's not a problem".

Now as for the OP, I would say whatever you feel would work best for you. SW is doing the onboard checkin for Port Canaveral, though you may want to double check with them on if it's in effect when you're traveling, so then you could do the checkin and not worry about your luggage until you get to your destination. You could also use a limo to get back to the airport since there are that many of you it would be cheaper, if not the same cost as the DCL transfers, and the limo person would take care of your luggage from the porters in the port, and you can then use the curbside checkin and not have to worry about moving your bags through the airport.

CADisneymom, I really appreciate all your SW info. Based on the other thread about SW onboard check-in, I had come to the conclusion that they were not going to do onboard check-in for DCL after all. Is there anywhere I can go to find out for sure? I need to start making those decisions for our cruise. We're already booked on SW and that part will not change. My family loves SW and generally won't fly on anything else (we're also 10 mins from one of their major hubs so that helps...)

 

[Robin"D"]

with out a doubt, JetBlue....
you still get one bag free, much better seats...
they really taken care of you once airborne...
onething, if you are flying on a "A" model plane and NOT an "E" model
(go to your "check in " on line to see whcih one) the "A" models over head are very small, and it depends on the size of your carry-on, it won't hold it.

BUT Jet Blue gets my vote.....

oh yeah one more thing....ESPN x 3 channels during your flight!!!!

Robin & Angel "D"

 

[CADisneyMom]

CADisneymom, I really appreciate all your SW info. Based on the other thread about SW onboard check-in, I had come to the conclusion that they were not going to do onboard check-in for DCL after all. Is there anywhere I can go to find out for sure? I need to start making those decisions for our cruise. We're already booked on SW and that part will not change. My family loves SW and generally won't fly on anything else (we're also 10 mins from one of their major hubs so that helps...)

I had actually posed on another thread that they announced that they were going to be doing the onboard checkin but they didn't list a start date of doing this, that's why I suggested to call and find out from them (I would suggest calling their headquarters on this and not the reservation number).

 

[MandyGirl]

We enjoyed Jet Blue for our last cruise out of San Juan. Unfortunately, there was an issue with the tv for the aircraft and we didn't get that. Onboard crew was apologetic. Thankfully we had our ipods with us to watch old videos. On the way back, we also paid the extra money for extra leg room. I also have more free flights on SW because they are easier to obtain. As long as I get from point A to point B safely, I am happy. I don't really need all the bells and whistles and like to use the money saved on the cruise.