5 seats together? Southwest?

[Gretel]

is it a problem getting five seats together on southwest since there are no assigned seats?

 

[dminnie]

Probably would be difficult. But, it depends on how full the flight is and if you get to the head of the line for boarding.

The four of us got split 3 ways on a SW flight. Our kids are teenagers though. I would think they might try to help you out if your kids were younger. We didn't have a problem when they were younger(but I also don't remember packed flights then either).

 

[ShelsGoingToDisney]

We are a family of 5 and have always gotten seats together. Usually we are mid-front of the plane too. I always check in at the 24 hour mark for boarding numbers. A couple times when flying home from MCO we've paid for the early bird check-in because we'd possibly be too busy vacationing to remember to check-in at 24 hours! Don't sweat it. If you check-n at 24 hours you'll be together, maybe towards the back, but together!

 

[ForMyBoys]

We've done the trick where we pay for early board seating for two tickets and then save the other three seats. So my son and I will board early and stake out the 5 seats across and then my Dh and other 2 kids will follow a bit later in line. Technically people could ask us to move but we've never had a problem with it.

Generally though if you remember to do the check in right at the 24 hour mark you should be fine.

 

[Pembo]

We are a family of 5 and fly SW often and have always been together. I check in at the 24 hour mark or pay for EBCI so we're in boarding Group A.

 

[msjprincess]

We're a family of 5 and have flown on SWA at least 10 times. We always get seats together. I always check in at exactly 24 hours. I've never paid for EBCI.


ETA
I want to add that we always go right to the back of the plane. We prefer the back of the plane.

 

[goofy4tink]

I am not going to advocate two people saving seats in two different rows. I have saved a seat on SW....but we never take seats in an addtl row...just save a seat, or two, in the row we are in. I know that SW has no issue (at least FAs won't do anything proactive) regarding saving seats. My issue?? I have an issue with someone that pays for one or two EBCI and then saves more than one seat. It's really not fair to those who have paid for EBCI themselves. They now have to move on, while 'better' seats are saved for those who haven't paid. But, to each his own.
I do know that on one flight, my dd and I were seated together, empty aisle seat. A group of about 12 boarded and took seats...maybe two per row, putting jackets and such on the remaining seat in the row. That took about 5 or 6 rows in the front of the plane. Well...there they sat, very smugly. Until the FA announced, as the C group started boarding, that it was a full flight and there were no empty seats...so be prepared. Well, you should have seen that group scramble. They had hoped to have that undesirable middle seat left empty so they could have more room per row. Now? They were going to have a stranger seated in between them!! So, there were some lucky C group people that were able to find seats together, in the front of the plane as this group scrambled to be seated together!!

If you buy EBCI, for your entire group, you should be able to find seats together for the 5 of you. Yes, you will most likely have to go towards the rear of the plane. With EBCI so popular, you will find even people with EBCI in the B group now. So, simply checking in at the 24 hr mark may not work anymore..at least not as far as getting in the A or early/mid B group.

 

[DebbieB]

One thing to consider is if it is a thru flight. I was on a flight on Sunday that went PIT-BWI-MCO, no change of plane. There were 41 people who stayed on at BWI. So when the first person got on at BWI, 41 seats were already taken, including most in the front.

 

[DSLRuser]

i dont understand everyones perception of southwest being such a bad airline because of no assigned seating.

you do a little work by getting your group number 24 hours before the flight and you pretty much sit where you want.

now, if you are lazy and dont get the group number. no 5 in a row will not happen. but 2 groups of 2 and 3 will still be fine.

people, contrary to what you think are generally nice and will move to keep a family together.

 

[paults]

We've done the trick where we pay for early board seating for two tickets and then save the other three seats. So my son and I will board early and stake out the 5 seats across and then my Dh and other 2 kids will follow a bit later in line. Technically people could ask us to move but we've never had a problem with it.

Generally though if you remember to do the check in right at the 24 hour mark you should be fine.

Hopefully you do this at the back of the plane, I for one would not have a problem taking a seat in that row if it's mid plane and forward. If we pay we EB we will pick a seat up front .

 

[DSLRuser]

We've done the trick where we pay for early board seating for two tickets and then save the other three seats. So my son and I will board early and stake out the 5 seats across and then my Dh and other 2 kids will follow a bit later in line. .

