Any South West Airlines experts out there?

[CSX2]

Can someone remind me of the boarding procedures for an SWA flight. Just booked out of BWI and want to get three seats together.

 

[peg2001]

You are giving an A, B, or C boarding card, depending on how early you check in. After pre-boards (VIPs, disabled, families with very young children), they board A's, then B's, and finally C's.

There are no pre-assigned seats so your best bet is to get to the airport early and get the A boarding cards.

Peggy

 

[mark & sandra]

Just another reminder, once you have your boarding card and you know your boarding group, A, B, or C. You can and should park yourself in the area for boarding. Their are 30 or so others with the same boarding group letter. If you get an A group and line up early in the area for boarding you'll be among the first on and get the best selection of seats.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

In addition to the great advice you already have, go to this link, it will explain in more detail.


http://www.southwestair.com/travel_center/checkin.html

 

[Daisymeo]

Does anyone have a guess as to how early before your flight you would need to get to the Orlando airport to get an A or B boarding card? This would be for a weekday early morning flight at 8:00 a.m.

 

[PrincessAurora]

You have come to the Frequent Flyer Southwest Queen and MAN does this new thing kinda blow.

OK, its not enough to get there early. You will need to either get there early AND check bags OR get there early AND get a boarding pass out of the "secret machines" with your security document (if you are ticketless).

If you are ticketless, you will need to log on to the website and print a Security Document (using your confirmation number) 24 hours before your flight leaves. If you can't do that, you will need to go to the ticket counter and stand in line to get a document in order to get through security. Just having your confirmation letter for ticketless is no longer good enough.

Once you have all your documents you have two choices, either (a) check your bags and receive a boarding pass with an A, B or C on it or (b) find the "secret machines" that are available in SOME airports, enter your confirmation number to get an A, B or C pass printed out.

If you do not do either of the above, you can get there 3 hours ahead of time, be the first person to check in at the podium and still be in the B boarding group (because everyone that did all of the above have already snagged the first 40 places in the virtual line). On most planes there are 40 people per boarding group.

I know cause it happened to me last weekend.

So, since I don't check bags for 99% of my Southwest flights - I am now scoping out the location of the ticket machines in advance so I can snag my Boarding pass BEFORE I get to the podium. Once you have your boarding pass, you don't have to check in at the podium again.

*sigh*

 

[CSX2]

Thanks for the detailed info PrincessAurora...

Since we will be checking luggage I guess we will get our pass at the ticket counter.

I wonder what the real advantage is to the system? We flew them a few years ago and I had no prior knowledge of how it worked, very confused. Luckily I met and SWA vet and was early to the gate. However, even though my DD and I were second in line when boarding started we got pulled out for the random security check and by the time we were finished they were well into the second group. So much for getting there early!

We are flying SWA because of good prices but if it proves to be a hassle we'll just go with a conventional airline next time.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

CSX2
We get to the sky cap about an hour and one half before departure in CT and about the same in Orlando. We use the skycap cause it saves the "pack mule" syndrome that we avoid on vacation. The sky cap will take your eticket and ID, issue the boarding pass (we usually get A or B), take your bags and put them on the conveyour belt to go to the cargo hold on the plane.
For this service (and it is one for me, no waiting in the ticket counter line) I tip the sky cap about $2.00 per bag.
I refuse to carry on luggage, except for camera equipment and laptop that will fit under the seat, because I feel it slows the boarding and deplaning process.

 

[Pinnie]

PricessAurora,

I love SWA, too, and since you flew them recently I have a question for you. There was some talk awhile back that once you checkec into your flight and got a boarding card, you wouldn't have to get a new one at your connection if you had to change planes. Have you heard anything about this yet?

One thing that people need to keep in mind that you may get to your departure airport in plenty of time and get seats together, but if you are making a connection, you may end up in the C boarding group when you arrive to check in. That has happened to us a number of times. We depart DTW in the *A* group and make a connection in St Louis, Nashville, or Chicago and by the time we deplane and get to the next gate, we are in the "C" boarding group.

pin
remember the magic
DVC/BCVs 2002

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

I love SWA, too, and since you flew them recently I have a question for you. There was some talk awhile back that once you checkec into your flight and got a boarding card, you wouldn't have to get a new one at your connection if you had to change planes. Have you heard anything about this yet?

