Boarding SW with an Infant

[cfriend416]

We may be booking SW for our February trip. I understand how their boarding process works, so no questions on that. I read in a thread from a year ago that families with children under 4 can preboard between A and B. I just wanted to make sure that this is still the case, because I couldn't find anything about it on their website. We will be a group of 3 to 5 adults (not 100% sure on the number) and 1 two year old (my niece). My sister and BIL will be bringing a CRS for her for the first time and want to be sure that they will have time to get it installed properly.

Also, will they allow our whole party to preboard, or just my sister, BIL, and niece? I understand if they don't let the rest of us board then. I just want to be prepared and know whether or not I need to buy the EBCI because there's a good chance I won't be at a computer 24 hrs prior.

 

[Gracie09]

We may be booking SW for our February trip. I understand how their boarding process works, so no questions on that. I read in a thread from a year ago that families with children under 4 can preboard between A and B. I just wanted to make sure that this is still the case, because I couldn't find anything about it on their website. We will be a group of 3 to 5 adults (not 100% sure on the number) and 1 two year old (my niece). My sister and BIL will be bringing a CRS for her for the first time and want to be sure that they will have time to get it installed properly.

Also, will they allow our whole party to preboard, or just my sister, BIL, and niece? I understand if they don't let the rest of us board then. I just want to be prepared and know whether or not I need to buy the EBCI because there's a good chance I won't be at a computer 24 hrs prior.

There is no way of knowing in advance what the gate agent will do. They may limit family boarding to one parent and one child, they may cancel it altogether I there are too many families. Since you are not a parent I would not expect to board during family boarding and purchase ebci

 

[cfriend416]

There is no way of knowing in advance what the gate agent will do. They may limit family boarding to one parent and one child, they may cancel it altogether I there are too many families. Since you are not a parent I would not expect to board during family boarding and purchase ebci

Thanks for the info! I wasn't aware that family preboarding was not handled the same way every time. Thanks again.

 

[goofy4tink]

Please understand where I'm coming from when I say this (I really don't want to come across as negative).....when SW moved family boarding to in between the A and B groups, one of the big reasons was due to so many complaints from passengers about entire family groups boarding first, with only one child 4 or younger....they had gram, grandpa, 3 aunts, 2 uncle's, mom, dad, the 4 kids (one of which was 3) and the myriad of cousins..all boarding together. That is kind of annoying when you've been standing in line for awhile!!
So now? Families can board in between the A and B groups. It is supposed to be one family member per child 4 or younger. The gate agents usually allow mom and dad to board with the kids all in one group vs splitting them up. But they don't usually allow the entire extended family on at this time!!
If I were you? I would pay for EBCI for those not in that immediate group. Then, you can probably (note I say probably!!) board in the A group and possibly save a few seats for the family that is boarding in between the A and B group.

 

[cfriend416]

Please understand where I'm coming from when I say this (I really don't want to come across as negative).....when SW moved family boarding to in between the A and B groups, one of the big reasons was due to so many complaints from passengers about entire family groups boarding first, with only one child 4 or younger....they had gram, grandpa, 3 aunts, 2 uncle's, mom, dad, the 4 kids (one of which was 3) and the myriad of cousins..all boarding together. That is kind of annoying when you've been standing in line for awhile!!
So now? Families can board in between the A and B groups. It is supposed to be one family member per child 4 or younger. The gate agents usually allow mom and dad to board with the kids all in one group vs splitting them up. But they don't usually allow the entire extended family on at this time!!
If I were you? I would pay for EBCI for those not in that immediate group. Then, you can probably (note I say probably!!) board in the A group and possibly save a few seats for the family that is boarding in between the A and B group.

Thank you for the info. I definitely understand where you're coming from. I said in my initial post that I completely understand if everyone is not allowed to board during preboarding. I'm not trying to cheat the system here, I was just wondering what the policy was because it's not stated on SW's website that I could find. I don't have an issue buying EBCI but I think it's reasonable to not want to spend the money if I didn't have to, ya know?

