TeenaS
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 31, 2000
- Messages
- 6,311
Funny you should mention this. I booked our trip on Thursday and sometime over the weekend I got an e-mail that the schedule had changed. But it only changed by 10 minutes both flights so no big deal. We've flown AirTran before with no problems, but lately I've been hearing about a lot of bad experiences people have had. Hope that's not the norm.
Maybe you can answer a question about SW. Is it my understanding that they don't do assigned seats? Does that mean there's a possibility my family can't sit together? Someone told me that even though you can't pick your seat ahead of time, they won't separate families.
No, you do not get seat assignments. And they will split up families ... it depends on when you board. Each person gets a boarding number. You board according to the number. If you have a fairly early boarding number, your family will definitely get seats together. You can guarantee a fairly early boarding number by paying $10 per person per flight for "early bird". That automatically checks you in and assigns you a boarding number 24 hours in advance. The way you get your boarding number is by either purchasing "early bird" or checking in on line exactly 24 hours in advance of your flight. I've found that as long as you get A boarding or even the first 20 or so in B boarding you should have no problem finding seats together.
I've been on SW flights where a family had C boarding and was obviously going to be totally split up. The flight attendants asked over the intercom for volunteers to move so families could sit with their children. Once absolutely nobody volunteered to move which I can sort of understand. For a five hour flight I would not give up an aisle seat for a middle seat somewhere else ... not when a family can avoid this by simply logging on 24 hours in advance and checking in or paying the $10 per person for the early bird check-in. Other airlines charge for luggage. Southwest does not. To guarantee seats together, I think $10 per person is a small price to pay! JMO.
And in all the years of flying Southwest, I have never had a schedule change. I love that airline!