BWI Southwest Family Boarding

[maciec]

Has anyone ever been on a flight from BWI to MCO where they have not had family boarding?

 

[snoopy5386]

Nope

 

[DebbieB]

The thing about BWI is there are many flights that are making a second stop. I flew PIT-BWI-MCO last year and 41 people stayed on from Pittsburgh. So by time family boarding came, there was close to 100 people on board.

 

[katallo]

Only once and we assumed there were not many families with young children. Debbie B is corrrect, there are usually people on the plane when it arrives at BWI. We normally don't buy the early boarding passes for this reason. We tried on one or two occasions and it really didn't help.

 

[dudspizza]

We had a flight out of BWi last summer.... we had A45-49, which is before family boarding. When we boarded my wife and 2 girls got THE LAST row of 3 available way in the back. All other rows already had people in them. It was obvious that this flight was a connecting flight where many people stayed on board.

 

[snoopy5386]

It's funny, we fly BWI to Florida every year, at least once a year on SW and have always gotten on an empty flight! I had no idea that flights out of here didn't all originate here.

 

[robhawk]

It's funny, we fly BWI to Florida every year, at least once a year on SW and have always gotten on an empty flight! I had no idea that flights out of here didn't all originate here.

BWI is a huge stopover for Manchester, Boston, and Providence.
If it's not a non stop it usually stops there.

 

[jvattes]

BWI is a huge stopover for Manchester, Boston, and Providence.
If it's not a non stop it usually stops there.

We will be one of "those families" occupying the seats in July when our MHT flight pauses at BWI to pickup. Interestingly, that is the same stop we made on our last trip to the World.

 

[maciec]

So even if I book a non stop flight from BWI to MCO it may not be a true non stop flight?

 

[DebbieB]

So even if I book a non stop flight from BWI to MCO it may not be a true non stop flight?

If it says non-stop, it will be non-stop from your airport. If it says 1 stop, no change in plane, then there's a stopover at another airport. If there are 2 flight numbers shown, then it's a connection, you have to get off the plane and board another one.

So if I board in Pittsburgh and it's a 1 stop, no change in plane at BWI, I would stay on the plane when it stops at BWI. If you are getting on at BWI, it's a non-stop for you but be aware that people who got on in Pittsburgh will already be on the plane. If you do a 1 stop, you have the opportunity to change seats at the stop after they do a head count. Southwest also sells 2 stops. You have to watch on the reservation page.

 

[jvattes]

If it says non-stop, it will be non-stop from your airport. If it says 1 stop, no change in plane, then there's a stopover at another airport. If there are 2 flight numbers shown, then it's a connection, you have to get off the plane and board another one.

So if I board in Pittsburgh and it's a 1 stop, no change in plane at BWI, I would stay on the plane when it stops at BWI. If you are getting on at BWI, it's a non-stop for you but be aware that people who got on in Pittsburgh will already be on the plane. If you do a 1 stop, you have the opportunity to change seats at the stop after they do a head count. Southwest also sells 2 stops. You have to watch on the reservation page.

It might also be called "Direct" when it stops but you do not have to change planes.

"Nonstop" means exactly that - no stopping between airports

 

[mm1971]

BWI is a huge stopover for Manchester, Boston, and Providence.
If it's not a non stop it usually stops there.

This was our experience as well. We have had to connect twice at BWI and then on to Manchester. Both times the plane had a LOT of people on it before we even boarded. Family boarding has always been in effect on the flights we took, but there is a chance that even then there will be limited seating.

Based on the amount of people already on the plane, even buying the early boarding may not have been all that beneficial.

You should be able to track the flight and see if it is a "direct" flight with a stop and no plane change or a connecting flight. That would tell you if there are passengers on board prior to your boarding.