Just wondering though, if you don't agree with a whole family preboarding (and it's fine that you don't) why would you suggest saving seats? I'm pretty sure one family member boarding early and saving seats for the rest of the family would be just as unfair as everyone preboarding. I did not take your post negatively at all, I just don't see the difference between saving seats for the whole family and the whole family preboarding.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

And then a business traveler will claim your saved seats.......LOL
(And yes, it happens a lot). Not to mention it is considered rude
I would get the family to either do early bird or aim for checking in right at 24 hours in advance Because if it is a connecting flight with through passengers on it, it can be hard to find a full empty row after the A group and "those needing extra assistance"

 

[gmeh1]

We may be booking SW for our February trip. I understand how their boarding process works, so no questions on that. I read in a thread from a year ago that families with children under 4 can preboard between A and B. I just wanted to make sure that this is still the case, because I couldn't find anything about it on their website. We will be a group of 3 to 5 adults (not 100% sure on the number) and 1 two year old (my niece). My sister and BIL will be bringing a CRS for her for the first time and want to be sure that they will have time to get it installed properly.

Also, will they allow our whole party to preboard, or just my sister, BIL, and niece? I understand if they don't let the rest of us board then. I just want to be prepared and know whether or not I need to buy the EBCI because there's a good chance I won't be at a computer 24 hrs prior.

http://www.southwest.com/html/customer-service/faqs.html?topic=boarding_the_plane

 

[cfriend416]

http://www.southwest.com/html/customer-service/faqs.html?topic=boarding_the_plane

Thank you! I know that is one of the pages I looked at this morning, but I must have skimmed it too quickly to catch the family boarding section. Thanks again!

 

[goofy4tink]

Thank you for the info. I definitely understand where you're coming from. I said in my initial post that I completely understand if everyone is not allowed to board during preboarding. I'm not trying to cheat the system here, I was just wondering what the policy was because it's not stated on SW's website that I could find. I don't have an issue buying EBCI but I think it's reasonable to not want to spend the money if I didn't have to, ya know?

Just wondering though, if you don't agree with a whole family preboarding (and it's fine that you don't) why would you suggest saving seats? I'm pretty sure one family member boarding early and saving seats for the rest of the family would be just as unfair as everyone preboarding. I did not take your post negatively at all, I just don't see the difference between saving seats for the whole family and the whole family preboarding.

Well, I didn't say to buy just one EBC.... I figured that everyone, other than the parents with the little one, would buy EBCI. Then they could save three seats. But in all reality? The parents are going to want to be seated all together as a family. So saving a seat or two in different rows wouldn't help much.
I seldom have an issue with saving a seat or two..but not more than that. And that would be all in the same row I was seated in.

 

[gmeh1]

Thank you! I know that is one of the pages I looked at this morning, but I must have skimmed it too quickly to catch the family boarding section. Thanks again!

You are most welcome.

 

[MAYNARDS99]

I imagine that once your sister and the baby take their seats, plenty of seats will magically open up around that row! Thus leaving plenty of choices for the four others.

We never have used EBCI for this very reason. Once the little ones are on board, we can easily avoid them.

 

[cfriend416]

I imagine that once your sister and the baby take their seats, plenty of seats will magically open up around that row! Thus leaving plenty of choices for the four others.

We never have used EBCI for this very reason. Once the little ones are on board, we can easily avoid them.

Haha, I didn't think of this! Not all babies are bad on flights, though! But I guess it's fair to play it safe.

 

[puffkin]

I imagine that once your sister and the baby take their seats, plenty of seats will magically open up around that row! Thus leaving plenty of choices for the four others.

We never have used EBCI for this very reason. Once the little ones are on board, we can easily avoid them.

Exactly

I've flown a lot with my kids (now 7 and 1). We have been on tons of Orlando flights on Southwest and have always been allowed to board as a family between A&B if we didn't get A boarding passes. My mother travels with us and she sometimes is allowed and sometimes isn't. If she can't board with us, we try to save her a seat. We usually sit towards the back of the plane and no one is usually clamboring for our extra seat with my crew I've never ever even considered ECBI, I'd rather save that money for elsewhere on our trip.