And I get yelled at on these boards for not paying for parking by parking at the resorts.

 

[goofy4tink]

And I get yelled at on these boards for not paying for parking by parking at the resorts.

Yelled at? Why, I don't think I've 'upper cased' you before...
I have pointed out what Disney will tell you. If you ask Disney if you can self- park all day at the CR, and then leave the car there while you head to MK? Disney will tell you no. They will tell you that you are welcome to park there while you are using the CR facilities. But that parking there is not for park access.
Those that are staying at a Disney resort are at least paying for parking within their resort costs..so if they leave their car at the CR for the day, it's 'sort of' okay. Officially it isn't but most here won't have an issue with it. But for someone to park at a resort in order to avoid paying to park in the lots intended for park access?? Yeah, no one is going to think that's okay.

Now...if you want to save seats on a SW flight, and you ask SW if you can do that?? They will tell you that they have no official policy regarding that. Most people find it excessive to save more than one or two seats. Especially if the person in question pays for one (or possibly two) EBCI spots but saves seats for more than one person without EBCI. That is hardly fair to all the other people, behind them, who have paid for EBCI.

I have never had an issue being seated with my family. BUT..we are never a group larger than 3. So, obviously not a problem. Sure, there have been times that we have had to go closer to the rear of the plane, but never all the way back!!! And I have always seen those in the B group finding seats together...at least in groups of three. It's usually those in the mid-C group that have issues with finding more than two seats together.

People are always saying they never fly SW because of the awful boarding process and the fact that they can't select their seats when booking. But in all reality?? The SW boarding process moves along more quickly than other airlines that offer seat selection. In fact, the last time I flew Jetblue (in late January), I said to myself that SW was looking better and better. There was a huge traffic jam at the jetway....those that figured they had to get on the plane more quickly just stood there and waited, which made it difficult to get past them when your group was called to board. Or those who 'didn't understand' how boarding works. They got up and tried to board first. Ah no.....your section will be called. To the gate attendant's credit, the people that tried to jump ahead were turned away!!!
But all in all??? I love SW's boarding process. It's quick and efficient.

 

[Danibelle]

I am not going to advocate two people saving seats in two different rows. I have saved a seat on SW....but we never take seats in an addtl row...just save a seat, or two, in the row we are in. I know that SW has no issue (at least FAs won't do anything proactive) regarding saving seats. My issue?? I have an issue with someone that pays for one or two EBCI and then saves more than one seat. It's really not fair to those who have paid for EBCI themselves. They now have to move on, while 'better' seats are saved for those who haven't paid. But, to each his own.
I do know that on one flight, my dd and I were seated together, empty aisle seat. A group of about 12 boarded and took seats...maybe two per row, putting jackets and such on the remaining seat in the row. That took about 5 or 6 rows in the front of the plane. Well...there they sat, very smugly. Until the FA announced, as the C group started boarding, that it was a full flight and there were no empty seats...so be prepared. Well, you should have seen that group scramble. They had hoped to have that undesirable middle seat left empty so they could have more room per row. Now? They were going to have a stranger seated in between them!! So, there were some lucky C group people that were able to find seats together, in the front of the plane as this group scrambled to be seated together!!

If you buy EBCI, for your entire group, you should be able to find seats together for the 5 of you. Yes, you will most likely have to go towards the rear of the plane. With EBCI so popular, you will find even people with EBCI in the B group now. So, simply checking in at the 24 hr mark may not work anymore..at least not as far as getting in the A or early/mid B group.

Thank you, goofy4tink! I totally agree and I would always recommend doing EBCI for the entire group travelling together.

 

[robhawk]

The only issue I have with SWA is family boarding before EBCI. Orlando is probably the only destination where this might be an issue.
We received B18-19 on our return flight 2 weeks ago. First time every getting a B boarding with EBCI. Doesn't about 40 people line up for family boarding! Throw in some people saving seats! Ouch!
Good thing there were only 2 of us this time. Off to the back of the plane we went!

 

[edk35]

I purchased Early Bird for my son for his Aug. trip and then realized after I had already done it...that he probably didn't need it. He has a peanut allergy so they always let him board first so he can wipe down his tray. Oh well....

