Anyone flown from New Orleans on SWA

[brandip22]

Hello! I am wondering if anyone here has flown from New Orleans to Orlando on Southwest? If so, how early should I get there for a 6:40 AM flight- on Saturday, 9/3- labor day weekend? Also, do they preboard for small children? DS is only 3 and will not be separated from me. Also, DNeice (10) will get sick as she always does in a car, so on her first flight, I expect it. I'd like her to be with me or DH at least. The four of us are OK with splitting up 2 & 2, though. Last thing, we will be staying with friends the night before and I'm not sure if they have a computer and printer so we can print our passes- any other ideas to make sure we board in the first group if we can't preboard? Thanks in advance!

 

[brandip22]

bumping for the evening group!

 

[john2u]

Hi Brandip

We are from the NorthShore area of New Orleans and have been to Disney many times. When you fly SW out of the New Orleans area, just ask the SW representative that you have a small child and where does the pre boarding line begin for those people. If I remember correctly, they will tell you to stand along the windows and they will call you when they are ready. You do not have to split up. There are 3 of us and we all walk on the plane at the same time.

We always take the 6:40am flight out of New Orleans everytime we go. As a matter of fact, we will be going this Oct for the MNSSHP on the 13th and the 16th and taking that 6:40am flight. We usually leave the house around 4:30am, go to McDonalds for some breakfast, and arrive at the airport for around 5:30am.

PS the flight is somewhat crowded

If you have any other questions, just let me know

Have a great time
John

 

[brandip22]

Thanks John! I was starting to get a little worried. We'll be staying the night before at a friend's house in Kenner and I was wondering about what time to leave. I was thinking we'd need to leave his house- which is very close to the airport- no later than 5. He'll just drop us off, so no parking issues! Thanks for the info!

 

[prncess674]

We took the early AM flight from MSY-MCO flight and it was EMPTY! This was on a Monday morning which I expected to be packed seeing as lots of biz people take early morning flights. I think leaving Kenner at 5AM is plenty early. SWA has curbside check in at MSY airport. Don't sweat the seating on the outbound. I would be more concerned with your return. It seems my planes to MCO are always empty but PACKED coming back to MSY. If all these people are returning to New Orleans how did they get there if my flights are always empty TO Orlando?

 

[tarmand]

SWA is usually very good about letting you preboard. When I was pregnant, they let me preboard so that I could get a seat next to the restroom.

John,

We're going to MNSSHP on the 13th as well. We were booked onthe 6:40 am flight, but changed it to the 9:15pm flight the night before so that we wouldn't be so tired on the 13th.

 

[brandip22]

Thanks guys! I am feeling much better now. I think for the return flight, I will make sure to get the passes printed for me from the front desk. Also, we are taking the last flight out- at 7:30 PM, I think. I hope everything works out for that! DH will kill me if he has to miss another LSU game- he's already missing the first. The whole reason we're coming back on Friday night rather than Saturday is because of the game!

 

[Pocahantas]

We have flown SWA out of New Orleans a couple of times and will be doing it again the last week of October. We drive from Lafayette so our flights are later in the day. Here is a link to Southwest's website with suggested airport arrival times: http://www.southwest.com/travel_center/suggested_arrival.html

Also, you should be able to preboard all together. The only time I have seen SW deny preboarding was to a group that was trying to have 6 adults board with one child. The gate agents allowed the mother and father on with the child and made the aunt, uncle and grandparents board with their C boarding passes. Our flights have been full, both leaving New Orleans and returning from Orlando.

If you are really nervous and want to make sure you have "A" boarding passes, why don't you have someone else check you in online from their home computer at 12:01 a.m. When you checkin at the airport tell the person checking your bags that you checked in online but did not print your boarding passes. They will gladly print them for you. We did this in May on our return flight and it worked out fine! Enjoy your trip!!!!