No, you still have to get a new boarding card, BUT, you can use the kiosks, if available. We did this last month on our stop from BDL to MCO. Very easy and quick.

The best place to look for this information is on SWA's web site.

I found this, perhaps it will help.

Q. Will all SWA Customers receive an Automated Boarding Pass?
A. An Automated Boarding Pass will be issued to each Customer who boards a Southwest flight. Customers who "connect" from one SWA flight to another must checkin for each connecting flight, just as they do today. "Thru" Customers (those Customers who make a stop but do not change aircraft) will not need an additional Boarding Pass.

http://www.southwestair.com/travel_center/abp_qna.html

 

[Snoozan]

Leaving MCO is harder to get in the "A" group, due to the high number of families with small children that get to pre-board. I was at the airport about 2 hours early for a 2:00pm flight, and only got the "B" group. Leaving BDL out of Hartford, I did get some of the first "A" tickets as we were 2 hours early for an 8:00pm flight down.

Hopefully an 8:00am flight leaving MCO won't be a full plane, so sitting together shouldn't be as much of a problem.

 

[Pinnie]

Thanks, Gail, for your reply. We are flying SWA out of DTW and making a connection in St Louis over Easter and coming home through Midway and I wondered if they had changed anything since I flew them last in the fall!

I'll try the kiosk if I can track one down!

Luckily, our trip to BNA for a drum corp show is a non-stop!

pin
remember the magic
DVC/BCVs 2002

 

[Rpsemont]

We just flew SWA last week. Used the skycap because A) didn't have to haul luggaage and B) Lines were shorter than inside. Both times got there about 1.5 hours early and got B passes. At change of planes in BWI on the way back, landed about 1.5 hours before next flight and got A passes from the computerized kiosks. Very easy to do. When we get the B passes (or C when that has happened) we usually put at least one person right into the line - which in our case this time, meant that we were within the first 10 people in the B group. My personal experience with SWA is that even when we were in a C group, the three of us got to sit together.

 

[lovingthemouse]

Gee, you all have me feeling less than confident - there are many in our group leaving BDL this week on SWA. Everyone has been told to arrive at least 2 hours early for the flight but i have all the tickets and do not plan to give them out til they all arrive - then each is on their own to get a boarding pass, with assistance from an adult. Since they will not have tickets at the curb - chances are they may end up with C seats.

Any suggestions? Have many whom have never flown before. I am well aware of SWA boarding policy - there is no group one. Thanks.

 

[Hygiene99]

not a big deal , we got b group and our party of 6 where still able to get sats together 2 here 2 there and 2 there since we where all adults was not a problem peter

 

[Rpsemont]

lovingthemouse,
how many in your group and how many adults and how many kids at what ages? I'd suggest a partner system and only if you're the very last people to baord would you probably not get to sit together in groups of at least 2. Beside getting there early and getting you pass, tell those that are most concerend to go and stand in the A, B, or C, line right away. And remember, if you're at BDL early, go "poddy" before you go to the gate. If not you have to go out and go thru security again and sometimes that line gets pretty long.

 

[lovingthemouse]

We have over 50 - many of the kids (sixth grade and up) have never flown, so i hope they get to be next to a partner. That is my most major concern. I assume we will comprise a good section of the passengers, so our chances should be fairly good.

 

[Pinnie]

Wow lovingthemouse!!!!

At least you are all going to be on the same plane!

Now, how do you plan to keep that group together in the parks?

pin
remember the magic
DVC/BCVs 2002

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Pinnie,

I'll try the kiosk if I can track one down!

The locations are listed on SWA's site. Look sharp, they look like ATM machines, but, they do have signs hanging from the ceiling over them. So, I guess looking up should be included also. If that fails, ask a SWA person.

 

[Rpsemont]

lovingthemouse, with 50 people my guess is you have 25-30% (or more!)of the plane. My guess is lots of people will sit together, maybe a few will not. With a group that large you can always ask those who are comfortable flying to take the single seats if need be. Good luck and have a great time!