 

[goofy4tink]

The only issue I have with SWA is family boarding before EBCI. Orlando is probably the only destination where this might be an issue.
We received B18-19 on our return flight 2 weeks ago. First time every getting a B boarding with EBCI. Doesn't about 40 people line up for family boarding! Throw in some people saving seats! Ouch!
Good thing there were only 2 of us this time. Off to the back of the plane we went!

I have to agree. If I had paid for EBCI, and got a B spot (which I have no issue with), and then saw large groups lining up to do the family boarding in between the A and B groups??? Yeah, I'm going to be annoyed. I completely understand that families want to sit together. But, does the entire family have to sit together??? I mean..mom, dad, the 4 y/o, the older kids (6, 9, 12, and 14), and grammie, grammpie, uncle joe, aunt mary, the 3 cousins and the nanny??? Mom should be allowed to board with the 4 y/o, and everyone else takes their assigned spots. That's fair.
I've been at the gate and watched the gate attendant, not with SW but with JB, announce the medical preboards (after the upper class folks..Medallion and such). Then, they make an announcement that anyone that is flying with a child or that may need extra time to board and get settled can now board. Seriously??? You should have seen the cattle call. Suddenly, able bodied men and women, with teenagers, just had to get on that plane. I would say that probably about 25-30 people were in that group. Then, once they got settled? The back of the plane started boarding.

I really wish that SW gate attendants would enforce the family boarding policy. It's simply not fair to have large numbers of people board then, while there are many others that paid extra are now forced to wait. Yes, there are going to be extenuating circumstances...always will be. But gate attendants can deal with those on an individual basis. For instance...the family is mom and two kids...3 and 7. Naturally they can all board together.

 

[DebbieB]

I have to agree. If I had paid for EBCI, and got a B spot (which I have no issue with), and then saw large groups lining up to do the family boarding in between the A and B groups??? Yeah, I'm going to be annoyed. I completely understand that families want to sit together. But, does the entire family have to sit together??? I mean..mom, dad, the 4 y/o, the older kids (6, 9, 12, and 14), and grammie, grammpie, uncle joe, aunt mary, the 3 cousins and the nanny??? Mom should be allowed to board with the 4 y/o, and everyone else takes their assigned spots. That's fair.
I've been at the gate and watched the gate attendant, not with SW but with JB, announce the medical preboards (after the upper class folks..Medallion and such). Then, they make an announcement that anyone that is flying with a child or that may need extra time to board and get settled can now board. Seriously??? You should have seen the cattle call. Suddenly, able bodied men and women, with teenagers, just had to get on that plane. I would say that probably about 25-30 people were in that group. Then, once they got settled? The back of the plane started boarding.

I really wish that SW gate attendants would enforce the family boarding policy. It's simply not fair to have large numbers of people board then, while there are many others that paid extra are now forced to wait. Yes, there are going to be extenuating circumstances...always will be. But gate attendants can deal with those on an individual basis. For instance...the family is mom and two kids...3 and 7. Naturally they can all board together.

When I flew SW on Sunday, they said moms and dads only, not extended relatives. Of course, they will just save seats so whats the difference. I equate seat saving to one person standing in line and then the rest of the group cutting through.

 

[goofy4tink]

When I flew SW on Sunday, they said moms and dads only, not extended relatives. Of course, they will just save seats so whats the difference. I equate seat saving to one person standing in line and then the rest of the group cutting through.

That's how I think of it as well!!!

 

[taylor3297]

Just be warned on saving seats, if someone else wants to sit there before the other person arrives, you can't do anything about it.

Was on a flight and someone was saving a seat for another person. Another passenger wanted that seat (it was an aisle). Other passenger sat there, person said they were saving the seat, passenger refused to move. FA told person saving the seat that they could not do so.

 

[LSchrow]

our recent SWA flights have been almost booked solid. we (2 ppl) leave one seat open and empty, either middle or aisle.
funny, every time there was one open seat on the plane, it was the one by us. i started to take it personally, but more than one FA confided that they prefer to direct passengers to seats where passengers are pretending that an empty seat is occupied with jackets or other items.
since we smile and make eye contact with the ppl boarding and FAs, i guess they figure we "don't need to be taught a lesson in manners" (their words).

it does pay to be nice sometimes