airlines/magical express

[disney queen]

have any new airlines been added? specifically southwest. thanks!

 

[simzac]

No, and I don't believe SW will participate at all.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

No, and I don't believe SW will participate at all.

Southwest is "participating" in Magical Express. Southwest isn't participating in Resort Airline Check-in.

You can take the Magical Express transportation, and Disney will transport your luggage for you, to and from WDW, regardless of the airline. Disney's Magical Express is available to passengers flying any airline that serves Orlando International Airport from any city of origin -- foreign or domestic. The service is exactly same, regardless of whether the airline is on the "participating airlines" list.

The list of "participating airlines" only comes into play for Resort Airline Check-in, which allows passengers on some airlines to check their baggage and obtain their boarding passes right at their WDW resort hotel. But any WDW resort guests who are departing from Orlando International Airport can use Magical Express to get themselves and their luggage back to the airport; it's just that some folks will have to retrieve their baggage from the hold of the motor coach and check it in at the airport, while those who can use Resort Airline Check-in can go straight from the motor coach to Security.

 

[Lewisc]

Southwest is "participating" in Magical Express. Southwest isn't participating in Resort Airline Check-in.

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Guests who fly SW are free to use ME, but that doesn't mean SW is participating. We don't need the permission of our airline to chose our ground transporation. I suspect airport employees are pulling the bugs out of the luggage Que and SW has nothing to do with it.

Many of us might be better off if Disney charged for the resort check-in part of ME. That would eliminate the financial contributions by the airlines and would probably open up the process to most if not all of the airlines.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Guests who fly SW are free to use ME, but that doesn't mean SW is participating.

That's correct. That's why I put "participating" in quotation marks. All airlines are "participating" in Magical Express in that passengers of any airline serving Orlando International can use Magical Express, because the airline isn't involved.

The participating airlines list applies only to the Resort Airline Check-in feature.

Many of us might be better off if Disney charged for the resort check-in part of ME. That would eliminate the financial contributions by the airlines and would probably open up the process to most if not all of the airlines.

I'm not so sure that the airlines are making financial contributions to Resort Airline Check-in. BAGS Inc. (the provider of Disney's Resort Airline Check-in) also offers remote airline check-in services at some conventions and some hotels, with the passenger paying the fee for the service. But, even with the passenger paying the fee, the service is limited to participating airlines. I think it's more likely a matter that some airlines don't want an outside company accessing their systems, or that there are unresolved system compatibility issues. I think Disney is paying BAGS Inc. to provide Resort Airline Check-in.

 

[DisneyObsessive]

what is the list of airlines participated in the airline check-in?

 

[Lewisc]

The company that's supplying the technology for the resort check in, ARINC, uses the same system to provide kioshs in LAS that allows passengers to use one kiosh for multiple airlines including SW. It's not a technology issue.

I believe the airlines have to get TSA permission for the off site luggage check in. Perhaps it's not money that SW has to pay Disney but rather money that has to be spent to get approval. Either way I can't see SW participating if it's going to cost them any money and I can't see why they wouldn't participate if it wasn't going to cost them anything.

I'm not so sure that the airlines are making financial contributions to Resort Airline Check-in. BAGS Inc. (the provider of Disney's Resort Airline Check-in) also offers remote airline check-in services at some conventions and some hotels, with the passenger paying the fee for the service. But, even with the passenger paying the fee, the service is limited to participating airlines. I think it's more likely a matter that some airlines don't want an outside company accessing their systems, or that there are unresolved system compatibility issues. I think Disney is paying BAGS Inc. to provide Resort Airline Check-in.