Boarding SWA with kids?

[TINKERBECK]

So I am worried about getting split up from my kids if we book Southwest-We have 4 kids and are traveling with my parents. I think we will be all on one reservation so if we don't do online boarding passes will we be able to stay together? Should I just put one adult with one kid and go from there? Do they always let kids board? How does this work? I have only had assigned seats thru United!

TIA!

Sarah

 

[jimmiej]

I think it depends on the age of your children. If your children are under two (not positive), you can pre-board. We're flying 6/12 with my niece & nephew, 8 & 11, who've never flown. I've just chosen to arrive two hours early. I feel confident we'll get A passes & get to sit together. If GAIL HAYDEN doesn't respond to you thread, PM her. She's the DIS expert on SWA.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

If your children are 4 and under they allow the parents and siblings ONLY to preboard.
If they are over 4 they board with the rest of the pax. Get to the airport early and try for either an A or B pass.

Since you are all on one reservation you cannot do online checkin.
If you are allowed to preboard, the grandparents have to board with the regular pax.

It is open seating and the luck of the draw, so, best advice, again, get there early.

 

[zurgswife]

You can call SWA and get your reservations separated. We have a party of 6 and I called and had the one reservation made into 6 only took a few mins.

 

[lawgs]

of course, as always,


1) the rules are open to interpretation by gate agents

or

2) the rules' envelope is pushed by individuals to get themselves into the pre board group ( which can be frustrating when you get there early to get an A boarding pass, only to be usurped by C passes whcih get into the pre board group )


as much as we would all like to see these rules being "hard and fast" at all airports, it does not always work out that way

zurgswife

sometimes having the reservations separated can cause "loss of RR credits" which, of course, if you are not a RR members will not matter